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Jacques
It is only when we matter, when we are seen and truly loved, that we know what it means to fully live.
This is the story of Jacques Lafitte, a young French boy who finds himself orphaned and torn away from everything he knows. Forced to move to England to live with his guardian – the pompous and distant Oliver – Jacques finds himself in a strange country and a strange world.
As years pass Jacques becomes part of the Clark family. But then his feelings for Oliver’s daughter Rebecca begin to surpass mere sibling affection. A development that has the power to bring them together, or tear the family apart . . .
Jacques is Tanya Ravenswater’s beautiful and touching coming-of-age novel of loss, longing, falling in love and finding a place to call home. And, most importantly, of the power of the relationships that help us along the way.
This is the story of Jacques Lafitte, a young French boy who finds himself orphaned and torn away from everything he knows. Forced to move to England to live with his guardian – the pompous and distant Oliver – Jacques finds himself in a strange country and a strange world.
As years pass Jacques becomes part of the Clark family. But then his feelings for Oliver’s daughter Rebecca begin to surpass mere sibling affection. A development that has the power to bring them together, or tear the family apart . . .
Jacques is Tanya Ravenswater’s beautiful and touching coming-of-age novel of loss, longing, falling in love and finding a place to call home. And, most importantly, of the power of the relationships that help us along the way.
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Published December 15, 2015
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October 21, 2025
Beautifully mellow. Cried multiple times.
August 31, 2016
‘It is only when we matter, when we are seen and truly loved, that we know what it means to fully live.’
Every so often a book comes on your lap that just draws you right in.
Jacques by Tanya Ravenswater is one of those books. Published by Twenty7, an imprint of Bonnier Zaffre, Jacques is a beautifully written, coming-of-age novel about a young French boy.
I loved this book and hope you will too. I received my copy from Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley in return for my review. I do hope you read it and please let me know what you think.
The Blurb:
‘This is the story of Jacques Lafitte, a young French boy who finds himself orphaned and torn away from everything he knows. Forced to move to England to live with his guardian – the pompous and distant Oliver – Jacques finds himself in a strange country and a strange world.
As years pass Jacques becomes part of the Clark family. But then his feelings for Oliver’s daughter Rebecca begin to surpass mere sibling affection. A development that has the power to bring them together, or tear the family apart . . .
Jacques is Tanya Ravenswater’s beautiful and touching coming-of-age novel of loss, longing, falling in love and finding a place to call home. And, most importantly, of the power of the relationships that help us along the way.’
Jacques Lafitte. Even the name alone conjures up images in your head.
‘There are few people to whom we really matter. To most people our lives are like facts: noted, skimmed over, quickly forgotten. They might feel some sense of responsibility if we collapsed on the street, or if we asked them directly for help. Otherwise, to the majority of those we come across, the quality and details of our lives are largely irrelevant.’
Thoughtful words. The opening sentences of the prologue written by Jacques twenty years after the events that changed his life forever.
Born in Neuilly, a Paris suberb, Jacques Lafitte was the beloved son of adoring parents, who were both tragically taken from him at a very young age.
‘My whole world had been built on what I trusted would be the unshakeable ground of their presence, my daily life framed by proof of how much I was cherished.’
Jacques’ care was left to the guardianship of Oliver Clarke. Moved to London, to start a very different life, this book tells us the story of a very special young boy and the changes he has to adapt to in order to survive.
Oliver Clarke and his wife Anna are not happy. Their marriage is crumbling at the seams. Oliver is a very strict disciplinarian, with little love handed out to his family. Jacques becomes very aware of the differences between their marriage and that of the cherished memories he holds of his parents love. Reality for Jacques sets in fast.
‘My king and queen were dead. I was just a helpless little boy, stripped of everything, even his mother tongue.’
All is not lost for Jacques though as Rebecca, Oliver’s daughter, is intrigued by the young French boy in her home. They develop a very beautiful, trusting, special relationship as the book progresses and as each reaches different stages in their lives.
Tanya Ravenswater writes almost poetically about Jacques, his feelings, his friendships, his thoughts. He is a very deep and introverted young man who adapts to his surroundings but I feel always holds back a little of himself.
