Черна захар

by Miguel Bonnefoy, Мигел Бонфоа, Петър Герджиков (Translator)

В карибско село легендата за изчезнало съкровище разтърсва съществуването на семейство Отеро. В търсене на плячката на капитан Хенри Морган, чийто кораб е потънал в района преди триста години, идват десетки търсачи. Амбициозният Северо Бракамонте не само идва, но и ще пресече пътя си със Серена Отеро, наследницата на плантацията от захарна тръстика, която мечтае за други неща…

През годините, докато семейната собственост просперира и в изобилие се дестилира най-добрият ром в региона, всеки от двамата търси онова съкровище, което ще осмисли живота му. Но в тази дива земя фаталните амбиции и желания поглъщат хората.

В своя роман „Черна захар“, който прилича на философска приказка, Мигел Бонфоа преоткрива легендата за един от най-известните корсари, за да ни разкаже съдбата на мъжете и жените, водени от търсенето на любов и осуетени от капризите на съдбата. Той също така ни дава, в разкошна проза, вдъхновена от магическия реализъм на южноамериканските писатели, вълнуваща и очарователна картина на една страна, богата на миражи и проклятия.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, France, Roman, Historical, Magical Realism, Drama

204 pages, Paperback

First published August 16, 2017

About the author

Miguel Bonnefoy was born in France in 1986 to a Venezuelan mother and a Chilean father. In 2013, he was awarded the Prix du Jeune Ecrivain, which has previously helped to launch the careers of writers such as Marie Darrieussecq. Octavio's Journey is Bonnefoy's first novel, written in French.

From https://www.amazon.co.uk/Octavios-Jou...

Reviews

[Emiliya Bozhilova · Rating 2 out of 5]

Тъжна, в крайна сметка философска, притча за истинското и фалшивото богатство и как почти никога не е ясно кое от двете зове като сирена.

Пиратите на Хенри Морган и три поколения в малка захарна плантация нейде из Карибите се мяркат като сенки на фона на едно заграбено съкровище от 17-ти век.

За разлика от предната книга на Бонфоа, тази ми беше просто приятна. Самият сюжет и образи не ме развълнуваха, не им достигна плътност. Щрихите са твърде бегли и без много ясна посока.

2,5⭐️

П.П. Българската корица е непоносимо грозна.

[Seth Tomko · Rating 2 out of 5]

The marketing and description on the back is deceptive. This really isn't a book about searching for lost treasure in Venezuela. It quickly becomes something else less interesting. I would say it is a character study, but there are hardly any characters, and they don't undergo much change. The style of the novel is that it is told in the same way as a folktale or fable, but hardly anything worth noting happens until much later. Even then, it is difficult to understand why any of it is important because the characters are less characters than they are types. There is some cyclical imagery, but it is difficult to know what to make of any of it because it leads nowhere.

A more cynical reader would suggest this is just a corporate origin story for Captain Morgan's Rum. I don't think it's that, exactly, but I think the real problem is that the book is, in some ways, a false bill of goods. It commits the grievous error of enticing with stories of lost treasure, pirates, amateur archeology, and magical realistic imagery only to lead to something dull and tiresome. The language is sometimes interesting at a technical level, but it's not enough to rescue the book from a slide into boredom.

Other better novels with magic realism exist, so read those first.

[Desislava Filipova · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Черна захар“ Мигел Бонфоа започва с един потъващ кораб и едно изчезнало съкровище, някъде на Карибите Хенри Морган изживява последните си дни, вкопчен в своето съкровище и сякаш с последния си дъх завинаги го оковава към неспокойните души, които ще го търсят. Никой няма да притежава съкровището, то ще притежава хората и те ще са в негова власт, това е проклятието, което тегне.

Тази история ще се превърне в легенда в следващите триста години, ще привлича и примамва много мъже, за които блянът за изгубеното съкровище, ще е не просто копнеж за богатства, а цел и смисъл на живота - такива ще са Северо Бракамонте и Андалусеца, които случайно ще се появят във фермата на семейство Отеро.

Семейството някога купило ферма, се препитава с производството на захарна тръстика, така ще се пресекат пътищата на Северо и Серена Отеро, жена сякаш родена от природата и силно свързана с нея, наблюдава цветята и растенията, рисува ги, едновременно волна и артистична, тя "събираше щипки от омар, пера от райски птици, антилски жасмин, раковини, колекционираше и хербарий". Тя носи съзидание и виталност, но не ѝ е дадено да създаде живот. От друга страна тя създава в мечтите си идеалният непознат и го призовава, като изпраща анонимни послания по радиото. Но съдбата ѝ отвръща криво и ѝ изпраща не мъжа, който желае, а онзи, от когото се нуждае, за да израснат заедно.

