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rianna_3419's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
roberthekm's review against another edition
3.0
One of my mum's favourite books... sorry mum.
Joanne Harris is capable of writing good prose and the set up of this book is interesting; indulgence vs piety. Unfortunately it doesn't develop in a particularly interesting or unexpected way and ends up feeling a bit hollow and redundant. Enjoy your life, appears to be the ultimate message, nothing I particularly disagree with but it is a bit trite.
Similarly, the characters feel rather one dimensional, playing out their roles in fairly expected ways. Armande, an old woman who has diabetes and wants to die by eating chocolate, is the most interesting and entertaining character. The questions she raises about what it means to lead a good life and what obligations, if any, you have to the people around you almost push me into liking this book. I appreciated especially the description of the final party the protagonist holds for her, not just in terms of the sensory details of the event but also the toll it takes on the protagonist to prepare this. It really aligns with the feminist ideas of the book, since often books overlook the 'women's' work it takes to put on an event of such a magnitude. Even as it shows how rewarding it can be to be of service to others, its never easy.
Speaking of our witchy protagonist, the magical elements of this book felt a bit unnecessary. People call this magical realism, but it behaves more like traditional fantasy; magical elements invading a mundane world rather than simply being a part of it. It feels awkward to combine these elements with an otherwise ordinary world and often just felt like the author injecting a greater sense importance to the story than was necessary. Ultimately I wasn't very attached to Vianne, but I did enjoy how she was an indirect influence on the people around her and often wasn't very present during the climatic moments of the book.
Joanne Harris is capable of writing good prose and the set up of this book is interesting; indulgence vs piety. Unfortunately it doesn't develop in a particularly interesting or unexpected way and ends up feeling a bit hollow and redundant. Enjoy your life, appears to be the ultimate message, nothing I particularly disagree with but it is a bit trite.
Similarly, the characters feel rather one dimensional, playing out their roles in fairly expected ways. Armande, an old woman who has diabetes and wants to die by eating chocolate, is the most interesting and entertaining character. The questions she raises about what it means to lead a good life and what obligations, if any, you have to the people around you almost push me into liking this book. I appreciated especially the description of the final party the protagonist holds for her, not just in terms of the sensory details of the event but also the toll it takes on the protagonist to prepare this. It really aligns with the feminist ideas of the book, since often books overlook the 'women's' work it takes to put on an event of such a magnitude. Even as it shows how rewarding it can be to be of service to others, its never easy.
Speaking of our witchy protagonist, the magical elements of this book felt a bit unnecessary. People call this magical realism, but it behaves more like traditional fantasy; magical elements invading a mundane world rather than simply being a part of it. It feels awkward to combine these elements with an otherwise ordinary world and often just felt like the author injecting a greater sense importance to the story than was necessary. Ultimately I wasn't very attached to Vianne, but I did enjoy how she was an indirect influence on the people around her and often wasn't very present during the climatic moments of the book.
becden's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It just gets better and better with every read.
ovenbird_reads's review against another edition
4.0
The perfect antidote to the depressing heavy literature I've been reading lately. This book is brimming with magical realism and manages to infuse even death with wisps of joy. Lovely.
molly_vi0let's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
rea's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
isobelscloud's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
bookwyrm082's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
thrushnightingale's review against another edition
3.0
Chocolat is the story of Vianne Rocher, a young woman who moves into a small village between Toulouse and Bordeaux with her daughter and starts an artisan chocolate store. She brings light and forgotten pleasures to the local people, though some are wary of her, particularly the priest, who eventually grows obsessed with her and the chocolate store, who likens her newness, her strangeness, to a threat; her dark eyes and flared skirt and nimble speech. For it is also about prejudice: against the Roma people; against strangeness and difference, and how fear for these elements can carry into violence, and how village gossip can expand into attempts of exiling the subject. It is about being haunted by the past. Vianne's mother returns to her in dreams and thoughts; her childhood where she was endlessly twirling between towns, countries, bird-like, with her vivacious, restless, colorful, and at last dying mother.
I enjoyed how descriptive this book was. The art of making chocolate; transforming bricks of couverture chocolate into something more delicate and artful, a kind of magic, alchemy. There is magic in the book, literal and metaphorical. It is a warmly colored, poetic, sensual book. One can almost smell the spices.
3.5/5
I enjoyed how descriptive this book was. The art of making chocolate; transforming bricks of couverture chocolate into something more delicate and artful, a kind of magic, alchemy. There is magic in the book, literal and metaphorical. It is a warmly colored, poetic, sensual book. One can almost smell the spices.
3.5/5