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apostrophem's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
susandhooks's review against another edition
4.0
This was a tasty sequal to "Chocolat" with the same main character (Vianne) and the addition of her daughter Anouk and an interloper - Zozie. It's a tale told from 3 perspectives, which works well here. It's fun to change voices and go from weary (Vianne) to devious (Zozie) to innocent (Anouk). What fun it must have been to write as Zozie!
The smells, sights, sounds, fears and feelings of all the characters permeate this book. You can picture the chocolaterie. You can taste the truffles and smell the hot cocoa. It's as if the chocolate is another character in the book. I honestly wonder if someone who didn't like chocolate would tire quickly of the relentless descriptions, but I loved it.
I was waiting for something cataclysmic, which helped me return to this book when the plot seemed to be tiring. Without giving the ending away, Zozie's plan didn't seem to be as horrific as I had feared. I'm assuming that the author used the anticlimactic ending as a tool to reflect Vianne's empty fears about the wind and the Kindly Ones. Or perhaps not.
The smells, sights, sounds, fears and feelings of all the characters permeate this book. You can picture the chocolaterie. You can taste the truffles and smell the hot cocoa. It's as if the chocolate is another character in the book. I honestly wonder if someone who didn't like chocolate would tire quickly of the relentless descriptions, but I loved it.
I was waiting for something cataclysmic, which helped me return to this book when the plot seemed to be tiring. Without giving the ending away, Zozie's plan didn't seem to be as horrific as I had feared. I'm assuming that the author used the anticlimactic ending as a tool to reflect Vianne's empty fears about the wind and the Kindly Ones. Or perhaps not.
firedew's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
kcvmoundshroud's review against another edition
5.0
I think I enjoyed this book even more than Chocolat if that is possible. Granted, it was a bit slow to start and I doubted for the first fifty pages or so (silly me!). Much like rich hot chocolate, the novel got better and better the more I read until I was literally breathless by the very end. I read this during the same time-frame as the book which added to the delight. If you’re looking for a great book to curl up with through the holidays, take a chance on this one!
veraveruchka's review against another edition
3.0
Chocolat is one of my favourite book (and movie, too), so when I -a bit late- found that there are sequels to this book, I felt elated.
Several years after Lansquenet Sous-Tannes, the wind swept away Vianne Rocher and her daughters' life to a little chocolaterie in Montmartre, Paris. Vianne changed her name into Yanne Charbonneau, vowed not to do magic anymore, and strived to live as normal as possible. This decision was tried when a girl named Zozie L'Alba came into their life and get curious about Yanne and her daughters' secret. The past Yanne had so carefully concealed now haunted them again, putting their 'normal' life in jeopardy. But did Yanne and her daughters really want a normal life?
The story was told in several POV : Yanne's, Anouk's, and Zozie's. It's harder to get used to the POVs than in Chocolat, but after a while, I can enjoy it. I think the illustration of cat and moon before Yanne's POV and Pantoufle before Anouk is cute and spot on. Anouk's POV is particularly enjoyable to read. The voice is authentically early teen and at the same time more mature beyond her age, as often described by her mother.
The Girl with No Shadow is basically a story of Good versus Evil. Only the 'Good' and 'Evil' is not always easy to define. I like that it also talks about the issue of tolerance and xenophobia, in more netral way. And finally it brought the question of existentialism : Can we be happier if we accept who we are? But exactly who are we? What is our true identity, how to define what we are? Is it better to stood out or blend in the crowd?
The book leans more into 'magical' side more than 'realism', with the appearance of mysterious Zozie. The subtle magic and superstitious in Chocolat has become more serious and powerful. It's a bit hard to keep track to cantrips used and their effects, especially because of the Mexican names which I'm not even sure how to spell. It's also kind of difficult to understand Zozie's motive. But Harris' specialty is still well preserved in this book. The life stories and secrets of seemingly minuscule characters enrich the story, sometimes heartbreaking. Also, her descriptions are beautiful and enticing as always
If you have read other Harris' novel, you might realize that Framboise and Paul from the village of Les Laveuses in Five Quarters of Orange made appearance again in this book. I have read it, like it so much, and I find it as a pleasant surprise, like the characters of those two books really dwell in this same universe.
