Rating: 
Summary: Chocolat Delight
Review: It was like a tempting box Milk chocolates. I picked the book up on holiday and read a couple of pages - the first chocolate slowly popped into the mouth. Next day and two sittings later it was finished. A thoroughly enjoyable experience.Vianne Rocher dances across the pages - a mysterious outsider, always on the move, always on the run. From what? 'Are we staying here?' asks her daughter Anouk as they arrive in the quiet French village where life is quiet, predictable and dominated by the local church. She opens a chocolate shop in Lent, immediately invoking the wrath of Reynaud, the Priest whose insecurites about his faith and influence eat him away as much as his lenten fasting. The confrontation is inevitable as Vianne plans a chocolat festival at Easter. The conclusion mixes comedy and tragedy as Reynaud's 'weakness' brings his downfall. The story line is intersting but it is the characters who shine. Vianne herself is the light which shows the true character of those she meets. The hypocritical Caro, the evil Muskat, the downtrodden Josephine, the wonderful Armande. The book carries a thread of the supernatural. How much does Vianne really know? What powers did her mother have? There is even the slightest hint of Mary Poppins - 'I'll stay until the wind changes'. The wind does change. A 'must read'. By the way there is a very good movie of the same name.
Rating:
Summary: excellent book , okay movie
Review: This was an enchanting tale of a mother daughter duo that was able to come into a quaint French town and transform many of the village people. This story was enticing because it showed realistic community struggles during the Lenten season which affected all the people. The details of each bonbon created are irresistable and you must have a supply of chocolate at hand while reading. Harris did a wonderful job with the portrayal of Vianne, a mother who was able to help all who came to her shop, not just to buy chocolates. This novel is all inclusive from stories of the river gypsies and the Catholic Church to the problems with sin and temptation. Chocolat is an easy read yet there are a number of characters that are well developed and have major parts throughout the entire novel. I would recommend the movie but not until you have read the book. However, there are many differences and the movie portrays the main characters in a different light.
| 