He attends school. He is a master at piano and an artist aswell. His talents are very private to him. In later years, many try to persuade him to use these talents as a career, but to Jacques, his music and paintings are too personal. Financial gain is never the attraction for Jacques. He is much more interested in enjoying the moment and finding happiness in the small pleasures of life.
Rebecca and Jacques’ relationship changes over the years as does his relationship with Anna and Oliver.
‘It seemed hardly any time since Rebecca and I had been so close and open with each other. Now, however, as each day passed between us we seemed bound to ruin the simplicity of our friendship. And perhaps it didn’t matter so much to Rebecca. But it mattered to me.’
Time moves on, circumstances change. There are some sad, some melancholy, some beautiful chapters in this book. We see life through the eyes of Jacques as he progresses through puberty to adulthood.
Jacques is a beautiful coming-of-age novel written with a gentleness of phrase and a expressiveness in every sentence. I could quote sections of this book in this review. In fact, if I could, I would quote the whole book but I will leave you with this beautifully written description from a graveside….
‘I looked at the bouquet of lillies that had decorated the coffin, now on the grass, close to the mound of soil that would eventually fill in the grave…..they would escape the darkness, if only for a few more days. They would be on guard, like some loyal, graceful dogs with their chins against the earth, pining, eventually dying, realising their wish to be with him again.’
A stunning, impressive debut, Jacques should not go unnoticed. I highly recommend Jacques as a completely different alternative to many a book currently on the market.
Sorry I just cannot help myself!!
Here is one last quote from this absolutely charming book…
‘Some experiences bring us awareness we can’t ignore. They become touchstones, deeply embedded in the valleys of our psyche. Whether we want to or not, we can’t help measuring everything else in our subsequent life against them. Such knowledge has the potential to lead us to despair, as well as to the path of authenticity.’
I do hope you enjoyed my review and please look out for Jacques next time you are looking for a beautiful read. I promise you will not be disappointed.
Mxx
Meet Tanya:
Tanya D. Ravenswater was born in County Down, Northern Ireland. She graduated in modern languages from St Andrews, Scotland and later gained an M.A. in Counselling Studies from Keele University, Staffordshire. She has worked as a general nurse, as a counsellor and in counselling education.
Tanya writes fiction and poetry for adults and children, and has facilitated numerous writing projects within an educational context, including creating nature and place-themed anthologies for schools. Her short stories have been published among short-listed entries for the Cheshire Prize for Literature, and her poems have appeared in poetry magazines, such as, among others, Orbis and Obsessed with Pipework.
Tanya currently lives in Cheshire with her husband, two teenage children and an alpha Jack Russell.
August 9, 2016
Lesley Allen described this book as "seductively lyrical" and I have to agree with her. It is a simple story but what makes it special is Ravenswater's writing style and mesmerising poetic use of language. My pages are littered with highlights from where I found numerous phrases of exquisite prose and absorbing imagery.
It is a slow, measured read. It is about character, relationships, coming of age and love. Despite being so contemporary and set in the late 1980s, it had the feel of a more classical novel, maybe even a little like Dickens or a darker Laurie Lee, but certainly reminiscent of Forster and L P Hartley.
Jacques life starts sadly. Prepared for his parent's death by his Papa's methodical ordering of paperwork and finances following the loss of his mother, Jacques is then faced with "what Papa had described as the 'unlikely event 's his own untimely death. I had to accept that so-called 'unlikely events' were destined to be among the likely facts of my life." What is most striking about the two deaths is the way Ravenswater handles Jacques' realisation that his world will never be the same again. He was privileged to be held so dear by his parents that his "whole world had been built on what I trusted would be the unshakeable ground of their presence, my daily life framed by proof of how much I was cherished." She conveys such a loving, deep relationship that almost feels exclusive and separate from the rest of the world. Jacques- mature, intelligent, articulate and sensitive -explains how "discussion and storytelling had been central to my life with Maman and Papa....they had treated me as an equal in conversation". He is a character you cannot help but be drawn too and feel empathy towards. The reader is caught up in his engaging narrative and wants to read on and share his journey with him.
