Review of A Walk Through the Grapes
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Review of A Walk Through the Grapes
[Following is a volunteer review of "A Walk Through the Grapes" by David Jackson.]
5 out of 5 stars.
David Jackson's "A Walk Through the Grapes" pumps new life into a blend of mystery, familial drama, and good old-fashioned romance. Jace Grazer has returned to his family's winery after a failed acting career in New York City. But everything he thought he knew about his family and hometown is upended when he uncovers a hidden series of rooms beneath the winery. Meanwhile, a tragedy that claimed his brother's life is even murkier than it first appears. As if all that wasn't bad enough, his father has gone mostly to pieces since Jace's return and has seemingly handed the winery to a gang of reprobates. Readers will find themselves turning the pages of this pleasurable and skillful whodunit right up until the very end.
The unexpected twists expertly woven by the author make the story intricate and gripping. Jackson's characters dream about their lives and other lives, and they dream about the audience—they dream when they are asleep and when they are in a trance. They dream when they are walking and when they are sitting still. And those dreams make up the bulk of the daylight that turned into night. I couldn't have asked for a better read in the summer of social distancing—a scary tension fest with more to offer than I expected.
The story starts when Jace comes back home after being away for a while, and from then on, it's like a live-action film about family life that we can't stop watching. Why did Jace leave, anyway? What is Jace's ailment? Is he okay now? Those are the things Rebecca Lindenberg tells you, through Jace, about a mother who made Ben and Dane feel loved, a father who worked hard and may have loved his grape vines even more, and the sweet and spicy (or sweet and then spicy) love stories these people feel for each other. The poet's illusion of being the story's director is so great that I confess I forgot sometimes that it hadn't ended up "on film."
With Dane under suspicion, Jace discovers a whole fabric of secrets and lies woven into the various lives within his family. Jackson expertly shows the emotional distress and danger that make for a real page-turner. The finding of a hidden underground bunker in Jace's backyard brings another dimension to the story. Just what is going on in his family? And what on earth are they capable of?
David Jackson's "A Walk Through the Grapes" is an enthralling novel, but it has some small problems. An experienced reader of mystery novels may guess the solution before the end, yet the book is still full of interesting plot twists. Some of the conversations in the book, on the other hand, the big moment when Jace and Dane finally talk about what happened, for instance, feel a little sleek and Hollywood. The book is good enough, however, to make you mostly overlook this stuff. Overall, it's not a "flawless victory" for the author, but it's close. Mild critiques aside, "A Walk Through the Grapes" is a thoroughly captivating work, deserving of every bit of its 5-star rating.
The editing of the book is excellent, book is well written. I love to read it. Overall, the book deserves a 5-star rating.
In conclusion, "A Walk Through the Grapes" is a well-written book that delves into the intricate nature of family bonds. It also probes the difficulties of chasing one's dreams—a pursuit that, at different times, we all engage in. However, what makes "A Walk Through the Grapes" far superior to most novels one generally picks up is the level of artistry and the concentrated storytelling that Jackson puts into it. And, of course, it involves consuming quantities of one of our classic wine varietals—Zinfandel.
******
A Walk Through the Grapes
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
5 out of 5 stars.
David Jackson's "A Walk Through the Grapes" pumps new life into a blend of mystery, familial drama, and good old-fashioned romance. Jace Grazer has returned to his family's winery after a failed acting career in New York City. But everything he thought he knew about his family and hometown is upended when he uncovers a hidden series of rooms beneath the winery. Meanwhile, a tragedy that claimed his brother's life is even murkier than it first appears. As if all that wasn't bad enough, his father has gone mostly to pieces since Jace's return and has seemingly handed the winery to a gang of reprobates. Readers will find themselves turning the pages of this pleasurable and skillful whodunit right up until the very end.
The unexpected twists expertly woven by the author make the story intricate and gripping. Jackson's characters dream about their lives and other lives, and they dream about the audience—they dream when they are asleep and when they are in a trance. They dream when they are walking and when they are sitting still. And those dreams make up the bulk of the daylight that turned into night. I couldn't have asked for a better read in the summer of social distancing—a scary tension fest with more to offer than I expected.
The story starts when Jace comes back home after being away for a while, and from then on, it's like a live-action film about family life that we can't stop watching. Why did Jace leave, anyway? What is Jace's ailment? Is he okay now? Those are the things Rebecca Lindenberg tells you, through Jace, about a mother who made Ben and Dane feel loved, a father who worked hard and may have loved his grape vines even more, and the sweet and spicy (or sweet and then spicy) love stories these people feel for each other. The poet's illusion of being the story's director is so great that I confess I forgot sometimes that it hadn't ended up "on film."
With Dane under suspicion, Jace discovers a whole fabric of secrets and lies woven into the various lives within his family. Jackson expertly shows the emotional distress and danger that make for a real page-turner. The finding of a hidden underground bunker in Jace's backyard brings another dimension to the story. Just what is going on in his family? And what on earth are they capable of?
David Jackson's "A Walk Through the Grapes" is an enthralling novel, but it has some small problems. An experienced reader of mystery novels may guess the solution before the end, yet the book is still full of interesting plot twists. Some of the conversations in the book, on the other hand, the big moment when Jace and Dane finally talk about what happened, for instance, feel a little sleek and Hollywood. The book is good enough, however, to make you mostly overlook this stuff. Overall, it's not a "flawless victory" for the author, but it's close. Mild critiques aside, "A Walk Through the Grapes" is a thoroughly captivating work, deserving of every bit of its 5-star rating.
The editing of the book is excellent, book is well written. I love to read it. Overall, the book deserves a 5-star rating.
In conclusion, "A Walk Through the Grapes" is a well-written book that delves into the intricate nature of family bonds. It also probes the difficulties of chasing one's dreams—a pursuit that, at different times, we all engage in. However, what makes "A Walk Through the Grapes" far superior to most novels one generally picks up is the level of artistry and the concentrated storytelling that Jackson puts into it. And, of course, it involves consuming quantities of one of our classic wine varietals—Zinfandel.
******
A Walk Through the Grapes
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Legacy of Job's Wife by Cynthia Koelker
