3+. Found it a bit slow for the first quarter or so. I did like some of the quirky characters and was an OK read.

Gave up quickly.

*2 star = no finish.

It's old, sure. But it is wonderful.

Saluté.

While I enjoyed this book, I found its mix of easy humor and stark brutality a little off putting. But perhaps that best reflects the reality of life in an occupied country, both for the occupied and the occupier.

Terrifico!!

I read this once before, many years ago, like the wine in the story, it gets better with age. Highly recommend.

Great read

This book was very intriguing. I love visiting Italy and will certainly try to visit Santa Vittoria , when we can get back.

Approximate date. Read in Malindi

The mayor of the humble wine-growing town of Santa Vittoria must find a way to protect his people’s wine cellar (and livelihoods) during the German occupation of Italy. A plot-driven comedy with almost masterful story-crafting. The plot is close to perfect. In fact, the middle part of the book is exemplary in its construction of tension. There are two flaws in the story. The beginning is slow and could have been improved by introducing Captain Von Prum and thus the threat of the Germans earlier. Secondly, the end is anti-climactic. No doubt some research went into the rituals of the harvest festival but Crichton should have removed it completely and have the story end after the final climax.

I enjoyed the characters. The mayor, Bombolini, is a simpleton and after the failure of his marriage has a second chance at life when he is accidentally elected the mayor of Santa Vittoria. He finally has the opportunity to prove that he is not a fool and to make his mark on the village. Guided by his copy of ‘The Prince’ by Machiavelli and some native cunning, he is a delightful character. Captain Von Prum is a humanised villain- imperious and superior, and a natural politician stuck in uniform. He too hopes to be recorded in the annals of history. However, unlike his colleagues he regards violence and ruthlessness as the tasteless tools of the uneducated. Instead, he wishes to be remembered for his shrewdness and perspicacity as a civilised governor for these ‘childish’ Italians. Perhaps the change in Von Prum at the end of the book is artificial, but both characters are so antithetical and brilliantly poised against each other that they make the battle for the wine of Santa Vittoria enthralling.

Extremely well written, with irreverence and humour, and the perfect amount of description for this genre.

4 and a half stars and I recommended reading.

A great story of trickery and triumph, though a bit slow to start, finished strong with great characters and plot.

My knee-jerk rating was 3 stars, 'cause I felt glad it was over, but looking back, it had some really great moments. I never really got into it, but maybe that's less the fault of the book and more due to my less than ideal reading experience: the first ebook I've read in quite awhile, which is definitely not my preferred format, and read over a vacation, stressful travel.

Tahle kniha byla naprosto vynikající. Groteskně napsaná, přesto na vážné téma války a obsazení italského města Santa Vittorie Němci, kteří se sem vydali za účelem zabavení vína, jehož větší část obyvatelé města schovali a Němci nenašli. Obyvatelé městečka mi úplně přirostli k srdci. Dojemné, jak je jim víno vším, celým životem a bohatstvím. Doporučuji!