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Бургундските дневници
Потопете се в история за вино, любов и дълго пазени семейни тайни...
Мерсо, Бургундия, Септември, 2015 г. Кейт мечтае да стане майстор на виното. За да постигне това обаче, тя трябва да се изправи пред собствените си страхове – да се върне в Бургундия, където е той... Освен любовта, там Кейт намира тайна изба, която крие много повече от ценни бутилки вино.
Мерсо, Бургундия, Септември, 1939 г. Елен мечтае да опази семейството и дома си, без да пристъпва моралните си принципи. Във време, в което е опасно да отстояваш себе си, тя е готова да се бори за свободата. Нейната история е старателно заличена от семейните архиви и потъва в забрава до появата на Кейт...
Сред лозовите насаждения и приказната природа на Франция, един дневник преплита историите на две силни жени от различни времена. Семейното имение Шарпен разкрива богатата си история в този вълнуващ разказ за ценностите, любовта и семейството.
Ан Ма е писател, журналист и страстен почитател на добрата храна и хубавото вино. Нарича свой дом няколко места по света, сред които Париж и Ню Йорк.
Мерсо, Бургундия, Септември, 2015 г. Кейт мечтае да стане майстор на виното. За да постигне това обаче, тя трябва да се изправи пред собствените си страхове – да се върне в Бургундия, където е той... Освен любовта, там Кейт намира тайна изба, която крие много повече от ценни бутилки вино.
Мерсо, Бургундия, Септември, 1939 г. Елен мечтае да опази семейството и дома си, без да пристъпва моралните си принципи. Във време, в което е опасно да отстояваш себе си, тя е готова да се бори за свободата. Нейната история е старателно заличена от семейните архиви и потъва в забрава до появата на Кейт...
Сред лозовите насаждения и приказната природа на Франция, един дневник преплита историите на две силни жени от различни времена. Семейното имение Шарпен разкрива богатата си история в този вълнуващ разказ за ценностите, любовта и семейството.
Ан Ма е писател, журналист и страстен почитател на добрата храна и хубавото вино. Нарича свой дом няколко места по света, сред които Париж и Ню Йорк.
280 pages, Paperback
First published June 19, 2018
About the author
Ann Mah
7 books762 followersAnn Mah is the author of the novel Jacqueline in Paris (due out Sept 2022) as well as four other books, including the USA Today bestseller and Indie Next pick, The Lost Vintage. Her food memoir, Mastering the Art of French Eating, was an Amazon best book of 2013, and a winner of the Elle readers prize.
Ann is a regular contributor to the New York Times Travel section, and her articles have also appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, the Washington Post, The Best American Travel Writing 2017, Washingtonian magazine, Vogue.com, BonAppetit.com, TheKitchn.com, and other publications.
As the recipient of a James Beard Foundation culinary scholarship, Ann studied in Bologna, Italy. She also holds the Level 2 Award in Wine and Spirits with distinction from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET).
Ann is a regular contributor to the New York Times Travel section, and her articles have also appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, the Washington Post, The Best American Travel Writing 2017, Washingtonian magazine, Vogue.com, BonAppetit.com, TheKitchn.com, and other publications.
As the recipient of a James Beard Foundation culinary scholarship, Ann studied in Bologna, Italy. She also holds the Level 2 Award in Wine and Spirits with distinction from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,088 reviews
June 21, 2018
5 delectable stars to The Lost Vintage! 🍇 🍷 🍇 🍷 🍇
The Lost Vintage introduces Kate as she returns to her family’s vineyard in Burgundy, France, and while there, she uncovers a hidden room containing a lost diary and a host of secrets. The most intriguing was a family picture from the late 1930s containing an unknown person. Who was it? Another family member? And why wouldn’t Kate know who this person was?
The Lost Vintage is broken into two narratives; one being Kate’s as she seeks to become one of the top wine experts in the world. The other narrative is told in short entries in the diary that Kate found in the hidden room. It is through these entries that the identity of the missing individual is uncovered flashing back to Occupied France during World War II.
Through Kate and her time spent in Burgundy and studying for The Test, I learned a vast amount about wine and wine-making. The line between the Resistance movement versus Collaboration accusations was absorbing, and I was especially interested in how collaborators were treated at the end of the war.
The Lost Vintage is a well-written book that perfectly balances history with an intricate storyline. Along the lines of some of our favorite historicals taking place in Occupied France during WWII, The Lost Vintage gives a fully-developed picture of the sacrifices and humility it took to survive.
Thank you to William Morrow for the ARC. The Lost Vintage is available now!
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
The Lost Vintage introduces Kate as she returns to her family’s vineyard in Burgundy, France, and while there, she uncovers a hidden room containing a lost diary and a host of secrets. The most intriguing was a family picture from the late 1930s containing an unknown person. Who was it? Another family member? And why wouldn’t Kate know who this person was?
The Lost Vintage is broken into two narratives; one being Kate’s as she seeks to become one of the top wine experts in the world. The other narrative is told in short entries in the diary that Kate found in the hidden room. It is through these entries that the identity of the missing individual is uncovered flashing back to Occupied France during World War II.
Through Kate and her time spent in Burgundy and studying for The Test, I learned a vast amount about wine and wine-making. The line between the Resistance movement versus Collaboration accusations was absorbing, and I was especially interested in how collaborators were treated at the end of the war.
The Lost Vintage is a well-written book that perfectly balances history with an intricate storyline. Along the lines of some of our favorite historicals taking place in Occupied France during WWII, The Lost Vintage gives a fully-developed picture of the sacrifices and humility it took to survive.
Thank you to William Morrow for the ARC. The Lost Vintage is available now!
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
January 10, 2018
“The world needs novels like The Lost Vintage: page-turning tales that remind us both of the power of the human spirit and the mystery of the human heart. The Lost Vintage moves seamlessly between the indignities and horrors of occupied France in the Second World War and the pride and passion of serious winemakers in the present. It’s a remarkable novel.”
August 1, 2020
4.5 stars
The Lost Vintage is a beautifully crafted tale told in a dual timeline format, and both stories are equally compelling. In the present-day tale, Kate is studying to pass the Master of Wine Examination and travels to her family estate in Burgundy to attempt to master the Burgundian vintages. While there, she uncovers a hidden room filled with World War 2 Resistance pamphlets and a vast amount of valuable wine. Spurred on by her discovery, Kate delves into her family’s past and uncovers a great aunt named Helene. The aunt was expunged from the family history because she had been labeled a collaborator following the war. Kate feels that the details of Helene’s story don’t add up, and she pursues her own investigation.
My favorite parts of The Lost Vintage were learning more about both the French Resistance and the way the French dealt with collaborators (particularly women) following the war and the ending of the book. The rush to judgment of alleged collaborators and the way women were treated once denounced as collaborators (with or without evidence) was terrifying and another sad by-product resulting from the horrors of war. Mah’s ending was superb; I do not want to spoil anything so that is all I will say.
Listen to my podcast at https://www.thoughtsfromapage.com for fun author interviews. For more book reviews, check out my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfro....
The Lost Vintage is a beautifully crafted tale told in a dual timeline format, and both stories are equally compelling. In the present-day tale, Kate is studying to pass the Master of Wine Examination and travels to her family estate in Burgundy to attempt to master the Burgundian vintages. While there, she uncovers a hidden room filled with World War 2 Resistance pamphlets and a vast amount of valuable wine. Spurred on by her discovery, Kate delves into her family’s past and uncovers a great aunt named Helene. The aunt was expunged from the family history because she had been labeled a collaborator following the war. Kate feels that the details of Helene’s story don’t add up, and she pursues her own investigation.
