Goodreads | Chocolat

Ally rated it:

(review of isbn 9791227136)

06/06/08

Read in May, 2008

Chocolat

Penulis: Joanne Harris

Penerjemah: Ibnu Setiawan

Penerbit: Bentang

Cetakan: I, Oktober 2007

Tebal: 374 hlm

Cokelat Dipuja Sebagai Obat Pahit Kehidupan

Kegembiraan Yang Dibawanya Dahsyat Dan Mengerikan

Ketika berbicara tentang cokelat, saya yakin akan banyaknya pendapat yang beragam. Apalagi kalau membahas bagaimana lezatnya makanan yang satu ini. Dari dark cokelat, milk sampai white cokelat sampai yang telah diramu menjadi cake, pudding, ataupun minuman hangat, s...more

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Brenda rated it:

(review of isbn 014100018X)

09/14/08

bookshelves: fiction

"Weeds and wheat cannot grow peacefully together. Any gardener could tell you the same thing." The story is told in two voices. One of the narrators is Vianne Rocher. She and her little daughter Anouk are wanderers and have happened upon a tiny town, where they decide to live for a while. Vianne opens La Céleste Praline, a chocolaterie artisinale.

The story's other narrator is the town priest, Father Reynaud. Father Reynaud is threatened by Vianne's presence, by her refusal to att...more "Weeds and wheat cannot grow peacefully together. Any gardener could tell you the same thing." The story is told in two voices. One of the narrators is Vianne Rocher. She and her little daughter Anouk are wanderers and have happened upon a tiny town, where they decide to live for a while. Vianne opens La Céleste Praline, a chocolaterie artisinale.

The story's other narrator is the town priest, Father Reynaud. Father Reynaud is threatened by Vianne's presence, by her refusal to attend church services, and the pagan stories little Anouk tells the other children.

The story drama centers around the tension between Vianne and Reynaud. The more her chocolaterie prospers, the more Reynaud starves himself. From one of Reynaud's chapters near the end of the book: "Physical pleasure is the crack into which the devil sends his roots. I avoid sweet scents. I eat a single meal a day, and then only the plainest and most flavorless of foods."

Contrast that thought from Reynaud with Vianne's life. In a chapter describing a birthday party, Vianne's descriptions of the food fill pages. An example: "I bring them out like long-lost friends. Soupe de tomates a la gasconne, served with fresh basil and a slice of tartelette meridonale, made on biscuit-thin pate brisee and lush with flavors of olive oil and anchovy and the rich local tomatoes, garnished with olives and roasted slowly to produce a concentration of flavors that seems almost impossible."

The book does not paint a pretty picture of organized religion, but is very much about good and evil, or pleasure and piety. Neither character is perfect (Reynaud or Vianne). From the beginning, Reynaud's over-zealous and hypocritical piety repulse. But as the story progresses, it becomes clear that Vianne's philosophy, "happiness is the only thing that matters" is impossible, too. She has her own demons and in addition to the oppositional nature of her relationship with Reynaud, it becomes clear that their stories are also somewhat parallel. Both are running from the past. Reynaud holds regular conversations with "mon père", a priest from his past to whom he reveals his concerns. Vianne realizes that she runs not only from her own demons but from her dead mother's demons, too.

I enjoy books about food. In my opinion, "Like Water for Chocolate" was better (more sensual, less haunted), but I think that if you enjoyed "Like Water for Chocolate" then you will probably eat this book up, too.

The book is quite different than the movie (esp the Johnny Depp/Juliette Binoche love story).
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Kristin rated it:

(review of isbn 014100018X)

02/28/08

Read in February, 2007

The first is Chocolat by Joanne Harris. This book was given to me by Rebecca at our book club Christmas party book exchange. I was very excited to get it because I have been wanting to read it for a long time. I am a Francophile (I think that's the word) I love all things French. I took French in High School and at BYU. I have always wanted to go to France. I like French food. You get the idea. This book was a great armchair travel book. It takes place in a small village in France. It is filled ...more The first is Chocolat by Joanne Harris. This book was given to me by Rebecca at our book club Christmas party book exchange. I was very excited to get it because I have been wanting to read it for a long time. I am a Francophile (I think that's the word) I love all things French. I took French in High School and at BYU. I have always wanted to go to France. I like French food. You get the idea. This book was a great armchair travel book. It takes place in a small village in France. It is filled with quirky, colorful, beret-wearing characters. The main character is a woman named Vianne. She and her small daughter come to a small rural village to start a new life. She opens a chocolate shop, charms the villagers, and ends up setting herself at odds with the local priest of the Catholic Church. He feels that she is decadence personified to say the least. Oh--did I mention that Vianne might have magical powers?? The plot thickens...or should I say the chocolate thickens!! Do not read this book if you are trying to lose weight. You will CRAVE chocolate!! Chocolate is truly the main character of this book. Thank goodness I read it when I was sick and nauseous. But even that didn't stop the chocolate craving. I roused myself from my sick bed and staggered into the kitchen to scarf down some Valentines candy. Did it taste good? No! Did I feel worse? Yes! But I was powerless against the subliminal--ok maybe not subliminal--very overt message to EAT CHOCOLATE NOW!! This was a book that left me warm and cozy. I felt like I had gone on a small jaunt to France and interacted with the local color.

