Chocolat
Joanne Harris
4*
"Part fairy tale, laden with high farce and tongue-in-cheek humor drenched with savage wit and bursts of wisdom, suffused with lush detail and finely drawn interesting characters..." - Philadelphia Inquirer
"Harris writes with verve and charm...If Colette and Hawthorne had collaborated, the result might have been this serious delight." - The New Yorker
I was completely surprised at how quickly and deeply I fell in love with this story and the characters within. The author's delectable descriptions of Vianne's chocolate concoctions enveloped me in a dreamy, sugar-coated haze through which I became acquainted with the townspeople of Lansquenet, France and their need to break free from the stiff confines of religious tradition and hypocrisy. Armed only with chocolate treats and generosity, Vianne and her daughter Anouk become the catalysts of long-overdue change and reconciliation that the little town so desperately needs.
The imagery of sweets and the touches of magical realism in this story reminded me very much of a Sarah Addison Allen novel. I became so fond of the characters within this story that it felt as though I were saying goodbye to my dear friends as I read the final words of the bittersweet ending of this book. I would highly recommend this story to anyone who has a penchant for all things sweet and endearing.
