Chocolat (Chocolat #1)

 Chocolat  is an intriguing novel written by Joanne Harris. She is the author of many famous novels including  The Girl With No Shadow , Gentlemen and Players , and her lastest novel  Runemarks . Many of her novels are set in European countries such as France and England. Joanne receives her inspiration to write about these places from her parents’ different ethnicities. She is proud to say that her books are published in over forty different countries. One of Joanne Harris’s most famous novels

 Chocolat  is an intriguing novel written by Joanne Harris. She is the author of many famous novels including  The Girl With No Shadow , Gentlemen and Players , and her lastest novel  Runemarks . Many of her novels are set in European countries such as France and England. Joanne receives her inspiration to write about these places from her parents’ different ethnicities. She is proud to say that her books are published in over forty different countries. One of Joanne Harris’s most famous novels is  Chocolat .  Chocolat  tells the story of Vianne Roucher and her daughter Anouk. As a child, Vianne traveled from famous city to famous city with her mother, often times with barely enough money to feed themselves. After her mother dies and Anouk is born, Vianne decides that it is time to move into a permanent home in the small French town of Lansquent and open up her own chocolate store. Little does she know that this small town runs by the word of the priest, Père Reynaud. Vianne is quick to notice that she and her daughter are the outcasts of the town and she is determined to free the town of Reynaud’s strict Christian ways. Meanwhile Reynaud is persistent on turning everyone in the town against Vianne and stopping her chocolate festival.

Joanne Harris utilizes many of her talents when she wrote  Chocolat . Through the entire novel, Harris switches the point of view between Vianne and Reynaud. When reading the novel, the changing in point of view helps the reader to understand both sides of the conflict. If Harris chose to only write in one person’s view then the reader would have easily become biased and the novel would have lost some of its appeal. It is effortless for the reader to detect who is telling the story because the font in the novel is different and Harris’s descriptions of the characters make it straightforward to distinguish between Vianne and Reynaud. Every time a new character or place in the novel was introduced, Joanne Harris was sure to implement distinctive characteristics that allowed for the person or place to be forever imprinted in the reader’s mind. The description of the chocolate shop allows for the reader to imagine exactly what the shop and how the chocolates look, smell, and taste. This provides the readers with a better understanding and leads to more excitement as they read the novel. The rollercoaster plot line also leads to more enthusiasm and enjoyment for the reader. At a glance, the novel seems to be cliché and dull. However, Joanne Harris is able to add spice and flare to the plot by adding twists and turns that were not expected.

Every novel hits some sour notes.  Chocolat  is no different. Over two thirds of the book is told through the eyes of Vivanne. The other one third is told through the eyes of Reynaud. However, the lack of description about Reynaud’s past makes the reader question why Reynaud acts the way he does. When there were descriptions of Reynaud’s childhood, they were brief, vague, and hard to understand. If Joanne Harris explained the European references, the novel would have given the reader a better understanding of not just Reynaud, but also the overall themes of the novel. Even when Vianne is narrating, some of the topics she mentions seemed to be perplexing. While flashing back to when she was traveling with her mother, Vianne often mentions cards that predict your future. Without any previous knowledge of these cards a part of the novel and the reader’s comprehension of Vianne floats past the reader. By adding a simple author’s note explaining these cards, Joanne Harris would have allowed the readers to identify the significance of Vianne’s past and her actions.

Despite the negative aspects of the novel,  Chocolat  would be an enjoyable book to read for anyone who is looking for an adventure and enjoys new ideas. The ideal reader for this novel is one that is open minded.  Chocolat  challenges you to think about how you are perceived and how you perceive others. If anyone is looking for a tale that will entertain you with laughs and show you another type of lifestyle then  Chocolat  is the perfect novel.

Wonderful fun. I'm sure everybody but me knows the story by now as I remember this being made into a film a few years ago that I never got around to going to see. Just for the record this is the story of what happens when Vianne Rocher blows into a small village France at the beginning of the traditionally austere Lent period and opens a luxurious chocolate shop. The local curate and his groupies are not at all happy.

I wasn't expecting a great plot from this, but just as in Coastliners I got a

Wonderful fun. I'm sure everybody but me knows the story by now as I remember this being made into a film a few years ago that I never got around to going to see. Just for the record this is the story of what happens when Vianne Rocher blows into a small village France at the beginning of the traditionally austere Lent period and opens a luxurious chocolate shop. The local curate and his groupies are not at all happy.

I wasn't expecting a great plot from this, but just as in Coastliners I got a gorgeous plot. It's not all happy chocolate munching and it's populated with a fabulous cast of characters. I love the way we find out more about Vianne and her mother, and for that matter everybody else, than she ever tells us. It feels like there is tons of description in the story but the bits that stick with me are the bits we aren't told explicitly.

Having read Harris's fourth book first I do think she has become a better writer as she's gone along but this is magic all the same. I'm really looking forward to reading her other stories.