The No1 Ethical retailer for Books, CD’s, DVD’s & Games
30 Day Refund Guarantee

A Bottle of Plonk

A Bottle of Plonk

by JacquelynnLuben (Author)

  • Used

    Paperback 2005

    $3.60
Synopsis

When Julie Stanton moves in with Richard Webb one Saturday night in May, she doesn't expect their romantic evening together to end with her walking out of the flat, clutching the bottle of wine she had hoped they would drink, to toast their new relationship. But then Julie and the wine part company, setting the stage for a series of new stories that each end with the passing on of the bottle. Before journey's end, you will get an intoxicating glimpse into the lives and loves of 13 compelling characters who never quite manage to pop the cork.

$3.60

Save:$5.76 (62%)

Quantity

Temporarily out of stock

More Information

Format: Paperback
 Pages: 196
 Publisher: Goldenford Publishers Limited
Published: 28 Sep 2005
ISBN 10: 0953161331
ISBN 13: 9780953161331

Media Reviews
In this ingenious novel, Jacquelynn Luben uses an unwanted bottle of cheap wine as a plot device that takes the reader through a bizarre series of events. There are romantic, tragic and comic turns as it continues on its trajectory through suburbia, changing hands between a variety of characters, both colourful and banal. The mysterious bottle of budget red starts its journey in the hands of Julie Stanton, a young art teacher who has just moved in with her boyfriend, Richard. However, the evening ends in disaster, seeing Julie walk out of the house in the middle of the night, clutching the bottle of wine with which they had intended to celebrate their new relationship. And thus the cycle is put in place. Luben's novel is set in 1989, and her attention to the details of the 80's is particularly evocative. Look out for Oil of Ulay, dinner parties, Laura Ashley frocks, characters who drink tea out of Greenham Common mugs and the complete absence of mobile phones. A Bottle of Plonk is branded as a fun, light novel, but this description doesn't entirely do it justice. The world of A Bottle of Plonk is one where divorce, homosexuality and having children out of wedlock are still shrouded in stigma, and in which the concept of the 'career woman' is a rather sore point for many of the characters. A Bottle of Plonk gleefully captures the trappings of the decade that brought us shoulder pads and avocado bathrooms, while providing some rather shrewd social commentary at the same time. Luben proves herself to be a sensitive and pithy new novelist. Amazon Review from top 1000 Reviewer, Ignite: This is the story of a number of relationships, some more successful than others. A bottle of wine left over from a celebratory meal is passed on from one couple or group to the next as they visit one another. It goes to intimate dinners, parties and even a tombola. The story is set in the 1980s so there are discussions and arguments about the role of men and women both in society and in partnerships which would probably not occur today. It's a short novel and an easy read and I enjoyed the way the bottle linked the various lives. I wonder what would have happened to the story if it had come to me (I'd have opened it!) It was nice that the wine eventually returned to sender and completed the story. The writing, as with the other work I have read by this author, is simple, classy and stylish. Jacquelynn Luben has a very readable style and this book certainly gave me an enjoyable evening.
Author Bio
Jacquelynn Luben has been writing for more than thirty years, and has published five books, the most recent being a children's book, 'What Grandpa did next', published in 2017. She is currently working on her third novel. Her first two books were non-fiction, each dealing with her experience of cot death, one an autobiographical account, 'The Fruit of the Tree,' and one a self-help book, published first by Thorsons and subsequently by Bedford Square Press, now out of print. She now primarily writes fiction. Coming late into further education, she gained a degree from Surrey University in 2002, with a dissertation on the Harry Potter series. She has published two novels, 'Tainted Tree' and 'A Bottle of Plonk', and in addition, has written many articles and short stories. She hopes to publish her crime thriller, 'Lost Innocents' in 2018. Jackie Luben has also given talks on writing and on her books. She can be found at Facebook and Twitter, where she often comments on her garden and The Archers.