My favorite parts of The Lost Vintage were learning more about both the French Resistance and the way the French dealt with collaborators (particularly women) following the war and the ending of the book. The rush to judgment of alleged collaborators and the way women were treated once denounced as collaborators (with or without evidence) was terrifying and another sad by-product resulting from the horrors of war. Mah’s ending was superb; I do not want to spoil anything so that is all I will say.
Listen to my podcast at https://www.thoughtsfromapage.com for fun author interviews. For more book reviews, check out my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfro....
July 31, 2018
The best thing about this book was the beautiful cover. I was really excited to read it - and even bought it the week it came out - because I read quite a bit of WWII era historical fiction and had never heard about the abuse women suffered after the "liberation". Unfortunately this book did not live up to my expectations.
I felt the writing was amateurish. For example, the author tried to pull in past events to give context to present events (generally a good story-telling technique, but not in this case), like when Kate cuts her thumb and recounts the CPR class she had previously taken. Not only was I confused as to why Kate would even consider calling an ambulance for a cut thumb ("would I even know how to dial 9-1-1 in France?"), but the CPR class back story was so forced as to be distracting.
There were also parts where the author told me how to feel about an event, which is a real pet peeve of mine. If you want me to feel a certain way, then design your writing in such a way that I do. Don't tell me how I should feel. For example, when Jean-Luc is giving some sort of speech about loyalty (I can't remember the exact context) and the author ended it with something to the effect that "who could have anything to say after such a speech". For starters, the "speech" was not impassioned. In fact I wouldn't even have known it was meant to be had she not told me that I should be speechless.
In addition, I would have preferred the author just tell the story of Hélène as opposed to jumping between present and past and forcing a "mystery" that the modern day characters had to solve. I felt the family's reaction to the news that a distant relative was a collaborator in the war was so far out of proportion to how an average individual would react as to be comical. I found myself wondering why the author made many of the decisions she made. It made no sense to me as I tried to relate. Forced is the best word to describe this book. The love story was forced, the "mystery" was forced, the family reactions were forced, the dialogue was forced.
The material regarding the post-war abuse was interesting in and of itself, and didn't need to be, what I felt was, cheapened with gimmicks. I found myself wanting to read only the journal entries and could have done without the rest of the story, but even those entries felt rushed and did not create a bond for me with the characters. I am honestly confused by all the 4- and 5-star reviews.
I felt the writing was amateurish. For example, the author tried to pull in past events to give context to present events (generally a good story-telling technique, but not in this case), like when Kate cuts her thumb and recounts the CPR class she had previously taken. Not only was I confused as to why Kate would even consider calling an ambulance for a cut thumb ("would I even know how to dial 9-1-1 in France?"), but the CPR class back story was so forced as to be distracting.
There were also parts where the author told me how to feel about an event, which is a real pet peeve of mine. If you want me to feel a certain way, then design your writing in such a way that I do. Don't tell me how I should feel. For example, when Jean-Luc is giving some sort of speech about loyalty (I can't remember the exact context) and the author ended it with something to the effect that "who could have anything to say after such a speech". For starters, the "speech" was not impassioned. In fact I wouldn't even have known it was meant to be had she not told me that I should be speechless.
In addition, I would have preferred the author just tell the story of Hélène as opposed to jumping between present and past and forcing a "mystery" that the modern day characters had to solve. I felt the family's reaction to the news that a distant relative was a collaborator in the war was so far out of proportion to how an average individual would react as to be comical. I found myself wondering why the author made many of the decisions she made. It made no sense to me as I tried to relate. Forced is the best word to describe this book. The love story was forced, the "mystery" was forced, the family reactions were forced, the dialogue was forced.
The material regarding the post-war abuse was interesting in and of itself, and didn't need to be, what I felt was, cheapened with gimmicks. I found myself wanting to read only the journal entries and could have done without the rest of the story, but even those entries felt rushed and did not create a bond for me with the characters. I am honestly confused by all the 4- and 5-star reviews.
August 14, 2019
Favorite Quotes:
I have a constant, nagging undertone of paranoia, like the unrelenting throb of a toothache that I am constantly testing with my tongue.
… Rose’s tragic death still haunted me. I found myself scrutinizing my thoughts, wary I would discover some ingrained bias, some inherent prejudice, some evidence that I was genetically predisposed to moral weakness.
My Review:
Written in my favorite dual POV and spanning dual timelines, this engagingly written yet angsty book presented a major challenge. I struggled with the harsh, tense, and oppressive conditions Helene endured before and during WWII, which began long before the German arrived as she suffered a vile and petty stepmother who was prone to selfish behaviors and duplicity. I equally resented her weak father and his neglect in turning a blind eye. I ground my teeth and seethed and then the German's arrived and the tension continued to steadily ratchet up the scale, and I began to bite my cuticles.
Despite constant and steady efforts, my perusal seemed to advance in tiny increments. My reading appeared to be markedly slower than usual as I often needed to pause and look up unfamiliar French words or Google several delectable sounding and savory tidbits which threatened to derail my dieting efforts. And that is not to mention the wine – oh, the wine!
I quickly fell into Ms. Mah’s vortex, her emotive and insightfully observant writing sucked me right in and bedeviled me thereafter. Her alternating storylines were slowly paced, taut with anxiety, and fraught with peril. Both storylines were sweeping and epically pieced together while the writing was lushly descriptive, highly evocative, and heart-squeezing. In addition to Helene’s WWII experiences, an equally compelling tale was also unraveling in the present-day timeline for Helene’s great-niece, who seemed to have the erroneous impression in her understanding of family history. Poor Helene, she seemed to have been given the wrong end of the stick in both periods.
I have a constant, nagging undertone of paranoia, like the unrelenting throb of a toothache that I am constantly testing with my tongue.
… Rose’s tragic death still haunted me. I found myself scrutinizing my thoughts, wary I would discover some ingrained bias, some inherent prejudice, some evidence that I was genetically predisposed to moral weakness.
My Review:
Written in my favorite dual POV and spanning dual timelines, this engagingly written yet angsty book presented a major challenge. I struggled with the harsh, tense, and oppressive conditions Helene endured before and during WWII, which began long before the German arrived as she suffered a vile and petty stepmother who was prone to selfish behaviors and duplicity. I equally resented her weak father and his neglect in turning a blind eye. I ground my teeth and seethed and then the German's arrived and the tension continued to steadily ratchet up the scale, and I began to bite my cuticles.
Despite constant and steady efforts, my perusal seemed to advance in tiny increments. My reading appeared to be markedly slower than usual as I often needed to pause and look up unfamiliar French words or Google several delectable sounding and savory tidbits which threatened to derail my dieting efforts. And that is not to mention the wine – oh, the wine!
I quickly fell into Ms. Mah’s vortex, her emotive and insightfully observant writing sucked me right in and bedeviled me thereafter. Her alternating storylines were slowly paced, taut with anxiety, and fraught with peril. Both storylines were sweeping and epically pieced together while the writing was lushly descriptive, highly evocative, and heart-squeezing. In addition to Helene’s WWII experiences, an equally compelling tale was also unraveling in the present-day timeline for Helene’s great-niece, who seemed to have the erroneous impression in her understanding of family history. Poor Helene, she seemed to have been given the wrong end of the stick in both periods.
September 13, 2018
A solid 5 ☆ and one of the best novels I’ve read this year! ❤️
The Lost Vintage has two stories alternating from past to present.
The past is a compelling story of the life Hélène lived during the Nazi occupation in France. Is truly gripping + heartbreaking.
Fast forward to present. Kate has failed the Master of Wine Examination twice and after losing her job she visits her family’s ancestral vineyard in Burgundy. While cleaning out the cellar with her cousin, she finds a hidden room with priceless vintage wine, Resistance pamphlets and journals of a young girl written during WWll.
Kate’s curiosity gets the best of her to find out “why” this room was hidden, “who” was behind it, and “what” happened to the valuable non-existent wine (mentioned in the diary) the Vineyard produced before the Nazi occupation.
