Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Black Swan (2000), 386 pages
Description
Jay Mackintosh is trapped by memory in the old familiar landscape of his childhood, to which he longs to return. A bottle of home-brewed wine left to him by a long-vanished friend seems to provide the key to an old mystery. As the unusual properties of the strange brew take effect, Jay escapes to a derelict farmhouse in the French village of Lansquenet. There, 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?
User reviews
LibraryThing member Luli81
My first novel by the author of Chocolat and I have to say I enjoyed it far more than expected.
The story of Jay Mackintosh, a 37 years old writer, famous because of an only novel written fifteen years ago. Jay seems to have lost inspiration and faith in the magic of life, as if all these feelings
The novel moves forward and backwards in time, and the reader is able to know young Jay, when he meets Joe, an eccentric old man who leaves a deep impression in lonely Jay, becoming his special friend and his secret hideaway.
Home brewed wine made by Joe takes unusual importance in the present time of the story, because it's only when Jay drinks it that he finds the courage to change what makes him unhappy. Guided by a kind of Joe's ghost, Jay leaves London and moves to a little rural village in France where he buys an abandoned farm and where he starts writing again, inspired by his mysterious neighbour, Marisa.
This is a book about haunted lives, unfinished stories and the chance to change your own life and atone for your past mistakes.
Magic, wine, faith or simply luck and coincidence. Choose your own explanation.
I'll stick to the magic and a bit of luck, as Jay says.
It's only a matter of not losing hope completely and let others surprise you, with one foot in the Earth and the other one suspended in the air, letting the wind blow where it has to.
Refreshing, heartening and uplifting reading. Great for dreamers and romantics.
The story of Jay Mackintosh, a 37 years old writer, famous because of an only novel written fifteen years ago. Jay seems to have lost inspiration and faith in the magic of life, as if all these feelings
Show More
had been spent in that successful novel.The novel moves forward and backwards in time, and the reader is able to know young Jay, when he meets Joe, an eccentric old man who leaves a deep impression in lonely Jay, becoming his special friend and his secret hideaway.
Home brewed wine made by Joe takes unusual importance in the present time of the story, because it's only when Jay drinks it that he finds the courage to change what makes him unhappy. Guided by a kind of Joe's ghost, Jay leaves London and moves to a little rural village in France where he buys an abandoned farm and where he starts writing again, inspired by his mysterious neighbour, Marisa.
This is a book about haunted lives, unfinished stories and the chance to change your own life and atone for your past mistakes.
Magic, wine, faith or simply luck and coincidence. Choose your own explanation.
I'll stick to the magic and a bit of luck, as Jay says.
It's only a matter of not losing hope completely and let others surprise you, with one foot in the Earth and the other one suspended in the air, letting the wind blow where it has to.
Refreshing, heartening and uplifting reading. Great for dreamers and romantics.
Show Less
LibraryThing member unlikelyaristotle
What can I say? I don't drink, but this book makes me want to.
You have to be a certain brand of author to be able to talk about the taste and textures of foods and drinks throughout a whole book (actually several, since she did Chocolat as well), but Joanne Harris does this effortlessly, and most
Maybe it is too easy to sound charming when talking about an adorable French village with all its inherent quirks and tales, but Harris is able to portray atmosphere, ambience, call it what you will, but you can immerse yourself in a book like this as easily as if it were the wine that gave the book its name. And it's the kind of book I feel people with all kinds of book preferences can enjoy.
You have to be a certain brand of author to be able to talk about the taste and textures of foods and drinks throughout a whole book (actually several, since she did Chocolat as well), but Joanne Harris does this effortlessly, and most
Show More
importantly for me, without repetition. Maybe it is too easy to sound charming when talking about an adorable French village with all its inherent quirks and tales, but Harris is able to portray atmosphere, ambience, call it what you will, but you can immerse yourself in a book like this as easily as if it were the wine that gave the book its name. And it's the kind of book I feel people with all kinds of book preferences can enjoy.
Show Less
LibraryThing member OhSnap
I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to read more of Joanne Harris's books as I loved the way she wrote them.
I got so absorbed in the writing and the story and I think this is partly to do with the magical setting - a tiny French village called Lansquenet. It really made me want to
I also really liked the way the two stories of the main characters childhood and present life were interwoven as it added variety that kept the pace of the novel moving.