"Напротив, за нея разходките им бяха ползотворни. Тя никога не се връщаше с празни ръце вкъщи.
Тук - цвете. Там - рядко насекомо. Показваше му как хваща пеперудите, скрили се в латинките, как приготвя мармалади от листата на кратуната и нейния начин да тълкува науката на звездите.
От време навреме тя казваше, обгръщайки с поглед полето:
- Представяш ли си, оттук идват орхидеите за кралските градини.
А Северо отговаряше, загледан замечтано в хоризонта:
- Оттук идва златото за сводовете на катедралите."

Два толкова различни свята се срещат. Северо се променя, той възприема обичта към земята, към полето, към захарната тръстика и прехвърля мечтата си от съкровището, към производството на ром. Може би все пак той намира своето място, своя пристан, докато Серена докрай сякаш остава чужда и на мястото и на живота, който ѝ е отреден.

"Серена Бракамонте никога не можа да се освободи от чувството, че живее в сят, за който не е създадена. Все пак тя помагаше в производството на ром...
Занимаваше се също със счетоводство, с регистъра на сделките, с дневника, с данъците и в края на краищата придоби усет за бизнеса.
Но този занаят не я интересуваше. Тя имаше естествено влечение към изящните изкуства. Искаше да учи живопис и литература."

Серена не може да има деца, но още веднъж съдбата ще отговори на зова ѝ и ще и прати Ева Фуего(*огън), нейната осиновена дъщеря, създадена от огън, цял живот неспокойният ѝ дух ще гори, лишена от истината за своя произход, тя остава самотна, обсебена от алчност и амбиции и несвързана с друг човек. Тя е коварна, но и други сляпо се втурват да търсят съкровището.

"Притежаваше очарованието на диво животно - непредвидимо, жарко, без никакъв свян ...
Тя беше девойка със свободен дух - по-скоро Лилит, отколкото Ева."

В този пъстър и наситен разказ, всеки е завладян от своята страст, всеки носи своя копнеж и изгаря в него.

[Amina (ⴰⵎⵉⵏⴰ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ezequiel et Candelaria Otero mènent une vie simple, s'occupent de leur ferme et de leur fille unique Serena qui passe son temps dans la foret à rechercher et cataloguer les plantes qu’elle y retrouve.
La vie de cette famille change le jour où Severo Bracamonte arrive au village à la recherche du fameux trésor du capitaine Henry Morgan perdu il y de cela des siècles.
L'histoire suit le destin de cette famille et même celui des générations qui suivent.
Ce roman est riche en images et en descriptions merveilleuses, de la foret tropicale à l'industrie de la canne à sucre et du rhum.
Sucre noir se lit rapidement, le style est fluide et agréable, on a l'impression que c'est plus une fable qu'un roman. Les personnage sont tellement bien développés qu'à la fin on a l'impression de les connaitre.
Un petit roman qui vous offre un grand voyage.

[Христо Блажев · Rating 4 out of 5]

Черната захар на дните, жълтата омая на златото: https://knigolandia.info/cherna-zahar/
Най-ярко сред романа свети дъщерята на бащата Отеро, Серена, която расте със своите блянове и особени мечти, пише писма към света, за да разкрие сърцето си, но светът на свой ред не ѝ праща мечтания принц на бял кон, а слаб младеж, който също е дошъл да търси съкровище – Северо Бракамонте. Серена е разочарована: „Тя го упрекваше, че не е този, когото е очаквала. Мечтала бе за него като за илюзия, обект на желание, а той се бе оказал само мъж“, но с времето двамата се сближават и дори заедно бродят из дивото: „Докато Северо се опитваше да разгадае пиюканията на металотърсача си, Серена се стараеше да разчете магическите знаци на растителността.“
Издателство "Леге Артис"
https://knigolandia.info/cherna-zahar/

[Lukáš Cabala · Rating 2 out of 5]

Začínam mať po krk pseudopoetických noviel, ktorých text neoplýva žiadnou pridanou umeleckou hodnotou. Len jednoduchá rozprávka v štýle: žili dvaja manželia, mali dcéru, jedného dňa sa zjavil muž, hľadal poklad, dcére sa najprv nepáčil...

ále nevyprávaj...

[Lili Aurelie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pas facile d'écrire une saga en 140 pages, mais l'auteur y parvient habilement. Une lecture rapide donc mais néanmoins dépaysante.

[Eleonora Zuccari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un racconto dalle atmosfere caraibiche: tra foreste di mangrovie e tesori perduti i personaggi rincorrono tenacemente i propri desideri, in una vita che, presto o tardi, non rinuncerà a mostrare tutta la sua assurdità.
Una lettura molto piacevole.

[Nicole Sweeney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted on The Bibliophile Chronicles.

