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Les vendanges de Juillet
Les vendanges de Juillet (French Edition)
502 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
4 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
About the author
Françoise Bourdin
132 books78 followersFrançoise Bourdin was born listening to opera. Her parents, both opera singers, helped her to develop an appreciation for strong characters and destinies, and for the music of words. As a teenager, she discovered horseback riding and it became her exclusive hobby. She dedicated her teens to this passion and to reading the works of classical authors that she discovered in her father’s huge library. Bourdin started to write short stories when she was very young. Her first novel was published by Editions Julliard when she was only twenty. Writing became the most important thing in her life and her second novel, two years later, was adapted for TV.
Her fiction describes family stories, secrets, and passions. She values brave characters who face life boldly and never give up when confronted with adversity. Since 1994, she has written thirty books, three of which have been adapted for television. Her readership continues to grow with each novel.
Bourdin has two daughters and lives in a beautiful home in Normandy. She writes every day, always with the same pleasure, the most beautifully human and moving stories. She knows how to express our deepest emotions and to write stories that resemble our own lives.
Françoise Bourdin, née en 1952 à Paris, est un écrivain français.
Elle est mariée à un médecin et a deux filles, Fabienne, née 1981, et Frédérique, née 1982.
Elle commence à écrire des nouvelles à 16 ans. Elle publie son premier roman en 1972, Les Soleils mouillés. En 1973, son second roman, De vagues herbes hautes est choisi par Josée Dayan pour réaliser son premier téléfilm — avec comme interprète Laurent Terzieff. Depuis, elle a publié près d'une trentaine de livres.
Elle est aussi scénariste de profession pour la télévision, beaucoup de ses romans ont été adaptés à la télévision.
Her fiction describes family stories, secrets, and passions. She values brave characters who face life boldly and never give up when confronted with adversity. Since 1994, she has written thirty books, three of which have been adapted for television. Her readership continues to grow with each novel.
Bourdin has two daughters and lives in a beautiful home in Normandy. She writes every day, always with the same pleasure, the most beautifully human and moving stories. She knows how to express our deepest emotions and to write stories that resemble our own lives.
Françoise Bourdin, née en 1952 à Paris, est un écrivain français.
Elle est mariée à un médecin et a deux filles, Fabienne, née 1981, et Frédérique, née 1982.
Elle commence à écrire des nouvelles à 16 ans. Elle publie son premier roman en 1972, Les Soleils mouillés. En 1973, son second roman, De vagues herbes hautes est choisi par Josée Dayan pour réaliser son premier téléfilm — avec comme interprète Laurent Terzieff. Depuis, elle a publié près d'une trentaine de livres.
Elle est aussi scénariste de profession pour la télévision, beaucoup de ses romans ont été adaptés à la télévision.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 14, 2017
awesome soap opera (or family drama set in the world of the rich and powerful if you'd rather have the sub-genre named that way, though I really love soap operas when done well and do not think the term derogatory) set in the elite vineyards of Southern France.
Everything you want in such (secrets, betrayals, a few femme fatales - the former girlfriend of one of the 4 brothers and current wife of another but well, you know the spiel here... and a few irresistible men - the famous Parisian doctor brother - the boyfriend above, the patriarch of the family, ok maybe not now, but the past influences the present, and finally but very importantly the younger adopted son, illegitimate babies, intrigue and jealousy, rivalry between wine families etc etc)
Loved the writing and characters as the book has intensity and makes one turn the pages to see what's next; also I liked that it is a standalone that ends at a great point
The blurb gives a pretty accurate idea of what's what, though I guess it's Google translated so it's Jules not July (obviously) as the irresistible, moody, mysteriously adopted son (but of course unknown to start if he is also the natural) and whose 30th birthday celebration starts the book, and then there are Robert the doctor, Louis-Marie his elder writer brother who got, married and has a daughter with the glamorous Pauline (who Robert still cannot get over even after six years or so and it;s unclear how Pauline looks at the situation since Robert has stayed away all these years) and the neglected Alexander who wants the land too (all 4 will get the money and the profits from the land as dividends etc but the land has to stay united, so only one can be the new manager or CEO if you like) whose homey wife (Dominique) currently keeps the Laverzac mansion and whose younger sister in law (Laurene now 20, Dominique's sister) is Jules's natural match assuming the old man allows it (as he kinda has a shine to Laurene and almost has an affair with her when Laurene barely of age, starts working as his personal secretary for some reasons you will find out despite her and Dominique being only daughters and heirs of another important wine maker from around), so despite Jules being his favorite, he doesn't want to let go of Laurene....
Throw in the mysterious mother of Jules from 30 years ago, a glamorous lawyer, a secretary who wants to advance, the estate housekeeper/right hand man couple who know all the secrets and some others (not omitting the kids and babies) and you get a truly memorable cast and a great novel to enjoy
set in the undetermined present (maybe 1990's or so) and with flashbacks at the events 30 years ago, the tale moves fast and irresistibly and if you like such, I highly recommend it
Everything you want in such (secrets, betrayals, a few femme fatales - the former girlfriend of one of the 4 brothers and current wife of another but well, you know the spiel here... and a few irresistible men - the famous Parisian doctor brother - the boyfriend above, the patriarch of the family, ok maybe not now, but the past influences the present, and finally but very importantly the younger adopted son, illegitimate babies, intrigue and jealousy, rivalry between wine families etc etc)
Loved the writing and characters as the book has intensity and makes one turn the pages to see what's next; also I liked that it is a standalone that ends at a great point
The blurb gives a pretty accurate idea of what's what, though I guess it's Google translated so it's Jules not July (obviously) as the irresistible, moody, mysteriously adopted son (but of course unknown to start if he is also the natural) and whose 30th birthday celebration starts the book, and then there are Robert the doctor, Louis-Marie his elder writer brother who got, married and has a daughter with the glamorous Pauline (who Robert still cannot get over even after six years or so and it;s unclear how Pauline looks at the situation since Robert has stayed away all these years) and the neglected Alexander who wants the land too (all 4 will get the money and the profits from the land as dividends etc but the land has to stay united, so only one can be the new manager or CEO if you like) whose homey wife (Dominique) currently keeps the Laverzac mansion and whose younger sister in law (Laurene now 20, Dominique's sister) is Jules's natural match assuming the old man allows it (as he kinda has a shine to Laurene and almost has an affair with her when Laurene barely of age, starts working as his personal secretary for some reasons you will find out despite her and Dominique being only daughters and heirs of another important wine maker from around), so despite Jules being his favorite, he doesn't want to let go of Laurene....
