Books

When Danielle, her grandmother Mathilde, and young brother Jeannot return to their village of Arsac le Petit near Bordeaux at the end of World War II, they are hoping for the best. But her parents, Pierre and Jeanne Dufour, and Marc, Danielle’s sweetheart, are still missing. In addition, they find that greedy villagers have taken advantage of the family’s absence. Now Danielle, Mathilde and Jeannot must all find work rather than give themselves to the restoration of their neglected vineyard as they had planned. In Danielle’s determination to reclaim a life for the family and to combat the injustice of the swindle, she finds new strengths within herself. These strengths eventually call forth an entire village to awaken to the challenges they face—to relinquish old ways, to stand for the right, to face hurts and find forgiveness. A new form of cooperation is afoot, thanks to “that girl of Pierre’s.”