She finds clues leading her to believe the family had a dark history and shameful past during the war. The BIG question in Kate’s mind.. were her family truly collaborators or part of the resistance in occupied France??!
Diary entries appear throughout the book as the story moves back and forth from Occupied France to present day. It’s very unsettling to read the lengths of greed some people did to survive the war by putting others in danger.
I found The Lost Vintage mysterious & intriguing, I enjoyed the beautiful love story mixed in making it unputdownable for me. Highly recommending to anyone that reads historical fiction! Or not! Is a great novel for anyone!
The Lost Vintage has two stories alternating from past to present.
The past is a compelling story of the life Hélène lived during the Nazi occupation in France. Is truly gripping + heartbreaking.
Fast forward to present. Kate has failed the Master of Wine Examination twice and after losing her job she visits her family’s ancestral vineyard in Burgundy. While cleaning out the cellar with her cousin, she finds a hidden room with priceless vintage wine, Resistance pamphlets and journals of a young girl written during WWll.
Kate’s curiosity gets the best of her to find out “why” this room was hidden, “who” was behind it, and “what” happened to the valuable non-existent wine (mentioned in the diary) the Vineyard produced before the Nazi occupation.
She finds clues leading her to believe the family had a dark history and shameful past during the war. The BIG question in Kate’s mind.. were her family truly collaborators or part of the resistance in occupied France??!
Diary entries appear throughout the book as the story moves back and forth from Occupied France to present day. It’s very unsettling to read the lengths of greed some people did to survive the war by putting others in danger.
I found The Lost Vintage mysterious & intriguing, I enjoyed the beautiful love story mixed in making it unputdownable for me. Highly recommending to anyone that reads historical fiction! Or not! Is a great novel for anyone!
March 23, 2018
Reading this book was like having only 2 stations for channel surfing & not caring for either. I didn't feel invested in any the modern-day characters or their 1st world problems, the WWII characters were stock figures, the family situations seemed formulaic, the romance seemed forced, the ending too pat. I don't regret reading it (I needed something on the elliptical machine, after all), but I had expected so much more; war & terroir are a potentially splendid pairing. It ended up more like a made-for-tv movie: inoffensive for primetime but not memorable. I received an ARC from Goodreads giveaway.
June 30, 2019
It’s probably more of a 2.5 but I’m gonna be generous and round up to 3.
I discovered this book while reading an article about wines and found it really intriguing. It felt even more exciting when I got the library copy immediately but after finishing this in almost a single sitting, I am not exactly sure what I feel about it.
Our main protagonist Kate comes to Burgundy, her mother’s birthplace with an excuse that she needs to prepare for the Master of Wine test, but she mostly just wants to find a path forward in her life. I liked how she and Heather immersed themselves in finding the truth about her long lost family member Helène. While I understood that this unraveling of family history made Kate understand the importance of family legacy and protecting it for future generations, I frankly don’t understand what purpose it served for the novel as a whole. There is a second chance romance in the novel but we don’t get much of a glimpse into their love story either in the past nor is anything explored in the present, so I was completely disinterested in the whole thing. None of the other characters really made much of an impression on me, except Helène from the past and I was mostly looking forward to reading her letters rather than the remaining part of the book.
While the author sets the plotting of the story a bit like some other awesome books I’ve read, I didn’t feel very invested here. The story is pretty fast paced and I was able to read very quickly, but there wasn’t much happening for almost the first half. The author also tries to set up the WWII storyline as a mystery, but it was almost too easy to guess what might have happened, and then it was just an excruciating wait for the characters to realize the same. I do have to commend the author for the amount of research that must have been done to understand the process of making wines, and various other aspects of the industry which I can’t still fathom. The descriptions of the vineyards, how work is done on the land during the seasons and the way these lands are an important cultural heritage of the families is told in a beautiful manner and I was definitely mesmerized by it all. The desperation faced by people during the war and the reasons for their decisions are also explained in a very neutral manner, which leaves the reader a choice to feel however we want to about both the people of the resistance and the collaborators. Despite some of these well written elements, it’s the execution of everything else that I felt faltered a bit.
There are so many plot points that just didn’t make sense or weren’t handled well. Kate (and Heather) are so scared to bring up the history of the family with her uncle but within just one scene, he is totally okay with digging into the painful past, which he has strongly opposed for years. While Heather’s initial reaction to discovering Helène’s past was visceral and very much understandable, I was very disappointed that the much more gruesome truths which were discovered later on were not given the same weight. The conclusion to Helène’s storyline also felt very unsatisfactory - it’s probably very realistic to what must have happened to similar survivors of the war, but I guess I just wanted something more for this amazing and resilient woman, who was my favorite character in this book. There are also some plot points with Louise and Walker that looked like having some mystery associated with them but were completely abandoned.
Finally, I can say that I’m not actually disappointed with this book, mostly just indifferent. The setting of the book is gorgeous and everything written about the wines and vineyards is fascinating, but the same can’t be said about the plot, the characters or the romance. The gloom and doom of the war is also captured very realistically but it’s only a very small part of the story. This book has lots of great reviews and it might work for you if you’re looking for a lighter and atmospheric read, but if you’re interested in more emotional and heart wrenching books with similar themes, I would highly recommend The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah or Map of the Heart by Susan Wiggs.
I discovered this book while reading an article about wines and found it really intriguing. It felt even more exciting when I got the library copy immediately but after finishing this in almost a single sitting, I am not exactly sure what I feel about it.
Our main protagonist Kate comes to Burgundy, her mother’s birthplace with an excuse that she needs to prepare for the Master of Wine test, but she mostly just wants to find a path forward in her life. I liked how she and Heather immersed themselves in finding the truth about her long lost family member Helène. While I understood that this unraveling of family history made Kate understand the importance of family legacy and protecting it for future generations, I frankly don’t understand what purpose it served for the novel as a whole. There is a second chance romance in the novel but we don’t get much of a glimpse into their love story either in the past nor is anything explored in the present, so I was completely disinterested in the whole thing. None of the other characters really made much of an impression on me, except Helène from the past and I was mostly looking forward to reading her letters rather than the remaining part of the book.
While the author sets the plotting of the story a bit like some other awesome books I’ve read, I didn’t feel very invested here. The story is pretty fast paced and I was able to read very quickly, but there wasn’t much happening for almost the first half. The author also tries to set up the WWII storyline as a mystery, but it was almost too easy to guess what might have happened, and then it was just an excruciating wait for the characters to realize the same. I do have to commend the author for the amount of research that must have been done to understand the process of making wines, and various other aspects of the industry which I can’t still fathom. The descriptions of the vineyards, how work is done on the land during the seasons and the way these lands are an important cultural heritage of the families is told in a beautiful manner and I was definitely mesmerized by it all. The desperation faced by people during the war and the reasons for their decisions are also explained in a very neutral manner, which leaves the reader a choice to feel however we want to about both the people of the resistance and the collaborators. Despite some of these well written elements, it’s the execution of everything else that I felt faltered a bit.
There are so many plot points that just didn’t make sense or weren’t handled well. Kate (and Heather) are so scared to bring up the history of the family with her uncle but within just one scene, he is totally okay with digging into the painful past, which he has strongly opposed for years. While Heather’s initial reaction to discovering Helène’s past was visceral and very much understandable, I was very disappointed that the much more gruesome truths which were discovered later on were not given the same weight. The conclusion to Helène’s storyline also felt very unsatisfactory - it’s probably very realistic to what must have happened to similar survivors of the war, but I guess I just wanted something more for this amazing and resilient woman, who was my favorite character in this book. There are also some plot points with Louise and Walker that looked like having some mystery associated with them but were completely abandoned.
