(Reviewed by Don Jung)
Prep school failure Felix Hart got his first job as an inventory clerk at a wine shop. Little did he realize that this would set the stage for his career as a premier wine buyer in London.
As this young man grew into the job, he became a confident self-motivated leader who shook off his orphanage past to become a semi-mature young adult. While still a little immature, he found ways to get by and do the right thing at the right time to move up the corporate ladder. Eventually he became an international wine buyer.
Fast forward to current day…Meeting with various wine makers, he finds their lives interesting as he tries the art of negotiation and making deals to give his company higher profits. He’s a go- getter and will do almost anything to make a deal.
Of course, this all can’t go on without any hitches…and there turns out to be a lot of them. His naivete gets the best of him as he puts his life in danger as he gets caught up in the Italian mob. You watch as he goes through many misadventures and wonder if he’ll ever survive.
On a lighter note, one of my favorite parts of the book is when he has to take a wine tasting test where the contestants need to classify 180 different wines in a four-hour timed test in order to be labeled a “wine expert” in the UK. Spitting out is not permitted. This seemingly impossible job turns into the absurd as each applicant tries to overcome the obstacles.
What I particularly enjoy about Corkscrew is that while a wine buyer is a skilled profession, Felix is unpredictable and keeps you guessing where he will go next. Though he makes questionable decisions, I found myself rooting for him at every misstep. Will he survive through it all?
Corkscrew is an entertaining novel filled with both dark humor and suspense. Those who enjoy quirky reads, will enjoy this one.
