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Chocolat #3
Peaches for Monsieur le Curé
The tantalizing sequel to the blockbuster New York Times bestseller Chocolat
Even before it was adapted into the Oscar-nominated film starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp, Joanne Harris’s Chocolat entranced readers with its mix of hedonism, whimsy, and, of course, chocolate. Now, at last, Chocolat’s heroine returns to the beautiful French village of Lansquenet in another, equally beguiling tale.
When Vianne Rocher receives a letter from beyond the grave, she knows she must go back to Lansquenet. But the past can be dangerous, and Vianne and her daughters find their old hometown changed in unexpected ways. Most surprising of all, her old nemesis, Francis Reynaud, desperately needs her help. Can Vianne work her magic once again?
Even before it was adapted into the Oscar-nominated film starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp, Joanne Harris’s Chocolat entranced readers with its mix of hedonism, whimsy, and, of course, chocolate. Now, at last, Chocolat’s heroine returns to the beautiful French village of Lansquenet in another, equally beguiling tale.
When Vianne Rocher receives a letter from beyond the grave, she knows she must go back to Lansquenet. But the past can be dangerous, and Vianne and her daughters find their old hometown changed in unexpected ways. Most surprising of all, her old nemesis, Francis Reynaud, desperately needs her help. Can Vianne work her magic once again?
480 pages, Paperback
First published September 13, 2012
577 people are currently reading
11133 people want to read
About the author
Joanne Harris
124 books6,300 followersJoanne Harris is also known as Joanne M. Harris
Joanne Harris is an Anglo-French author, whose books include fourteen novels, two cookbooks and many short stories. Her work is extremely diverse, covering aspects of magic realism, suspense, historical fiction, mythology and fantasy. She has also written a DR WHO novella for the BBC, has scripted guest episodes for the game ZOMBIES, RUN!, and is currently engaged in a number of musical theatre projects as well as developing an original drama for television.
In 2000, her 1999 novel CHOCOLAT was adapted to the screen, starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. She is an honorary Fellow of St Catharine's College, Cambridge, and in 2022 was awarded an OBE by the Queen.
Her hobbies are listed in Who's Who as 'mooching, lounging, strutting, strumming, priest-baiting and quiet subversion'. She also spends too much time on Twitter; plays flute and bass guitar in a band first formed when she was 16; and works from a shed in her garden at her home in Yorkshire.
Joanne Harris is an Anglo-French author, whose books include fourteen novels, two cookbooks and many short stories. Her work is extremely diverse, covering aspects of magic realism, suspense, historical fiction, mythology and fantasy. She has also written a DR WHO novella for the BBC, has scripted guest episodes for the game ZOMBIES, RUN!, and is currently engaged in a number of musical theatre projects as well as developing an original drama for television.
In 2000, her 1999 novel CHOCOLAT was adapted to the screen, starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. She is an honorary Fellow of St Catharine's College, Cambridge, and in 2022 was awarded an OBE by the Queen.
Her hobbies are listed in Who's Who as 'mooching, lounging, strutting, strumming, priest-baiting and quiet subversion'. She also spends too much time on Twitter; plays flute and bass guitar in a band first formed when she was 16; and works from a shed in her garden at her home in Yorkshire.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 1,570 reviews
June 10, 2012
Disclaimer: I received an ARC via Netgalley. Receiving said ARC made me squeal in glee. Whatever power at Penguin books said let her have it, I love you.
There is something about the Joanne Harris and her books that are set in France. Every time you read one of them, you want to eat. It’s not that want a new, rich piece of decadent cake feeling. It’s a sit in the garden, open a bottle of wine, and have a nice dinner with family and friends type of feeling. The type of situation where the talk is just as important as the food. It’s a nice cool night. No bugs. There’s a fire and a lot laughter. The food is good and honest. The wine not too expensive, but not cheap either.
That’s this book.
This book, more than The Girl with No Shadow, is the true follow up to Chocolat. The threads that Chocolat left that weren’t touched on in Shadow are dealt with here. This book is far less forced in feeling than Shadow. Whether true or not, Shadow felt like it was written because of the movie’s popularity. Peaches feels like a fruit growing from a well loved tree. It is a gift to readers.
After living with Roux, Anouk, Rosette, and Bam in Paris, Vianne finds herself called back to Lansquenet-sous-Tannes after receiving a letter from the dead. She returns to the village with her children, but without Roux who doesn’t want to come and discovers that things have changed yet again, and Father Reynard stands accused of a crime that very few in the village think he is innocent of.