Throw in the mysterious mother of Jules from 30 years ago, a glamorous lawyer, a secretary who wants to advance, the estate housekeeper/right hand man couple who know all the secrets and some others (not omitting the kids and babies) and you get a truly memorable cast and a great novel to enjoy
set in the undetermined present (maybe 1990's or so) and with flashbacks at the events 30 years ago, the tale moves fast and irresistibly and if you like such, I highly recommend it
November 12, 2013
Bordeaux is the home of the great red French wines and the Medoc region is where Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Chateau Latour, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, Chateau Margaux and Chateau Haut-Brion are produced. What better place to set the saga of a French winemaking family?
Francoise Bourdin has put Fonteyne, the Laverzac family winery, northwest of the city of Bordeaux. Aurelien Laverzac is passionate about his grands crus, the first-rate wines that his family hs been making since 1800. Fonteyne produces a Margaux with Second Growth ranking in the Bordeaux classifications of 1885.
But the members of this family are passionate about a number of things besides wine. Aurelien's oldest son, Louis-Marie, is devoted to journalism and his second son, Robert, is a dedicated surgeon. Alexandre, the third son, loves the family winery and the vineyards. The youngest son, Jules, who was adopted, is the most devoted to the grapes and the winery and has been slowly taking responsibility for the management of Fonteyne.
As the novel begins, the family is all together at Fonteyne for the first time in six years. Robert, who is in love with Louis-Marie's wife Pauline, has been staying away, but this year he has joined the rest of the Laverzac's for the harvest. Jules, whose 30th birthday is being celebrated only days before the harvesting begins, is very much in love with the daughter of a neighboring vintner, Laurene. But in the most convincing love/hate relationship since Eliza and Mr Darcy, the two spar with one another, fear they will never get together, and worry about the reaction of old Aurelien if they do.
There is much to fear -- or at least to worry about -- in this story, beginning with the rain that comes every day in this crucial time when the grapes need sun. As one of the characters says, "You know, wine is mostly about water." If the storms don't let up the grapes on the lower slopes will rot. And a bad thunderstorm with hail could be ruinous.
Also disturbing these September days that should be idyllic, is concern about Aurelien's health. He has had a heart problem and he is in his 60s. Pauline has lured Robert to Fonteyne and she has begun a dalliance with him which she isn't trying overly hard to keep from her hsuband. Alexandre's father-in-law, the owner of Mazion, a small nearby vineyard, has been ill and he and others are worried about what will happen to the harvest there without the old man to run things.
And quietly lurking under everything is the fact that Jules was adopted and no one except Aurelien (and the reader) has any idea who he is and where he comes from. Eventually Jules has to face the questions about his past.
This family is unusual in fiction in that they love one another. They fight, sometimes physically, and they argue and they complain and they get into impressive shouting matches. But underneath is a profound feeling of family, despite the worry about their father, about the harvest, and about their entanglement in love triangles (which sometimes seem more like octagons.)
One complaint. The translator has chosen to put everything in English, including M as Mr and chateau as castle. And the English slang she has chosen to represent the French (Gee and kiddo for example) would in my opinion much better have been left in French. An English-speaking writer would have used much more French.
But this is a matter of taste. The interactions of the members of the Laverzac family and their love of their land, of the grapes and wines, make for an engrossing story. And it would make a terrific movie.
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.
Francoise Bourdin has put Fonteyne, the Laverzac family winery, northwest of the city of Bordeaux. Aurelien Laverzac is passionate about his grands crus, the first-rate wines that his family hs been making since 1800. Fonteyne produces a Margaux with Second Growth ranking in the Bordeaux classifications of 1885.
But the members of this family are passionate about a number of things besides wine. Aurelien's oldest son, Louis-Marie, is devoted to journalism and his second son, Robert, is a dedicated surgeon. Alexandre, the third son, loves the family winery and the vineyards. The youngest son, Jules, who was adopted, is the most devoted to the grapes and the winery and has been slowly taking responsibility for the management of Fonteyne.
As the novel begins, the family is all together at Fonteyne for the first time in six years. Robert, who is in love with Louis-Marie's wife Pauline, has been staying away, but this year he has joined the rest of the Laverzac's for the harvest. Jules, whose 30th birthday is being celebrated only days before the harvesting begins, is very much in love with the daughter of a neighboring vintner, Laurene. But in the most convincing love/hate relationship since Eliza and Mr Darcy, the two spar with one another, fear they will never get together, and worry about the reaction of old Aurelien if they do.
There is much to fear -- or at least to worry about -- in this story, beginning with the rain that comes every day in this crucial time when the grapes need sun. As one of the characters says, "You know, wine is mostly about water." If the storms don't let up the grapes on the lower slopes will rot. And a bad thunderstorm with hail could be ruinous.
Also disturbing these September days that should be idyllic, is concern about Aurelien's health. He has had a heart problem and he is in his 60s. Pauline has lured Robert to Fonteyne and she has begun a dalliance with him which she isn't trying overly hard to keep from her hsuband. Alexandre's father-in-law, the owner of Mazion, a small nearby vineyard, has been ill and he and others are worried about what will happen to the harvest there without the old man to run things.
