Blackberry Wine
Registered by usedtobe on 6/5/2003
11 journalers for this copy...
"Jay Mackintosh is trapped by memory in the old familiar landscape of his childhood, more enticing than the present, and to which he longs to return. A bottle of home-brewed wine left to him by a long-vanished friend seems to provide both the key to an old mystery and a doorway into another world. As the unusual properties of the strange brew takes effect, Jay escapes to a derelict farmhouse in the French village of Lansquenet, where a ghost from the past waits to confront him, and the reclusive Marise - haunted, lovely and dangerous - hides a terrible secret behind her closed shutters. Between them, a mysterious chemistry. Or could it be magic?"
Another great book from the author of Chocolat. An enchanting, mysterious and magical tale! :)The story is told by a bottle of Fleurie, 1962, that has known Jay since the day he was born and will accompany us through his adventures in Lansquenet.
Just received this lovely book in the mail.
Thank you - Virgulina! I will read this soon!
Thank you - Virgulina! I will read this soon!
Jay Mackintosh is an adult in an early midlife crisis who wants very much to recapture his adventures as an adolescent. He thinks of the time after his parents divorce, when he spent some time with his grandparents but even they couldn't see the changes that Jay is going through. On Pog Hill Lane Jay finds Joe Cox. Joe would not only see the changes in Jay but eventually give him the 'magic' that reveals what Jay always needed - now more than ever. The story has Jay escaping to Lansquenet in France and meeting some of the same characters in "Chocolat". This is a warm and cozy story that's full of incredible aromas, beautiful gardens, and some wonderful home-brewed wine. If only I could have sipped some of the 'Fleurie 1962', the experience would have been complete. A wonderful, light read, that would be enhanced by savoring your favorite beverage.
Sending this to bluenoser...Enjoy!!!
Sending this to bluenoser...Enjoy!!!
Yippee!! Another Joanne Harris just arrived in my mailbox. I'm going away on vacation next week but as soon as I get back I'll start a bookray for this book as I know there are many folks out there itching to read this one.
Many thanks cafemundo for noticing this on my wish list.
Many thanks cafemundo for noticing this on my wish list.
From the back cover -"Blackberry Wine has all the appeal of a velvety scented glass of vintage wine"- Amen to that. Another wonderful story from Joanne Harris, that appeals to all the senses.
The tale swings back and forwards from a condemned little terrace house in 70's England to Lansquenet, a little farming village in 90's France, just outside Agen in SW France amidst the vinyards.
What makes this book so different from her others is that the narrator is a vintage (Fleurie 1962) bottle of special wine and the hero and the chapters are haunted by the magic memories of a retired coal-miner/amateur gardener.
I am very familiar with this area of France, so the people, landscape, wine and food come alive off the pages for me.
I have to echo the sentiments in the reviews jounalled by Virgulina and Cafemundo. Many thanks for sending it my way and on it goes in the New Year by way of an international bookray.
The tale swings back and forwards from a condemned little terrace house in 70's England to Lansquenet, a little farming village in 90's France, just outside Agen in SW France amidst the vinyards.
What makes this book so different from her others is that the narrator is a vintage (Fleurie 1962) bottle of special wine and the hero and the chapters are haunted by the magic memories of a retired coal-miner/amateur gardener.
I am very familiar with this area of France, so the people, landscape, wine and food come alive off the pages for me.
I have to echo the sentiments in the reviews jounalled by Virgulina and Cafemundo. Many thanks for sending it my way and on it goes in the New Year by way of an international bookray.
The following is the order of participants in this bookray:
1) Secotyne - Geneva, Switzerland
2) katayoun - Tehran, Iran
4) Scism - Adelaide, Australia
4b) Tasamina - S. Australia
5) meganh - Victoria, Australia
6) alsgal - Washington, USA
7) rbroski - Florida, USA
8) seferim - Maryland, USA
9) jendudley - Texas, USA
10) caligula03 - California, USA ((received August 14th, 2004)
11) SuorClarisse - Montreal, Canada
If anyone else would like to be added to this bookray, they can be added on at the end of the list and must be prepared to mail internationally, just PM me.
1) Secotyne - Geneva, Switzerland
2) katayoun - Tehran, Iran
4) Scism - Adelaide, Australia
4b) Tasamina - S. Australia
5) meganh - Victoria, Australia
6) alsgal - Washington, USA
7) rbroski - Florida, USA
8) seferim - Maryland, USA
9) jendudley - Texas, USA
10) caligula03 - California, USA ((received August 14th, 2004)
11) SuorClarisse - Montreal, Canada
If anyone else would like to be added to this bookray, they can be added on at the end of the list and must be prepared to mail internationally, just PM me.
Lucky Secotyne spent the holidays up in the mountains, away from computers, so I just got her address yesterday. Blackberry Wine has now started on its journey around the world. If anyone else wants to join they are welcome to be added to the end of the ray but must be willing to mail internationally. I hope everyone enjoys this book as much as I did.