The book was effortless. Some books I have read, although the language and use of words was really clever and well thought out, just seemed like a chore to read through at some points. This book has all the beautiful language and descriptions but you don't feel like it is contrived in any way. It is not written so that you notice the intelligence of the author in writing this in that way - the beauty of it is that all the story telling language comes together to create a mood and atmosphere of the book that is much more enjoyable to read.
I really hope that Joanne Harris's other books are just as good - if not better as she is set to become one of my favourite authors.
I got so absorbed in the writing and the story and I think this is partly to do with the magical setting - a tiny French village called Lansquenet. It really made me want to
Show More
move to a village in France and sit around in the sunset drinking wine. I also really liked the way the two stories of the main characters childhood and present life were interwoven as it added variety that kept the pace of the novel moving.
The book was effortless. Some books I have read, although the language and use of words was really clever and well thought out, just seemed like a chore to read through at some points. This book has all the beautiful language and descriptions but you don't feel like it is contrived in any way. It is not written so that you notice the intelligence of the author in writing this in that way - the beauty of it is that all the story telling language comes together to create a mood and atmosphere of the book that is much more enjoyable to read.
I really hope that Joanne Harris's other books are just as good - if not better as she is set to become one of my favourite authors.
Show Less
LibraryThing member BudaBaby
Folksy story of a frustrated writer coming to terms with eventsfrom his past. A bottle of wine is a sometimes narrator.
LibraryThing member gribeaux
This book is probably an acquired taste, but I loved it. The whole scenario with Joe; right until the end I was puzzling-is our hero loopy, is he seeing ghosts...? And as for the evil girlfriend, well, she was just pleasantly slappable! The love interest wasn't overdone either, which is laudable.
Show More
Comfort reading! Show Less
LibraryThing member Greatrakes
Blackberry Wine is set in the French Village of Lansquenet and in Kirby Monckton in the North of England. Lansquenet was the setting for Chocolat and some of the same characters reappear. I am prejudiced against novels from successful novelists writing about successful novelists struggling to write
This book features Jay, the writer; Joe, the muse and Madame d'Apie, the love interest. The book is set in 1976 and 1999 and we move between the two times. The narrator is a bottle of Fleurie 1962. There is a kindness at the heart of Joanne Harris's books that makes them especially appealing.
Show More
their next successful novel, but this book won me over. Joanne Harris writes beautifully and the novel slides down like fruit wine. Magic realism always has a get-out clause with Harris, you don't have to believe, it could all be just coincidence, not even all the characters believe.This book features Jay, the writer; Joe, the muse and Madame d'Apie, the love interest. The book is set in 1976 and 1999 and we move between the two times. The narrator is a bottle of Fleurie 1962. There is a kindness at the heart of Joanne Harris's books that makes them especially appealing.
Show Less
LibraryThing member madamejeanie
Jay Mackintosh spent three summers with his grandparents when he was a young
teen and his famous London star parents had a very public divorce. His
grandparents were easy to placate and elude, so he spent a lot of time
exploring the run-down mining town near their home. He met an old retired
miner
wine-making and life. It was a magical time for Jay that came to an abrupt
halt when the old railway was sold to an upscale developer and Joe
disappeared, his shack boarded up and abandoned.
Years later, Jay is a grown man, an author with one wonderful book to his
credit. The book called "Jackapple Joe" had wowed the critics and made the
reading public eager for more. But Jay had no more within him. He wrote
throw-away science fiction to pay the bills and longed for something that he
couldn't quite put his finger on. Then one day, he sees an ad for a
run-down French chateau and recognizes it as the "chatto" that Joe always
said he wanted to own. On impulse, Jay buys it, sight unseen, and arrives
in the remote French village of Lansquenet in the middle of the night. The
house is a horror, badly in need of renovation, but Jay throws himself into
it wholeheartedly. He's brought nothing with him but a duffle bag with some
clothing and supplies, and the five old bottles of Joe's wine, the
"Specials" that Jay found in the debris of Joe's old house years ago and
saved all these years.
Wine talks, you know. It plots, plans, giggles, and rejoices in the changes
it can bring to your life. And the Specials have plans for Jay. And
somehow, Jay isn't alone in this house after all. Joe's spirit has followed
him and has a few more things to teach him before he's done.
