I'm very taken with the novels of Paul Torday, including this one which I read and loved a while back. Fantastic! My comments and those of other readers can be found here. I bought this in the Oxfam shop in Thirsk yesterday during a very pleasant day out with a friend. It's for tree-hugger who also enjoyed some of this author's novels but not yet this one!

Amazon Editorial Review: "Late one summer evening, Wilberforce - rich, young, and work-obsessed - makes a detour on his way home to the vast undercroft of Caerlyon Hall, and the domain of Francis Black, a place where wine, hospitality and affection flow freely. Through Francis, Wilberforce is initiated into a life rich in the promise of friendship and adventure, where, through his new set of friends, the possibility of finding acceptance, and even falling in love, seems finally to be within his reach. Wilberforce becomes a willing pupil to Francis, and in the cellars of Caerlyon he nurtures a new-found passion for wine. But even the finest wine can leave a bitter aftertaste, and Wilberforce will learn the undercroft's unpalatable secrets, and that passion comes at a price ..."

To tree-hugger! Enjoy!

Thank you! I expect I'll enjoy this.

I read this over the past few days whilst recovering from an operation. I thought it was a good book but it was perhaps a little bit dark for me right now - perhaps a jollier book might have been a better choice in the circumstances. It was another good book from Paul Torday though - I've liked all the ones I've read. The way that it's written backwards works well. Wilberforce is a great narrative voice because you have to take everything he says with a pinch of salt. I think Nu-Knees has somebody else in mind for this book next.

Thank you, tree-hugger - and my very best wishes for a very speedy recovery!!
This will now be heading to Austria in return for The Hopeless Life of Charlie Summers which I thoroughly enjoyed! Thank you, buzzbrain!

In the post, heading east! Enjoy :-)

Hello Nu-Knees,

Your book arrived save and sound today. Looking forward to reading it. :-)
Thanks again.

For me it was a bit of a strange read, because a close family member of mine was an alcoholic.

I also found the construction of the story (back to front) distracting, but that doesn't mean that someone else won't be delighted by the whole story.

A nice surprise was that Eck Chatwood Talbot makes an appearance in this novel. He is totally in the limelight in another novel of the same author "The hopeless life of Charly Summers".

Sent the book on the road again today via personal delivery to a friend.