"Blackberry wine": a short summary. "The Blackberry Wine" by Joanne Harris: reviews

Joan Harris writes novels in the style of magical realism. In them she talks about the ordinary life of a person, whose fate suddenly involves a miracle, and he needs to make a choice - to recognize the fact that the magic exists, or pretend that nothing has happened, and live further in his ordinary world. Heroes of the writer, do not hesitate, choose the opportunity to touch the magic. This is what is told in the novel "The Blackberry Wine", the reviews of which were enthusiastic.

Biography of Joan Harris

The writer was born in 1964 in Great Britain, in the small town of Barnsley. His father was an Englishman, and his mother was French. Therefore, in her novels, the action often takes place in France. In the writings of the writer there is a lot of personal, including some kind of duality. Joan lives with his family in England, but at the same time she is drawn to her mother's homeland. The same thrust is peculiar to its heroes. This happens, for example, with the main character of the novel Harris "The Blackberry Wine".

After leaving school for girls, Joan continued her studies at Cambridge College, where she studied medieval and modern languages.

Before starting her career as a writer, Harris changed several professions - she taught French literature at the university, worked as a teacher at the boys' school for 15 years, and even was a seller for some time.

The beginning of the writer's career

In one of her interviews, Harris told how at the age of seven she suddenly decided that she would become a writer.

Then my mother showed her a shelf with books of French poets of the XIX century and said that most of them died in poverty, because their works did not bring them any income. Starting to write, the author of the famous mystical novels tries to prove to the mother that she was wrong. But her mother still thinks that the writer is not a profession, and she comforts her daughter, saying that she will always be taken back to the teachers.

Unsuccessful debut

The first book, written by Joan Harris, had no success. This was the novel "Heavenly Friend", published in 1989. It was about immortal Rosemary and her vampire friends. Despite the fashionable theme of vampirism, the book did not impress the readers. The same fate awaited the next novel - "Sleep, pale sister", written in a Gothic style.

The long-awaited success

And only the third book, "Chocolate", created in the style of mystical melodrama, had a stunning success and brought the author wide popularity. Perhaps the popularity of the story of the fate of a young woman with a child who brazenly violated the usual gray routine of a small town was able to only the next novel - "Blackberry" Joan Harris. Interesting fact - the first three books were written during the years of work at the school for boys in the north of England. By the way, Harris has a book dedicated to this educational institution, where there were six female teachers for 250 male teachers.

"Blackberry wine": a brief summary of the novel

For Joan Harris, France is a place where heroes of her works constantly seek and where the action most often unfolds. Undoubtedly, the decisive role in this is played by the fact that the writer's mother is a Frenchwoman. France will also be present in the novel "The Blackberry Wine". The summary of the book can not, of course, convey the whole of its amazing, magical atmosphere.

What is it about? This is the story of writer Jay Mackintosh, who many years ago wrote a wonderful book, so good that he received a prestigious award for it. Readers and publishers waited a long time for him new bestsellers, but this did not happen. Mackintosh could not write anything remotely resembling his famous book. He was re-qualified as a petite science fiction writer. This work brought a small income, and Jay could continue to indulge in his favorite pastime - wines. No, he was not a drunkard, but in a small cellar there was always a small supply of alcohol.

And then one day he accidentally takes a blackberry wine instead of an ordinary bottle-one that was made many years ago by his best friend, an old gardener, who grew a garden and a garden on an abandoned site near an old railway station. Young Jay, who came with his mother after the divorce of his parents in the new city, found in his face not only a real friend, but also a teacher.

"Blackberry wine" tells that it's never too late to change and start life from scratch. This happened with the hero of the novel. After trying a drink made many years ago by an old friend, Jay felt a craving for change. On the eyes of him came the message about the sale of a large house with a plot and a garden somewhere in France. Mackintosh was struck by the similarity of the structure with the shelter of his friend. And he takes an unexpected decision for himself - he buys this house and moves to live in it. A new place in the life of Jay Mackintosh is magic.

An interesting detail: the story in the book "Blackberry wine" is conducted on behalf of the bottle "Fleury".

Readers' Opinions

The novel "The Blackberry Wine", the reviews of which were overwhelmingly enthusiastic, were warmly received by both readers and critics. It was immediately noticeable how much the talent and skill of the writer grew. If the first two books of Harris were similar to angular, clumsy and slightly funny teenagers, then "Chocolate" and "Blackberry wine" can be compared to a young woman who has not yet reached the full blossom of her beauty, but is aware of what she is capable of. And she knows what she wants from life.

Readers note that "Blackberry Wine", like other novels, is distinguished by a special atmosphere of tastes and smells. If in the previous work it was a tempting aroma of chocolate, then here comes the taste of wine. And the main character, he seems terrible, but attractive. Yet the rest find it unusual and enjoyable. And the whole point is that it gives anyone who tried it an opportunity to remember for a few minutes the most important moments of their childhood or youth. This is the magic of wine in the novel by Joan Harris.

She is able to present magic as a daily occurrence. When the old acquaintance who taught him gardening appears before Macintosh, Jay can not at first understand - the ghost before him or the jokes of his imagination. But he does not even think about how amazing this situation is, because he is happy to see his teacher and he does not care what kind of incarnation he appears before him.

What else readers like about the novel are descriptions of French nature and its wonderful little villages, where life goes slowly, people are friendly, and mores are patriarchal.

The screen version of the books by Joan Harris

This honor was awarded for the time being only one work of the writer - "Chocolate". The main roles in the film were played by Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp, which in no small measure determined the popularity of the picture.

New works of the master of mystical realism

The writer works very fruitfully. She manages to release according to the novel, or even two a year, makes working trips to different cities and countries and does not forget about her hobbies music and Old Icelandic.

In June 2010, Joan Harris first visited Russia. She was stunned by the success she had with fans here. She liked Moscow so much that instead of the usual working trip she decided to arrange a whole excursion: she visited museums and bookshops, sat in a cafe and drove through the streets of the city.

In 2011, the book "Running Light" was published, which has not yet been translated into Russian. The next year was more productive - the light was immediately seen by two novels by Harris. These were "Peaches for Monsieur Cure", the third part of the continuation of the story begun in "Chocolate", and a collection of stories "Cat, hat and a piece of rope".

In 2014, a fantastic novel "The Gospel of Loki" - a story about the Norwegian gods. The main hero of it is the ingenious Locke. Unfortunately, the book has not yet been translated into Russian.

The writer's family and her non-standard passions

Life writer is not called boring. When she has some free time, she rests, playing the bass guitar in a band that entered at the age of 16.

The novel "Blackberry wine" Joan Harris is to some extent autobiographical. There is much in common between his main character and the author. Mackintosh received the Goncourt Prize, and Harris was more than once the jury of such writers' contests. His hobbies are wine and farming, which give him peace. For the writer, the outlet is playing the guitar and learning the Old Icelandic language.

Music gave the writer not only the possibility of self-expression - she introduced the girl to her future husband, and the couple has lived happily for many years. Joan was in love with the drummer of the band, for him learned to play the guitar, became a member of this band, and then married him.

Joan Harris lives in England with her husband and daughter.