Jacques then finds himself shipped off to England to his Aunt and Uncle, an event which Ravenswater's simple, observational statement conveys a profound sadness as deep as the channel Jacques has had to cross to get there:
"...my king and queen were dead, I was just a helpless little boy, stripped of everything, even his mother tongue.."
His new family couldn't be more contrasting to the one Jacques has lost. The house itself captures the personality of the parents with it's overwhelming atmosphere of oppression, imprisonment and reserve - a contrast from the creative, equal, discursive home his parents had embodied.
"..inside the house had 4 storeys and a steep, carpeted central staircase with white, thickly glossed bannisters. The rooms were high ceilinged, papered mainly in deep reds and browns, furnished with heavy, hard wearing fabrics, dark teak and mahogany....the floors were mostly bare, polished wooden boards with functional rugs and mats."
His Aunt is anxious, cold, and controlling. Jacques is intimidated by the first very formal meeting with her as she explains briskly "after I've taken you through our house rules, you will follow them to the best of your ability." His Uncle is more nonchalant and disinterested; a trait he displays to his own children not just Jacques. This is not the cherishing and nurturing environment Jacques experienced in France and sadly he recalls that his sense of not belonging anywhere or to anyone, alongside his grief, "forced me to evolve into a different person." Therefore their daughter, Rebecca, his "sibling" (although not a blood relative), is a welcomed presence. She is more vital and colourful and enjoys telling Jacques all about her mother's job which is an abortionist. She talks frankly and bluntly - again, a contrast to Jacques naivety. But she also experiences a sense of isolation or difference from the harsh teasing at school where children regularly call out "here comes the murderer's daughter". They bond immediately and settle into a very intense relationship.
I liked Ravenswater's description. Her evocation of place and atmosphere was always so effective and always managed to effortlessly imply more about the character or events. For example, when Jacques talks about his new school he describes the "dark runners of its corridors, blackboards scored with monotonous lines.... I reduced myself to a scarcely noticeable grey dot."
There is a fantastic passage between Jacques and his aunt. Jacques is a talented piano player - a creative output for his emotions, but even this has to fall within strict rules and boundaries as his aunt is so terrified of anything she cannot control.
"treat my piano with respect ....or I will cancel lessons immediately ......You will wipe the keys after each use, and replace the cover and the stool"
It takes the joy away from anything and constantly reinstates a kind of fear. Jacques manages to penetrate her cold shell by suggesting she takes up lessons again and, revealingly, her reply is "....our hearts are no longer open and innocent. ....Our hands are irrevocably stained.... No amount of piano lessons will take that away".
There are many very moving passages. Jacques relationship with Stephen is particularly poignant, full of resonating intensity and sadness.
This is a very original read. It is one of those books which you read with ease and surprising speed but then find yourself contemplating for days after. Ravenswater's ability to capture the male voice of Jacques with such conviction and authenticity is highly impressive and it is hard to accept this is a debut novel.
Author GJ Minett recommended the book to me ages ago and he said "if you value precision and a wonderful control over the language allied to a sound instinct for exactly the right turn of phrase, then this is the one for you." It shouldn't have taken me so long to get around to reading!
I think this is definitely a writer to watch out for in the future.
It is a slow, measured read. It is about character, relationships, coming of age and love. Despite being so contemporary and set in the late 1980s, it had the feel of a more classical novel, maybe even a little like Dickens or a darker Laurie Lee, but certainly reminiscent of Forster and L P Hartley.
Jacques life starts sadly. Prepared for his parent's death by his Papa's methodical ordering of paperwork and finances following the loss of his mother, Jacques is then faced with "what Papa had described as the 'unlikely event 's his own untimely death. I had to accept that so-called 'unlikely events' were destined to be among the likely facts of my life." What is most striking about the two deaths is the way Ravenswater handles Jacques' realisation that his world will never be the same again. He was privileged to be held so dear by his parents that his "whole world had been built on what I trusted would be the unshakeable ground of their presence, my daily life framed by proof of how much I was cherished." She conveys such a loving, deep relationship that almost feels exclusive and separate from the rest of the world. Jacques- mature, intelligent, articulate and sensitive -explains how "discussion and storytelling had been central to my life with Maman and Papa....they had treated me as an equal in conversation". He is a character you cannot help but be drawn too and feel empathy towards. The reader is caught up in his engaging narrative and wants to read on and share his journey with him.