And this sense of change is the heart of the novel as is the question of innocence.
The change in Lansquenet at first blush seems to be due to the arrival of Muslim immigrants who once adapted to the town life, but then began to stand out by becoming too conservative, especially in terms of female dress, an issue that is debated in many countries in Europe today. Relations have gotten so bad that Father Reynard stands accused of burning down a Muslim school housed in Vianne’s former chocolate shop. The resentment of the long time residents and new arrivals, the clash of immigrant and old timer, is one that is seen in most places. If it is not seen in your city, you see it somewhere in your country. Harris captures this conflict of feelings and tumult very well from both sides. She evens brings it up in terms of the church at Lansquenet with the addition of a priest who uses PowerPoint slides in his sermons.
It is difficult when reading this novel to not think of the 2005 riots in Paris as well as the debates about veil and burqa in France. Harris, however, moves beyond such debates and concerns. While the idea of immigrant is present, it is used to deal with the idea of what seems to be versus what is. It is not only the townspeople and the new arrivals that must deal with their prejudices, but Vianne as well. It is this flaw in character that makes Vianne totally human and not the saint that some in the book accuse of being. It is her problem with seeing what is versus what seems that leads to some of the tension in the book, tension and questions that Harris supports with a good foundation.
The use of this theme is illustrated not just in the character of Father Reynard but in his counterpart at the mosque, in the family of Said, in the character of Ines, and in the cat who has three homes. (Reminds me of a cat I know).
The theme resonates because the reader comes to the book with certain pre-convinced ideas, ideas that Harris challenges and ideas that are not just about immigration. It is a question of dreams and reality, of judgment and courage, a question of who we as a people are, and what makes a community.
Harris tackles religion in this book, not just Islam but Catholicism as well. This is a brave book because Harris doesn’t fall into the conservative versus liberal fallacy. Both conservatives and liberals in terms of religion are being admired if not liked here.
Additionally, it is though the reader’s view of such terms as applied to religion that Harris makes good use of what seems and then turns it on its head. For instance, Father Reynard is both as conservative and more liberal than he was in Chocolat, and his potential replacement does come across as a perverti as one character call him. Yet, liberal ideas in terms of religion are also present, and the villain is a villain because of the world view, not because of religion. It isn’t religion be it liberal or conservative that is evil, but an idea held by a person and used to do harm that is evil. In this sense, as well as in the climax of the book, Harris harkens back to her earlier works such as Sleep Pale Sister and Holy Fools.
But what is most powerful about this book, besides the character of Vianne, is the food which becomes as in Chocolat another character in the richly woven tapestry. Here the food becomes two additional characters because in addition to the traditional French fare (here I’m including the chocolate), Harris includes Middle Eastern food. The food, both types, becomes another symbol in this rich novel. You’ll want to go to a French café one night and a Moroccan cafe the next.
Many of the characters from the first book are present here and new ones, just as vivid, are introduced. Harris excels at capturing young girls in fiction, and Vianne’s daughters are given new companions here. Vianne’s return to Lansquenet is also the reader’s return to old friends and by-ways. This is a worthy successor to the magic that was in Chocolat, and is far more daring in scope than that novel.
P.S. - I will be buying the published copy of this book. I will buy it in hardcover. It's that good.
There is something about the Joanne Harris and her books that are set in France. Every time you read one of them, you want to eat. It’s not that want a new, rich piece of decadent cake feeling. It’s a sit in the garden, open a bottle of wine, and have a nice dinner with family and friends type of feeling. The type of situation where the talk is just as important as the food. It’s a nice cool night. No bugs. There’s a fire and a lot laughter. The food is good and honest. The wine not too expensive, but not cheap either.
That’s this book.
This book, more than The Girl with No Shadow, is the true follow up to Chocolat. The threads that Chocolat left that weren’t touched on in Shadow are dealt with here. This book is far less forced in feeling than Shadow. Whether true or not, Shadow felt like it was written because of the movie’s popularity. Peaches feels like a fruit growing from a well loved tree. It is a gift to readers.
After living with Roux, Anouk, Rosette, and Bam in Paris, Vianne finds herself called back to Lansquenet-sous-Tannes after receiving a letter from the dead. She returns to the village with her children, but without Roux who doesn’t want to come and discovers that things have changed yet again, and Father Reynard stands accused of a crime that very few in the village think he is innocent of.
And this sense of change is the heart of the novel as is the question of innocence.