This short little book is full to the brim with pirates, treasure and family. It’s a beautiful book that focuses on the effect that the lost treasure of Henry Morgan has on the generations of a family. The story is well paced and enticing, drawing you in and painting a vivid picture of explosions, gold and rum.

I had no idea what to expect when I started reading this book. The story sounded fascinating and I must admit I was partly intrigued by that lovely cover, but the story within is so much more complex and layered that I imagined. So much happens in such a little book, but the writing is exquisite and really brings to life this fascinating period in history.

The characters were equally fascinating and well developed. It’s hard to imagination that there would be much character depth in such a short book, but it’s fascinating watching Serena grow from a young girl to someone who is much larger than life. She was by far my favourite character in the book, and while not necessarily likeable I thought she was an interesting and well rounded character.

Black Sugar was completely different to what I thought it was going to be like, but I enjoyed it immensely. Full of family life, ambition and desperation the story is complex and beautifully told. I highly recommend this lovely book, you’ll be completely immersed in the story and it stays with you long after you’re finished reading.

[Mathilde · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ce roman est une fable philosophique qui a pour but de nous faire réfléchir sur la vraie définition du trésor et de la quête de son trésor. Nous suivons ainsi une famille qui se lancera dans cette quête avec son lot de tragédie.

Il se lit rapidement, le style est agréable mais il ne m'aura pas marqué autant que j'aurais aimé.
Même s'ils sont intéressants, je n'aurais pas réussi à m'attacher aux personnages assez froids et distants.

Autre aspect que j'aurais aimé voir développer : la piraterie du premier chapitre qui était vraiment bien et qui passe assez vite.

Au final, j'ai aimé ma lecture lecture, elle ne m'aura pas fait voyager autant que je l'espérais.

[Hiroto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Il y a un petit quelque chause de Gaudé, dans la manière de conter.
Malheureusement, l'histoire n'est pas inoubliable.

[Perrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sucre Noir de Miguel Bonnefoy (190 pages)

Résumé

Sucre Noir c'est l'histoire d'un trésor, de personnages mais surtout de leurs illusions. Le décor est celui des Caraïbes tandis que ledit trésor est l'héritage laissé par le capitaine pirate Henry Morgan des siècles plus tôt. Les personnages suivis au long du roman sont impactés par ce fabuleux butin, à la frontière de ce dernier pour la famille Otero tandis qu'à la recherche de celui-ci pour les aventuriers comme Severo Bracamonte.

Avis

Sucre Noir est à mes yeux l'écriture de la frustration, ce je-ne-sais-quoi qui nous captive mais sans jamais vraiment entièrement se dévoiler. Durant ma lecture du roman je me suis senti plusieurs fois irrité par les intrigues du roman, ses mystères mais surtout les illusions créés par les personnages. Si j'avais à résumer ce sentiment que j'ai ressenti en lisant Sucre Noir, je le décrirais comme une forme de frustration liée à une certaine déception. Avant de préciser quelque peu ce propos, je tiens à dire que ce n'est absolument pas quelque chose que je trouve répulsif dans un roman, ou qui m'empêche de l'apprécier ; au contraire, c'est ce qui lui donne un intérêt à mes yeux.

Attention, à partir de cet instant, ma critique contient des éléments faisant référence à des éléments du roman, si vous souhaitez le lire par vous-même, je vous recommande fortement de ne pas lire la suite de cette critique.

La frustration, je l'ai ressentie quand je me suis rendu compte que le roman ne serait jamais assez dense pour nous laisser réfléchir et nous appesantir sur toutes les questions qu'il soulève. Si dès le départ il apparaît assez clair la place que prendra le trésor dans la vie des personnages, mais surtout l'endroit où il se situe vraiment, j'ai l'impression de ne jamais avoir eu le temps de comprendre les ambitions profondes des personnages ou bien n'ai pas vraiment eu le sentiment d'avoir assisté à leur développement complet.

La déception elle, s'explique à mes yeux par la justesse avec laquelle Miguel Bonnefoy développe les figures féminines d'Eva et de sa mère Serena. Ces deux personnages qui deviennent à tour de rôle les personnages principaux du roman s'imaginent accéder à leur rêve respectif sans jamais vraiment y arriver, prennent forme grâce à leur esquisse évocatrice sans jamais être détaillée.

Au final, Sucre Noir est une lecture agréable tout en étant frustrante, légère mais puissante de par la profondeur pudique de ses personnages, rapide mais qui laisse à réfléchir une fois achevée.

[Tripfiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novel set in VENEZUELA

On this link the author talks to us about setting https://www.tripfiction.com/talking-r...



Bonnefoy’s very slim story begins with privateer Henry Morgan’s demise and the loss of his huge hoard of treasure which then lies buried under the Venezuelan rainforest as the country develops over it.

