A Good Year by Peter Mayle
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Book Reviews of A Good Year
Book Review: Can't wait for the movie.
Summary: 4 Stars
I enjoyed this book and I can't wait to see the movie. Russell Crowe's character will inherit a winery only to find out that another woman may own it instead. She ends up moving in the same house and you can guess the rest, but I imagine this will be even a better movie. I can think of all kinds of things a director or writer could do with this book and I just bet that Russell Crowe will pull it off like the pro that he is.Book Review: Easy read
Summary: 4 Stars
Read this on the plane from Toronto to Vegas, a very easy read with pleasant characters. The plot was predictable and the author didnt try to confuse it as he could have and as others tend to do so. Happy to pass this on for others to read and put a smile on their faces.Book Review: A Good Year
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought the book because I had seen the movie. Although I enjoyed the movie a lot, I found the book to be even better - much better. this is a good and easy read!
Janet Foret Lococo
Book Review: Overall it's fun, entertaining, breezy and `good', but this is one of the few times I welcomed the film adaptations liberties...
Summary: 3 Stars
One good thing about `A Good Year' is that it's a very easy, breezy read. I was able to plow through the entire novel in a weekend. It flows nice, it's far from complicated and it's just easily entertaining. That said, it's not what I expected and it left me a little bitter in some areas. I say this because what moved me to read this novel in the first place was the film starring Russell Crowe (of whom I'm a massive fan of) and when I saw how the characters and such differed so much from the films interpretation I was a bit put off. Maybe if I had read the novel first I would have enjoyed it a little more, but I couldn't help but think about how much more I enjoyed Russell Crowe's cocky and self-centered portrayal of Max Skinner over the books `every-man' approach.
But, this is a review of the book, not the movie, and like I said, the book is a delightful read full of fun characters and a beautiful atmosphere. Peter Mayle's writing style is simple and direct and makes the experience an easy one to swallow and one that is easily enjoyed. I will say, I learnt a lot about wine, and I thought I knew a lot already (my father is a huge wine connoisseur) and Mayle's descriptions of certain colors, flavors and all around perceptions of specific wines is entertaining to say the least.
The story consists of Max Skinner, a recently fired investment broker living in London with a slew of bills to pay and no money within reach with which to pay them (another stark contrast to the film). When he receives word that his Uncle Henry has died and has left him his home in France Max sees this as a possible escape, from life, from drama and most importantly, from debt. After being persuaded and or prodded along by his dearest friend Charlie he makes his way to France to lay claim to his new home, and what a beautiful home it is. For the first time in Max's life he's a home owner with land to boot and upon arriving not only is he greeted with the prospect of a successful winery (I say prospect...you'll understand) but he's also greeted by quite a few lovely ladies including Fanny, the beautiful owner of Max's new favorite restaurant as well as his notaire Nathalie Auzet.
That's all until another woman makes her way into the picture, a young Californian named Christie Roberts claiming to be the late Henry's daughter. If her claim is true it could mean that the property, the home and in essence Max's newfound life is really hers. He stands to lose everything he's grown accustomed to loving. Despite this, and here's another reference to the film adaptation, Max never seems to let it bother him too much. Just as an example, the dinner scene in the film with the Roussel's is much more entertaining than the one supplied here in the novel.
About two thirds into the book something I didn't expect to happen happened, Peter Mayle decides to throw in a bit of mystery. While the mystery itself isn't a drawback, it's still another reason why I prefer the movie over the novel. The mystery doesn't fit as nicely as it could have and comes off a bit pretentious. Despite all the differences, both the novel and the film are delightful experiences and I think any reader of the novel should see the film and visa-versa. Mayle isn't the most accomplished and or detailed writer, but he knows how to develop a breezy fun prose and delivers an entertaining experience regardless of which version (book or film) you prefer.
Book Review: Fun, but lightweight and fluffy...
Summary: 3 Stars
I've never read anything by Peter Mayle, but a friend gave me A Good Year, knowing that I like to read books about other countries. I found A Good Year to be fun, but lightweight and fluffy.
Max Skinner is a Londoner who is struggling with a job in finance. After working on a project for six months (that he expects to reap big financial rewards), his supervisor steals his work and then fires him. Skinner goes home that day to find a letter from a French lawyer. An uncle who lived in Provence recently died and has left his chateau and vineyard to Skinner. With a 10,000 loan from his best friend, Skinner travels to the small town of Saint-Pons, hoping that maybe he'll be able to start a new life in France. He spent his summers visiting his uncle, so he's familiar with the area and the language. He also hopes to learn something about winemaking.
Mayle has an obvious love of France and his books are filled with the beauty of France, the small towns, the customs, the people, the food, and especially, the wine. But not everything is idyllic with Skinner and his new home. The chateau's wine tastes like vinegar and there seems to be some hanky-panky going on with his caretaker and the vines. There is also a question of whether the chateau truly belongs to him. It is just enough to keep Provence from being paradise.
Mayle piqued my interest enough to want to read A Year in Provence. Not only was it a best seller, but the television series based on the book was very popular. Mayle's recurring theme of foreigners living in France has obviously been successful for him. Now if only he would help us out with a little French vocabulary...