The change in Lansquenet at first blush seems to be due to the arrival of Muslim immigrants who once adapted to the town life, but then began to stand out by becoming too conservative, especially in terms of female dress, an issue that is debated in many countries in Europe today. Relations have gotten so bad that Father Reynard stands accused of burning down a Muslim school housed in Vianne’s former chocolate shop. The resentment of the long time residents and new arrivals, the clash of immigrant and old timer, is one that is seen in most places. If it is not seen in your city, you see it somewhere in your country. Harris captures this conflict of feelings and tumult very well from both sides. She evens brings it up in terms of the church at Lansquenet with the addition of a priest who uses PowerPoint slides in his sermons.
It is difficult when reading this novel to not think of the 2005 riots in Paris as well as the debates about veil and burqa in France. Harris, however, moves beyond such debates and concerns. While the idea of immigrant is present, it is used to deal with the idea of what seems to be versus what is. It is not only the townspeople and the new arrivals that must deal with their prejudices, but Vianne as well. It is this flaw in character that makes Vianne totally human and not the saint that some in the book accuse of being. It is her problem with seeing what is versus what seems that leads to some of the tension in the book, tension and questions that Harris supports with a good foundation.
The use of this theme is illustrated not just in the character of Father Reynard but in his counterpart at the mosque, in the family of Said, in the character of Ines, and in the cat who has three homes. (Reminds me of a cat I know).
The theme resonates because the reader comes to the book with certain pre-convinced ideas, ideas that Harris challenges and ideas that are not just about immigration. It is a question of dreams and reality, of judgment and courage, a question of who we as a people are, and what makes a community.
Harris tackles religion in this book, not just Islam but Catholicism as well. This is a brave book because Harris doesn’t fall into the conservative versus liberal fallacy. Both conservatives and liberals in terms of religion are being admired if not liked here.
Additionally, it is though the reader’s view of such terms as applied to religion that Harris makes good use of what seems and then turns it on its head. For instance, Father Reynard is both as conservative and more liberal than he was in Chocolat, and his potential replacement does come across as a perverti as one character call him. Yet, liberal ideas in terms of religion are also present, and the villain is a villain because of the world view, not because of religion. It isn’t religion be it liberal or conservative that is evil, but an idea held by a person and used to do harm that is evil. In this sense, as well as in the climax of the book, Harris harkens back to her earlier works such as Sleep Pale Sister and Holy Fools.
But what is most powerful about this book, besides the character of Vianne, is the food which becomes as in Chocolat another character in the richly woven tapestry. Here the food becomes two additional characters because in addition to the traditional French fare (here I’m including the chocolate), Harris includes Middle Eastern food. The food, both types, becomes another symbol in this rich novel. You’ll want to go to a French café one night and a Moroccan cafe the next.
Many of the characters from the first book are present here and new ones, just as vivid, are introduced. Harris excels at capturing young girls in fiction, and Vianne’s daughters are given new companions here. Vianne’s return to Lansquenet is also the reader’s return to old friends and by-ways. This is a worthy successor to the magic that was in Chocolat, and is far more daring in scope than that novel.
P.S. - I will be buying the published copy of this book. I will buy it in hardcover. It's that good.
June 14, 2012
When Peaches for Monsieur le Curé landed on my doorstep for review I wasn't particularly enthusiastic. I remembered seeing the movie Chocolat quite some years ago (purely because Johnny Depp starred) and not being overly impressed, however with a few pages of this novel I was hooked and hated having to put it down, even briefly.
Peaches for Monsieur le Curé is the third book in the Chocolat series, following on from Chocolat and The Girl with No Shadow. Vianne, Roux, Anouk and Rosette are living in Paris when a letter arrives from Luc Clairmont within which is a letter from Armande, despite her death more than 8 years before. In it, Armande pleads for Vianne to return to Lansquenet with the conviction that that the townspeople need her once again. With some trepidation, Vianne and her daughters do as Armande asks, only to discover a village divided and her old rival, Monsieur Reynaud le Curé in trouble. The wind is restless as are the people and this time, Vianne's magic may not be enough to unite the people of Lansquenet.
Joanne Harris conjures the town of Lansquenet and its people so wonderfully, I was immediately entranced by the novel. I enjoyed being introduced to the author's versions of the characters, admiring Vianne's spirit and desire to create peace between the French and growing community of les Maghrébins (Muslims) who have established themselves at the fringes of the town. I even came to like Monsieur le Curé, despite his stiff necked ways.