Finally, I can say that I’m not actually disappointed with this book, mostly just indifferent. The setting of the book is gorgeous and everything written about the wines and vineyards is fascinating, but the same can’t be said about the plot, the characters or the romance. The gloom and doom of the war is also captured very realistically but it’s only a very small part of the story. This book has lots of great reviews and it might work for you if you’re looking for a lighter and atmospheric read, but if you’re interested in more emotional and heart wrenching books with similar themes, I would highly recommend The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah or Map of the Heart by Susan Wiggs.
July 19, 2018
Ann Mah is an extraordinary writer, and her new book, The Lost Vintage, is a delicious concoction of mystery, deftly handled family drama, and a fascinating glimpse into the world of wine-making. A vineyard in Burgundy, secrets hidden since World War II, and two perfectly-balanced narratives (one contemporary, one set during the war), make this an unforgettable read. Mah never, ever disappoints - I've loved all of her books, but this might just be my favorite. She's one of the rare writers who can effortlessly switch between fiction and non-fiction.
September 10, 2021
Kate, a sommelier, is staying with her cousin Nico's family in Meursault, France while she's studying for the difficult Master of Wine test. She has not been back to the vineyard since she broke off a serious relationship with their neighbor around ten years ago. Kate volunteers to help with the harvest of the grapes. She also helps her best friend, Nico's wife, clean out their cellar storage area. They find World War II-era items belonging to Kate's great half-aunt Helene, as well as some valuable items in a secret hiding place.
Kate's uncle is unwilling to talk about Helene or World War II. There is conflicting evidence so Helene's descendants don't know if the family was involved in the Resistance, or if they were collaborators with the Germans during the Occupation. The missing pieces to the puzzle are found when they locate Helene's diary.
"The Lost Vintage" is a wonderful family saga with a contemporary 2015 timeline, flashbacks to a romance around 2005, and my favorite--Helene's 1940-44 timeline from the war years. The history of the Occupation with some people helping the Resistance, and others collaborating with the Germans was terrifying for those who lived through it. After the Liberation, many women who had relationships with German officers were excessively held up to public shaming and barbaric treatment, but sometimes their only other choice was to let their children starve. Helene wrote, "The most enthusiastic persecutors were the war's most spineless cowards--traitors, informers, racketeers--hoping to expunge their record by pouncing upon this most convenient scapegoat."
Author Ann Mah is also a food and travel writer. She included great descriptions of wine-making, French food, the Burgundy region of France, and the prestigious Master of Wine designation. "The Lost Vintage" is even more enjoyable if you pour a glass of your favorite wine.
Kate's uncle is unwilling to talk about Helene or World War II. There is conflicting evidence so Helene's descendants don't know if the family was involved in the Resistance, or if they were collaborators with the Germans during the Occupation. The missing pieces to the puzzle are found when they locate Helene's diary.
"The Lost Vintage" is a wonderful family saga with a contemporary 2015 timeline, flashbacks to a romance around 2005, and my favorite--Helene's 1940-44 timeline from the war years. The history of the Occupation with some people helping the Resistance, and others collaborating with the Germans was terrifying for those who lived through it. After the Liberation, many women who had relationships with German officers were excessively held up to public shaming and barbaric treatment, but sometimes their only other choice was to let their children starve. Helene wrote, "The most enthusiastic persecutors were the war's most spineless cowards--traitors, informers, racketeers--hoping to expunge their record by pouncing upon this most convenient scapegoat."
Author Ann Mah is also a food and travel writer. She included great descriptions of wine-making, French food, the Burgundy region of France, and the prestigious Master of Wine designation. "The Lost Vintage" is even more enjoyable if you pour a glass of your favorite wine.
November 13, 2018
Author, Ann Mah has published an exquisite novel. Though she is no stranger to writing for numerous food journals and pieces in leading world newspapers and magazines. This story is told in alternating voices and experiences of two women, Helene and Kate. Mah ties these women's lives together in an intriguing manner that provides for a fun and informative travel through history.
Helene is Kate's great-aunt, an active participant in the resistance movement in occupied France, who was captured and released then later gone. Kate is pursuing "Master of Wine" title to work as an expert in the wine industry. Unbeknown to Kate (who was raised in the U.S.), Helene existence is discovered by Kate while she assists her cousin clean out a basement, while studying the wines of Burgundy region of France. Why do the only remaining relatives refuse to acknowledge Helene's existence? Why does Kate and her cousin get threatened just for inquiring? What is everyone afraid of? I am not telling but the story is worth discovering the details.
I thoroughly enjoyed Mah's talent at storytelling. This book was very thoroughly researched and even though I have probably read at least a dozen books on women's involvement in the resistance movement during World War II, there was enough intrigue to keep the pages turning lightning fast.
Helene is Kate's great-aunt, an active participant in the resistance movement in occupied France, who was captured and released then later gone. Kate is pursuing "Master of Wine" title to work as an expert in the wine industry. Unbeknown to Kate (who was raised in the U.S.), Helene existence is discovered by Kate while she assists her cousin clean out a basement, while studying the wines of Burgundy region of France. Why do the only remaining relatives refuse to acknowledge Helene's existence? Why does Kate and her cousin get threatened just for inquiring? What is everyone afraid of? I am not telling but the story is worth discovering the details.
I thoroughly enjoyed Mah's talent at storytelling. This book was very thoroughly researched and even though I have probably read at least a dozen books on women's involvement in the resistance movement during World War II, there was enough intrigue to keep the pages turning lightning fast.
June 21, 2019
An enjoyable dual time line historical fiction that takes place during WW2. I absolutely loved the wine theme and the descriptions of the winery in France. It made me want to pack up and move there. I will also mention, that this book goes well with a glass of wine...preferably one from Burgundy!
October 11, 2018
Pretty ‘bleh’ for me. Historical fiction is my FAVORITE genre, esp WW2 HF. So I’m a little bit picky but I found this book to be pretty amateur. The lack of character development was a letdown and I felt like she tossed stuff into the storyline that didn’t need to be there and left things open ended and hanging where she could have done so much more. For example...what was the point of walker in the story? She never really finished that storyline.
Overall just not my favorite book.
Overall just not my favorite book.
August 2, 2023
This is much more than a romantic story.
Or a story about the love of wine making.
Someone wrote about this book the following:
“The world needs novels like The Lost Vintage: page-turning tales that remind us both of the power of the human spirit and the mystery of the human heart. The Lost Vintage moves seamlessly between the indignities and horrors of occupied France in the Second World War and the pride and passion of serious winemakers in the present. It’s a remarkable novel.”
The Lost Vintage is a beautifully crafted tale told in a dual timeline format, and both stories are equally compelling.
Or a story about the love of wine making.
Someone wrote about this book the following:
“The world needs novels like The Lost Vintage: page-turning tales that remind us both of the power of the human spirit and the mystery of the human heart. The Lost Vintage moves seamlessly between the indignities and horrors of occupied France in the Second World War and the pride and passion of serious winemakers in the present. It’s a remarkable novel.”
The Lost Vintage is a beautifully crafted tale told in a dual timeline format, and both stories are equally compelling.
March 11, 2018
Ревю => http://justonebooklover.blogspot.bg/2...
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„Бургундските дневници“ е роман, който ме потопи в истории за погребани семейни тайни, носещи аромата на вино и чара на Франция. Написана леко и увлекателно и разказваща за съдбите на две силни и целеустремени жени от различни времена, книгата бе едно прекрасно съчетание на история от миналото и такава от настоящето.
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„Бургундските дневници“ е роман, който ме потопи в истории за погребани семейни тайни, носещи аромата на вино и чара на Франция. Написана леко и увлекателно и разказваща за съдбите на две силни и целеустремени жени от различни времена, книгата бе едно прекрасно съчетание на история от миналото и такава от настоящето.
