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sumna_sova's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mcfade28's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Joanne Harris never disappoints. This was an almost dream-like story of a man's reflections on his childhood, and his bond with an older neighbour, who later inspired him to write a novel.
mrwcc's review
3.0
Ended in a short space which is odd given its 400+ page count and a chapter count of 65. If this is part of a series then it might make sense but the end felt final. Enjoyed enough but felt like I'd exchange some of the Pog Hill chapters for more character development and also less from the perspective of a bottle of wine.
littletaiko's review against another edition
3.0
This is best summed up as a very pleasant read. Nothing terribly earth shattering happens but instead it's just a nice story about a writer at a crossroads in his life who is helped along by the Specials - a magical kind of wine. The wine has the ability to help people see more clearly the path to fixing the problems in their life. The final resolution wasn't completely satisfactory but it was still a nice way to spend a few hours.
aina21's review
3.0
It was a cute and charming book. All about reconnecting with your roots and finding out what you really want in life.
thecraftysinger's review against another edition
5.0
Another fabulous read from Joanne Harris, set in the same 'world' as Chocolat. Beautiful descriptions of the countryside, and a great story about Jay and Joe, friendship, childhood challenges, nostalgia and memories.
tusenord's review
5.0
It was amazing, despite the sharp time leaps in the beginning (which is a just a personal taste). I love the characters, the unconventional plot, a writer who knows that an interesting premise shouldn't and doesn't need to be rubbed into the reader's face.
typewriters87's review
3.0
Is this book well written? Yes. Could I vividly imagine myself in this world? Yes. Did it read like pulling teeth? Yes.
The pacing was awful and the book went every which way. It finally picked up at the very end, 3/4 the way through and then to have that slap in the face ending? I mean I understand the main ending bit but I’m talking about the huge bad thing that just MAGICALLY was not covered or brought up again after it happened to someone it most definitely would have been a major deal to? Unless we’re supposed to infer that’s what the last page was supposed to be??? It is still making me boiling mad to think about it.
Like I said, the book was well written but I can’t say I’d recommend you to pick it up intentionally…
The pacing was awful and the book went every which way. It finally picked up at the very end, 3/4 the way through and then to have that slap in the face ending? I mean I understand the main ending bit but I’m talking about the huge bad thing that just MAGICALLY was not covered or brought up again after it happened to someone it most definitely would have been a major deal to? Unless we’re supposed to infer that’s what the last page was supposed to be??? It is still making me boiling mad to think about it.
Like I said, the book was well written but I can’t say I’d recommend you to pick it up intentionally…
deranged_pegasus's review against another edition
5.0
The fluidity of the two times was masterfully done. There was no point in the book out of place or awkward. It was cute in a way how the wine 'spoke' throughout the story and gave foreshadowing. It was also rather nice how the first book showed up in the form of Josephine. The ending of the book was not what I had expected but was all the same expected in a way that only intuition tells.