Centuries later the Otera family farm sugar cane in this remote corner of the world. Ezequiel and Candelaria live a simple, contented life respecting the land and the traditions around them. Their only child, Serena, leads a lonely, isolated life wandering in the rainforest, admiring, studying and cataloguing the wonderful plants she finds. Being slender and beautiful, she is pursued by many young men but none of them seem to be able to offer her anything worthwhile. And then one day, a stranger appears in the village. He is Severo Bracamonte and he has come in quest of the long-buried treasure of Henry Morgan. The story continues to follow the fortunes of this family through succeeding generations and explores their relationship with the land as the pressures of modern life begin to affect their way of life. As time moves on, we are never allowed to forget the buried gold beneath the surface of the rainforest, and repeated attempts are made to locate the hoard.

This little novel is rich in sensuous imagery and wonderful description and this is its real merit. Bonnefoy recreates the rainforest for the reader in exquisite detail, particularly in the opening chapter where he describes the rainforest devouring the remains of Morgan’s ship and its contents. The author also provides detailed insight into the life of a sugar-cane grower and rum-maker in those early days. There is no doubt that Bonnefoy has the utmost admiration for his country and the sense of the place – its history, tradition and physical environment is wonderfully conveyed.

Black Sugar is so short and pared down that it does read more like a fable than a novel. Sweeping through centuries of Venezuelan history means that events are often hastily dealt with, there is very little in terms of dialogue and the characters are only thinly sketched. There is a lot of symbolism in the novel, clearly intended to convey Bonnefoy’s message – that true treasure lies in appreciating simple things like nature and not in the pursuit of material wealth. There is a real sense of what is lost in the cause of progress. Bonnefoy’s prose, beautiful always, is at its very best when describing the majesty of an ancient tree or when bringing to life a traditional fiesta.

I would have liked to have seen more character development, for they have the potential to be interesting and original and it’s hard to avoid the thought that if he had allowed himself to linger a little more over characters, emotions and events, he would have produced a much richer and more satisfying read.

[Mariano RG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Azúcar negro es una sensual novela épica que relata tres generaciones de la familia Otero. La novela comienza con la desaparición del barco de capitán pirata inglés Henry Morgan, hundiéndose en mitad de la selva con un fabuloso tesoro. Trescientos años más tarde, un pueblo ha crecido sobre el lugar en el que el tesoro puede encontrarse, y muchos van y vienen, obsesionados con encontrarlo. Es tan afamado ese tesoro, que se convierte en casi una leyenda urbana. La familia Otero lleva una vida sencilla pero, en el día de los difuntos, una antigua propietaria de la casa donde viven los Otero, aparece… y poco después, un extraño y avaricioso hombre, Severo Bracamonte, hace acto de presencia.

En esta breve, pero intensa novela, Bonnefoy hace uso del estilo de García Márquez en el sentido que usa temáticas como el destino, el amor no correspondido y los lazos familiares. Pero eso no significa que el autor no use su propio estilo: los personajes están muy bien delineados, tienen su propia voz, deseos etc. También hace muy buen uso del leguaje, por ejemplo: “la ventaja de ser pobre, es que sólo te puedes hacer más rico” y “en casa del ahorcado… no se menciona la soga”. Y se nota que se divierte escribiendo y creando su propio estilo.

Aunque la novela sea relativamente breve, todo pasa, como una tormenta tropical, que llega anunciándose, deja el desastre y se va tan tranquila.

Ha sido muy grato leer esta novela y, de seguro, voy a leer más de este autor, especialmente el último título publicado por la misma editorial, Herencia. Muy recomendable.

[sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black sugar by Miguel Bonnefoy portrays a remote Venezuelan village undergoing seemingly rapid development, along with a hidden treasure that is consistently mentioned throughout the novel. Although this copy is translated from French, the language is beautifully crafted in order to deliver polished imagery and bring the story to life. A seemingly simple and ordinary story is suddenly transformed into an ethereal world with reminiscent elements of magic realism. The novel follows the story of a small and reserved family in the corner a rural village. Many years prior to when the story begins, a pirate shipwreck is said to have ended up in the village, leaving behind a treasure. Although I didn’t really enjoy the book at the beginning because I was looking for a book narrated in first person, I started enjoying it a lot when I was halfway done. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

[Alex George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah man this is decent. Some old ass pirate treasure gets buried deep under a Venezuelan village and three hundred years later everyone's still thinkin about it. 'Wouldnt it be nice to find the treasure,' say this one family. 'Let's pursue this in a very healthy and normal manner.'

