A fun conclusion to Sourdough that brings you back to meet a character who crosses paths with two generations of the Madg Sourdough starter.

The fourth story in the Penumbraverse.

Jim Bascule, a character mentioned offhand in [b:Sourdough|33916024|Sourdough|Robin Sloan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1490804609l/33916024._SX50_.jpg|51600167], was adrift in 1985. A summer backpacking trip in Europe between junior college and university led to a romantic tragedy and now he's stuck: living at home, baking bread with a sourdough starter from Shehrieh, the woman he met in Brussels.

He has no plan. He will enroll at the university someday, but that day is never today, and probably not tomorrow, either. He's in that dangerous place where he will heed any suggestion. He is a prime candidate for cult membership.
Instead, he meets a spymaster.

One thing leads to another and Jim finds himself on an all-expenses-paid trip back to Europe, but to France this time, with the goal of stealing a grape vine cutting. Since this is a Robin Sloan story, you know things will get a little weird, but it will all be in good fun.

I think I'll need to read this one again someday, in conjunction with [b:Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore|13538873|Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore (Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, #1)|Robin Sloan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1345089845l/13538873._SY75_.jpg|6736543] and Sourdough. I'll probably get more out of it that way, but it was still a fun little excursion into the Penumbraverse and the world of fancy wine.

A fun little short story. I love Robin Sloan’s cozy and quirky style of magical realism— and as someone who has just barely dabbled in the wine world this was an especially fun read.

I loved this little short story! It’s been a minute since I read Sourdough or Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore, so I have only a vague idea of how it ties them together.
But even on its own, this story is so rich with its character’s motives and personalities.

Meh... another novella but harder to get into because it was so short. I miss Mr. Penumbra!