There were just a couple of things that I didn't like. There were three different story lines that I felt would've been really interesting to explore and would've given the book a few interesting twists. These story lines were mentioned and then dropped. That was too bad. But all in all I rate it Good. Actually VERY GOOD! A twist or turn would've given it an Excellent rating. But I really liked the book and recommend it to anyone who loves France, chocolate, and cozy reads. Thanks Rebecca!

P.S. I have never seen the movie so I don't know how it compares.

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Rebecca rated it:

(review of isbn 014100018X)

08/28/08

bookshelves: womanly

Read in August, 2008

recommends it for: women who don't like chicklit

This is a good book for a woman who wants a light read but doesn't like romance novels or other traditionally trashy chicklit. Although I wouldn't classify it as literary fiction, Chocolat is actually quite well-written and has an interesting plot; I consider it a kind of thinking-woman's fluff novel.

I saw the movie version of this story first, and I actually think I prefer the novel (big surprise). For one thing, the movie rearranged the romance so that Roux, the hot gypsy man, fel...more

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Desy rated it:

(review of isbn 9791227136)

04/30/08

bookshelves: indonesian

Read in April, 2008

Gua penggemar coklat dan Johnny Depp, jadinya ya pengen baca n nonton filmnya. Ga nyambung, ha ha ha ...

Okay. Finally I buy this book :D.
Lagi baca neh. So far, gua suka buku ini. Ngebayangin Vianne n Anouk yang nyentrik menurut bayangan gua. Ngebayangin toko coklat La Praline milik mereka. Ngebayangin coklat-coklatnya! Ngebayangin chocolat espresso-nya! Kayaknya uenak, heuheuheu...

Baca dulu, yee...

Selesaaai! :D

Hm.. I love it very much! Both of them: book n the movie.
Meski ya,...more

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Linda rated it:

(review of isbn 0552998486)

06/27/08

Read in June, 2008

http://www.bookcrossing.com/jo...

Before reading The Lollipop Shoes in which Vianne Rocher returns, I decided to revisit Lasquenet during Lent and rediscover all those wonderful characters.
Vianne and her daughter Anouk, mysterious strangers arrive in the village and open a chocolate shop which immediately begins to have a strange but generally good effect on the inhabitants. However the bigoted village priest Father ...more

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Alana rated it:

(review of isbn 014100018X)

07/31/07

bookshelves: fiction

Driven by the changing wing and fear of the Black Men Vianne Rocher (one of her many names), has wandered for years. But when her little daughter Anouk urges her to stay in a little provincial French town, she opens up a chocolaterie across from the church in the middle of Lent – and sparks a war with the curé. With her knack for guessing everyone’s favorites and sensing other’ emotions, Vianne offers sweet indulgence and a new, unconventional way of solving problems – because for Viann...more

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Merand rated it:

(review of isbn 014100018X)

05/05/08

I loved the movie...but I didn't enjoy the book. Actually, I didn't finish it either because I just wasn't enjoying it. Too many details had been changed from the movie and what really bothered me was the priest. I'm certainly not denying that priests/religious figures have their problems or are total hypocrites and I'm not denying that many horrible things have been done in the name of religion BUT I am tired of reading books where the evil character is the religious leader. Inevitably the ...more

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Mathew rated it:

(review of isbn 014100018X)

09/30/08

This was a book with a great story, descriptions and narrations. There were a couple of things that stopped it from being great, but they were somewhat trivial when considered in the context of the book.

The descriptions mays have occasionally threatened to become purple prose, but they never quite became gratuitous. Besides, Harris has such an enchanting way with words that even the most boring parts of the book held my attention.

The characters and their dialogue were what caught my eye....more

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Holly rated it:

(review of isbn 014100018X)

04/15/08

I adored the film. It's one of my favorites. So, when I discovered that it was based on a book, I had to read it. And, it's not a bad book. The film adaptation is quite different, although many of the characters are the same. For instance, in the book, Reynaud is the priest not the mayor and Caroline Clairmont is not a widow working for him. Armande is still feisty and Guillaume sweet. Josephine also appears prominently. Roux was far more appealing on screen: I wonder why? ;)

There i...more

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Denise rated it:

(review of isbn 014100018X)

04/22/08

Read in April, 2008

Very good book. A delight to read. I read this because it is currently featured on the "Wake Reads Together" program through our county library system. I saw the movie years ago when it first came out. I throughly enjoyed both, though some of the characters are portrayed differently. In both, Vianne, the main character is my favorite; she brings life into the small town of Lansquenet. She opens a small chocolaterie on the square which evokes heavy criticism from pious churchgoing folk ...more

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Karschtl rated it:

(review of isbn 3548252443)

09/01/07

bookshelves: drama, love, movie, strange-weird

Read in December, 2001

Es ist der absolut perfekte Roman für die Vorweihnachtszeit - obwohl er kurioserweise gar nicht in dieser Zeit spielt.