Jacques then finds himself shipped off to England to his Aunt and Uncle, an event which Ravenswater's simple, observational statement conveys a profound sadness as deep as the channel Jacques has had to cross to get there:
"...my king and queen were dead, I was just a helpless little boy, stripped of everything, even his mother tongue.."
His new family couldn't be more contrasting to the one Jacques has lost. The house itself captures the personality of the parents with it's overwhelming atmosphere of oppression, imprisonment and reserve - a contrast from the creative, equal, discursive home his parents had embodied.
"..inside the house had 4 storeys and a steep, carpeted central staircase with white, thickly glossed bannisters. The rooms were high ceilinged, papered mainly in deep reds and browns, furnished with heavy, hard wearing fabrics, dark teak and mahogany....the floors were mostly bare, polished wooden boards with functional rugs and mats."
His Aunt is anxious, cold, and controlling. Jacques is intimidated by the first very formal meeting with her as she explains briskly "after I've taken you through our house rules, you will follow them to the best of your ability." His Uncle is more nonchalant and disinterested; a trait he displays to his own children not just Jacques. This is not the cherishing and nurturing environment Jacques experienced in France and sadly he recalls that his sense of not belonging anywhere or to anyone, alongside his grief, "forced me to evolve into a different person." Therefore their daughter, Rebecca, his "sibling" (although not a blood relative), is a welcomed presence. She is more vital and colourful and enjoys telling Jacques all about her mother's job which is an abortionist. She talks frankly and bluntly - again, a contrast to Jacques naivety. But she also experiences a sense of isolation or difference from the harsh teasing at school where children regularly call out "here comes the murderer's daughter". They bond immediately and settle into a very intense relationship.
I liked Ravenswater's description. Her evocation of place and atmosphere was always so effective and always managed to effortlessly imply more about the character or events. For example, when Jacques talks about his new school he describes the "dark runners of its corridors, blackboards scored with monotonous lines.... I reduced myself to a scarcely noticeable grey dot."
There is a fantastic passage between Jacques and his aunt. Jacques is a talented piano player - a creative output for his emotions, but even this has to fall within strict rules and boundaries as his aunt is so terrified of anything she cannot control.
"treat my piano with respect ....or I will cancel lessons immediately ......You will wipe the keys after each use, and replace the cover and the stool"
It takes the joy away from anything and constantly reinstates a kind of fear. Jacques manages to penetrate her cold shell by suggesting she takes up lessons again and, revealingly, her reply is "....our hearts are no longer open and innocent. ....Our hands are irrevocably stained.... No amount of piano lessons will take that away".
There are many very moving passages. Jacques relationship with Stephen is particularly poignant, full of resonating intensity and sadness.
This is a very original read. It is one of those books which you read with ease and surprising speed but then find yourself contemplating for days after. Ravenswater's ability to capture the male voice of Jacques with such conviction and authenticity is highly impressive and it is hard to accept this is a debut novel.
Author GJ Minett recommended the book to me ages ago and he said "if you value precision and a wonderful control over the language allied to a sound instinct for exactly the right turn of phrase, then this is the one for you." It shouldn't have taken me so long to get around to reading!
I think this is definitely a writer to watch out for in the future.
May 25, 2020
An underrated book (I would not know this book if not because of @therebutforthebooks, the second hand online bookshop in Instagram). I read this as part of the Popsugar challenge I joined this year. Turned out it was really good. Very well written, contemplative coming of age story of an orphaned boy named Jacques, who had to leave his hometown in France to live with his guardians in England.
But the story is not a sob fest - unline Oliver Twist and the like, and more like a very reflective journal of Jacques, about his quest of love, friendship, and the meaning of life. Sometimes the language is a bit too poetic and philosophical, but somehow fits with Jacques's character.
A wonderful proof that we can find a great book even from the unlikeliest possibility!
But the story is not a sob fest - unline Oliver Twist and the like, and more like a very reflective journal of Jacques, about his quest of love, friendship, and the meaning of life. Sometimes the language is a bit too poetic and philosophical, but somehow fits with Jacques's character.