Peaches for Monsieur le Curé sensitively explores themes such as religious difference, tolerance, change and the meaning of home. The 'war' between the (Catholic)French and Muslims is portrayed without disrespecting either religion, as Vianne tries to determine what is at the heart of the conflict.
For Vianne the changes in Lansquent are disorientating at first, not only the development of Les Marauds, but also the changes in the people she once knew so well, like Josephine and Reynaud. Vianne's experiences in Lansquanet forces her to consider if in always seeking change, Vianne has simply been running away.
It is food in general, rather than Vianne's chocolates, that unites the people of this story, from the peaches growing in the garden of Armande's house where Vianne and her daughters are living, to the feasts served at sundown in Les Marauds. Harris's descriptions of the food, the sight, smell and taste is wonderfully evocative.
I was surprised at the rather fundamental differences between Harris characters and those in the movie of Chocolat, for example Reynaud is the town mayor in the movie, but a priest in the book. Co-incidentally, Chocolat was shown on television the night after I finished Peaches for Monsieur le Cure so I watched and was disappointed with the lack of whimsy and nuance in the film (though, Johnny Depp *sigh*).
Peaches for Monsieur le Curé (titled Peaches for Father Frances in the US) is a delicious read. I adored the subtle touch of magical realism, the lyricism of the writing, the fascinating characters and engrossing story and plan to read the first two books as soon as I can. Charming, delightful, magical, Peaches for Monsieur le Curé is a wonderful read.
NB: Australian Release Date June 1st (Random House Australia)
Peaches for Monsieur le Curé is the third book in the Chocolat series, following on from Chocolat and The Girl with No Shadow. Vianne, Roux, Anouk and Rosette are living in Paris when a letter arrives from Luc Clairmont within which is a letter from Armande, despite her death more than 8 years before. In it, Armande pleads for Vianne to return to Lansquenet with the conviction that that the townspeople need her once again. With some trepidation, Vianne and her daughters do as Armande asks, only to discover a village divided and her old rival, Monsieur Reynaud le Curé in trouble. The wind is restless as are the people and this time, Vianne's magic may not be enough to unite the people of Lansquenet.
Joanne Harris conjures the town of Lansquenet and its people so wonderfully, I was immediately entranced by the novel. I enjoyed being introduced to the author's versions of the characters, admiring Vianne's spirit and desire to create peace between the French and growing community of les Maghrébins (Muslims) who have established themselves at the fringes of the town. I even came to like Monsieur le Curé, despite his stiff necked ways.
Peaches for Monsieur le Curé sensitively explores themes such as religious difference, tolerance, change and the meaning of home. The 'war' between the (Catholic)French and Muslims is portrayed without disrespecting either religion, as Vianne tries to determine what is at the heart of the conflict.
For Vianne the changes in Lansquent are disorientating at first, not only the development of Les Marauds, but also the changes in the people she once knew so well, like Josephine and Reynaud. Vianne's experiences in Lansquanet forces her to consider if in always seeking change, Vianne has simply been running away.
It is food in general, rather than Vianne's chocolates, that unites the people of this story, from the peaches growing in the garden of Armande's house where Vianne and her daughters are living, to the feasts served at sundown in Les Marauds. Harris's descriptions of the food, the sight, smell and taste is wonderfully evocative.
I was surprised at the rather fundamental differences between Harris characters and those in the movie of Chocolat, for example Reynaud is the town mayor in the movie, but a priest in the book. Co-incidentally, Chocolat was shown on television the night after I finished Peaches for Monsieur le Cure so I watched and was disappointed with the lack of whimsy and nuance in the film (though, Johnny Depp *sigh*).
Peaches for Monsieur le Curé (titled Peaches for Father Frances in the US) is a delicious read. I adored the subtle touch of magical realism, the lyricism of the writing, the fascinating characters and engrossing story and plan to read the first two books as soon as I can. Charming, delightful, magical, Peaches for Monsieur le Curé is a wonderful read.
NB: Australian Release Date June 1st (Random House Australia)
February 2, 2024
Have you ever received a letter from the dead? Well, Vianne Rocher did and that is where the story began…
This book was so different to the previous 2 and not what I was expecting at all. Although, it’s probably a good thing to keep the story interesting and engaging.I found it highly addictive, as I have with all of Joanne’s books. There was a strong sense of mystery throughout this book and I truly felt myself on the end of my seat just waiting for an explosion (not literally)…
It’s so nice to read about Vianne again and see that Vianne is with the one she loves the most and that another daughter, Rosette, has appeared on the scene; she is just like Anouk, who you can’t help but love. Anouk is a teenager now but she slips in and out of childhood and adulthood so smoothly. She is still her adorable little self.
