lolatarantula's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
This book was just so unusual and out of my normal range that I'm not sure what to make of it. Odd moments of whitewashing and Christian-centric thought aside, I don't have the brain power to explain why I liked this book so much, and I did ultimately like it a lot. It meandered in a comforting way but as a result if I was asked to summarize the plot and story I truly couldn't do so. The language was beautiful and some moments of dialogue and character really stood out, yet at the same time the cast of thousands felt a bit stretched at times.
Truly a well written book prose-wise, but I feel uneasy about the way the author handled Islam and "religion" as a whole. Maybe I'm digging too deep, but with the way people talk about this book and its philosophies, plus the symbolism and deep moments in this book, I can't imagine that the portrayals of Jesus and other moments regarding 'real life' things could be unintentionally misrepresented. Especially when the book is so full of historical references already, it's like the author didn't really do the research when it comes to the Abrahamic religions and was simply going off what was taught in Sunday school. That was the thing that made me drop the rating more than anything else. I don't know if anyone from the Muslim or Jewish community has discussed this book, but I'd be interested in hearing what they had to say.
This book was just so unusual and out of my normal range that I'm not sure what to make of it. Odd moments of whitewashing and Christian-centric thought aside, I don't have the brain power to explain why I liked this book so much, and I did ultimately like it a lot. It meandered in a comforting way but as a result if I was asked to summarize the plot and story I truly couldn't do so. The language was beautiful and some moments of dialogue and character really stood out, yet at the same time the cast of thousands felt a bit stretched at times.
Truly a well written book prose-wise, but I feel uneasy about the way the author handled Islam and "religion" as a whole. Maybe I'm digging too deep, but with the way people talk about this book and its philosophies, plus the symbolism and deep moments in this book, I can't imagine that the portrayals of Jesus and other moments regarding 'real life' things could be unintentionally misrepresented. Especially when the book is so full of historical references already, it's like the author didn't really do the research when it comes to the Abrahamic religions and was simply going off what was taught in Sunday school. That was the thing that made me drop the rating more than anything else. I don't know if anyone from the Muslim or Jewish community has discussed this book, but I'd be interested in hearing what they had to say.
maplessence's review against another edition
4.0
4.5*
The first time I read this I was totally engaged, this time not so much. I think the period when was when both I & this book lost focus.
The prose is still so beautiful & lyrical to read though and at the start I soared with the story & found the book very hard to put down. & I loved the chapter headings- all connected with winemaking and all relevant to the chapter.
Not perfect but still most highly recommended.
Edit; Sounds like the 2009 film managed to miss the whole point of the book.I think I'll skip it.
The first time I read this I was totally engaged, this time not so much. I think the period when
Spoiler
Xas the angel disappearedThe prose is still so beautiful & lyrical to read though and at the start I soared with the story & found the book very hard to put down. & I loved the chapter headings- all connected with winemaking and all relevant to the chapter.
Not perfect but still most highly recommended.
Edit; Sounds like the 2009 film managed to miss the whole point of the book.
Spoiler
The love between Xas & Sobranquinndm's review against another edition
4.0
A beautiful story about love and death, lust and life, murder and luck, that loses a little of its 'magic' with the writing style. It took me a few chapters to 'feel' involved with the world and characters in the book.
I don't think I will ever forget Xas or Sobran. A truly beautiful book.
I don't think I will ever forget Xas or Sobran. A truly beautiful book.
cronut's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
finchiy's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
enthralling read, beautiful plot and writing with compelling characters. a shame it started dragging at the 3/4 mark.
emendelowitz's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
What a strange and intriguing little book this was. First I must confess that I read the first ~50 pages of this book over a year ago and put it down before impulsively picking it back up right where I left off in the middle of a chapter the other day.
The Vintner’s Luck follows Sobran Jodeau, a vintner from the south of France, throughout his life in the early 19th century (essentially from Napoleon to Napoleon III), and primarily concerns his relationship with Xas, an Angel who comes to him once a year. We also follow Sobran’s family and his friend, lover, and employer, Aurora the baroness.
