The Typo: In the Name of God
An amusing medieval adventure, full of mischief and mayhem, plays out on the pages of this cleverly entertaining tale. It follows Antonio, a talented manuscript illustrator from Florence on his quest in 1461 to reach Johannes Gutenberg in Mainz, to fix a typo in a newly printed Bible. More than just a simple mistake, this typo could be construed as blasphemy or heresy by religious officials who see their authority dissipating in a dawning world of print not controlled by the Church. Antonio is joined on this journey by the enigmatic Gabriele, the senior guard from the Florence monastery where the newly printed Bible is due to be displayed. Threaded in and out of their travels are many other folks, all of whom have some kind of interest in potentially preventing or helping Antonio succeed in reaching Gutenberg to have a replacement page reprinted.
What makes this adventure tale especially gratifying is not only the surface humor, but also the deeper strands that show both the best and worst of human nature among all the characters and their interactions. For example, a lighthearted dialogue on why religious worship can be sensual is humorously defined through the senses (the sight of light streaming in stained glass windows, the sound of monks chanting, and the smell of burning incense). Yet, how religion is experienced is seriously questioned through the thoughts of characters throughout the narrative. The levity of the narrator tying plot elements to 21st-century understandings is likewise very funny, but again, the satire shines through the centuries. Heartily recommended!
