Miguel Bonnefoy

This is the story of 4 generations beginning with a French man leaving France with one grape vine after vineyards had failed in France due to a plant disease. Actually heading for California via ship, he winds up leaving the ship in Chile where he gets a new name. He learns, the language and eventually becomes a successful vintner. He has three sons, all whom go back to France to fight in WWI against Germany. Only one son returns even though terribly injured. Lazare eventually marries and has one daughter, Margot, who becomes an aviator - one of the first in the country. She volunteers to go fight in France during WWII. Margot has one son who becomes a left-wing radical in Chile. The story comes full circle, when Ilargio escapes imprisonment to France where he obtains a new name due to the fact that he cannot speak French.

Each chapter highlights a member of the family or someone other individual who had an impact on that family. Interesting, especially well-written and clever even though there is a bit of magical realism that usually is not my taste. This is a story of how a family is shaped by history.… (altro)