This was a pleasant little book, full of magic and great characters, a
little mystery, and a whole lot of life. Joanne Harris spun her magic with
this same village in the story "Chocolat" and she's not quite finished with
the place yet. I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a well written
story in a magical setting. It gets a 5.
teen and his famous London star parents had a very public divorce. His
grandparents were easy to placate and elude, so he spent a lot of time
exploring the run-down mining town near their home. He met an old retired
miner
Show More
named Jackapple Joe, who taught him secrets of herbs, gardening,wine-making and life. It was a magical time for Jay that came to an abrupt
halt when the old railway was sold to an upscale developer and Joe
disappeared, his shack boarded up and abandoned.
Years later, Jay is a grown man, an author with one wonderful book to his
credit. The book called "Jackapple Joe" had wowed the critics and made the
reading public eager for more. But Jay had no more within him. He wrote
throw-away science fiction to pay the bills and longed for something that he
couldn't quite put his finger on. Then one day, he sees an ad for a
run-down French chateau and recognizes it as the "chatto" that Joe always
said he wanted to own. On impulse, Jay buys it, sight unseen, and arrives
in the remote French village of Lansquenet in the middle of the night. The
house is a horror, badly in need of renovation, but Jay throws himself into
it wholeheartedly. He's brought nothing with him but a duffle bag with some
clothing and supplies, and the five old bottles of Joe's wine, the
"Specials" that Jay found in the debris of Joe's old house years ago and
saved all these years.
Wine talks, you know. It plots, plans, giggles, and rejoices in the changes
it can bring to your life. And the Specials have plans for Jay. And
somehow, Jay isn't alone in this house after all. Joe's spirit has followed
him and has a few more things to teach him before he's done.
This was a pleasant little book, full of magic and great characters, a
little mystery, and a whole lot of life. Joanne Harris spun her magic with
this same village in the story "Chocolat" and she's not quite finished with
the place yet. I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a well written
story in a magical setting. It gets a 5.
Show Less
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
Coming of age novels usually involve adolescents. But this book captures an adult coming of age in a very enjoyable way. Jay comes to terms with his past and in the process discovers who he really is. And Ms. Harris takes us back to the land of Chocolat, which is fun.
LibraryThing member HannahKiwi
The best of Joanne Harris's novels. The interesting narrative perspective is used to exquiste advantage.
LibraryThing member neverlistless
Set in the same French village as Chocolat and with many of the same characters, this is the story of Jay, a writer looking to return to the way of his childhood and the way of life of his mentor. This one definitely wasn't as good as Chocolat or any of the other Joanne Harris novels that I've
Show More
read. I had a really hard time getting into the story and did not feel attached to any of the characters. It did, however, make me want to garden and bake bread. Show Less
LibraryThing member jbrubacher
A delicious, tangible, sort of incredible story with a lot of rich descriptions and characters I'd like to meet again. This was the first book by Joanne Harris I'd read, but I'd love to read more.
LibraryThing member morningwalker
I loved this book. I loved Joe. I loved the scenery, the moods, the scents and the flavors the author evoked throughout. I want to move to Lansquenet and buy a farm.
LibraryThing member picardyrose
Really lovely story about a failed author who runs away to France to create the chateau of an old man's dreams.
LibraryThing member Sorrel
This book contained some lovely prose, and was quite a good story. Unfortunately, my dislike for the main character made for an uncomfortable and edgy reading experience.
LibraryThing member christinelstanley
Another fabulous read from Joanne Harris. This story flits between France and England and has a a lovely portrayal of the relationship between the boy and the old man.
LibraryThing member SusanBarnard
This is my favorite of the Joanne Harris books I've read. I read Chocolate; then Five Quarters of the Orange; then this book. I found all to be dark and quirky as they tell the tale of ordinary people whose lives are affected by exotic people or circumstances...in this case the most notable is the
Show More
"talking" wine. This is a tale of the low places in life...places people don't want to be...places not to be recalled happily. We follow the main character, Jay, in his quirky childhood experiences and into his choice to uproot himself from a stagnate urban life without the hope for a future - it is almost just a different setting in which to be stagnant. Jay's dark life changes slowly with no great effort on his part as he becomes aware of a world outside of himself. On the "dark & quirky" scale - Five Quarters is off the chart; Chocolate is slightly more whimsical, though still very dark; and Blackberry Wine is more quirky than dark. Show Less
LibraryThing member Margaret-J.