It's a technically solid story and a good easy to follow allegory for the colonisation of this part of the Americas. It doesn't really do anything wrong, but it doesn't really lurch to any great heights either. I think I would have liked Bonnefoy to get a bit closer to the characters and the setting and to really build up the sense of the community here. As it is, the more stood-back, tale-round-a-fire style of storytelling made it feel a little bit meat n potatoes. There was an opportunity here for something with much more emotional force had the author (treasure joke coming this is a treasure joke okay here it is treasure joke) dug a little deeper.

[Daniel Krásný · Rating 5 out of 5]

TVL, tak tohle byla magie. Tenhle román o hledání pokladu, výrobě rumu, chamtivosti a snech je vlastně novela na posezení. Zbytečně se neutápí ve vztazích, přesto umí barvitě vystihnout úplně všechno. Bezmoc celoživotního marnýho hledání. Zármutek. Ještě větší zármutek. Černý cukr je napsanej neuvěřitelně šťavnatě. Je plnej až pohádkovejch motivů, originálních přirovnání a přesto si nehraje na něco víc. A i když z anotace zdánlivě zní jako lyrika bez pointy, má důmyslnej uspokojivej závěr jako dobrá povídka. Bejt Jiřina Bohdalová, Miguela Bonnefoye si kroužkuju!

[Manon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pas déçue de Miguel Bonnefoy, c'est la deuxième histoire que je lis de lui. Elle se passe aussi en Amérique latine, dans une terre quelque peu éloignée du reste de la civilisation. On suit trois générations qui se distinguent toutes par un nouveau personnage. L'écriture est fluide, on voyage aisément entre ses mots et ses pages.

[Julay · Rating 5 out of 5]

La quatrième de couverture présente Sucre noir comme un roman, mais c'est plutôt un conte, en fait. Et c'est vraiment génial

[Boryana Miteva · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Jack Greenwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

They say you should never judge a book by its cover. It was hard not to with Black Sugar; a colour explosion of swirling blue seas interlaced with flickering orange flames, and dense green foliage writhing on a bed of red rum and vivid golden coins. It sparked the tinderbox for another dip into the world of Latin American magical realism.

The story is one that spans several lifetimes and ties itself in an unexpected knot in the final act. Bonnefoy’s ability to weave the story into a parable of 20th century Venezuela adds to the intriguing characters and the carnal desires that inhibit them. The pulsating crackle of life in a Venezuelan rainforest bursts through the pages.

As a history teacher and aficionado of Latin America, this book was always going to appeal. However, it is hard not to note the parallels of a Marquezian (Gabriel Garcia) nature. From the generational whirlwind of One Hundred Years of Solitude family life, to the ostentatious manner of description, it’s hard to say just how much of Black Sugar flourished in fresh soil, and how much was borrowed from Macondo.

[Stefania · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tra le paludi di mangrovie dei Caraibi naufraga il vascello del pirata Henry Morgan, incagliandosi tra le cime degli alberi e sprofondando nella vegetazione, trascinando con sé pirata, equipaggio e un tesoro dal valore incalcolabile: oro, dobloni, pietre preziose, monili, statue, bauli intarsiati, stoffe pregiate e tutto ciò che si possa immaginare.

Tre secoli dopo, sopra i resti del vascello fantasma, sorge un villaggio piccolo ed isolato, ancora ignaro della leggenda del tesoro nascosto, dove la famiglia Otero sarà per lunghi anni la protagonista di una storia avventurosa e segnata da un ingovernabile destino.

“Trascorsi tre secoli, nel luogo esatto in cui era scomparsa la nave sorse un villaggio. All’epoca era soltanto una comunità isolata, nata ai margini di una foresta, dove la gente viveva di quello che produceva. Il latte veniva distribuito porta a porta, il gelato era un lusso e gli orologi erano regolati sul volo degli uccelli.”

Ezequiel e Candelaria Otero mettono al mondo un’unica figlia, in età avanzata, quando ormai avevano abbandonato l’idea di diventare genitori. Serena Otero nasce così in una famiglia di anziani e cresce solitaria e chiusa in se stessa.

A dare per primo un nuovo corso al destino degli Otero è Severo Bracamonte, uno dei tanti avventurieri in cerca di fortuna, arrivato al villaggio attirato dalla leggenda di Henry Morgan. Inizialmente interessato alla sola ricerca del tesoro, intrapresa con l’ausilio di mappe imprecise e strumenti di fortuna, Severo Bracamonte entra pian piano a far parte della famiglia Otero, facendosi lentamente largo nel cuore di Serena, fino a trovarsi travolto da un amore così forte da fargli dimenticare il tesoro del pirata e dedicarsi unicamente a ciò che lui ormai considera il suo vero tesoro: Serena, la sua famiglia, la fattoria, la piantagione di canna da zucchero.