October 27, 2019
4,5 stars
First let’s mention the, once again, excellent performance of Saskia Maarleveld. She’s become one of my “go to” narrators especially in historical fiction.
The Lost Vintage is an historical fiction built around two female characters and two periods in time: Kate is our modern female character and Helene lived during WWII in Burgundy.
We alternate between past and present chapters and both stories were fascinating to follow.
As the synopsis suggests Kate, who lives in San Francisco, goes back to the family vineyard in Beaune situated in the French Burgundy region. She was reluctant to go back to France even if her best friend Heather married her cousin Nico because she had left France many years ago leaving Nico’s best friend, Jean-Luc, heartbroken.
But as this is her last chance to study for the Master of Wine Examination, she reluctantly joins the family in France.
Heather is overjoyed to have her best friend with her after so many years!
Soon enough Kate will help Nico and Heather to sort through decades of hoarding in the cellar. While busy cleaning everything the women will discover a hidden cellar filled with pamphlets from the resistance. A mysterious suitcase with clothes and notebooks will also have them discovering a great half-aunt, Helene Chapin.
This was really like a treasure hunt! I loved that part of the story: the guessing of who Helene was and what happened to her!
Kate, Nico and Heather wanted to know more about Helene whom no member of the family had never talked about. Can you imagine in your own family if you discovered such a picture and no family member were willing to talk about it?
Moreover, the hidden cellar is filled with rare wines but some priceless bottles seem to be missing and became part of the hunt.
If we got one chapter from Kate’s POV it was followed by a chapter from Helen’s POV, plunging us in occupied France at WWII!
We soon realize that Kate and Heather have a totally false view of Helen and I really wanted to scream: “No! You have it all backward! Just look. Look!”
The hunt was not easy as we got other side characters trying to undermine Kate’s investigation about Helene. What was their motive? Why where they acting so weird? It added spice and mystery to the story!
I loved following Kate’s path be it in learning about wine (I learned so many things about it!), uncovering the truth and trying to become a Master at Wine.
But the most interesting part of the story was following Helene. We discovered so many unsavory things about the Pétain’s regime! Some had a strong moral compass and did not hesitate to endanger their safety to help refugees. Others led either by greed, either just by the will to survive and feed their family collaborated actively with the Nazis.
And all along I was asking myself: would have I been courageous enough?
My great grand-father was imprisoned as he refused to help the Germans.
Both my grand-fathers resisted and were sent to labor camps.
But faced with hunger and fear, would my values, my sense of right and wrong be strong enough?
I hope I’ll never have to answer such questions of course!
This story was enlightening, it was gripping, it was wonderfully narrated too.
I decided to give it 4,5 stars instead or 5 stars because the love story felt a little weak and kind of rushed at the end of the story. I would have loved seeing more interaction, more clues that feelings were still running high. Instead it came “out of the blue” in the last 15% of the story.
Recommend it? Absolutely!
Have you read this book? Or something similar? Any good historical fiction to recommend me?
Sophie
Find me on:
Wordpress: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook group : Beware Book Boyfriends Alert
Instagram: @bewareofthereader
Twitter: @BewareOffReader
First let’s mention the, once again, excellent performance of Saskia Maarleveld. She’s become one of my “go to” narrators especially in historical fiction.
The Lost Vintage is an historical fiction built around two female characters and two periods in time: Kate is our modern female character and Helene lived during WWII in Burgundy.
We alternate between past and present chapters and both stories were fascinating to follow.
As the synopsis suggests Kate, who lives in San Francisco, goes back to the family vineyard in Beaune situated in the French Burgundy region. She was reluctant to go back to France even if her best friend Heather married her cousin Nico because she had left France many years ago leaving Nico’s best friend, Jean-Luc, heartbroken.
But as this is her last chance to study for the Master of Wine Examination, she reluctantly joins the family in France.
Heather is overjoyed to have her best friend with her after so many years!
Soon enough Kate will help Nico and Heather to sort through decades of hoarding in the cellar. While busy cleaning everything the women will discover a hidden cellar filled with pamphlets from the resistance. A mysterious suitcase with clothes and notebooks will also have them discovering a great half-aunt, Helene Chapin.
This was really like a treasure hunt! I loved that part of the story: the guessing of who Helene was and what happened to her!
Kate, Nico and Heather wanted to know more about Helene whom no member of the family had never talked about. Can you imagine in your own family if you discovered such a picture and no family member were willing to talk about it?
Moreover, the hidden cellar is filled with rare wines but some priceless bottles seem to be missing and became part of the hunt.
If we got one chapter from Kate’s POV it was followed by a chapter from Helen’s POV, plunging us in occupied France at WWII!
We soon realize that Kate and Heather have a totally false view of Helen and I really wanted to scream: “No! You have it all backward! Just look. Look!”
The hunt was not easy as we got other side characters trying to undermine Kate’s investigation about Helene. What was their motive? Why where they acting so weird? It added spice and mystery to the story!
I loved following Kate’s path be it in learning about wine (I learned so many things about it!), uncovering the truth and trying to become a Master at Wine.
But the most interesting part of the story was following Helene. We discovered so many unsavory things about the Pétain’s regime! Some had a strong moral compass and did not hesitate to endanger their safety to help refugees. Others led either by greed, either just by the will to survive and feed their family collaborated actively with the Nazis.
And all along I was asking myself: would have I been courageous enough?
My great grand-father was imprisoned as he refused to help the Germans.
Both my grand-fathers resisted and were sent to labor camps.
But faced with hunger and fear, would my values, my sense of right and wrong be strong enough?
I hope I’ll never have to answer such questions of course!
This story was enlightening, it was gripping, it was wonderfully narrated too.
I decided to give it 4,5 stars instead or 5 stars because the love story felt a little weak and kind of rushed at the end of the story. I would have loved seeing more interaction, more clues that feelings were still running high. Instead it came “out of the blue” in the last 15% of the story.
Recommend it? Absolutely!
Have you read this book? Or something similar? Any good historical fiction to recommend me?
Thanks for reading!
Sophie
Find me on:
Wordpress: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook group : Beware Book Boyfriends Alert
Instagram: @bewareofthereader
Twitter: @BewareOffReader
August 21, 2018
I loved this Historical Fiction novel set in Burgundy France. The story is told in past and present day. Kate returns to her family home to study for the Master of Wine examination that she has failed twice.
She makes herself useful to her cousin Nico and his wife Heather by helping them prepare the house to be turned into a bed and breakfast. While there, she discovers a secret cave filled with Resistance literature and vintage vine. This leads her on a journey to discovery about her families involvement in World War II. The story switches narrators to Helene - a long lost relative that no one speaks of. Brilliantly and beautifully done. I loved this book.
She makes herself useful to her cousin Nico and his wife Heather by helping them prepare the house to be turned into a bed and breakfast. While there, she discovers a secret cave filled with Resistance literature and vintage vine. This leads her on a journey to discovery about her families involvement in World War II. The story switches narrators to Helene - a long lost relative that no one speaks of. Brilliantly and beautifully done. I loved this book.
August 24, 2018
I had a hunch I was going to really enjoy this book and I was correct. I absolutely ADORED it !! Not only was it based on two of my most favorite things, which would be historical fiction & 🍷 , but the story and the way the author unfolded it, was perfection !! I was sad when I turned the last page !
🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 Cheers !!!!
🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 Cheers !!!!
October 19, 2019
4.5/5
So incredibly good! I was completely transported to France while I was reading The Lost Vintage by Ann Mah.
While visiting her family at their vineyard in France, Kate discovers a hidden area in the basement that has been walled-off for decades. Inside, there are countless bottles of expensive and rare wine, an area that looks to have been a safe place for someone to hide out during World War II, and some belongings from a family member that was previously unknown to her. As Kate and her family dig further into what they’ve just found, they are shocked at parts of their own family history. They’re also overjoyed at the prospect of discovering that they own some of the most sought-after wine in the entire world. But why was the wine hidden in a secret cave in the basement?