I like this book moderately but I will definitely read other Harris' books. Especially the third installment of the series : Peach for Father Francis.
Several years after Lansquenet Sous-Tannes, the wind swept away Vianne Rocher and her daughters' life to a little chocolaterie in Montmartre, Paris. Vianne changed her name into Yanne Charbonneau, vowed not to do magic anymore, and strived to live as normal as possible. This decision was tried when a girl named Zozie L'Alba came into their life and get curious about Yanne and her daughters' secret. The past Yanne had so carefully concealed now haunted them again, putting their 'normal' life in jeopardy. But did Yanne and her daughters really want a normal life?
The story was told in several POV : Yanne's, Anouk's, and Zozie's. It's harder to get used to the POVs than in Chocolat, but after a while, I can enjoy it. I think the illustration of cat and moon before Yanne's POV and Pantoufle before Anouk is cute and spot on. Anouk's POV is particularly enjoyable to read. The voice is authentically early teen and at the same time more mature beyond her age, as often described by her mother.
The Girl with No Shadow is basically a story of Good versus Evil. Only the 'Good' and 'Evil' is not always easy to define. I like that it also talks about the issue of tolerance and xenophobia, in more netral way. And finally it brought the question of existentialism : Can we be happier if we accept who we are? But exactly who are we? What is our true identity, how to define what we are? Is it better to stood out or blend in the crowd?
The book leans more into 'magical' side more than 'realism', with the appearance of mysterious Zozie. The subtle magic and superstitious in Chocolat has become more serious and powerful. It's a bit hard to keep track to cantrips used and their effects, especially because of the Mexican names which I'm not even sure how to spell. It's also kind of difficult to understand Zozie's motive. But Harris' specialty is still well preserved in this book. The life stories and secrets of seemingly minuscule characters enrich the story, sometimes heartbreaking. Also, her descriptions are beautiful and enticing as always
If you have read other Harris' novel, you might realize that Framboise and Paul from the village of Les Laveuses in Five Quarters of Orange made appearance again in this book. I have read it, like it so much, and I find it as a pleasant surprise, like the characters of those two books really dwell in this same universe.
I like this book moderately but I will definitely read other Harris' books. Especially the third installment of the series : Peach for Father Francis.
arlandria's review against another edition
Bookmark was removed and I can’t remember where I got to! Will restart when the time is right.
jenniferkat's review against another edition
4.0
This is the sequel to Chocolat. I had seen the movie quite a while ago and only remembered bits and pieces. I certainly don't remember witchcraft in the movie- but apparently that was integral to the plot- must have been distracted by all that Depp.
The Lollipop Shoes(or The Girl With No Shadow- the title it was published under in America- how I got a hold of an English copy is beyond me!) was good enough though, that I will find and read the book. Probably some other Joanne Harris as well.
The Lollipop Shoes(or The Girl With No Shadow- the title it was published under in America- how I got a hold of an English copy is beyond me!) was good enough though, that I will find and read the book. Probably some other Joanne Harris as well.
senmeow's review against another edition
3.0
Rating: 3.25
This sequel was okay. I liked it at some parts, despised it at others, and was satisfied with the ending but wish it had gone on about their life afterward.
I got confused by the alternating narrators until I realized the images at the top of each character's part indicated the POV. I thought that it was bad, because it meant I couldn't tell the difference between the narrating styles of the three characters. If they are three separate personalities, I don't think I should have felt that they were all the same person.
I felt like the romance came out of nowhere (wasn't Roux with some other woman in Chocolat?) and the mother and daughter seemed too immersed in their problems to even try and talk to each other (which I felt was ridiculous; even a small conversation would have been more helpful in patching their relationship up).
This sequel was okay. I liked it at some parts, despised it at others, and was satisfied with the ending but wish it had gone on about their life afterward.
I got confused by the alternating narrators until I realized the images at the top of each character's part indicated the POV. I thought that it was bad, because it meant I couldn't tell the difference between the narrating styles of the three characters. If they are three separate personalities, I don't think I should have felt that they were all the same person.
I felt like the romance came out of nowhere (wasn't Roux with some other woman in Chocolat?) and the mother and daughter seemed too immersed in their problems to even try and talk to each other (which I felt was ridiculous; even a small conversation would have been more helpful in patching their relationship up).