La vita della nuova famiglia Bracamonte scorre prospera e felice per molti anni, la piantagione rende i suoi frutti e la coppia, innamorata, vive serenamente e tra gli agi. L’unica tristezza nel cuore di Serena è la mancanza di un figlio, che non ne vuole proprio sapere di arrivare.

Finché un giorno, tra le fiamme di un grande incendio, chiusa in una scatola per scarpe, viene ritrovata una neonata abbandonata. Serena e Severo decidono di adottarla, come un dono del cielo arrivato a coronare il loro ultimo desiderio. Eva Fuego, nata da un campo in fiamme, colei che trasformerà la piantagione in una distilleria che cambierà le sorti dell’intero paese, sarà la vera condottiera, fiera e spregiudicata, destinata a dominare su tutto il territorio, bramosa di un potere che non conosce limiti, ignara della malvagità del destino.

Una fiaba esotica che si legge tutta d’un fiato, un’avventura coinvolgente che ci porta alla necessaria riflessione sulla tendenza dell’animo umano a farsi sopraffare dal desiderio di ricchezza e di potere, affascinante come la leggenda di un inestimabile tesoro nascosto, incontrollabile e pericoloso come le fiamme di un incendio indomabile.

ZUCCHERO NERO – MIGUEL BONNEFOY

66thand2nd

PREZZO DI COPERTINA: € 16,00

https://lcomelibro.wordpress.com/2018...

[The Cannibal · Rating 3 out of 5]

♫ du rhum, des femmes, et des pirates, nom de dieu ♪ …

Oui, j'ai un peu changé les paroles parce que dans cette aventure, il n'y a pas de bières !

Mais nom de dieu, il y a du rhum et ça va couler à flot. D'ailleurs, je ne verrai plus les tonneaux de rhum de la même manière…

Ça peut devenir intéressant pour planquer des corps, ces grosses barriques de rhum. Vérifiez votre bouteille de rhum avant de préparer les mojitos.

Ça commence un peu comme dans le film sur un arbre perché, sauf qu'ici, nous avons un galion bourré de pirates, de pièces anciennes, de pierres précieuse et de pétites or (pépito ? de Bellin !) dans les contreforts du navire et ce trésor, des tas de gens le cherchent encore 300 ans plus tard ! Gardez le cap, les gars !

Si vous chercher le souffle de la grande aventure du style de la saga « Pirates des Caraïbes », vous feriez mieux de virer de bord, Hissez haut Santiano ♫ et d'aller voir si ailleurs les vents ne sont pas meilleurs.

Par contre, si vous avez envie d'une bouffée d'air frais dans cette canicule qui nous emballe (pas de mauvais jeux de mots, je vous surveille), de lire autre chose, de louvoyer entre le conte et le roman, entre la fiction et la réalité, entre l'Histoire et l'histoire, ma foi, souquez ferme, matelots, parce que ce petit navire est fait pour vous emmener voguer en eaux tranquilles.

Tout le monde cherche un trésor dans la vie, certains au sens propre, d'autres au figuré parce que les trésors ne sont pas toujours en pièces sonnantes et trébuchantes, mais parfois là où on ne l'attendait pas, là où on ne le cherchait pas.

Méfions-nous aussi de ce qui brille, car tout ce qui brille n'est pas or et tout trésor trouvé n'est pas f'or-midable car tout lasse, tout passe et tout casse.

Nos personnages – Serena, Severo le chasseur de trésors, Eva Fuentes – vont trouver la richesse sans pour autant déterrer le coffre de Picsou, ou du Capitaine Morgan. Des destins différents qui vont se rejoindre, se croiser, se combiner, réussir ou foirer.

Pas de trépidations folles dans ce roman, pas de vagues hautes, pas de tsunami, mais des petites vérités cachées, telles des pépites qu'il faut dénicher.

Ici, on ne souque pas ferme, on avance à un train de sénateur, mais bizarrement, si au départ j'ai eu un coup de mou me demandant si je n'allait pas laisser tomber le livre, je me suis surprise, un peu plus tard, d'être passée de la page 30 à la 130 sans avoir senti une puissante bourrasque me pousser mais plutôt un doux zéphyr.

Un parenthèse agréable dans mes lectures, une brise légère sur ma littérature, une incursion dans le rhum, les pirates, les trésors et les rêves de certaines personnes qui, bien que se réalisant, ne sont pas toujours synonymes de bonheur assuré.

Une petite pépite (o?) qui se grignote avec plaisir le temps de quelques heures d'évasion, le tout avec un verre de mojito à la main, parce que dans ses pages, vous allez en voir défiler, du rhum, des femmes ♫

Quelqu'un veut un mojito au rhum noir ??? C'est meilleur qu'avec du blanc…

[Jackie Law · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Sugar, by Miguel Bonnefoy (translated by Emily Boyce), is a story of pirates, buried treasure and rum. Set in the forests of Venezuela it charts the country’s development through the twentieth century alongside that of residents of a remote sugar plantation. The elegant, often humorous prose is fable like. There is desire, intrigue, greed and the unstoppable rhythms of life.