There are two storylines here. In the present day, Kate and her family and friends search feverishly for more information about what they’ve found, and I loved the mystery that came with that search. The more details that were uncovered, the faster I read. Between their quest for information about the secret wine-filled cave area and the search for more information about the person that wrote the journal during the Occupation, I learned some things about the French during World War II that I didn’t know before. (There is plenty of page-time about the Resistance and those who chose to collaborate with the Nazis, and I was able to go online and look up real pictures and details about the events in this story. Just, wow.)
The storyline from the 1940’s made the entire story more emotionally intense and robust. Helene-she wrote the journal that I mentioned above-describes her first-hand experiences living during the 1940’s in France. She speaks of tremendous loss, as well as a constant fear and anxiety that her some of her own activities and feelings would be discovered by the enemy.
Both storylines are wonderful. I think that each storyline would stand alone very well if it was the only part of the story that was included, so the story is doubly-good since it contains both. I found them both equally engaging and I never felt like I wanted to hurry through one part so I could get to the other. There is the perfect amount of mystery in the present-day with all of the information-seeking. Details about Kate’s own life were also threaded throughout, particularly with regard to her career, and I was invested in whether or not she would achieve her goals within the story.
And OH MY GOSH, the author is clearly very familiar with the French setting and wine scene. I could almost taste and smell all of the foods she describes in these pages.
The Lost Vintage was fantastic. I enjoyed every single second of this reading experience. I loved learning more about what was happening in this place and time. Historical fiction fans will love this one; particularly, readers that enjoy food and wine stories and those that enjoy World War II stories will probably be as riveted as I was.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, William Morrow Books!
Find this review and more like it on my blog, Into the Hall of Books!
So incredibly good! I was completely transported to France while I was reading The Lost Vintage by Ann Mah.
While visiting her family at their vineyard in France, Kate discovers a hidden area in the basement that has been walled-off for decades. Inside, there are countless bottles of expensive and rare wine, an area that looks to have been a safe place for someone to hide out during World War II, and some belongings from a family member that was previously unknown to her. As Kate and her family dig further into what they’ve just found, they are shocked at parts of their own family history. They’re also overjoyed at the prospect of discovering that they own some of the most sought-after wine in the entire world. But why was the wine hidden in a secret cave in the basement?
There are two storylines here. In the present day, Kate and her family and friends search feverishly for more information about what they’ve found, and I loved the mystery that came with that search. The more details that were uncovered, the faster I read. Between their quest for information about the secret wine-filled cave area and the search for more information about the person that wrote the journal during the Occupation, I learned some things about the French during World War II that I didn’t know before. (There is plenty of page-time about the Resistance and those who chose to collaborate with the Nazis, and I was able to go online and look up real pictures and details about the events in this story. Just, wow.)
The storyline from the 1940’s made the entire story more emotionally intense and robust. Helene-she wrote the journal that I mentioned above-describes her first-hand experiences living during the 1940’s in France. She speaks of tremendous loss, as well as a constant fear and anxiety that her some of her own activities and feelings would be discovered by the enemy.
Both storylines are wonderful. I think that each storyline would stand alone very well if it was the only part of the story that was included, so the story is doubly-good since it contains both. I found them both equally engaging and I never felt like I wanted to hurry through one part so I could get to the other. There is the perfect amount of mystery in the present-day with all of the information-seeking. Details about Kate’s own life were also threaded throughout, particularly with regard to her career, and I was invested in whether or not she would achieve her goals within the story.
And OH MY GOSH, the author is clearly very familiar with the French setting and wine scene. I could almost taste and smell all of the foods she describes in these pages.
The Lost Vintage was fantastic. I enjoyed every single second of this reading experience. I loved learning more about what was happening in this place and time. Historical fiction fans will love this one; particularly, readers that enjoy food and wine stories and those that enjoy World War II stories will probably be as riveted as I was.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, William Morrow Books!
Find this review and more like it on my blog, Into the Hall of Books!
August 9, 2018
As someone who isn't particularly interested in fine wine or French culture, I was surprised how much I enjoyed The Lost Vintage. (There is currently sangria in a can in my fridge, to sum up my wine cred.) Even if you’ve never swooned over a pinot grigio or imagined yourself cruising with the top down in the French countryside, Ann Mah will make you want to grab the next flight, roll up your pant legs, and stomp around in some grapes a la I Love Lucy. There are two timelines in the book—one of my favorite gimmicks—one set in the present, and the other during the Nazi occupation of WWII. Kate is studying to become a Grand Poobah of Winesmithery (or something like that, shrug) and decides to pop on over to France to help out at the winery that has been in her family for generations. Like you do. While there, she discovers a secret trove of prized wines walled off in a hidden portion of the basement. To find out how it got there, she has to delve into some pretty uncomfortable history—whose side was her family on during the war, exactly?—and fortunately she has a fun college friend and a hunky old flame to help her on her mission. Also fortunately, there’s still time for crusty bread and soft cheeses in between all the research.
January 21, 2019
As a number of my Goodread friends started reviewing this book I have to say that it caught my attention, but still I held back. I, honestly, am not a Francophil or a wine lover--but still there was one Goodread friend after another praising this story. I was intrigued. I also absolutely love historical novels so I bought this book and started reading.
I have to admit that I found the very beginning of the story to be slow. Remembering the excitement shared in the reviews I read I pushed on. It was also helpful that the stories in The Lost Vintage are written in the first person. I, as a reader, seem to bond much more easily to the first person in novels. And suddenly, about a 1/4 into this story, I realized I need to know just what happened. I cannot say what happened or why, but knew this story was holding me and wouldn´t let me go until I finished.
I realize that I am not a very good reviewer of books--those that I absolutely love or those that I cannot get in to at all. I do not like to write about the stories, afraid that I might say too much and ruin it for others so I will only say that Ann Mah is absolutely brilliant in getting the feelings of Europeans on the second world war, at least from what I am able to observe. I came to Europe as a very young American surprised to hear WWII stories that were still alive in the memory of those I talked to. The hardest part was to see the faces, the tears, the horror. You see, for me, as a young American, this was history-- for them this was something that they and their families lived through, experienced. Even now in 2019 there are people that are still alive that talk about what they lived through as small children, the hunger, the terror that was a normal way of living then, the love of families holding together to do their best. But also of shame in some cases, shame of some of those relatives and who they were. There is one quote in the book that sums it up for me: "But how do you deal with it?" My voice rose. "How can you accept them as your family, and love them, and condemn them at the same time?" "The same way" she replied simply. "By asking questions, and trying to understand their choices. Not in order to excuse them," she added, "but so I could take responsibilty."
I have to admit that I found the very beginning of the story to be slow. Remembering the excitement shared in the reviews I read I pushed on. It was also helpful that the stories in The Lost Vintage are written in the first person. I, as a reader, seem to bond much more easily to the first person in novels. And suddenly, about a 1/4 into this story, I realized I need to know just what happened. I cannot say what happened or why, but knew this story was holding me and wouldn´t let me go until I finished.
I realize that I am not a very good reviewer of books--those that I absolutely love or those that I cannot get in to at all. I do not like to write about the stories, afraid that I might say too much and ruin it for others so I will only say that Ann Mah is absolutely brilliant in getting the feelings of Europeans on the second world war, at least from what I am able to observe. I came to Europe as a very young American surprised to hear WWII stories that were still alive in the memory of those I talked to. The hardest part was to see the faces, the tears, the horror. You see, for me, as a young American, this was history-- for them this was something that they and their families lived through, experienced. Even now in 2019 there are people that are still alive that talk about what they lived through as small children, the hunger, the terror that was a normal way of living then, the love of families holding together to do their best. But also of shame in some cases, shame of some of those relatives and who they were. There is one quote in the book that sums it up for me: "But how do you deal with it?" My voice rose. "How can you accept them as your family, and love them, and condemn them at the same time?" "The same way" she replied simply. "By asking questions, and trying to understand their choices. Not in order to excuse them," she added, "but so I could take responsibilty."
