Book Review: Chocolat

Book: Chocolat (Chocolat book #1) by Joanne Harris

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Vianne Rocher has always lived a life of freedom from all the time she spent with her mother traveling from one place to another never staying in one place for long. However, now as a mother, Vianne thought the little town of Lansquenet could be home to her and her young daughter Anouk. But Lansquenet is a town built on staying the same and running off anyone or anything that disrupts that.

Vianne quickly settled in and opened a chocolate shop and coupled with no desire for her and her daughter to attend church that only seemed to enrage the local priest Francis Reynaud even more. He seemed to believe she was there to destroy the town and worked hard to try to get rid of her. Her store seems to have awoken some of the townspeople, they are enjoying themselves and changes seem to ensue.

She's used to feeling as if she doesn't belong but Vianne wanted a more stable life for Anouk and hoped that Lansquenet would be the place they could build a life in. But with opposition from the church and some of the townspeople it doesn't look as if she has yet found that one place to stand still in.

Vianne isn't the only one the priest wants gone, there is a gathering of people who have shown up in their boats and have take up residence near the river. There is growing animosity between the townspeople and those they call "river people".

With so many changes happening throughout the small town the priest believes Vianne is the cause. She's befriended the "river people" and have some how meddled in the lives of the townspeople including: 1) Armande Voizin a cranky older woman who may finally get to know her grandson Luc thanks to Vianne, 2) an abused woman Josephine Muscat rethinking her life with her overbearing husband and 3) former teacher Guillaume may have to learn to let go of a dear friend.

I loved reading this book because Vianne is a free spirit but she so wants to find a permanent place to call home. There is magic in this story but it's hinted at as it's weaved throughout. You see the everydayness of magic from friendship, love, enjoying a good meal and living life to the fullest. 

As much as I loved this book there is a small part of me that loved the movie just a little bit more especially with the connection and attraction between Vianne and Roux was shown better in the movie. But with that aside, this left me interested in wanting to read the sequels to this. I really want to know how Vianne fared and how her life changed. I will be adding the sequels to my wishlist as soon as possible.