Chocolat
by Joanne Harris
A woman, Vianne, and her daughter move to a small French town. The town is deeply rooted in tradition and Catholicism, and when Vianne prepares to open a chocolaterie during Lent, the town is reluctant to accept her. Her lack of religion and befriending the local outcasts doesn’t help matters much.
As you probably know, this novel was adapted into a film in 2000, starring Juliette Binoche and Alfred Molina. Now, I’m not going to give any spoilers away, but if you saw the movie, and if you thought Alfred Molina’s character was at all important, you will be as shocked as I was to discover the Comte de Reynaud is not in the novel! In my opinion, he is the driving force of the story. Without him, there is no impetus, growth, or symbolism. Without him, it is just a story about an unconventional woman who makes her mark in a small town.
In the novel, Vianne weaves a slight amount of magic through her chocolate creations, helping to influence the townsfolk for the better. If this sounds appealing to you, a relatively fluffy novel with descriptions of chocolate, then you might enjoy it. I certainly didn’t.
As you probably know, this novel was adapted into a film in 2000, starring Juliette Binoche and Alfred Molina. Now, I’m not going to give any spoilers away, but if you saw the movie, and if you thought Alfred Molina’s character was at all important, you will be as shocked as I was to discover the Comte de Reynaud is not in the novel! In my opinion, he is the driving force of the story. Without him, there is no impetus, growth, or symbolism. Without him, it is just a story about an unconventional woman who makes her mark in a small town.
In the novel, Vianne weaves a slight amount of magic through her chocolate creations, helping to influence the townsfolk for the better. If this sounds appealing to you, a relatively fluffy novel with descriptions of chocolate, then you might enjoy it. I certainly didn’t.