A wonderful proof that we can find a great book even from the unlikeliest possibility!
December 13, 2016
Jacques is a happy little boy, living with his parents in France, until he loses both of his parents in a car crash, He is sent to live with Uncle Oliver, his Godfather, and his wife Anna and their two children, Matthew and Rebecca.
How he learns to live in England and with a family he has never met before, is told through his eyes, first as a child, then teenager and then as a young adult, Entangled with this. is his love for Rebecca, and how he changes Anna,,the mother, who when we first meet her, is cold, and at times unfeeling, but this is a smoke screen, one that Jacques gets passed, finding the real Anna,
It is a beautiful , tender coming of age story, that made me cry, x
How he learns to live in England and with a family he has never met before, is told through his eyes, first as a child, then teenager and then as a young adult, Entangled with this. is his love for Rebecca, and how he changes Anna,,the mother, who when we first meet her, is cold, and at times unfeeling, but this is a smoke screen, one that Jacques gets passed, finding the real Anna,
It is a beautiful , tender coming of age story, that made me cry, x
February 19, 2018
This is a lovely little book. While the story is simple, the plot not too dramatic, I still found myself drawn in and quickly warmed to the characters and their lives.
Jacques is a young French boy, sensitive and sweet. His parents die and he is left in the care of his father's business colleague. He has to move to England and adjust to life in a new country with a family he does not know.
A simple story of friendship, relationships, family dynamics, music and art.
Jacques is a young French boy, sensitive and sweet. His parents die and he is left in the care of his father's business colleague. He has to move to England and adjust to life in a new country with a family he does not know.
A simple story of friendship, relationships, family dynamics, music and art.
November 22, 2022
I didn’t connect with this book at all. Some of the other reviews call it a coming of age story, but it just didn’t grip me in any way. I found the dialogue to be stilted and, ultimately, nothing at all happened, and Jacques’ relationship with Rebecca which was supposed to be a major dramatic point was left far too late and was not especially dramatic.
I know many people really enjoyed the book, so I am happy to admit it may simply have not been to my taste.
I know many people really enjoyed the book, so I am happy to admit it may simply have not been to my taste.
December 20, 2016
Jacques has lost both his parents at a young age. When his mother died his father made arrangements for Jacques in case something would happen to him. Jacques is French, but speaks English fluently and this is something he needs for his future. His father appointed a guardian, Oliver, who lives in England and Jacques is being forced to leave everything and everyone he loves behind to start over in a different country. Oliver is a selfish and arrogant man. He's married to Anna, who's a bit kinder, but distant. They already have a son and a daughter, so Jacques isn't the only child in their home. Oliver doesn't care about any of them and Jacques has to go from a warm home to a cold one.
Jacques is a talented child and he develops his skills when growing up. He eventually starts to feel comfortable with his new family, which is mainly because of Rebecca, Oliver's daughter. They become close and their connection is deep. Jacques knows from a young age that she's more than just a sibling, but will he actually have a chance with Rebecca or does their situation and upbringing prevent them from ever being together?
Jacques is a beautiful story about a boy who doesn't have a lucky start in life. Jacques is kindhearted and strong. Even though he's grieving he makes the best of his situation. He's an admirable person and I loved reading about him. He manages to adjust because he has to and his good-naturedness is wonderful. Jacques slowly comes to appreaciate his new life and surroundings. He easily makes friends, he feels at home with Anna and Rebecca and he keeps following his heart. Jacques is an incredible person and that is what makes this book so amazing.
Jacques is an impressive coming-of-age novel. Tanya Ravenswater writes in an open and disarming way. This is a terrific contrast to the formal dialogue she uses. Main characters are addressing each other by their full first name whenever they speak and they are always incredibly polite, which perfectly suits the environment Jacques is being brought up in. It's definitely something that stands out and that makes his story memorable.
Even in England tragedy follows Jacques, Tanya Ravenswater doesn't spare him. He has to get used to grief, but this also makes him learn to welcome every good thing that happens in his life. Jacques expresses his emotions through his talents. Dealing with many different kinds of suffering makes him wise beyond his years. This striking quality is apparent in every conversation he has and I enjoyed that a lot. Tanya Ravenswater has writte a terrific complete novel. Jacques is a riveting story about a very special person.
