Chocolat by Joanne Harris Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Chocolat
Book Review: Cute, way better than the movie.
Summary: 3 Stars
This book is definitely girly but not silly. Very typical plot, newcomer threatens the structure of the predictable society but the thoughts/letters of the priest are fascinating and the book is rather touching and not syrupy-sweet. A nice weekender.Book Review: Absolutely delicious!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Love, love, loved this book. The language is so delicious you will find yourself searching your cabinets for chocolate, even if you're not a big fan of chocolate to begin with!! Great story!Book Review: Funny and one-dimensional
Summary: 2 Stars
Uptight guy versus bringer of joy and light. Fun food against staid religion. Haven't I seen this before? Oh yes, it was a Disney Film. I like the recipes, but the story is so hackneyed it had to be made into a movie. Death is even personified in this book; what an original idea! I read to the end because I love chocolate, but otherwise, this tedious heap of cliche is exactly what's wrong with "literature" today and doesn't merit recommendation.Book Review: Harris's writing is delicious!
Summary: 5 Stars
Much like the food she often describes in her book, Harris's writing itself is also delicious!
It is easy to see why Chocolat was made into a movie. With remarkable characters, scenery and story- this book makes for a good read. What is nice about this book is that it doesn't just center on Vianne and her daughter who own the Chocolate shop, we also get a good look at several other characters that play a part. We meet a fascist priest, an abusive husband and his mousey wife, a friendly gypsie, a eccentric old lady...These characters along with Vianne, make up the substance of this book and the story.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story.
Book Review: Supporting each other
Summary: 4 Stars
A lovely little novel, one which grows on me more every time I reflect upon it. The story is most enjoyable and the main character, the primary first person speaker, Vianne is a wonderfully constructed and complete, complex woman. She provides the backbone for the tensions of sustaining dichotomies, forces of complimentary but contrary attributes which provide the balance necessary for their holders. Yin and Yang at its basic best. Harris does magic like this for a number of counterparts every bit as magically as Vianne's hands upon chocolate in her chocolaterie. Vianne's opposing balance is the town priest, he who staunchly promotes the status quo to Vianne's newcomer with an open mind and differing ways. There are numerous other balances like that, but the two most striking are those between mothers and children and those between an individual's past and his or her present. In addition to this balancing, the secondary characters are quite enjoyable - I particularly like octogenarian Armande - as are the themes of friendship, what exactly constitutes sanity, and the mortality of us each. Added happily to my shelf of good reading.