As usual Vianne follows the change of the wind and like the wind, life delights in taking us to places we least expect to go changing direction all the time, so that beggars are crowned, kings fall, love fades to indifference, and sworn enemies, go to the grave, hand-in-hand in friendship.
I thought the plot of this book was a lot more thought-provoking than her previous books; choosing to talk about challenging topics. Joanne did a brilliant job at describing the religious issues that tear families and communities apart in all parts of the world. Joanne provokes prejudice in many of the characters in various different ways leading to fires, riots and killings. This really was an incredibly absorbing and sensitively written book.
Yet along side the seriousness there is a sense of joy, comfort, compassion and of course chocolate!!
My only criticism was I thought there were too many characters. I don’t do well with lots of names especially when they are difficult to pronounce names. However, it didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment of the book.
I would happily challenge anyone to read this series and not gain some form of enjoyment from it. It is just utterly charming from start to finish. Another winner for sure! And THAT is the series complete 😞
This book was so different to the previous 2 and not what I was expecting at all. Although, it’s probably a good thing to keep the story interesting and engaging.I found it highly addictive, as I have with all of Joanne’s books. There was a strong sense of mystery throughout this book and I truly felt myself on the end of my seat just waiting for an explosion (not literally)…
It’s so nice to read about Vianne again and see that Vianne is with the one she loves the most and that another daughter, Rosette, has appeared on the scene; she is just like Anouk, who you can’t help but love. Anouk is a teenager now but she slips in and out of childhood and adulthood so smoothly. She is still her adorable little self.
As usual Vianne follows the change of the wind and like the wind, life delights in taking us to places we least expect to go changing direction all the time, so that beggars are crowned, kings fall, love fades to indifference, and sworn enemies, go to the grave, hand-in-hand in friendship.
I thought the plot of this book was a lot more thought-provoking than her previous books; choosing to talk about challenging topics. Joanne did a brilliant job at describing the religious issues that tear families and communities apart in all parts of the world. Joanne provokes prejudice in many of the characters in various different ways leading to fires, riots and killings. This really was an incredibly absorbing and sensitively written book.
Yet along side the seriousness there is a sense of joy, comfort, compassion and of course chocolate!!
My only criticism was I thought there were too many characters. I don’t do well with lots of names especially when they are difficult to pronounce names. However, it didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment of the book.
I would happily challenge anyone to read this series and not gain some form of enjoyment from it. It is just utterly charming from start to finish. Another winner for sure! And THAT is the series complete 😞
December 30, 2012
I am fascinated by the character of Vianne Rocher, not least because I live with her real counterpart! And rarely, at least in my experience, has an author created a character who so evidently has a life of her own. But, if Vianne seems to have 'channelled' her way into Joanne Harris' writing, she has also brought it to greater and greater heights. Peaches for Monsieur le Curé is the third book in the Chocolat series, yet without a doubt the most exquisite. The first few pages are sheer poetry, transporting the reader in a magical way, with just enough literary artifice and a happy absence of literary pretension (comparable, I would suggest, to the opening of Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's). This, without a doubt, is the kind of writing I would like to be able to do if I were a novelist (but, since I'm not, it simply has me on my knees).
The plot is ingeniously crafted. I tend to become impatient with novels that introduce extraneous plotlines that lead nowhere, or that end in an underwhelming manner (it seems a poor return for the effort of reading). However, in this respect, Peaches for Monsieur le Curé is as tight as a good thriller; it pays to attend to the small details. In addition Joanne Harris shows considerable psychological insight in the details from which she constructs her characters. They are beautifully observed and mirror interesting aspects of ourselves.
Chocolat took place during the fast of Lent, and explored the theme of sensuality versus abstinence. For Vianne's return to Lansquenet-sous-Tannes Harris chose to set the story during Ramadan, wittily echoing the first book while simultaneously exploring some of the big differences between Catholic and Muslim sensibilities (and in her sensuous descriptions of food, Moroccan and French, Harris will have your mouth watering!). Once again Vianne and Pere Reynaud are the principal protagonists. But this time Monsieur le Curé, despite his ongoing struggle with acceptance and tolerance, is not the villain: he is, instead, the rather misunderstood victim (and Vianne his initially unwitting helper). It is a clever plot twist. And one that allows Harris to play with our sensibilities, catching us off balance as she shows how - in forming quick judgments of him - we are actually not all that different from him.