Jacques is a talented child and he develops his skills when growing up. He eventually starts to feel comfortable with his new family, which is mainly because of Rebecca, Oliver's daughter. They become close and their connection is deep. Jacques knows from a young age that she's more than just a sibling, but will he actually have a chance with Rebecca or does their situation and upbringing prevent them from ever being together?
Jacques is a beautiful story about a boy who doesn't have a lucky start in life. Jacques is kindhearted and strong. Even though he's grieving he makes the best of his situation. He's an admirable person and I loved reading about him. He manages to adjust because he has to and his good-naturedness is wonderful. Jacques slowly comes to appreaciate his new life and surroundings. He easily makes friends, he feels at home with Anna and Rebecca and he keeps following his heart. Jacques is an incredible person and that is what makes this book so amazing.
Jacques is an impressive coming-of-age novel. Tanya Ravenswater writes in an open and disarming way. This is a terrific contrast to the formal dialogue she uses. Main characters are addressing each other by their full first name whenever they speak and they are always incredibly polite, which perfectly suits the environment Jacques is being brought up in. It's definitely something that stands out and that makes his story memorable.
Even in England tragedy follows Jacques, Tanya Ravenswater doesn't spare him. He has to get used to grief, but this also makes him learn to welcome every good thing that happens in his life. Jacques expresses his emotions through his talents. Dealing with many different kinds of suffering makes him wise beyond his years. This striking quality is apparent in every conversation he has and I enjoyed that a lot. Tanya Ravenswater has writte a terrific complete novel. Jacques is a riveting story about a very special person.
February 26, 2017
This book is beautifully written, with passages of lyrical quality. I found myself drawn by the depth of characterisation and the gently unfolding relationships within the novel. I wouldn't hesitate to read another one by the same author.
September 5, 2016
‘…sometimes in a confined space, within limitations of the present, we can have everything.’
Jacques is a beautiful coming of age novel in which loss, grief and love intertwine to make an enthralling read and it’s beauty comes from it’s depth and simplicity.
Jacques’ world is turned upside down when his parents die and he has to move from France to England to be cared for by his legal guardian. I was not surprised to learn that Tanya worked in bereavement support as she captures the feelings of grief and loss perfectly and writes about them with empathy and acute sensitivity.
The prose is gorgeous - poetically philosophical - and I found myself re-reading paragraphs just to take in the words again. Tanya is a very talented writer and she evoked such emotion within me while I was reading Jacques. Despite this, the book has a peaceful feel about it and is a book you want to read slowly in order to take it in and appreciate it.
‘Some experiences bring us awareness we can’t ignore. They become touchstones, deeply embedded in the valleys of our psyche. Whether we want to or not, we can’t help measuring everything else in our subsequent life against them. Such knowledge has the potential to lead us to despair, as well as to the path of authenticity.’
Jacques is a wonderful character, he is sensitive, intelligent and emotionally intuitive. You cannot help but adore him and feel every nuance of his thoughts and feelings. Anna also stood out for me, initially a character that is difficult to warm to, Tanya demonstrates through her how experiences can affect a person’s character. As the story progressed, I began to feel a great affection for her. In contrast, Jacques’ guardian, Oliver, is a self-centred, arrogant man who has little empathy for those around him and seeks to gain sympathy from others to justify his own bad behaviour. I loved the different character’s within Jacques who Tanya has brought to life wonderfully.
Jacques is a remarkably uplifting book, despite the themes of loss and grief it never comes across as melancholy. Jacques’ views on life and his resilience in the face of adversity make you think and contemplate those things you maybe take for granted.
An intelligent, thought-provoking, moving, beautifully written book I cannot recommend Jacques highly enough. You need to add it to your to be read list!
Thank you to Tanya Ravenwater and Carmen at Bonnier Zaffre for the copy in exchange for my thoughts.
Published 8 September by Twenty7 (Bonnier Publishing)
Jacques is a beautiful coming of age novel in which loss, grief and love intertwine to make an enthralling read and it’s beauty comes from it’s depth and simplicity.