And quietly lurking under everything is the fact that Jules was adopted and no one except Aurelien (and the reader) has any idea who he is and where he comes from. Eventually Jules has to face the questions about his past.
This family is unusual in fiction in that they love one another. They fight, sometimes physically, and they argue and they complain and they get into impressive shouting matches. But underneath is a profound feeling of family, despite the worry about their father, about the harvest, and about their entanglement in love triangles (which sometimes seem more like octagons.)
One complaint. The translator has chosen to put everything in English, including M as Mr and chateau as castle. And the English slang she has chosen to represent the French (Gee and kiddo for example) would in my opinion much better have been left in French. An English-speaking writer would have used much more French.
But this is a matter of taste. The interactions of the members of the Laverzac family and their love of their land, of the grapes and wines, make for an engrossing story. And it would make a terrific movie.
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.
July 25, 2018
Lorsque j’ai commencé Les vendanges de Juillet, ma première impression a été que la lecture allait probablement être difficile. En effet, j’aime bien connaître la longueur des chapitres lorsque je les débute pour me rendre compte du temps que cela me prendra pour les terminer. La surprise a été de taille quand j’ai découvert qu’il n’y avait aucun chapitre dans ce roman. Il faut noter que ce livre est divisé en deux tomes, Les vendanges de Juillet et Juillet en hiver, eux-mêmes partagés en deux parties, et que l’ensemble fait tout de même 761 pages. J’ai cru que j’allais être en apnée pendant tout ce temps. Si la lecture des premières pages a été un peu laborieuse, parce que je n’arrivais pas à trouver mon rythme de croisière, j’ai finalement été emportée par cette saga familiale.
J’ai beaucoup aimé le choix du lieu pour cette intrigue. L’atmosphère de huis clos qui est donnée à ce château accentue les drames et les trahisons que les membres de cette famille s’infligent les uns aux autres. Les retournements de situation et les révélations sont nombreux au cours de ce roman, mais je regrette tout de même que certaines actions soient répétées par plusieurs personnages, comme si l’auteure n’avait pas trouvé d’autres idées que l’adultère pour que l’on s’intéresse à l’ensemble des protagonistes. En effet, on se retrouve face à une famille qui, au premier abord, semble soudée mais qui va finir par se déchirer. A partir de ce moment-là, tous les coups sont permis, même les plus bas. J’ai été convaincue par le lien qui unit Aurélien à Juillet et leur histoire parallèle. Cependant, je n’ai pas toujours trouvé d’intérêt aux liaisons secondaires qui sont trop nombreuses à mes yeux et qui ne font que renforcer le sentiment d’immoralité qui plane sur ce roman. J’ai souvent été gênée par des comportements que je ne cautionne pas, d’autant plus qu’ils sont répétés en toute impunité. J’ai d’ailleurs longuement hésité pour la note que j’allais attribuée à cette lecture, me disant que, dans ce livre, les actes les plus odieux n’ont pas toujours de conséquences et c’est tout de même inquiétant. Malgré tout, l’histoire familiale a pris le dessus sur ces aspects qui m’ont moins convaincue. J’ai été touchée par certains personnages, notamment Laurène. J’ai pu lire dans de nombreuses chroniques qu’elle n’est pas appréciée des lecteurs, souvent considérée comme inutile. Pourtant, elle a un rôle très important dans cette intrigue et au sein de la famille Laverzac. Elle est moins idiote que l’auteure veut nous le faire croire et je pense qu’il aurait été intéressant de la mettre plus en avant encore. Bien sûr, mon petit coup de cœur revient au duo Aurélien-Juillet, qui a su me faire passer par toutes les émotions et me donner envie d’aller jusqu’à la fin de ce roman, alors que ce n’était pas gagné au départ.
Si vous aimez les sagas familiales pleines de rebondissements, dans lesquelles tous les coups sont permis, sans aucune pitié, Les vendanges de Juillet suivies de Juillet en hiver sont faites pour vous !
J’ai beaucoup aimé le choix du lieu pour cette intrigue. L’atmosphère de huis clos qui est donnée à ce château accentue les drames et les trahisons que les membres de cette famille s’infligent les uns aux autres. Les retournements de situation et les révélations sont nombreux au cours de ce roman, mais je regrette tout de même que certaines actions soient répétées par plusieurs personnages, comme si l’auteure n’avait pas trouvé d’autres idées que l’adultère pour que l’on s’intéresse à l’ensemble des protagonistes. En effet, on se retrouve face à une famille qui, au premier abord, semble soudée mais qui va finir par se déchirer. A partir de ce moment-là, tous les coups sont permis, même les plus bas. J’ai été convaincue par le lien qui unit Aurélien à Juillet et leur histoire parallèle. Cependant, je n’ai pas toujours trouvé d’intérêt aux liaisons secondaires qui sont trop nombreuses à mes yeux et qui ne font que renforcer le sentiment d’immoralité qui plane sur ce roman. J’ai souvent été gênée par des comportements que je ne cautionne pas, d’autant plus qu’ils sont répétés en toute impunité. J’ai d’ailleurs longuement hésité pour la note que j’allais attribuée à cette lecture, me disant que, dans ce livre, les actes les plus odieux n’ont pas toujours de conséquences et c’est tout de même inquiétant. Malgré tout, l’histoire familiale a pris le dessus sur ces aspects qui m’ont moins convaincue. J’ai été touchée par certains personnages, notamment Laurène. J’ai pu lire dans de nombreuses chroniques qu’elle n’est pas appréciée des lecteurs, souvent considérée comme inutile. Pourtant, elle a un rôle très important dans cette intrigue et au sein de la famille Laverzac. Elle est moins idiote que l’auteure veut nous le faire croire et je pense qu’il aurait été intéressant de la mettre plus en avant encore. Bien sûr, mon petit coup de cœur revient au duo Aurélien-Juillet, qui a su me faire passer par toutes les émotions et me donner envie d’aller jusqu’à la fin de ce roman, alors que ce n’était pas gagné au départ.