This is a book from a writer who is at the top of her game, and I heartily recommend it.
The plot is ingeniously crafted. I tend to become impatient with novels that introduce extraneous plotlines that lead nowhere, or that end in an underwhelming manner (it seems a poor return for the effort of reading). However, in this respect, Peaches for Monsieur le Curé is as tight as a good thriller; it pays to attend to the small details. In addition Joanne Harris shows considerable psychological insight in the details from which she constructs her characters. They are beautifully observed and mirror interesting aspects of ourselves.
Chocolat took place during the fast of Lent, and explored the theme of sensuality versus abstinence. For Vianne's return to Lansquenet-sous-Tannes Harris chose to set the story during Ramadan, wittily echoing the first book while simultaneously exploring some of the big differences between Catholic and Muslim sensibilities (and in her sensuous descriptions of food, Moroccan and French, Harris will have your mouth watering!). Once again Vianne and Pere Reynaud are the principal protagonists. But this time Monsieur le Curé, despite his ongoing struggle with acceptance and tolerance, is not the villain: he is, instead, the rather misunderstood victim (and Vianne his initially unwitting helper). It is a clever plot twist. And one that allows Harris to play with our sensibilities, catching us off balance as she shows how - in forming quick judgments of him - we are actually not all that different from him.
This is a book from a writer who is at the top of her game, and I heartily recommend it.
June 21, 2012
For me, the problem with that book is similar to one with Blueeyedboy: there is not enough of the story. Actually, I think that in BEB there was no story to speak of, only inventions for the sake of them, and here there could well have been, should the narration be more straightforward and not so struggling for being “intriguing”, even if that means improbable character or plot development. As to the protagonist, I’d rather had someone new – with all my love for Vianne, her story was fully exhausted in Lollipop Shoes, and here it was just squeezed dry, with Roux becoming a totally cardboard figure. And the style is simply grating, what with endless semicolons, rhetoric questions, overuse of ‘still’ and ‘yet’. All this makes me very sad, because Harris used to by one of my favorite writers. But one thing makes me angry - namely, the misuse of serious social and cultural problems “raised” in the novel. I love fiction, and of course it is more than proper for fiction to speak of very serious matters, but this book manipulates them to fit the scheme of good people making food not war.
June 23, 2024
“To belong so often means to exclude; to think in terms of us and them - two little words that, juxtaposed, so often lead to conflict."
This book is much darker than I remember it the first time around. I read it when it was first released back in 2012 and I recall reading it on my work commute and thinking how clever Joanne Harris was to be showing how utterly frustrating we are when we dislike each other based on religious and/or cultural identity. And yet, here we are…
It’s eight years since Vianne Rocher left us in the book The Lollipop Shoes. A letter from a dear friend from her past beckons her to return to the tiny town of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes. Though seemingly happily settled on a riverboat on the Seine in Paris with her love Roux and two daughters, the winds that first drew her to Lansquenet are beckoning for her to return. She is feeling restless and needs to find out if it’s the White Autun (white wind) or Black Autun (Black wind) that is making her feel this way. As both have very different outcomes.
"Some places change so completely that I can hardly believe I was there at all."
Settling into her old friend Armand’s home which has an ancient peach tree in the garden, Vianne along with Anouk (now fifteen) and Rosette (now eight) find Lansquenet much changed. For their tiny town has been divided literally along the sides of the river that runs through it. On the one side is the austere building of the Catholic church with families that have lived there for generations, and on the other is a new and bustling community of immigrants from various nations, come to seek sanctuary and a new life. Church bells ringing on one side, calls to prayer on the other.
There is mistrust and misunderstandings between the two communities, as several crucial events unfold. Tradition and moving forward being wanted by some, while retaining identity and the current status quo are questioned. The magic from the earlier books in the series is still there, but only appears occasionally. There is a lot of unease throughout and questions about assimilation and women’s rights.
" - could it be that both sides of this conflict are jumping at shadows of themselves?"
The darker undercurrent is broken with light moments of humour as only the mouths of babes can provide, with Rosette and her new friend Maya proving that you don’t have to be the same to enjoy each other's company. And there’s some glorious foodie moments with jam being slowly and lovingly made with the peaches from the old peach tree. Just as the Winter winds begin to blow through.