Jacques’ world is turned upside down when his parents die and he has to move from France to England to be cared for by his legal guardian. I was not surprised to learn that Tanya worked in bereavement support as she captures the feelings of grief and loss perfectly and writes about them with empathy and acute sensitivity.
The prose is gorgeous - poetically philosophical - and I found myself re-reading paragraphs just to take in the words again. Tanya is a very talented writer and she evoked such emotion within me while I was reading Jacques. Despite this, the book has a peaceful feel about it and is a book you want to read slowly in order to take it in and appreciate it.
‘Some experiences bring us awareness we can’t ignore. They become touchstones, deeply embedded in the valleys of our psyche. Whether we want to or not, we can’t help measuring everything else in our subsequent life against them. Such knowledge has the potential to lead us to despair, as well as to the path of authenticity.’
Jacques is a wonderful character, he is sensitive, intelligent and emotionally intuitive. You cannot help but adore him and feel every nuance of his thoughts and feelings. Anna also stood out for me, initially a character that is difficult to warm to, Tanya demonstrates through her how experiences can affect a person’s character. As the story progressed, I began to feel a great affection for her. In contrast, Jacques’ guardian, Oliver, is a self-centred, arrogant man who has little empathy for those around him and seeks to gain sympathy from others to justify his own bad behaviour. I loved the different character’s within Jacques who Tanya has brought to life wonderfully.
Jacques is a remarkably uplifting book, despite the themes of loss and grief it never comes across as melancholy. Jacques’ views on life and his resilience in the face of adversity make you think and contemplate those things you maybe take for granted.
An intelligent, thought-provoking, moving, beautifully written book I cannot recommend Jacques highly enough. You need to add it to your to be read list!
Thank you to Tanya Ravenwater and Carmen at Bonnier Zaffre for the copy in exchange for my thoughts.
Published 8 September by Twenty7 (Bonnier Publishing)
March 1, 2016
Lovely read. I was heartsick in the beginning for the little guy who loses so much and is forced to just get over it. Worse, he is stuck with distantly cold guardians. The moment he is rushed to pick just a few things of his entire life to that point out of his home had me gutted. He will never again feel as welcome with the Clarks as he did in his home with his affectionate parents.
"My king and queen were dead. I was just a helpless little boy, stripped of everything, even his mother tongue."
Orphan not just of his parents, but his homeland. That was one of the most beautiful lines.
It seems his nature sets him up to take a lot of hits over the years and losses collect. I think about his friendship with another boy and how immediately his sexuality comes into question. I always felt sorry for men that are robbed of the easy comfort allotted to women in relationships with other males. No one blinks an eye at the closeness of females usually (though it isn't always the case, certainly homophobia exists here too if a gay girl is friends with a straight girl they get flack too) just more so with males. Every country is different- and MACHO means something else in England (or anywhere else) than it does in France.
Jacques IS 'someone with a touch more storm in the soul.' He is a gorgeous character. He is the sort of person that internalizes, that dives past the surface and needs to understand life. Though he becomes one of the Clarks, he has always felt anything but brotherly for Rebecca- and here is the love story.
I adore his memories of the things his papa told him. "Papa once told me that he thought people were like grapes, coming from their own ground, their terroir. The soil and climate of one region, however close to another, would give its fruits their particular qualities and subtle variations in flavour. Although when transformed into wine, the grape would travel elsewhere in the world, it would continue to speak, in its own language, of the terroir that created it."
My God, what a gorgeous analogy about where we come from, how it's always inside of us no matter what transplants take place.
Beautiful read.
"My king and queen were dead. I was just a helpless little boy, stripped of everything, even his mother tongue."
Orphan not just of his parents, but his homeland. That was one of the most beautiful lines.
It seems his nature sets him up to take a lot of hits over the years and losses collect. I think about his friendship with another boy and how immediately his sexuality comes into question. I always felt sorry for men that are robbed of the easy comfort allotted to women in relationships with other males. No one blinks an eye at the closeness of females usually (though it isn't always the case, certainly homophobia exists here too if a gay girl is friends with a straight girl they get flack too) just more so with males. Every country is different- and MACHO means something else in England (or anywhere else) than it does in France.