Si vous aimez les sagas familiales pleines de rebondissements, dans lesquelles tous les coups sont permis, sans aucune pitié, Les vendanges de Juillet suivies de Juillet en hiver sont faites pour vous !
October 26, 2013
Aurelian Laverzac is a larger than life aristrocrat who owns one of the most respected vineyards in Margaux section of Bordeaux. His impressive chateau is the envy of the region. Moreover, he has a reputation as a womanizer and a tyrant. When he dies, it is discovered that he has left the management of the estate to his adopted son, Jules,whom he had groomed for many years. It was Aurelian's wish that the vineyard and chateau remain intact and not be divided by his 4 sons. The family struggles to stay together in spite of jealousy and infidelities. Secrets from 30 years ago are exposed and each son must decide whether family loyalty is more important than his own needs.
This epic novel is filled with main characters who are not very likeable. Even the devishly handsome main character Jules, who every woman finds irresistable, is shown to be as callous a womanizer as his adopted father. However anyone interested in the production of wine will learn much about what it takes to produce a crop of grapes that can be turned into highly prized wines.
This epic novel is filled with main characters who are not very likeable. Even the devishly handsome main character Jules, who every woman finds irresistable, is shown to be as callous a womanizer as his adopted father. However anyone interested in the production of wine will learn much about what it takes to produce a crop of grapes that can be turned into highly prized wines.
January 18, 2018
Emprunté à la bibliothèque.
Comme tous les Bourdin, un moment agréable en perspective. J'ai aimé Juillet, mais je n'ai pas compris son attachement à Laurene qui n'est pas à sa hauteur. Fernande est extrêmement attachante. Cette histoire de famille est une belle distraction.
Comme tous les Bourdin, un moment agréable en perspective. J'ai aimé Juillet, mais je n'ai pas compris son attachement à Laurene qui n'est pas à sa hauteur. Fernande est extrêmement attachante. Cette histoire de famille est une belle distraction.
November 6, 2013
This book drew me right in family drama wealth ,wine ,fabulous characters a wonderful multilayered page turner.
August 16, 2017
Great 700 pages of summer soap opera to relax! Setting in a gorgeous French chateau/ winery near Bordeaux. Love this author's style. And reading it in French was blissful.
April 14, 2020
Histoire super romantique j'ai adorée
April 14, 2020
Histoire super romantique et belle leçon de vie
November 30, 2020
Soap opera. Not even a good one. :)
February 16, 2021
I read this book as part of a two books in one. Les vendanges de Juillet with Juillet en Hiver. The first two parts are Les Vendanges deJuillet. I enjoyed it very much. So much drama in this family!
March 11, 2021
That is a cruel and complicated story. I loved it and took my time reading through 761 pages.
December 2, 2013
Note: This book review, as well as many more, can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca)
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Open Road Integrated Media for providing me with a complimentary e-book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
My Review: I love a large, epic read that I get utterly and hopelessly lost in. When I found this book on NetGalley I figured I could dive in and become immersed in the story, forget about the craziness of my little world for awhile and just enjoy.
The book started off well. I was intrigued as each character was introduced (especially the mystery of Jules' mother) but somewhere around the halfway point the energy seemed to wane and I started to lose interest. It seemed to go from a family saga (complete with passion, betrayals and jealousies, oh MY!) to something that felt like it was more from an 80's episode of Dynasty or Dallas script which had a slightly 'fromage' feel to it with it's characters literally rolling in the hay, bed hopping and half dressed at odd moments.
In an epic read I need to get behind the characters because it's their misdeeds/love affairs etc that I need to believe in order to stick around for the duration of such a long read. Unfortunately I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. They were shallow, self serving narcissists who were constantly making choices that hurt those they claimed to love. {Can you hear the Dallas theme song?} Pretty much all of the characters acted this way. They did whatever they wanted, with whomever they wanted and were surprised when problems arose from the obviously bad decisions they had made previously.
There were also a tonne of characters that were introduced in the beginning (the brothers, spouses etc) and I admit that I found it so confusing to remember who was married or cheating on whom that I made a cheat sheet to keep track. This book felt like it was more about a bunch of love triangles that just happened to be set in a beautiful vineyard in France. I guess I was expecting a lot more energy and twists to this book that ultimately came off as predictable to me.
Another issue that I had was some of the terms or colloquialisms that were used. The book was written in French and then translated into English and I feel that the translation could have been better. There were many colloquialisms that were used that didn't feel like they fit in with the setting or characters. For example, "son of a gun" and "when Dad learned about it ... he had a cow". I've never lived in France but that sounds like much more of a North American slang (a la Bart Simpson) than something I could envision being used on a vineyard in Bordeaux. For me, a translation like that interrupts the flow of the story and makes my attention focus on the odd word placement instead of the storyline.
I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this book more. I was really eager to read this book after I was sent a video from the publisher detailing the author's ideas behind the book. While I enjoyed the descriptions of the vineyards in France and the premise I have to admit that I really struggled to finish the book. I was hoping for more energy, more twists and a faster pace.
My Rating: 3/5 stars
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Open Road Integrated Media for providing me with a complimentary e-book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
My Review: I love a large, epic read that I get utterly and hopelessly lost in. When I found this book on NetGalley I figured I could dive in and become immersed in the story, forget about the craziness of my little world for awhile and just enjoy.
The book started off well. I was intrigued as each character was introduced (especially the mystery of Jules' mother) but somewhere around the halfway point the energy seemed to wane and I started to lose interest. It seemed to go from a family saga (complete with passion, betrayals and jealousies, oh MY!) to something that felt like it was more from an 80's episode of Dynasty or Dallas script which had a slightly 'fromage' feel to it with it's characters literally rolling in the hay, bed hopping and half dressed at odd moments.
