I find fantasy can be very difficult to get into via audiobook but this one was interesting. Definitely check those content warnings. I found myself kind of confused sometimes but overall I enjoyed this one.

Black Wine is the story of two women and their struggle for survival in a brutal land that would take everything from them.

I won’t say too much more for fear of spoiling, but I’ve read nothing like this. It was disturbing and timeless and horrifyingly fascinating. I had some trouble getting into it, what with having read it on audiobook and there being multiple timelines and POV’s. But once I started keeping track of everything (the chapter headings help), I began to better see the full scope of the story. This book is definitely not for everyone (see content warnings below). But if you’re unafraid of a story that doesn’t shy from dark topics and characters who grapple with excruciating decisions—if you don’t mind a book that’ll make you hurt—maybe give this one a try. The writing was engrossing, the representation multi-faceted, and the story bold.

Content Warnings: Sexual assault, sexual violence, incest, abandonment, slavery

This is a DNF for me. I just don’t think it’s my type of book. I felt completely lost and even started the audiobook over to see if I was missing something but I’m just lost.

Black Wine by Candas Jane Dorsey was hands down on the best literary SF I've read in such a long time. The words jumped off the page and took me on a ride into this world that I never wanted to leave. The characters were so well developed and the world building was top tier.

I love the narrator's vocal inflection and accent. On normal speed, I actually get a little lost in her voice and forget to pay attention to the actual story. If this book IS you cup of tea, then you will enjoy the audio as well.

This was incredibly confusing for the first 20% of the audio. After that, I was just mildly confused for the next 20% until I decided to put this book down.

Sex is front and center in the book from basically the beginning. Abusive sex, loving sex, incestuous sex, raping servants, all kinds of variations of pairings and groups of people having sex. The array of sex isn't the problem for me, but from what I can tell, this appears to be the *point* of the book and central to the plot. Because besides drifting from sexual relationship to sexual relationship, I could never tell what Essa was doing or why.

Loved the way the mother and daughter interacted and the voice actors put the cherry on the cake with helping me visualize the imagery they were describing. Chefs kiss.

Content warnings for Rape, Violence, slavery, brutality, death, and Childhood Incarceration (And I am sure there are about 50 different warnings that could be added. If you are faint of heart, this is not one for you!)

What in the heck did I just read? I need a while to really digest this one. It got a bonus star just for the odd factor that will make me think about it long after. Initially, we are following a slave who has no memory of her past and befriends a woman in a cage. The interactions between this slave and others were the first indicators that this was going to take a bit to work through what was happening and why. At times the book felt disjointed, and some relationships developed quickly while others were slow and subtle and then petered out. Three main storylines braid together to make up the whole. It leaves you wondering about the cyclical nature of time and life. Sometimes it felt like a plot line was just left out dangling in the wind. There weren’t a lot of details included as far as scenery and much of the culture was revealed in the general acceptance or behaviors of the characters.

So much sex and quite a variety of sex as well! I think the author wanted to comment on the way different cultures approached touch and acceptance. It was hard to see something I would classify as sexual assault be so accepted by the main character(s). I don’t know that I would recommend it truly, but I know it will definitely pass my thoughts in the future. There were some heinous scenes that I would like to have skipped and not have taken up space in my head.

Narrator Kitty Kelly did a decent job of sharing the tale. I wouldn’t mind listening to her narrate other books.

Many thanks to author Candas Jane Dorsey, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for the free copy of this Audiobook in exchange for an honest review!