Review of A Walk Through the Grapes
Posted: 09 Jun 2024, 02:42
[Following is a volunteer review of "A Walk Through the Grapes" by David Jackson.]
David Jackson’s A Walk Through the Grapes is a mystery novel that follows Jace returning home after being away to pursue his career. His family gives him a warm welcome despite their disappointment with the way he left the town abruptly, leaving his heartbroken girlfriend behind, and how he has avoided contact for the past 2 years. After returning for good, he now hopes to start a new life and decides to help his father run their family business in the vineyard, as expected. But life takes an unexpected turn real quick. A neighbor shows up dead, his brother goes missing, and his family, to his dismay, seems to hold secrets from him. So he takes it upon himself to come out of the darkness that his family tries desperately to keep him in.
The author has managed effortlessly to pull off the small town setup, which added a great degree of luxury to the world-building. The scenic depiction of the home and the vineyard gives a rich ambience that immerses us completely in the frame. The story is moderately paced and doesn’t urge readers to skim overnight; instead, it gives them enough time to soak in and anticipate what might happen next. Just like Jace, we too are totally in the dark. The twists are more saddening than surprising. And the ending contains a huge deal of depressing events that unfold quickly.
A Walk Through the Grapes portrays family bonding at its greyest. The ability of the author to weave mystery and love into family is commendable. Everything with the family is right, yet not at the same time. The guessing game of whether or not they mean harm stretched till the end. Even with doubts, Jace didn’t question their love. But he can’t wait either and goes on to complicate things. The brothers’ love for each other is moving. The ending justifies how the story is built on the subtle notion of it. His respect for his father, trust in his mother, and tolerance toward his sisters pay him back with the untradeable care that Jace owns until the end and forward.
And the way Jace, the lead of the story, is flawed helps us relate to him easily. He is loving, insecure, guilt-ridden, clumsy, and funny without trying. Particularly, his interactions with his snarky sister ease the tension and grant laughs at intervals. He appreciates his life without greed and loves his people without expectation. Yet not without making face-palming decisions and meeting the consequences relentlessly. Jace has established himself as a memorable main character, taking on the unforgiving plot of the author with determination throughout the story.
This book is well edited and arranged. Mild use of profanity and sexual content can be seen, which adds a little spice to the flow of the story. There are no major negative aspects to this mystery thriller. The only thing I felt lacking was how it was hard to comprehend what Jace’s take on certain events was and why he did what he did. The story was less explanatory of how he is dealing with his emotions internally and more narration-focused towards the end. But I accept that it can be subjective and doesn't disturb the flow.
I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars for gripping storytelling, extremely good world-building, and memorable characters. Anyone who loves a small rural town crime mystery thriller with a scenic setting, who is passionate about vineyards, or who is a family drama enthusiast can enjoy the novel.
******
A Walk Through the Grapes
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
David Jackson’s A Walk Through the Grapes is a mystery novel that follows Jace returning home after being away to pursue his career. His family gives him a warm welcome despite their disappointment with the way he left the town abruptly, leaving his heartbroken girlfriend behind, and how he has avoided contact for the past 2 years. After returning for good, he now hopes to start a new life and decides to help his father run their family business in the vineyard, as expected. But life takes an unexpected turn real quick. A neighbor shows up dead, his brother goes missing, and his family, to his dismay, seems to hold secrets from him. So he takes it upon himself to come out of the darkness that his family tries desperately to keep him in.
The author has managed effortlessly to pull off the small town setup, which added a great degree of luxury to the world-building. The scenic depiction of the home and the vineyard gives a rich ambience that immerses us completely in the frame. The story is moderately paced and doesn’t urge readers to skim overnight; instead, it gives them enough time to soak in and anticipate what might happen next. Just like Jace, we too are totally in the dark. The twists are more saddening than surprising. And the ending contains a huge deal of depressing events that unfold quickly.
A Walk Through the Grapes portrays family bonding at its greyest. The ability of the author to weave mystery and love into family is commendable. Everything with the family is right, yet not at the same time. The guessing game of whether or not they mean harm stretched till the end. Even with doubts, Jace didn’t question their love. But he can’t wait either and goes on to complicate things. The brothers’ love for each other is moving. The ending justifies how the story is built on the subtle notion of it. His respect for his father, trust in his mother, and tolerance toward his sisters pay him back with the untradeable care that Jace owns until the end and forward.
And the way Jace, the lead of the story, is flawed helps us relate to him easily. He is loving, insecure, guilt-ridden, clumsy, and funny without trying. Particularly, his interactions with his snarky sister ease the tension and grant laughs at intervals. He appreciates his life without greed and loves his people without expectation. Yet not without making face-palming decisions and meeting the consequences relentlessly. Jace has established himself as a memorable main character, taking on the unforgiving plot of the author with determination throughout the story.
This book is well edited and arranged. Mild use of profanity and sexual content can be seen, which adds a little spice to the flow of the story. There are no major negative aspects to this mystery thriller. The only thing I felt lacking was how it was hard to comprehend what Jace’s take on certain events was and why he did what he did. The story was less explanatory of how he is dealing with his emotions internally and more narration-focused towards the end. But I accept that it can be subjective and doesn't disturb the flow.
I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars for gripping storytelling, extremely good world-building, and memorable characters. Anyone who loves a small rural town crime mystery thriller with a scenic setting, who is passionate about vineyards, or who is a family drama enthusiast can enjoy the novel.
******
A Walk Through the Grapes
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon