THE VINEYARD, A Novel
by María Dueñas
My wonderful husband gave me The Vineyard for Christmas based on the fact that we both love all things wine-related, and the back of the book mentions a love story. And although these qualifications are more than enough for me to read something (as a youngster I would pick anything with a pink cover), neither the vineyard nor the love story showed up until the final third of the book. That warning aside, I enjoyed The Vineyard, though it took a while for me to warm up to it.
Mauro Larrea, our protagonist, is a wealthy silver miner in Mexico City in 1861. From the start we learn that an enormously risky venture of his has fallen through due to the American Civil war, leaving him virtually penniless. He then spends the first third of the book trying to protect his reputation while scrounging for money to start again from nothing, as he had more than thirty years before.
In the next third of the book, Larrea's quest to solve his financial woes takes him to Havana, and things start to get a lot more interesting. A mysterious married lady, illegal slave trade and a very high-stakes game of pool get the plot and the drama kicking into high gear. By the time he ends up in the vineyard and its adjoining estates (in Spain!), I was fully invested in both the success of Larrea’s endeavors and the secrets of the families whose lives intertwine with his.
In the end, it's a good read set in an interesting time period and world. But be prepared to put in a bit of time at the beginning before things start to get really juicy! (Lily)