In an epic read I need to get behind the characters because it's their misdeeds/love affairs etc that I need to believe in order to stick around for the duration of such a long read. Unfortunately I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. They were shallow, self serving narcissists who were constantly making choices that hurt those they claimed to love. {Can you hear the Dallas theme song?} Pretty much all of the characters acted this way. They did whatever they wanted, with whomever they wanted and were surprised when problems arose from the obviously bad decisions they had made previously.
There were also a tonne of characters that were introduced in the beginning (the brothers, spouses etc) and I admit that I found it so confusing to remember who was married or cheating on whom that I made a cheat sheet to keep track. This book felt like it was more about a bunch of love triangles that just happened to be set in a beautiful vineyard in France. I guess I was expecting a lot more energy and twists to this book that ultimately came off as predictable to me.
Another issue that I had was some of the terms or colloquialisms that were used. The book was written in French and then translated into English and I feel that the translation could have been better. There were many colloquialisms that were used that didn't feel like they fit in with the setting or characters. For example, "son of a gun" and "when Dad learned about it ... he had a cow". I've never lived in France but that sounds like much more of a North American slang (a la Bart Simpson) than something I could envision being used on a vineyard in Bordeaux. For me, a translation like that interrupts the flow of the story and makes my attention focus on the odd word placement instead of the storyline.
I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this book more. I was really eager to read this book after I was sent a video from the publisher detailing the author's ideas behind the book. While I enjoyed the descriptions of the vineyards in France and the premise I have to admit that I really struggled to finish the book. I was hoping for more energy, more twists and a faster pace.
My Rating: 3/5 stars
January 15, 2014
This is a family saga with everything I love – traditions, a battle of wills and over wills, true love, intense hatred, adultery, cowardice, cruelty, and even murder. Above all, there is the wine. Oh, and the whine, plenty of whine. It is the story of a family that keeps their traditions in tact through generations, no matter the cost. Money short? Let’s have a feast. Oh, and bring out the priceless wine, lots of it. And while we drink it, let’s complain about how hard our lives are; especially the hard work of picking out the linens, and planning the elaborate multi-course meals that someone else cooks for us.
Don’t get me wrong — many of the men work very hard. The women, for the most part, (if they work outside the castle) sleep their way to the top. Despite the fact that Françoise Bourdin is a woman writer (at least according to her bio), she does not do any favors to women in this book. Even Fernande, the hardest working woman, (cook, housekeeper, surrogate mother to four grown men) has to deal with her share of misogyny. When she was young, and their father was worried she would leave his house, he married her off to the cellar master to make her stay. The brothers believe he did their homely cook a favor, offering her a marriage she would not otherwise have found for herself.
Though the author sometimes resorts to caricature, there were many characters in this large and varied lot that I admired and enjoyed. There were some despicable ones I liked as well. As for Jules, the impossibly perfect main character, I can’t wait to see who plays him in the movie. (Oh yeah, this will be a movie – and it will be better than the book). The problem was that the book just seemed so long, and it wasn’t really all that many pages. There were times I found myself talking back to the author, saying, yes, I know why he’s doing that, you don’t have to tell me. In the midst of the action, she felt the need to explain the reason behind it in excruciating detail.
Apparently Françoise Bourdin is very popular in France. I think this is one of her first novels to appear in English (another one came out shortly after this). What I would have liked, I think, was a better translator. I read it in another review, and I have to agree, there were some awkward “American” expressions in here. For instance, I’m pretty sure that nobody in an old French dynasty would use the word “kiddo”. At times like this I almost felt like they were pandering to their American audience, as if we couldn’t understand a term of endearment more complicated than slang. I also found the names of the boys kind of jarringly unrelated – one brother is Louis-Marie (never shortened), while another is Bob. This seemed odd in a family that thrived on formalities.
Overall, there was just way too much description for me in this book. It was distracting, (and often boring) reading elaborate menus describing course after course of their daily multi-course meals. In the end, I found myself skimming through scenes, searching for something to happen. Halfway through the book I could predict the obvious ending, so trust me when I say it took an awful lot of patience to finally get there.
Don’t get me wrong — many of the men work very hard. The women, for the most part, (if they work outside the castle) sleep their way to the top. Despite the fact that Françoise Bourdin is a woman writer (at least according to her bio), she does not do any favors to women in this book. Even Fernande, the hardest working woman, (cook, housekeeper, surrogate mother to four grown men) has to deal with her share of misogyny. When she was young, and their father was worried she would leave his house, he married her off to the cellar master to make her stay. The brothers believe he did their homely cook a favor, offering her a marriage she would not otherwise have found for herself.
Though the author sometimes resorts to caricature, there were many characters in this large and varied lot that I admired and enjoyed. There were some despicable ones I liked as well. As for Jules, the impossibly perfect main character, I can’t wait to see who plays him in the movie. (Oh yeah, this will be a movie – and it will be better than the book). The problem was that the book just seemed so long, and it wasn’t really all that many pages. There were times I found myself talking back to the author, saying, yes, I know why he’s doing that, you don’t have to tell me. In the midst of the action, she felt the need to explain the reason behind it in excruciating detail.
Apparently Françoise Bourdin is very popular in France. I think this is one of her first novels to appear in English (another one came out shortly after this). What I would have liked, I think, was a better translator. I read it in another review, and I have to agree, there were some awkward “American” expressions in here. For instance, I’m pretty sure that nobody in an old French dynasty would use the word “kiddo”. At times like this I almost felt like they were pandering to their American audience, as if we couldn’t understand a term of endearment more complicated than slang. I also found the names of the boys kind of jarringly unrelated – one brother is Louis-Marie (never shortened), while another is Bob. This seemed odd in a family that thrived on formalities.
