Flashbacks to his childhood where he was befriended by Joe Cox of Pog Hill - an itinerant gardener and wine maker of note make for some fascinating reading.
In Lansquenet his reclusive neighbour, Marise who has a terrifying secret, is shunned by the inhabitants of the village -a veritable collection of interesting and colourful characters.
Its been 10 years since Jay has made any contribution to the literary world and it is here in Lansquenet that he hopes to magically write his long overdue novel, but magic, like wine, needs teh right conditions in order to work.
As usual, a totally absorbing story and another wonderful book from Joanne Harris. Highly recommended.
By cutting back to Jay's childhood, Harris encapsulates the mystique and adventure of moving to foreign fields, contrasting it with the relationships that Jay forms and breaks during his upbringing. This is often billed as being a romance novel but it can also claim to hold a number of other redeeming qualities, not just a great eye for the provincial French farmland but also thenuances of a teenager's experiences. These range from love to betrayal and the realisation that no matter what somethingappears to be, the truth is often a great deal harsher.