I’ve found that trying to explain this book is very difficult, but you really just need to immerse yourself in it. There is something so utterly fascinating and tender about Xas and Sobran’s relationship and the book is threaded with a strangely enchanting energy. Elizabeth Knox has managed to weave together the utterly mundane and normal lives of this community of people in France with the divine world of God, Satan, and angels in a way that shouldn’t work, but somehow does. The juxtaposition of Xas’s angelic beauty and divine power against the backdrop of ordinary French country life and political turmoil created such a rich setting that I could not help but be consumed by. Everything about this book is a contradiction but somehow it just really worked for me and I see why it has developed a cult following.
The Vintner’s Luck contains a certain energy that was managed to be captured by these strange, imaginative queer books of the late 20th century and first few years of the first. I don’t want to compare this to Interview with the Vampire because the two are so drastically different, but I can’t help but associate the threads of religious imagery turned queer and the violence and tenderness, the absurdity and solemnity, and sense of othering but also wholeness that come with being loved by an immortal mythical creature whether it is an angel or a vampire.
The Vintner’s Luck is a relatively obscure work of fiction published first in New Zealand around the turn of the century, so naturally it was difficult to get my hands on a copy. The copy I ordered second hand has gone from Auckland to Napier within New Zealand and then made its way to an island off the coast of South Carolina and finally made its way to me in Virginia (the previous owners have written this on the backside of the cover, which is how I know). I first found out about this book from Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light, on Twitter. I love watching the journey that a book, or even just a story, takes before it reaches you, which is perhaps why I enjoy reading older queer stories, because I feel connected to those who came before me.
Now that I am done waxing poetic, I also just really loved the character of Aurora and I think it is very rare to find such a compelling female character in a story centering queer men (I now realize I have said this exact same thing about countless other compelling female characters in stories centering queer men so either I’ve fabricated this problem in my mind or I’ve just been on a lucky streak).
P.S. I get why angels and biblical allegory are having a resurgence in queer lit.
The Vintner’s Luck follows Sobran Jodeau, a vintner from the south of France, throughout his life in the early 19th century (essentially from Napoleon to Napoleon III), and primarily concerns his relationship with Xas, an Angel who comes to him once a year. We also follow Sobran’s family and his friend, lover, and employer, Aurora the baroness.
I’ve found that trying to explain this book is very difficult, but you really just need to immerse yourself in it. There is something so utterly fascinating and tender about Xas and Sobran’s relationship and the book is threaded with a strangely enchanting energy. Elizabeth Knox has managed to weave together the utterly mundane and normal lives of this community of people in France with the divine world of God, Satan, and angels in a way that shouldn’t work, but somehow does. The juxtaposition of Xas’s angelic beauty and divine power against the backdrop of ordinary French country life and political turmoil created such a rich setting that I could not help but be consumed by. Everything about this book is a contradiction but somehow it just really worked for me and I see why it has developed a cult following.
The Vintner’s Luck contains a certain energy that was managed to be captured by these strange, imaginative queer books of the late 20th century and first few years of the first. I don’t want to compare this to Interview with the Vampire because the two are so drastically different, but I can’t help but associate the threads of religious imagery turned queer and the violence and tenderness, the absurdity and solemnity, and sense of othering but also wholeness that come with being loved by an immortal mythical creature whether it is an angel or a vampire.
The Vintner’s Luck is a relatively obscure work of fiction published first in New Zealand around the turn of the century, so naturally it was difficult to get my hands on a copy. The copy I ordered second hand has gone from Auckland to Napier within New Zealand and then made its way to an island off the coast of South Carolina and finally made its way to me in Virginia (the previous owners have written this on the backside of the cover, which is how I know). I first found out about this book from Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light, on Twitter. I love watching the journey that a book, or even just a story, takes before it reaches you, which is perhaps why I enjoy reading older queer stories, because I feel connected to those who came before me.
Now that I am done waxing poetic, I also just really loved the character of Aurora and I think it is very rare to find such a compelling female character in a story centering queer men (I now realize I have said this exact same thing about countless other compelling female characters in stories centering queer men so either I’ve fabricated this problem in my mind or I’ve just been on a lucky streak).
P.S. I get why angels and biblical allegory are having a resurgence in queer lit.
katiezew's review against another edition
5.0
I love heaven/hell/angel books and I need my algorithm to understand this