September 19, 2018
While Kate, a wine sommelier, was in France studying for the Master of Wine test, she also discovered a secret in her family's past that altered her life forever. Told in a dual timeline, the story alternated between diary entries written during WWII in occupied France and present day. Both stories were compelling and kept me intrigued throughout the entire book. What decades old secret did Kate uncover while staying with her cousin, Nico, and his wife, Heather (who is also Kate's best friend from college)? How and why did it change the course of their lives? The ending made my heart swell with tenderness and joy, and I would highly recommend this book for fans of historical and epistolary fiction. Towards the end, my eyes welled up with tears several times, but I did not cry.
"The wine sleeps in the bottle, but it is still changing--evolving... and when the cork is removed, it breathes again, and comes awake. Like a fairy tale." - Jean-Luc
I received a hardcover copy in the Once Upon a Time Book Club - July 2018 box and did a buddy read with Tina, Gigi, and Lara!
Location: France (Meursault, Burgundy) and California (San Francisco)
"The wine sleeps in the bottle, but it is still changing--evolving... and when the cork is removed, it breathes again, and comes awake. Like a fairy tale." - Jean-Luc
I received a hardcover copy in the Once Upon a Time Book Club - July 2018 box and did a buddy read with Tina, Gigi, and Lara!
Location: France (Meursault, Burgundy) and California (San Francisco)
August 12, 2019
I enjoyed this book, an easy read. First off, if you are an avid reader, love wine, and speak French you will love this book. My thoughts were turned to the Diary of Anne Frank in a likeness of the back story from the 1940's, it was set in at the end of each chapter. However I almost feel I would like to learn more about Helene, the ending was well wrapped up, however I did have a few questions left unanswered.
August 7, 2019
*4.5 stars ✨
April 11, 2021
Le Sigh!
Sad to say this book left me underwhelmed. The author took so many things I love: Wine, vineyards, France, San Francisco, strong female characters, history, and WWII historical fiction, and somehow managed to concoct them all into a boring and soulless story.
From the moment this book crossed my path and I read what it is about, I was instantly intrigued and really looked forward to reading it. The blurb on GoodReads compares it to The Nightingale, and I loved The Nightingale so very much! This book is most certainly NO Nightingale!
The setting in Burgundy, France is absolutely gorgeous. Just reading about it reminded me of how much I’ve missed travel in these Covid times. I wish the same could have been said about the plot or the majority of the characters, or the awkward and unnecessary “mystery” element.
This book, similar to so many that attempt to connect historical events to the modern day, had a dual timeline. We have Kate as the main protagonist in the present day, visiting Burgundy, her mother’s birthplace and her family’s vineyard, and then we have Helene, who lived during WWII in the same small town in occupied France. Unfortunately, as it is the case with many of these dual timeline books, one storyline ended up being much weaker than the other.
In this case, I never connected to any of the present day characters, and in general, honestly, I found the whole present day storyline pretty unnecessary. I was only interested in Helene’s storyline and would have much preferred it if the book was a historical fiction about a young girl in occupied France in wine country. Unfortunately, there wasn’t nearly enough of that storyline, and the emphasis was very much on the present day story, with its one dimensional characters, who showed no character growth throughout the novel, and also appeared to be grappling with some truly first world problems.
The unfortunate thing here is that the plot was actually full of potential. Like I said, it had so many wonderful elements. We’ve all seen/read a great number of movies/books on World War II but it seldom gives the perspective of women left behind in occupied land, such as Vichy France. Add to that the intrigue of the discovery of a hidden cellar containing a French resistance hideout and 10,000 extremely valuable and rare bottles of vintage wine in present day, and you have yourself what I thought an awesome awesome plot! There is a great story here! In the hands of a better writer, this book could have been something very special.
But unfortunately, the writing is very amateurish, and the story is poorly told. Firstly, the pacing didn’t work for me. The book had a very slow start. I was quite bored reading it. It took until about the 70% mark before anything interesting happened and I slogged through it up to that point. After that the plot did pick up, but it was too little too late to get me emotionally invested, and then the book suddenly rushed into a very speedy and convenient wrap-up which was sadly mind-numbingly predictable (in both timelines). The ending was painfully cheesy. And I mean painfully!
Secondly, the plot was a bit of a mess. It was like the author wasn’t happy enough with the cool ideas I mentioned above and felt like the story needed more, and then more and then more. So she kept throwing stuff into the storyline that didn’t need to be there, and before we knew it, she had thrown in everything including the kitchen sink!
So we have Kate travelling to France to her ancestral home where her uncle and cousins live and run a winery, and discovers all this hidden wine and gets submersed into the family’s past, but then the author had to add a Master of Wine examination subplot, a 10-year-long love story, 2 other love triangle participants, and then unbelievably and inexplicably a nonsensical “wine heist” mystery. There was just so much happening and yet none of them appeared to add a whole lot to the plot.
Specially the wine heist subplot was so meaningless that the author herself appeared to lose the thread.
My other problem was that Kate as a main character appeared shallow and one-dimensional. She constantly toiled over her upcoming Masters of Wine test as well as this 10-year-old question of "Do I or do I not love Jean-Luc? Do I or do I not want to live in France?" And I did not care about either of those issues. The love story felt forced and I just didn’t really understand her behaviour most of the time. Her rather obsessive reaction to the discovery of a distant relative (a great half-aunt) which goes on to become the foundation on which the entire story is built upon felt rather unrealistic and odd. She obsessed over it endlessly without ever speaking up and having a meaningful or honest conversation with her mother or uncle who were the two living family members who knew more and could inform her on the issue.
But, what I did really enjoy was the thorough research that appeared to have gone into wine, wine-making, and the Burgundy wine country. So I must give the author credit here.
I also really liked what I learned about the treatment of collaborators, specially female collaborators, after the war, and I do wish the World War II portion of the story could have been explored more. It was just much more interesting.
One final comment: This book had a lot of French words and phrases, and I do mean a lot! So many that it just felt like an affectation. The author would sprinkle a word or a sentence in French at every opportunity and then follow immediately with the exact translation in English, which seemed odd, as if the conversation has the same sentence repeated twice. it interrupted the flow of the conversations, and served no purpose other than reminding us that they are in France? I don’t get the point, as we know the entire conversation amongst French people in France is surely occurring in French anyway. And if you can’t trust us to know enough French to understand it, or to get the meaning from the context, then why not say the sentence in English to begin with (as in the rest of the conversation we are reading) and assume that we can comprehend that all this is in fact being said in French? This is a minor issue, I know, but there was such excess of the foreign language sprinkling, that I found it quite annoying.
Overall, I would say the plot had a lot of potential. The ideas were great, and I really did get invested in the World War II timeline. However, sadly, the execution was very amateurish and the predictability at every turn took away from my enjoyment of the story, and the cheesy ending did not help.
If you are considering this book and haven’t read The Nightingale, drop this and run to the nearest bookstore or library. There’s much magic to be found in that book instead.
Sad to say this book left me underwhelmed. The author took so many things I love: Wine, vineyards, France, San Francisco, strong female characters, history, and WWII historical fiction, and somehow managed to concoct them all into a boring and soulless story.
From the moment this book crossed my path and I read what it is about, I was instantly intrigued and really looked forward to reading it. The blurb on GoodReads compares it to The Nightingale, and I loved The Nightingale so very much! This book is most certainly NO Nightingale!
