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titanz22's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
karenthebaron's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
The historical info was interesting, as I live nearby. I remember going on trips to the factory and I have family still working there. The characters were a bit thin to me, either good/bad, and the plot a bit predictable. A good read overall.
samstillreading's review against another edition
4.0
The Chocolate Factory is a fantastic story of the establishment of Cadbury’s (and Fry’s Chocolate, and Pascall’s lollies) first factory outside the UK near Hobart, Tasmania. While it is fictional, it does contain a lot of detail about the establishment of the factory and how chocolate is made. The last section is particularly thrilling as chocolate spies (yes, they were a thing – the recipe for Dairy Milk chocolate was a hotly guarded secret) take over the narrative.
The story starts as widow Dorothy is en route from Bournville, the original home of Cadbury to the new factory in Tasmania. Dorothy credits Cadbury for giving her a chance to make something of her life, as well as giving her opportunities during the war and to leave bad memories behind. Initially the focus is on the setting up of the factory, getting to know the other women workers and recruiting locals. (Not all the women knew each other as some came from Fry’s and Pascall’s factories). Dorothy is also keen to help Thomas, a man she met on the voyage, to recover from shell shock as she couldn’t help her own husband. Some of the narrative is then told from Maisie’s point of view, one of the new workers who comes from a poor family and is eager to earn money so that her sister doesn’t have to leave school. The story then goes through the opening of the factory and the various jobs, but things take a subtly sinister turn as Dorothy receives anonymous notes detailing various slip-ups and that she has something of ‘great worth’. Maisie is tempted by the promise of more should she assist others with their own research. As the chocolate spies become closer, the story speeds up a lot from its original gentle pace with some sudden, unexpected twists.
I enjoyed The Chocolate Factory. I did find the first couple of chapters overly flowery, with everything described just that bit too much for me. As the story went on, it didn’t seem to jar me so much (or it just toned down). Some of the characters, such as Dorothy and Maisie are well fleshed out. I felt that Dorothy’s friend Sarah wasn’t as well detailed until towards the end, where some of her secrets are spilled. Esme, Dorothy’s sort of nemesis, doesn’t have her motivations spelled out all that well and she becomes more of a caricature and laughing stock that a threat later on. I did appreciate the amount of research done on the establishment of the factory and the various roles of the workers. I’ve visited the (now closed) New Zealand Cadbury factory multiple times and it struck me how hands on the work was then – let alone back in the 1920s! I feel that Stephens explained well the thoughts and motivations of the Cadbury family in their ‘factory within a park’ and opportunities for improvement for their workers. I wonder what they would think of the current owners, Mondelez International?
I would recommend this book to those with a keen interest in the history of the Cadbury factory in Tasmania who enjoy an interesting story.
Thank you to Harlequin for the copy of the book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
The story starts as widow Dorothy is en route from Bournville, the original home of Cadbury to the new factory in Tasmania. Dorothy credits Cadbury for giving her a chance to make something of her life, as well as giving her opportunities during the war and to leave bad memories behind. Initially the focus is on the setting up of the factory, getting to know the other women workers and recruiting locals. (Not all the women knew each other as some came from Fry’s and Pascall’s factories). Dorothy is also keen to help Thomas, a man she met on the voyage, to recover from shell shock as she couldn’t help her own husband. Some of the narrative is then told from Maisie’s point of view, one of the new workers who comes from a poor family and is eager to earn money so that her sister doesn’t have to leave school. The story then goes through the opening of the factory and the various jobs, but things take a subtly sinister turn as Dorothy receives anonymous notes detailing various slip-ups and that she has something of ‘great worth’. Maisie is tempted by the promise of more should she assist others with their own research. As the chocolate spies become closer, the story speeds up a lot from its original gentle pace with some sudden, unexpected twists.
I enjoyed The Chocolate Factory. I did find the first couple of chapters overly flowery, with everything described just that bit too much for me. As the story went on, it didn’t seem to jar me so much (or it just toned down). Some of the characters, such as Dorothy and Maisie are well fleshed out. I felt that Dorothy’s friend Sarah wasn’t as well detailed until towards the end, where some of her secrets are spilled. Esme, Dorothy’s sort of nemesis, doesn’t have her motivations spelled out all that well and she becomes more of a caricature and laughing stock that a threat later on. I did appreciate the amount of research done on the establishment of the factory and the various roles of the workers. I’ve visited the (now closed) New Zealand Cadbury factory multiple times and it struck me how hands on the work was then – let alone back in the 1920s! I feel that Stephens explained well the thoughts and motivations of the Cadbury family in their ‘factory within a park’ and opportunities for improvement for their workers. I wonder what they would think of the current owners, Mondelez International?
I would recommend this book to those with a keen interest in the history of the Cadbury factory in Tasmania who enjoy an interesting story.
Thank you to Harlequin for the copy of the book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
sophs_mood_reading's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Historical fiction meets romance, meets mystery, meets female empowerment.