Er spielt nämlich zur Fastenzeit, also von Februar bis April. Vianne kommt mit ihrer Tochter Anouk in ein kleines französisches Städtchen um dort eine Patesserie zu eröffnen. Ihre besondere Gabe: sie kann sofort erkennen, was die Lieblings-Schoko-Sorte ihrer Kunden ist. Eine zweite, nicht minder wertvolle Gabe: sie weiß, mit welchen Pralinen die Libido des Mannes angek...more

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Wendy rated it:

(review of isbn 014100018X)

07/26/08

Read in July, 2008

recommends it for: anyone!

I have read almost all of Joanne Harris's books and enjoyed them for the most part. This one has been missing or checked out from my public library forever, so when I spotted it on the shelf recently, I snapped it up.

Chocolat is a fairly quick read but very enjoyable. Despite the fact that the book is not very long, the author does a nice job with developing both main and supporting characters so that you feel like these are real people whom you have gotten to know. The small French town ...more

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Gina rated it:

(review of isbn 0552998486)

03/25/08

bookshelves: 2008

Read in March, 2008

Like most people I saw the movie first and then found out that it was an adaptation from a book, like most good movies are, and I quickly picked it up and devoured it...like chocolate you might say. With very few exceptions, the book is always better than the movie. You find that everyone has secrets, and that a small shop facing an oppressively massive church can succeed. A newcomer can be a catalyst of change, especially one who is a free-thinking, independent woman with a child whose father i...more

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Yrinsyde rated it:

(review of isbn 014100018X)

03/08/08

bookshelves: own

Read in December, 2005

recommends it for: Stories of life, food, and conflict

This is a powerful book, very evocative of the sights, smells and sounds of France and its food, especially chocolate! I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and had to force myself to slow down! I watched the movie afterwards, which did not do justice to the novel at all. It changed the menace from being the catholic priest to the mayor of the town, which destroyed any power that the movie could have had and instead, made it twee. The movie director inserted parts in the plot that were not in the nove...more

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Amy rated it:

(review of isbn 014100018X)

08/14/08

Read in August, 2008

This book is about a woman and her daughter who move to a small town in France and open a chocolate shop. She is not religious and she opens her shop during the period of Lent (which is where church members would abstain from certain things i.e. rich foods). The local clergyman is against Vianne and her chocolate shop, and tries everything in his power to get people to abstain and thereby drive her out of town.

This was a pretty good book. I liked the characters a lot. Vianne especially was ...more

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Sue rated it:

(review of isbn 1840323671)

08/14/08

bookshelves: fiction

Read in February, 2006

This book was pleasant, well-written, and a bit different from most modern books - but having finished it, I'm not sure why so many people rave over it.

The story is about Vianne Rocher, a single mother with a six-year-old daughter. They've been travelling, but decide to settle down in a small town in France. Vianne opens a chocolate shop, and gradually makes friends - and also enemies. In many ways she's the catalyst for changes in this ultra-traditional town: she asks questions, challenges...more

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S. rated it:

(review of isbn 0385257430)

08/03/08

Read in August, 2008

The story itself doesn't really stick out in my mind. Rather, I enjoyed her characterization, the characters' relationships, and her descriptions.

This book will make you hungry. Harris's descriptions are gorgeous, showing you how a variety of chocolate confections are crafted. She describes her characters' thoughts equally well, though I had a better idea of why a character thought a certain why than of how they felt. I felt clinically detached rather than emotionally invested in these c...more

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Emma rated it:

(review of isbn 014100018X)

09/02/08

bookshelves: general-fiction, modern-lit, romance

Read in September, 2008

recommended to Emma by: My mum
recommends it for: Fans of chick-lit, looking for something more original than the typical Danielle Steel rubbish

I finished reading this book yesterday and loved it. Chocolat is the story of Vianne, an almost hippy-ish woman, who moves to a tiny French town with her young daughter, Anouk, and starts a chocolate shop.
This causes huge enmity in the religious town, particularly from the priest Reynauld.

Essentially, though, this is a story about chocolate. And if you're a chocolate lover (like me!) you should looove this book. The descriptions are mouth-wateringly delicious; the scenery sumptuous, the ...more

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Shaya rated it:

(review of isbn 014100018X)

08/18/08

bookshelves: summer-2008

Read in August, 2008

The writing was very good. Descriptive, etc. I felt the plot didn't make sense at some points. I followed it fine, but it just didn't seem like certain events should be happening. The priest was very evil. I was surprised that it seemed to be set in rather modern times but the priest's role, or the role he was trying to have, felt like it was set in the past.

The basic story is that a woman and her daughter move into a small French town and set up a chocolate shop. She befriends many of the ...more

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Chocolat

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