It was in my mail box today.
How exciting. My first participation in a bookring !
I can't wait to start reading the book.
Thank you so much.
How exciting. My first participation in a bookring !
I can't wait to start reading the book.
Thank you so much.
I enjoyed the book very much. It’s a wonderful story, full of aromas, nature, and home-brewed wine. I sent it to Katayoun on Monday 15th. It will travel around 15 to 20 days between Switzerland and Iran according to the postman.
HERE!! a little more than 20 days but not bad :) got two rings/rays before this, though they are quick reads and will hopefully start this next week. thank alot!
update april 13th: am half way into the book and it's really good. am trying to get babybee's address, to be ready to mail the book as soon as i'm done! :)
update 13th: just heard from BabyBee and she had alot on her hands and also travelling (lucky!! that about travelling and not on missing this book, each page i read i'm a bit more in love with the book) and so going to try and find Scism.
update 14th: got Scism's address and oh this book is just great!
update april 13th: am half way into the book and it's really good. am trying to get babybee's address, to be ready to mail the book as soon as i'm done! :)
update 13th: just heard from BabyBee and she had alot on her hands and also travelling (lucky!! that about travelling and not on missing this book, each page i read i'm a bit more in love with the book) and so going to try and find Scism.
update 14th: got Scism's address and oh this book is just great!
unfortunately i finished the book and i miss the book, not the characaters or the people, more the atmosphere, the smells, the magic... it was a most beautiful book and "the specials" were certainly felt here, thanks alot bluenoser for a lovely ray.
the book will be mailed tomorrow, on it's way to scism
the book will be mailed tomorrow, on it's way to scism
Received in the mail today (May 4th) all the way from Iran! Thanks katayoun! I plan to read it and send it on before the end of May. Looking forward to it!
Sadly, my non-BookCrossing life has become so hectic over the last few weeks, that I haven't had any time to read. And it looks like it will only get busier over the next month or so. So it seems like the best thing to do is to keep this book moving on its journey, despite having only read a few pages of it. I will mail it off as soon as I have meganh's address.
Just to keep you all in the loop... I'm still waiting for meganh's snail mail address. Hopefully I'll be able to send the book off this week.
Just to let you all know: The next recipient (meganh)is away from home for a couple of weeks. Scism has contacted me and will either slip another Aussie BCer in the ring for those couple of weeks or will hold on to it until meganh gets home. Either way it's not lost, just delayed slightly.
I received this book from Scism and eagerly look forward to reading it as I thoroughly enjoyed Chocolate, Five Quarters of the Orange and Coastliners.
My first bookring/ray Experience-Who oo!
My first bookring/ray Experience-Who oo!
I really enjoyed this book. The magic that Joanne Harris weaves makes it a journey of mystery,fantasy and very "Special".
I am posting this on to Meganh today for her to savour. It has been lovely to share in the travels of this book-- Thank you!
I am posting this on to Meganh today for her to savour. It has been lovely to share in the travels of this book-- Thank you!
Received in the mail from Tasamina yesterday. Looking forward to reading my first book by Joanne Harris - I visited Flavigny,Burgundy,France in May - which is the village where Chocolat was filmed - and there's a business opportunity for someone selling hot chocolates!
A beautiful story. I enjoyed reading the story of Jay and his specials (and I enjoyed a red wine whilst reading!) I loved the way the Fleuri 1962 told the story, and Joe Cox formed the fabric of the story. An enjoyable read, on it's way to alsgal now.
Received in the mail yesterday. I can't wait to read it & send it on it's way to the next reader!
Enjoyed this Harris book almost as much as Chocolat. I really liked how Harris included many of the characters we met in Chocolat.
The next 3 people have asked to be skipped. 1 is getting ready to have a baby, 1 is getting ready to head back to school, and 1 already has a copy of the book. So I'm sending this off to caligula03 in CA. Enjoy!
The next 3 people have asked to be skipped. 1 is getting ready to have a baby, 1 is getting ready to head back to school, and 1 already has a copy of the book. So I'm sending this off to caligula03 in CA. Enjoy!
The book has arrived safe and sound. I will read it as soon as I can.
Blackberry Wine is sickenly sweet in its sentimentality but it does score points for having a unique narrator. The flashbacks to Pog Hill distract from the present day story. The book is tighter and more compelling a read when those chapters are skipped. When the story finally moves away from Jay's fond memories of how great Joe was and goes to the mystery of Jay's neighbor and her daughter Rosa the story hits its stride. I wish it had focused more on them and less on "Jackapple Joe."
Released on Saturday, October 30, 2004 at about 1:00:00 PM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at SuorClarisse in n/a, n/a Controlled Releases.
RELEASE NOTES:
Mailing to SuorClarisse on October 30th.
RELEASE NOTES:
Mailing to SuorClarisse on October 30th.
Got the book from caligula03 day before yesterday & have just started reading. So far it looks quite promising!