"And now that wind was blowing again. Blowing from beyond the grave, prettily scented with peaches -"
I enjoyed this as Joanne Harris’ writing never fails to impress me. Though I have to admit it took me longer to finish than I was expecting. I’ve no doubt that the state of the world at the moment has contributed to that.
Peaches for Monsieur le Curé is book three of the Chocolat series, which concludes with The Strawberry Thief, which I hope to read soon.
This book is much darker than I remember it the first time around. I read it when it was first released back in 2012 and I recall reading it on my work commute and thinking how clever Joanne Harris was to be showing how utterly frustrating we are when we dislike each other based on religious and/or cultural identity. And yet, here we are…
It’s eight years since Vianne Rocher left us in the book The Lollipop Shoes. A letter from a dear friend from her past beckons her to return to the tiny town of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes. Though seemingly happily settled on a riverboat on the Seine in Paris with her love Roux and two daughters, the winds that first drew her to Lansquenet are beckoning for her to return. She is feeling restless and needs to find out if it’s the White Autun (white wind) or Black Autun (Black wind) that is making her feel this way. As both have very different outcomes.
"Some places change so completely that I can hardly believe I was there at all."
Settling into her old friend Armand’s home which has an ancient peach tree in the garden, Vianne along with Anouk (now fifteen) and Rosette (now eight) find Lansquenet much changed. For their tiny town has been divided literally along the sides of the river that runs through it. On the one side is the austere building of the Catholic church with families that have lived there for generations, and on the other is a new and bustling community of immigrants from various nations, come to seek sanctuary and a new life. Church bells ringing on one side, calls to prayer on the other.
There is mistrust and misunderstandings between the two communities, as several crucial events unfold. Tradition and moving forward being wanted by some, while retaining identity and the current status quo are questioned. The magic from the earlier books in the series is still there, but only appears occasionally. There is a lot of unease throughout and questions about assimilation and women’s rights.
" - could it be that both sides of this conflict are jumping at shadows of themselves?"
The darker undercurrent is broken with light moments of humour as only the mouths of babes can provide, with Rosette and her new friend Maya proving that you don’t have to be the same to enjoy each other's company. And there’s some glorious foodie moments with jam being slowly and lovingly made with the peaches from the old peach tree. Just as the Winter winds begin to blow through.
"And now that wind was blowing again. Blowing from beyond the grave, prettily scented with peaches -"
I enjoyed this as Joanne Harris’ writing never fails to impress me. Though I have to admit it took me longer to finish than I was expecting. I’ve no doubt that the state of the world at the moment has contributed to that.
Peaches for Monsieur le Curé is book three of the Chocolat series, which concludes with The Strawberry Thief, which I hope to read soon.
July 15, 2022
Setting: Lansquenet, S.W. France; Ramadan (10 August-8 September) - In this third book in the series, Vianne Rocher is drawn away from her Paris life when she receives a letter from her dead friend Armande, encouraging her to return to her former home in the village of Lansquenet (the location of her chocolate shop in Chocolat) where, the letter claims, her help is needed.
Things have moved on in the eight years she has been away. The former 'slum' area of Les Marauds is now home to an enclave of Moroccan Muslims and an old tannery has been converted to a mosque, complete with minaret. Relations between the two communities are tense, not helped by her former nemesis, Father Reynaud, being accused of starting a fire at Vianne's former shop, then being used as a school for Muslim girls.
Vianne, along with her daughters Anouk and Rosette, moves into Armande's former home, now owned by her son, Luc, and soon finds herself drawn into the apparent struggle between the two communities. As always, Vianne sees the best in people and tries to encourage open-mindedness in both factions....
Told from the points of view of Vianne and Father Reynaud, this was another gripping and thrilling instalment in the Chocolat saga, but with all the usual sagas of daily life and, of course, the making of chocolates! The author has presented a balanced view of the problems facing migrant communities when confronted by prejudice and misunderstanding and has also painted a totally different picture of Vianne's former adversary, Father Reynaud, which made this another absorbing read.
Looking back at my review of the previous book, The Lollipop Shoes, which I also rated as 5 stars, I see it has been over three years since I read that one but I was still easily able to reconnect with the array of larger-than-life characters that populate this series and am looking forward to the next one to see what is next for Vianne and her children - 9.5/10.
Things have moved on in the eight years she has been away. The former 'slum' area of Les Marauds is now home to an enclave of Moroccan Muslims and an old tannery has been converted to a mosque, complete with minaret. Relations between the two communities are tense, not helped by her former nemesis, Father Reynaud, being accused of starting a fire at Vianne's former shop, then being used as a school for Muslim girls.