Overall, there was just way too much description for me in this book. It was distracting, (and often boring) reading elaborate menus describing course after course of their daily multi-course meals. In the end, I found myself skimming through scenes, searching for something to happen. Halfway through the book I could predict the obvious ending, so trust me when I say it took an awful lot of patience to finally get there.
November 16, 2013
I receive advance copies of books through NetGalley in order to write and share reviews of the books. I am not paid other than to receive the books, and I have no association with either the authors or the publishers.
A family saga of wine and whining
A Bordeaux Dynasty: A Novel
Françoise Bourdin (Author)
This is a novel of a family dynasty of wine makers. As the novel begins, the family is gathering for the summer, to culminate in the harvest. Aurelien, the patriarch, runs the vineyard with an iron fist. He has little patience for anything else in his life. He has 4 grown sons. Louise-Marie, has become a journalist and is beginning to write his first novel. He is married to Pauline, and they have a young daughter. They live in Paris. Robert is a surgeon and the medical director of a large hospital in Paris. He is single, but hopelessly in love with Pauline whom he was dating prior to her marriage to Louis-Marie. Alexander lives at the vineyard, Fonteyne, in an estate cottage, with his wife, Dominique, and their twin sons. Aurelien's youngest son, Jules, was adopted at a young age under mysterious circumstances. Jules has charm, good looks, and a drive to make Fonteyne continue it's proud history of wine-making. He is Aurelien's right-hand man, and is gradually taking over more and more of the operation of Fonteyne.
And thus the machinations of a major dysfunctional family begins. The novel takes place in recent time, but the exact time-period is never stated. The beauty of the region, and especially Fonteyne, is elegantly described. The characters are well-defined. The story is well-written.
BUT, I did not enjoy this novel. Most of the characters were deeply narcissistic and hurt each other at every turn. Father and three of the sons were horrible womanizers, never caring for the feelings or well-being of the many women they bed. And there was no responsibility toward spreading disease or creating children. I simply did not like the characters. I would not socialize with anyone who behaved this way, and, felt that all the various calamities that occurred were just consequences for their irresponsible behavior. I would not have finished reading the book if I had not made a commitment to review it.
I recognize that I have a specific perspective about people, and that others with a different moral compass may very well enjoy this story. But from my perspective, I give this novel 3 stars.
A family saga of wine and whining
A Bordeaux Dynasty: A Novel
Françoise Bourdin (Author)
This is a novel of a family dynasty of wine makers. As the novel begins, the family is gathering for the summer, to culminate in the harvest. Aurelien, the patriarch, runs the vineyard with an iron fist. He has little patience for anything else in his life. He has 4 grown sons. Louise-Marie, has become a journalist and is beginning to write his first novel. He is married to Pauline, and they have a young daughter. They live in Paris. Robert is a surgeon and the medical director of a large hospital in Paris. He is single, but hopelessly in love with Pauline whom he was dating prior to her marriage to Louis-Marie. Alexander lives at the vineyard, Fonteyne, in an estate cottage, with his wife, Dominique, and their twin sons. Aurelien's youngest son, Jules, was adopted at a young age under mysterious circumstances. Jules has charm, good looks, and a drive to make Fonteyne continue it's proud history of wine-making. He is Aurelien's right-hand man, and is gradually taking over more and more of the operation of Fonteyne.
And thus the machinations of a major dysfunctional family begins. The novel takes place in recent time, but the exact time-period is never stated. The beauty of the region, and especially Fonteyne, is elegantly described. The characters are well-defined. The story is well-written.
BUT, I did not enjoy this novel. Most of the characters were deeply narcissistic and hurt each other at every turn. Father and three of the sons were horrible womanizers, never caring for the feelings or well-being of the many women they bed. And there was no responsibility toward spreading disease or creating children. I simply did not like the characters. I would not socialize with anyone who behaved this way, and, felt that all the various calamities that occurred were just consequences for their irresponsible behavior. I would not have finished reading the book if I had not made a commitment to review it.
I recognize that I have a specific perspective about people, and that others with a different moral compass may very well enjoy this story. But from my perspective, I give this novel 3 stars.
April 17, 2016
As usual, Francoise Bourdin has set this family saga in the context of an imposing house and a family business. Fonteyne is a vineyard in the Medoc region of France, where the patriarch Aurelien is beginning to rely more and more on his adopted son Juillet to keep the business running smoothly. His oldest son Louis-Marie is a journalist in Paris, his second son Robert is a surgeon in Paris, and his third son Alexandre is an underappreciated helper in the family business. Aurelien and Juillet have a strange relationship - they both love Fonteyne more than anything else, but the autocratic Aurelien has to make it clear (over and over again) who's the boss.
And then there are the women, of course. Frankly, the amount of bed-hopping that goes on in this book was a bit too much to be believable. Robert sleeps with the Pauline, the wife of his brother Louis-Marie, and has a (literal) roll in the hay with Laurene, the girl who will become Juillet's fiancee and in whom Aurelien had a more than avuncular interest. Juillet, stung by the realization that Robert and Laurene had gotten together, spends a one night stand with Frederique, whom he then recommends for a job as administrative assistant at Fonteyne. Sure enough, she ends up in Aurelien's bed, but manages to seduce Juillet again. Seriously? I had a hard time caring about these characters. Potential subplots were not explored, such as the thefts perpetrated by the family's longterm employee Lucas, or the mystery of Juillet's origin, which nobody really seems to care about... until they do, at which point they conveniently locate a witness, who tells them the whole story.
Final verdict : too much like a soap opera, not enough real emotion for me.