The setting in Burgundy, France is absolutely gorgeous. Just reading about it reminded me of how much I’ve missed travel in these Covid times. I wish the same could have been said about the plot or the majority of the characters, or the awkward and unnecessary “mystery” element.
This book, similar to so many that attempt to connect historical events to the modern day, had a dual timeline. We have Kate as the main protagonist in the present day, visiting Burgundy, her mother’s birthplace and her family’s vineyard, and then we have Helene, who lived during WWII in the same small town in occupied France. Unfortunately, as it is the case with many of these dual timeline books, one storyline ended up being much weaker than the other.
In this case, I never connected to any of the present day characters, and in general, honestly, I found the whole present day storyline pretty unnecessary. I was only interested in Helene’s storyline and would have much preferred it if the book was a historical fiction about a young girl in occupied France in wine country. Unfortunately, there wasn’t nearly enough of that storyline, and the emphasis was very much on the present day story, with its one dimensional characters, who showed no character growth throughout the novel, and also appeared to be grappling with some truly first world problems.
The unfortunate thing here is that the plot was actually full of potential. Like I said, it had so many wonderful elements. We’ve all seen/read a great number of movies/books on World War II but it seldom gives the perspective of women left behind in occupied land, such as Vichy France. Add to that the intrigue of the discovery of a hidden cellar containing a French resistance hideout and 10,000 extremely valuable and rare bottles of vintage wine in present day, and you have yourself what I thought an awesome awesome plot! There is a great story here! In the hands of a better writer, this book could have been something very special.
But unfortunately, the writing is very amateurish, and the story is poorly told. Firstly, the pacing didn’t work for me. The book had a very slow start. I was quite bored reading it. It took until about the 70% mark before anything interesting happened and I slogged through it up to that point. After that the plot did pick up, but it was too little too late to get me emotionally invested, and then the book suddenly rushed into a very speedy and convenient wrap-up which was sadly mind-numbingly predictable (in both timelines). The ending was painfully cheesy. And I mean painfully!
Secondly, the plot was a bit of a mess. It was like the author wasn’t happy enough with the cool ideas I mentioned above and felt like the story needed more, and then more and then more. So she kept throwing stuff into the storyline that didn’t need to be there, and before we knew it, she had thrown in everything including the kitchen sink!
So we have Kate travelling to France to her ancestral home where her uncle and cousins live and run a winery, and discovers all this hidden wine and gets submersed into the family’s past, but then the author had to add a Master of Wine examination subplot, a 10-year-long love story, 2 other love triangle participants, and then unbelievably and inexplicably a nonsensical “wine heist” mystery. There was just so much happening and yet none of them appeared to add a whole lot to the plot.
Specially the wine heist subplot was so meaningless that the author herself appeared to lose the thread.
My other problem was that Kate as a main character appeared shallow and one-dimensional. She constantly toiled over her upcoming Masters of Wine test as well as this 10-year-old question of "Do I or do I not love Jean-Luc? Do I or do I not want to live in France?" And I did not care about either of those issues. The love story felt forced and I just didn’t really understand her behaviour most of the time. Her rather obsessive reaction to the discovery of a distant relative (a great half-aunt) which goes on to become the foundation on which the entire story is built upon felt rather unrealistic and odd. She obsessed over it endlessly without ever speaking up and having a meaningful or honest conversation with her mother or uncle who were the two living family members who knew more and could inform her on the issue.
But, what I did really enjoy was the thorough research that appeared to have gone into wine, wine-making, and the Burgundy wine country. So I must give the author credit here.
I also really liked what I learned about the treatment of collaborators, specially female collaborators, after the war, and I do wish the World War II portion of the story could have been explored more. It was just much more interesting.
One final comment: This book had a lot of French words and phrases, and I do mean a lot! So many that it just felt like an affectation. The author would sprinkle a word or a sentence in French at every opportunity and then follow immediately with the exact translation in English, which seemed odd, as if the conversation has the same sentence repeated twice. it interrupted the flow of the conversations, and served no purpose other than reminding us that they are in France? I don’t get the point, as we know the entire conversation amongst French people in France is surely occurring in French anyway. And if you can’t trust us to know enough French to understand it, or to get the meaning from the context, then why not say the sentence in English to begin with (as in the rest of the conversation we are reading) and assume that we can comprehend that all this is in fact being said in French? This is a minor issue, I know, but there was such excess of the foreign language sprinkling, that I found it quite annoying.
Overall, I would say the plot had a lot of potential. The ideas were great, and I really did get invested in the World War II timeline. However, sadly, the execution was very amateurish and the predictability at every turn took away from my enjoyment of the story, and the cheesy ending did not help.
If you are considering this book and haven’t read The Nightingale, drop this and run to the nearest bookstore or library. There’s much magic to be found in that book instead.
January 24, 2018
Веднага щом видях тази така красиво оформена книга , реших , че няма как да не си я купя.
Очаквах , че ще бъде "изпипана котюрна рокля със семпла, елегантна кройка " - както се е изразила в нея авторката.
Уви, получих зле съшита конфекция.
По дяволите, защо всички си въобразиха , че могат да пишат ?
И защо такава книга има такъв висок рейтинг ?
Явно още дъл��о ще продължа да си задавам тези въпроси.
Има интересна история, но няма майсторлък. Не ми въздейства изобщо.
По-скоро приспивно.
Очаквах , че ще бъде "изпипана котюрна рокля със семпла, елегантна кройка " - както се е изразила в нея авторката.
Уви, получих зле съшита конфекция.
По дяволите, защо всички си въобразиха , че могат да пишат ?
И защо такава книга има такъв висок рейтинг ?
Явно още дъл��о ще продължа да си задавам тези въпроси.
Има интересна история, но няма майсторлък. Не ми въздейства изобщо.
По-скоро приспивно.
June 13, 2018
The Lost Vintage was immediately alluring, as I am both a wine lover and Francophile. These elements alone would have been enough, but Ann Mah's characters, and the way that their lives intersect with family secrets kept since the Second World War, kept my interested. I was particularly impressed by her ability to weave historical information into an engrossing story.
July 29, 2018
A page-turning tale novel about a woman who returns to her family’s ancestral vineyard in Burgundy and unexpectedly uncovers a lost diary, an unknown relative, and a secret her family has been keeping since World War II.
January 1, 2020
Lame, self-serving writing, eye roll-inducing scenarios. When Uncle Philippe surprises Kate in the library and says "I do hope, Katreen, that our trust has not been misplaced." As if. And later when he surprises Kate and, gag, 'Bruyere' , (Heather in English) at the court records office? Uncle Phil was either super creepy or poorly written. In the end it's all good with him though! I finished this awful book simply to see how much awfuller it got, and it did not disappoint on the stupid scale. And Louise et Jean-Luc? Walker? Wha??!! What did I pay for this on my e-reader? Do not make this mistake, do not bother with this book. You wanna read a good book? The Goldfinch, read that. You want a WW II story? Choose Secrets of a Charmed Life? Want to read about wine? Every Saturday the Wall Street Journal does a column. You will never get back the time you waste on this book. You're welcome.
May 11, 2019
Kate is at a crossroads in her life. She returns to her family’s vineyard in France and uncovers a lost diary that contains secrets about her family from World War II. As she begins to put the pieces together from long ago she also begins to put herself back together.
Told in dual timelines, this is a riveting read. Both storylines were well written and flowed beautifully. The setting is vividly portrayed and the plot executed nicely. I dare you to read this without pouring a glass of wine and perusing the internet for airline prices to France. This is a beautiful, heartbreaking, compelling book that for me gets the full five stars.
Told in dual timelines, this is a riveting read. Both storylines were well written and flowed beautifully. The setting is vividly portrayed and the plot executed nicely. I dare you to read this without pouring a glass of wine and perusing the internet for airline prices to France. This is a beautiful, heartbreaking, compelling book that for me gets the full five stars.
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