The protagonist of this story is really the old man, "Jackapple Joe" Cox, although the main character Jay is the driving force of the story. Jackapple is an old man full of stories, just strange enough to be believable, who is odd enough and lonely enough to recognize a kindred spirit in the young
Show More
teenager, who appears suddenly on a whim, staring at him over a brick wall in the most unlikely of places: Pog Hill Lane. It is a relationship story between the old man and the young man and is based upon trust or lack of it, really. The story jumps between the mid 1970's in England in a mining town near the slag heaps & a railroad line and the late 1999's in France on small farm Jay has purchased on a whim. Show Less
LibraryThing member KarenRinn
Joanne Harris is such wonderful writer! This is a captivating book, drawing one in with the mystic and taking one along a journey of truth and awareness. Gorgeous imagery and descriptions. The only negative is the ending: Harris omits the resolution of a major conflict - Jay has told the little
Show More
girl to lie to her mother about seeing the grandmother. The mother already has trust issues because of the grandmother and the townspeople. It seems to me this should have been addressed in another two chapters instead of ignored. Show Less
LibraryThing member pussreboots
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
Show More
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." Show Less
LibraryThing member Annabel1954
The same author as Chocolat using similar sensory adjectives to describe different wines that were enjoined when a family member bought an old Italian vineyard, and there are great personality engagements within the story.
LibraryThing member lydia1879
Oh my god! This book!
It has been years. I definitely need to read some Joanne Harris again.
Despite it being years since I read this book, I remember some of the passages quite vividly. Joanne Harris has a very sensual way of writing, in that she engages all your senses. I think Harris was my first
I struggled with reading during high school, I would borrow out 6 different books at a time and read 30 pages of each over the month, only to return them, but her writing saw me through.
From memory, I didn't like this book as much as some of her others purely because of the narrative voice, but it still evokes a lot of really positive memories for me. c:
3.5 stars
It has been years. I definitely need to read some Joanne Harris again.
Despite it being years since I read this book, I remember some of the passages quite vividly. Joanne Harris has a very sensual way of writing, in that she engages all your senses. I think Harris was my first
Show More
introduction to magical realism and that sort of surreal, sentimental writing that has informed a lot of my reading life.I struggled with reading during high school, I would borrow out 6 different books at a time and read 30 pages of each over the month, only to return them, but her writing saw me through.
From memory, I didn't like this book as much as some of her others purely because of the narrative voice, but it still evokes a lot of really positive memories for me. c:
3.5 stars
Show Less
LibraryThing member Carol420
What a charming fairy tale for grown-ups! It comes complete with elements of fantasies... a house in the French countryside...potions and healers with the power to transform...love everlasting even if often is not entirely convincing. There were only a couple of things that were slightly annoying
Show More
but not overwhelming. The narrator was a bottle of wine...you don't have to go back and reread that...it was indeed a bottle of blackberry wine...and the end of the book is a little unbelievable. The recluse harbors a dark secret which comes out of the blue. Overall it was certainly an intriguing way to present he story. Show Less
LibraryThing member angelfruity
A nice little book. A quick read for a wet weekend with a nice little bottle of Burgundy. Enjoyed the story but was left ... wanting ... I don't know - something extra. Not a particularly good review, I know. The author seemed to skim over some shaky ground in Jay and Kerry's relationship. I wanted
Show More
more from Joe - but perhaps there was nothing left. Show Less
LibraryThing member PattyLee
Usual blend of Harris’ mystical fiction. Pleasant story, well told.
LibraryThing member RefPenny
This book contains 2 parallel stories - that of Jay as a teen and later as a one-hit author who, on a whim, buys a property in France. What both stories have in common is Joe - a kind friend to the teen, subject of the acclaimed novel and still present (in spirit not flesh) prompting and advising
Show More
the adult Jay. Another winner from Joanne Harris. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2002)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2000
Physical description
386 p.; 1.97 inches
ISBN
0552998001 / 9780552998000