And then there are the women, of course. Frankly, the amount of bed-hopping that goes on in this book was a bit too much to be believable. Robert sleeps with the Pauline, the wife of his brother Louis-Marie, and has a (literal) roll in the hay with Laurene, the girl who will become Juillet's fiancee and in whom Aurelien had a more than avuncular interest. Juillet, stung by the realization that Robert and Laurene had gotten together, spends a one night stand with Frederique, whom he then recommends for a job as administrative assistant at Fonteyne. Sure enough, she ends up in Aurelien's bed, but manages to seduce Juillet again. Seriously? I had a hard time caring about these characters. Potential subplots were not explored, such as the thefts perpetrated by the family's longterm employee Lucas, or the mystery of Juillet's origin, which nobody really seems to care about... until they do, at which point they conveniently locate a witness, who tells them the whole story.
Final verdict : too much like a soap opera, not enough real emotion for me.
November 17, 2013
I received this title as an advanced copy from Net Galley in advance for an honest review
I was excited to read this book, as the description was full of things I enjoy. The book is set at a winery in France and follows a very important family through their rivalries, passions, and jealousies. As the book opens, we meet Robert, the Parisian doctor, and his adopted brother Jules. Then we learn that Robert's other brother stole his girlfriend and married her...how intriguing. I was quickly absorbed into the story and eager to find out how this family drama would unfold. However, halfway through the story, the family drama gave way to more of a soap opera drama. There is a lot of bed-hopping and premature declarations of love and a lot of quick to anger erruptions...which is common in families, but seemed a bit contrived in this story. I found Pauline to be utterly deplorable, Robert to be pathetic, and Laurene to be as drab as dishwater. The characters I truly enjoyed were Louis-Marie and Frederique. Unfortunately, they weren't in the story often enough for my taste. I think I would've enjoyed the book had it been shorter...it was quite lengthy, considering I don't feel like it had the depth to justify the length. Unfortunately, I just didn't connect with the characters enough to rate this book any higher. If this is really how the rich and entitled behave, I am ashamed for French society.
I was excited to read this book, as the description was full of things I enjoy. The book is set at a winery in France and follows a very important family through their rivalries, passions, and jealousies. As the book opens, we meet Robert, the Parisian doctor, and his adopted brother Jules. Then we learn that Robert's other brother stole his girlfriend and married her...how intriguing. I was quickly absorbed into the story and eager to find out how this family drama would unfold. However, halfway through the story, the family drama gave way to more of a soap opera drama. There is a lot of bed-hopping and premature declarations of love and a lot of quick to anger erruptions...which is common in families, but seemed a bit contrived in this story. I found Pauline to be utterly deplorable, Robert to be pathetic, and Laurene to be as drab as dishwater. The characters I truly enjoyed were Louis-Marie and Frederique. Unfortunately, they weren't in the story often enough for my taste. I think I would've enjoyed the book had it been shorter...it was quite lengthy, considering I don't feel like it had the depth to justify the length. Unfortunately, I just didn't connect with the characters enough to rate this book any higher. If this is really how the rich and entitled behave, I am ashamed for French society.
November 12, 2013
A Tension Filled Family Saga Set in the Bordeaux Wine Region
Aurelian Laverzac ruled his family with an iron fist. His four sons, now adults, grew up in competition for their father's interest, for women, and for the vineyard. Two of the brothers found their own satisfying careers, but the other two are locked in a struggle to see who will control the vineyard. It is Aurelian's wish that the vineyard remain in tact and not be split between the boys. Underlying the turmoil is a secret. Jules, the youngest son who has the feel for wine making, was adopted by Aurelian under mysterious circumstances. Because the family loves Jules, this has never been a problem, but when control of the vineyard is at stake will the secret become an issue?
If you enjoy family sagas, or soap operas, you'll love this story. The characters are engaging from Aurelian to the four sons to the women in their lives. All the characters feel true to life and make you want to continue reading.
The setting is wonderful. Wine making has always interested me. The book is factual on the details of wine production and adds color to the story. I throughly enjoyed the Laverzac's. It's a good book to curl up with on a winter night – with a glass of good red wine – and enjoy a time in France.
I reviewed this book for Net Galley.
Aurelian Laverzac ruled his family with an iron fist. His four sons, now adults, grew up in competition for their father's interest, for women, and for the vineyard. Two of the brothers found their own satisfying careers, but the other two are locked in a struggle to see who will control the vineyard. It is Aurelian's wish that the vineyard remain in tact and not be split between the boys. Underlying the turmoil is a secret. Jules, the youngest son who has the feel for wine making, was adopted by Aurelian under mysterious circumstances. Because the family loves Jules, this has never been a problem, but when control of the vineyard is at stake will the secret become an issue?
If you enjoy family sagas, or soap operas, you'll love this story. The characters are engaging from Aurelian to the four sons to the women in their lives. All the characters feel true to life and make you want to continue reading.
The setting is wonderful. Wine making has always interested me. The book is factual on the details of wine production and adds color to the story. I throughly enjoyed the Laverzac's. It's a good book to curl up with on a winter night – with a glass of good red wine – and enjoy a time in France.
I reviewed this book for Net Galley.
November 7, 2013
A family saga set in the French vineyards. The actual story told in this novel of the Laverzacs,father and 4 sons, takes place in a tumultuous year in their lives. Central to the story, is the vineyard, loving cared for by the patriarch,Aurelien. He has planned life for his sons, the eldest a writer, the next a doctor, the third son at home on the estate and the 4th, his favorite, as the manager.
All of the men in the family have a roving eye and the predilection to jump into bed with all the available female characters. The only women who get high marks in this book are the elderly housekeeper/nanny and the dead matriarch. That is not to say that the other female characters are not interesting and intense.
The book centers on a fight for control of the vine yard and the relationships between the brothers. The story is good, the descriptions of life in a vineyard and wine production are excellent. Characters are well developed and their intensity will keep you reading. This book also makes the reader really want a very nice glass of red wine to sip while reading.
Read from a NetGalley download.
All of the men in the family have a roving eye and the predilection to jump into bed with all the available female characters. The only women who get high marks in this book are the elderly housekeeper/nanny and the dead matriarch. That is not to say that the other female characters are not interesting and intense.