The story opens with a shipwreck. Marooned inland, surrounded by swampy forest, Captain Henry Morgan is dying atop his lifetime’s hoard of treasure. As the weeks go by his marooned ship and valuable supplies rot, or are consumed by the land and his hungry crew. There follows a storm, a mutiny, and the captain and his treasure disappear.

Three centuries later the land has been drained and cultivated. A village has been built, the tale of an English pirate and his lost hoard become legend. On the Otero family farm, Ezequiel and his wife Candelaria live modestly with their late born daughter, Serena. The child has developed an interest in botany, observing her surroundings whilst dreaming of new horizons.

Their quiet life is enlivened by the arrival of a stranger. Severo Bracamonte, a young man in his twenties, has purchased documents from a travelling merchant purporting to reveal the location of the English captain’s buried treasure. He asks for permission to stay on the farm while he conducts a meticulous and methodical search. In exchange he offers a share of the booty he is convinced he will find.

Serena is unimpressed by this slight, pale faced man. As the weeks go by with no success she becomes annoyed at her parents’ tolerance of Severo’s continued presence. All this changes when he finally brings back an artifact. Serena’s reaction causes him to rethink his ambitions.

With Severo’s help the farm grows in size and wealth. He branches out, creating a mill and distillery. Serena works alongside him, keeping the farm books but yearning for a child. The arrival of another stranger, an Andalusian treasure seeker, changes their prospects once again.

Treasure comes in many forms, what use it is put to determining its value. Each of the characters achieves, but not necessarily what they thought they desired. Greed is shown to be a disease, wealth an entanglement. This is a deft and gratifying evocation of the cycle of life in an ever evolving land.

My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Gallic Books.

[Kate Moore70 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deux ans après "Le voyage d'Octavio", Miguel Bonnefoy nous invite avec "Sucre noir" à partager une aventure de pirates sur une île des Caraïbes. Il y sera question de trésors et de canne à sucre.

Nous commençons le roman par un naufrage d'anthologie. Ce naufrage est celui du célèbre et cruel capitaine, Henry Morgan. Cette figure de légende de la deuxième moitié du dix-septième siècle finira sa vie de corsaire avec son bateau, dans les cimes d'un arbre, en pleine forêt.

Trois siècles plus tard, nous retrouvons la famille Otero, famille matriarcale : Candelaria, épouse d'Ezequiel Otero, Serena, leur fille et la miraculée, Eva Fuego.
Cette famille a construit sa propriété sur les lieux mêmes du drame pour y faire pousser de la canne à sucre et produire du rhum.
La légende voulait que notre flibustier, Henry Morgan, avait un trésor bien caché dans son navire. Les villageois voyaient donc passer et s'installer des chasseurs de "cassette". Rien ne pouvait retenir leur avidité d'or et de joyaux précieux.

Miguel Bonnefoy ancre son histoire dans la terre de ses ancêtres : les Vénézuéliens. Il célèbre la beauté de ce pays et rend hommage à la richesse de sa forêt primaire. Il met autant de ferveur à décrire la famille Otero, haute en couleur.

Mais ce paysage, que ses habitants croyaient immuable, a commencé à changer avec l'arrivée massive des chercheurs d'or et la découverte de l'immense réserve de pétrole, au vingtième siècle. La déforestation y est alors implacable et déracine, en même temps, les communautés indiennes et les premiers colons. Tout ceci ne leur apporte que malheurs et misère. La fin du roman en est l'illustration.
Au jour d'aujourd'hui, le Vénézuela compte les réserves pétrolières les plus importantes au monde. Mais avec la chute vertigineuse du cours de l'or noir, le pays se retrouve exsangue et la population avec.

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story starts with a bang as we follow along as Captain Morgan dies clutching his gold. Three hundred years later, on top of the sunken ship, we meet the Oteros and their sugar cane farm. There we follow along as the family works the farm along with searches for the treasure.

This story is about the hunt for the golden treasure along with the treasure of family and love. Serena Otero is the heir to the family sugar cane farm but dreams of being swept off her feet. When Severo Bracamonte offers to help Serena’s family, she thinks he is going to be her prince charming. Serena is sorely disappointed in Severo while all he wants is the treasure. But a discovery brings them closer and they find that there is more treasure than just gold and emeralds.

I was quickly drawn into this story with Henry Morgan and the crash of his ship. But then we transition to modern day and the action comes to a screeching halt. From there it is a good story of love but I hate to admit that I wanted to get back to the action, adventure, and treasure hunting. I was also not expecting the ending but it did wrap everything up.