Jacques IS 'someone with a touch more storm in the soul.' He is a gorgeous character. He is the sort of person that internalizes, that dives past the surface and needs to understand life. Though he becomes one of the Clarks, he has always felt anything but brotherly for Rebecca- and here is the love story.
I adore his memories of the things his papa told him. "Papa once told me that he thought people were like grapes, coming from their own ground, their terroir. The soil and climate of one region, however close to another, would give its fruits their particular qualities and subtle variations in flavour. Although when transformed into wine, the grape would travel elsewhere in the world, it would continue to speak, in its own language, of the terroir that created it."
My God, what a gorgeous analogy about where we come from, how it's always inside of us no matter what transplants take place.
Beautiful read.
March 14, 2016
Jacques, the hero of Tanya Ravenswater’s novel, is good at music and art, intelligent, observant, often uncertain and occasionally gauche. Apart from the fact that his parents died when he was young and his childhood was spent in France, there is nothing particularly unusual about him – but the novel explores the drama and discovery that make “ordinary” lives extraordinary.
The narrator dissects motives and relationships with skill, and sometimes waspishly. “The touch-paper of Uncle Oliver’s sense of offence was quickly lit” and “Terry was like an ignoble, lean rat.”
Visual images are cleverly melded with personality. A character is described as having a singing voice “that prompted me to paint her as a scattering of delicate powder blue butterflies . . .” Another has “a slightly manic streak that glittered like his eyes”.
Elsewhere, there is fine detail. “Rebecca’s eyes, often sardonic, sharpened usually by her habit of narrowing them, now appeared wider, softer, receiving rather than resisting.”
“Jacques” is a closely observed meditation on the meaning of life and and the redemptive quality of love. Ravenswater’s message is that ordinary never equals dull and she communicates this in lyrical and very accessible prose.
The narrator dissects motives and relationships with skill, and sometimes waspishly. “The touch-paper of Uncle Oliver’s sense of offence was quickly lit” and “Terry was like an ignoble, lean rat.”
Visual images are cleverly melded with personality. A character is described as having a singing voice “that prompted me to paint her as a scattering of delicate powder blue butterflies . . .” Another has “a slightly manic streak that glittered like his eyes”.
Elsewhere, there is fine detail. “Rebecca’s eyes, often sardonic, sharpened usually by her habit of narrowing them, now appeared wider, softer, receiving rather than resisting.”
“Jacques” is a closely observed meditation on the meaning of life and and the redemptive quality of love. Ravenswater’s message is that ordinary never equals dull and she communicates this in lyrical and very accessible prose.
January 10, 2016
Poetic, almost lyrical at times, this is a treat to be sipped and savoured in small doses. It may not appeal to readers who like to skim-read and skip whole sections in search of the next gory scene, but if you value precision and a wonderful control over the language allied to a sound instinct for exactly the right turn of phrase, then this is one for you. The author shows a surprising insight into what it is like to be a sensitive, slightly insecure male adolescent, clear about what he wants more than anything but unable to trust his instincts, and the doubts that beset Jacques as he battles his way through the teenage years will strike a chord in many a male reader. This is lovely ... plain and simple.
March 28, 2016
Reading this book was a bit like lingering over a long, cosy, comforting drink of sumptuous hot chocolate, or slowly sipping a bottle of very fine red wine. I savoured every sentence, and wanted to drink it in all over again when I got to the (immensely satisfying) end. Tanya Ravenswater’s prose is so seductively lyrical that it wraps you up in a big soft hug. I completely fell in love with Jacques the boy, and even more so with Jacques the young man. Ravenswater writes her hero with effortless ease, her talent jumping out from the very first page. I truly loved this book.
September 12, 2016
There are so many passages in this book that I read more than once - too numerous to mention here. The beautiful, descriptive writing is mesmerising. You know a novel is going to be good when it evokes such strong emotions from the first few pages, that magical feeling that cradles you from beginning to end. This is a story to treasure and one that I will read and enjoy again and again .
June 27, 2016
This is a terrific coming of age novel, with a particular emphasis on voice. There is almost a feeling of Dickens - from another time. I loved it. Highly recommend.
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