The book centers on a fight for control of the vine yard and the relationships between the brothers. The story is good, the descriptions of life in a vineyard and wine production are excellent. Characters are well developed and their intensity will keep you reading. This book also makes the reader really want a very nice glass of red wine to sip while reading.
Read from a NetGalley download.
January 5, 2014
A Bordeaux Dynasty by Francoise Bourdin
This certainly is an epic tale, giving the reader a glimpse of the traditions of wine making in the Bordeaux region of France. This is a novel of a family dynasty of wine makers. The saga is a soap opera with all the necessary ingredients: romance, betrayals, secrets, intrigues and jealousy. The Laverzac family gather twice a year at the family home but this year tensions are high as the vineyard’s future is at stake. The patriarch must choose his successor. With four sons there is a problem. All the men in the family are womanisers, who hurt each other at every turn. The women are also very shallow characters with the exception of the housekeeper and the dead matriarch. The descriptions of the wine making and drinking are excellent. Throughout the book the petty rivalry and feuds are irritating and physically the book could have done with fewer pages. For me the book was a little too melodramatic; if you like shows like Dallas you will love this family drama.
I am only able to give this book 3 stars as it was a long tedious read.
This certainly is an epic tale, giving the reader a glimpse of the traditions of wine making in the Bordeaux region of France. This is a novel of a family dynasty of wine makers. The saga is a soap opera with all the necessary ingredients: romance, betrayals, secrets, intrigues and jealousy. The Laverzac family gather twice a year at the family home but this year tensions are high as the vineyard’s future is at stake. The patriarch must choose his successor. With four sons there is a problem. All the men in the family are womanisers, who hurt each other at every turn. The women are also very shallow characters with the exception of the housekeeper and the dead matriarch. The descriptions of the wine making and drinking are excellent. Throughout the book the petty rivalry and feuds are irritating and physically the book could have done with fewer pages. For me the book was a little too melodramatic; if you like shows like Dallas you will love this family drama.
I am only able to give this book 3 stars as it was a long tedious read.
November 15, 2013
This family saga set in a French vineyard is a soap opera with all the necessary ingredients – romance, secrets, betrayals, intrigues and jealousy. The Laverzac family gather twice each year at the family home, but this year the tensions are higher than usual. The vineyard’s future is at stake. Aurélien, the patriarch, who has dedicated his whole life to building and maintaining the family business, must choose his successor. Jules, his youngest and adopted son seems the ideal candidate. But why should the youngest inherit? Rivalry and feuds between the brothers threaten to destroy all that Aurélien has built up. The past must be confronted and secrets uncovered if the future is to be secure.
For me, the whole book was a little too melodramatic, and the characters too stereotypical, but as a family drama set against the backdrop of the luscious French countryside I’ve no doubt it will be enjoyed by many, as it is both well written on the whole and gives an authentic picture of French bourgeois life.
For me, the whole book was a little too melodramatic, and the characters too stereotypical, but as a family drama set against the backdrop of the luscious French countryside I’ve no doubt it will be enjoyed by many, as it is both well written on the whole and gives an authentic picture of French bourgeois life.
November 22, 2013
I was privileged to be sent this book by Net Galley, and have just finished reading it. It certainly is an epic tale, well told and providing a well researched and authoritative glimpse of the traditions of wine making in the Bordeaux region. Bourdin clearly knows her wines and it shows.
I'm not going to try to explain the plot other than to say that it is a snapshot of he lives of the four Laverzac brothers over a period do a year or so. Naturally there are many intriguing twists and turns in the plot throughout, including in the last few pages. It is not a predictable book by any means.
The book was written in French and translated, which is a real shame as the translation lets it down. I think in French, A Bordeaux Dynasty would comfortably carry its length, and it is a long book. Despite thinking it would be a much better read if it were 200 pages shorter, I did enjoy this one.
I'm not going to try to explain the plot other than to say that it is a snapshot of he lives of the four Laverzac brothers over a period do a year or so. Naturally there are many intriguing twists and turns in the plot throughout, including in the last few pages. It is not a predictable book by any means.
The book was written in French and translated, which is a real shame as the translation lets it down. I think in French, A Bordeaux Dynasty would comfortably carry its length, and it is a long book. Despite thinking it would be a much better read if it were 200 pages shorter, I did enjoy this one.
August 3, 2016
This was quite a good story but either the writing or more likely the translation were appalling - so bad I almost gave up several times at the beginning.
I understand it was translated for the US market but the cliches, Americanisms and disjointed grammar got on my nerves. The characters, though meant to be running a famous vineyard, kept calling each other 'honey' and 'kiddo' in a most un-French and unlikely way. Surely they could have said 'cherie' or the odd 'monsieur/madame' or maman.
Maybe the original was well written but you wouldn't know from this and I won't be reading any more by this combination of author/translator.
I understand it was translated for the US market but the cliches, Americanisms and disjointed grammar got on my nerves. The characters, though meant to be running a famous vineyard, kept calling each other 'honey' and 'kiddo' in a most un-French and unlikely way. Surely they could have said 'cherie' or the odd 'monsieur/madame' or maman.
Maybe the original was well written but you wouldn't know from this and I won't be reading any more by this combination of author/translator.
August 5, 2015
Is this an accurate portrayal of the French? I sure hope not, because these characters were insufferable! Initially, I thought this was set in the late 1800's or early 1900's because marriage for land ownership is just archaic. But then I reached the portion about the constant affairs and I realized it was meant to be a modern story. Yikes. This was BAD. I wouldn't recommend and book no matter how much you love wine and the french, and won't read another from this author.
October 24, 2013
My cup of tea: France, family, a little strife. Really great characters, and a very smooth translation. This one made my daily commute a pleasure!
July 25, 2014
Just loved it! It makes you travel to French margaux, admire French wine, great families and life in castles...
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