1920’s Tasmania and Cadbury’s is setting up their factory on the banks of the Derwent River. We follow the story of two women, Dorothy a recent war widow, immigrating from the UK, who has worked her way up the ranks of the Firm. Maisie, a Tasmanian girl who needs to find work to support her ailing mother and hopes to keep her bright sister from leaving school.
Both woman are at Cadbury’s to better their life, but little did they know that they soon will be targeted as everyone wants the illusive dairy milk recipe.
This beautiful novel is so much more than a book about making chocolate. The wonderful descriptions easily put you right in Claremont, where you can almost hear the cockatoo’s flying past and smell the eucalyptus mixed with cocoa.
You are quickly invested in the lives of these woman and when threats start creeping in, want to protect them immediately.
Stephen’s has created a great depiction of the changing lives and roles of woman in the post great war era, where there are newly discovered freedoms but still very much restrictions from social expectations and glass ceilings. There is also realistic depictions of the realities of war and the mental health consequences of such brutal events.
I did find Dorothy’s romance to be more bordering on obsession which did make me uncomfortable at the beginning but as the story continued it made more sense and came together beautifully.
A wonderful novel for historic fiction lovers, but make sure you have chocolate on hand when reading as it’s all you will think about.
Thanks you HQ fiction and Mary-Lou Stephen’s for a copy of this book in exchange for and honest review.
1920’s Tasmania and Cadbury’s is setting up their factory on the banks of the Derwent River. We follow the story of two women, Dorothy a recent war widow, immigrating from the UK, who has worked her way up the ranks of the Firm. Maisie, a Tasmanian girl who needs to find work to support her ailing mother and hopes to keep her bright sister from leaving school.
Both woman are at Cadbury’s to better their life, but little did they know that they soon will be targeted as everyone wants the illusive dairy milk recipe.
This beautiful novel is so much more than a book about making chocolate. The wonderful descriptions easily put you right in Claremont, where you can almost hear the cockatoo’s flying past and smell the eucalyptus mixed with cocoa.
You are quickly invested in the lives of these woman and when threats start creeping in, want to protect them immediately.
Stephen’s has created a great depiction of the changing lives and roles of woman in the post great war era, where there are newly discovered freedoms but still very much restrictions from social expectations and glass ceilings. There is also realistic depictions of the realities of war and the mental health consequences of such brutal events.
I did find Dorothy’s romance to be more bordering on obsession which did make me uncomfortable at the beginning but as the story continued it made more sense and came together beautifully.
A wonderful novel for historic fiction lovers, but make sure you have chocolate on hand when reading as it’s all you will think about.
Thanks you HQ fiction and Mary-Lou Stephen’s for a copy of this book in exchange for and honest review.
kyouwa_today's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.0
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
‘During the war I took on positions at Cadbury’s that wouldn’t normally be available to women, including operating and maintaining machinery.’
In 1921, after years of working for Cadbury’s at Bournville, Dorothy Adwell travels to Hobart to help establish the new Cadbury-Fry-Pascall factory at Claremont. The Great War brought Dorothy both opportunity and tragedy: a shortage of labour has enabled her to undertake jobs usually unavailable to women, while sadly her beloved husband Freddie was killed. During the sea voyage, Dorothy meets Thomas Moreland, a man damaged by his experience of war. They are both travelling to Hobart.
Ms Stephens brings together a diverse cast of characters. There are several workers who, like Dorothy, have travelled from the UK. Once in Hobart, Dorothy makes friends with Sarah Harris another Cadbury’s employee. In Tasmania, we meet Maisie Greenwood, the eldest daughter of a war widow, who applies for a position at Cadbury’s to help family finances and to try to ensure that her younger sister Lily can remain at school. Maisie becomes friendly with Frank Sutton, but then a man named Percy Bates enters the scene.
Establishing a new factory is not all smooth sailing for Cadbury-Fry-Pascall. Competitors circle, and some would do anything to try to obtain the recipe for Dairy Milk, the most popular chocolate in the world. Both Maisie and Dorothy become caught in the scheme to steal the recipe.
I enjoyed this novel. With the history of Cadbury’s in Bournville and the Great War as the backdrop, Ms Stephens brings both her characters and the challenges of establishing the new factory at Claremont to life. While the stories of Dorothy and Maisie were central, other characters are important (especially Thomas, Frank, Sarah, and Gertie) in the story that unfolds.
If you enjoy well-written historical fiction with well-developed characters, I can recommend ‘The Chocolate Factory’.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
jjv84's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It gave me so much more than I was expecting. Firstly, I enjoyed the fact that it was set in a part of Australia that I have never been to and there is always talk about visiting the Cadbury factory when we eventually go there. Secondly, the characters I fell in love with. Even those characters that had smaller parts and not a main role. They were all well suited. Gertie, Maisie and Dot were my favourite females. Frank by far was my favourite and I could picture him in my head. Bringing together the war and chocolate was a great read. I loved how the book was written in chapters with a different character and the story flowed perfectly. I also loved the fact that it ended with closure! With each page I turned at the end I was hoping it wasn't the actual finish because I needed to know some things, but the author finished it so well.
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