I loved the cover and the beginning but the pace of this book threw me off. I think it will appeal to many people. It was a good read but not really one that I would normally read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

[Alex-Mot-à-Mots · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dans un village des Caraïbes, la légende d’un trésor disparu vient bouleverser l’existence de la famille Otero.

A la recherche du butin du capitaine Henry Morgan, dont le navire aurait échoué dans les environs trois cents ans plus tôt, les explorateurs se succèdent.

Tous, dont l’ambitieux Severo Bracamonte, vont croiser le chemin de Serena Otero, l’héritière de la plantation de cannes à sucre, qui rêve à d’autres horizons.

Au fil des ans, tandis que la propriété familiale prospère, chacun cherche le trésor qui donnera un sens à sa vie.

Mais, sur cette terre sauvage, la fatalité se plaît à détourner les ambitions et les désirs…

J’ai aimé la famille Otero, leur maison avec la pièce interdite, l’amour de Serena et Severo.

J’ai aimé retrouver la maxime de Jean de La Fontaine à travers ces pages : Travaillez, prenez de la peine, c’est le fond qui manque le moins. Car si Severo ne trouve pas le trésor du pirate, il devient riche en cultivant la terre des Otero.

Leur fille Eva Fuego m’a moins plu, son côté ogresse sans doute.

J’ai aimé la vieille qui revient chaque 1er novembre pleurer dans la pièce interdite.

J’ai aimé la morale de l’histoire.

L’image que je retiendrai :

La première, invraisemblable : celle d’un bateau pirate sur la canopée.

https://alexmotamots.fr/sucre-noir-mi...

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this one for the Popsugar prompt "a book with 'pop', 'sugar' or 'challenge' in the title'

I really....have no idea what the point of that was. I kind of felt like I was being told a story by someone's grandparent, as there was a LOT of description and yet no real depth to it. Part of it may be chalked up to the fact that this is a translation, and it may in fact have sounded better in its original language, but I was just massively bored throughout the whole story. Being told all of the little details about the rum business or the economy or the town gossip, none of it felt important or engaging, and I still have no idea what the whole point was. What was the takeaway? What was I supposed to think or feel? I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it either, it inspired no strong feelings and it just makes me feel like I wasted my time.

I have no doubt there WAS some important thing in here to learn, and there was something interesting in learning more about Venezuela in what it did talk about, but I didn't really grasp the importance. I also really haven't the slightest clue where the 'magical realism' that it was labeled as came in. It seemed pretty realistic to me.

[Siccerrond · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Imbécile. Tu seras un homme quand tu sortiras un trésor du fond de mes yeux."

Un trésor disparu sur une île des Caraïbes. Une jeune fille de cultivateurs de cannes à sucre et un aventurier intrépide. Un début d’amourette pastorale.

Tous les ingrédients de ce court roman de Miguel Bonnefoy nous invitent à un voyage plein d’aventures et pourtant, c’est à la terre qu’il nous ancre avec un récit dithyrambique sur la région de Cocagne où il a placé tous ses enjeux. Avec une prose délicieuse, il dessine ligne après ligne le portrait de son véritable personnage principal, ce lieu. Sa faune, sa flore, ses habitants et leur culture, tout est présent sous son œil et sa plume acérés. Il ne nous épargne rien de la beauté et de la rudesse de cette région du sucre noir, choisissant avec soin son vocabulaire, décrivant avec application les travaux éreintants des cultivateurs ou les investigations des chercheurs d’or.

Progressivement, la dynamique du roman se découvre et on se laisse emporter comme ces fiévreux aventuriers à rêver du trésor entre les pages. Jusqu’au final… Impossible d’en dire plus pour ne pas divulgâcher. À déguster en une fois. Garanti sans sucre ajouté.

[William Bentrim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Black Sugar by Miguel Bonnefoy

This is a strange generational tale of obsession with treasure. It had a very intriguing start but swiftly went down hill until near the end when it regained some momentum. The lost treasure of Captain Morgan which starts strangely and ends as strangely. Captain Morgan was crazed with his treasure and the later hunters of his treasure shared in the craze. A family tradition of looking for the treasure led to the founding of a dynastic farm focused on the production of rum.

The location of the country is as mysterious as the missing treasure, I'm pretty sure it is Venezuela. It appears to be in the Caribbean but I was never sure if it was an island or the mainland. The story is also of love, unrequited and sometimes unwanted. The love was not just romantic but maternal and paternal as well and still often unrequited and unwanted.

There were no characters in the book that were easy to relate to and the motivation of the characters was often confusing.

The book was mildly interesting.

Web: https://miguelbonnefoy.fr/ (in French)