Vianne, along with her daughters Anouk and Rosette, moves into Armande's former home, now owned by her son, Luc, and soon finds herself drawn into the apparent struggle between the two communities. As always, Vianne sees the best in people and tries to encourage open-mindedness in both factions....
Told from the points of view of Vianne and Father Reynaud, this was another gripping and thrilling instalment in the Chocolat saga, but with all the usual sagas of daily life and, of course, the making of chocolates! The author has presented a balanced view of the problems facing migrant communities when confronted by prejudice and misunderstanding and has also painted a totally different picture of Vianne's former adversary, Father Reynaud, which made this another absorbing read.
Looking back at my review of the previous book, The Lollipop Shoes, which I also rated as 5 stars, I see it has been over three years since I read that one but I was still easily able to reconnect with the array of larger-than-life characters that populate this series and am looking forward to the next one to see what is next for Vianne and her children - 9.5/10.
August 28, 2012
Oh I do love Joanne Harris. Actually more to the point I love Vianne Rocher. How can this book not be a resounding success? When it starts with "someone once told me that, in France alone, a quarter of a million letters are delivered every year to the dead. What she didn't tell me is that sometimes the dead write back." now if that doesn't grab you, there's something wrong with you!
Things have changed in Lansquenet. It's been eight years since Vianne opened her chocolate shop. At the urging of a letter written by Armande - and the changing winds - she returns to the village. It's a very different one, in the middle of a war between Muslim and Christian, the old Catholic church and the new, traditional and modern, freedom and repression, men and women, parents and children. But everything is not what is seems. Between Vianne and Father Reynauld, the truth will be found.
A delightful, easy, engaging read with characters we've met before and new ones to keep us guessing, Joanne Harris is a wonderful author. Hopefully she writes again about Vianne and Roux. Perhaps a book about Anouk or Rosette, particularly the perspective of the latter. Such unusual and interesting characters, there's a story in this book for everyone. Oh, and of course, there's chocolate. :)
Things have changed in Lansquenet. It's been eight years since Vianne opened her chocolate shop. At the urging of a letter written by Armande - and the changing winds - she returns to the village. It's a very different one, in the middle of a war between Muslim and Christian, the old Catholic church and the new, traditional and modern, freedom and repression, men and women, parents and children. But everything is not what is seems. Between Vianne and Father Reynauld, the truth will be found.
A delightful, easy, engaging read with characters we've met before and new ones to keep us guessing, Joanne Harris is a wonderful author. Hopefully she writes again about Vianne and Roux. Perhaps a book about Anouk or Rosette, particularly the perspective of the latter. Such unusual and interesting characters, there's a story in this book for everyone. Oh, and of course, there's chocolate. :)
February 25, 2013
I'm still not sure I really wanted anything more to be added to Chocolat -- remembering my second read of The Lollipop Shoes leaves me distinctly unimpressed, however compelling Joanne Harris makes her writing while you're actually reading it -- but as usual I was bewitched for a while. I'm not entirely certain about the choice of topic: it's always tempting for white women to take on the subject of the niqab, and of the position of women in Muslim communities. I even understand the temptation. But I'm not sure it's a good thing when we need those women to tell their own stories if we want to understand.
Still, the issue of race and religion in France is a current one, and Joanne Harris put her finger right on it. And Vianne was her enchanting self, and even Reynaud was, this time, a character you could sympathise with and even come to love a little. The magic of food and the importance of community were well-portrayed, as usual, and Harris' usual gift for describing said food and making you want to eat it was on display.
Enjoyable enough to read, but. Perhaps best not thought about too much.
Still, the issue of race and religion in France is a current one, and Joanne Harris put her finger right on it. And Vianne was her enchanting self, and even Reynaud was, this time, a character you could sympathise with and even come to love a little. The magic of food and the importance of community were well-portrayed, as usual, and Harris' usual gift for describing said food and making you want to eat it was on display.
Enjoyable enough to read, but. Perhaps best not thought about too much.
November 22, 2020
Nov 21, 1030pm ~~ Review asap.
Nov 22, 315pm ~~ Joanne Harris has written (as of this date) four books featuring Vianne Rocher, the intriguing character from Chocolat. When I decided to re-read the first two I learned about the other two, and I have been reading them one right after the other for the past couple of weeks.
That may not have been such a good idea. Because the first two were still so fresh in my mind, I became exasperated with the frequent referrals here to people and events from the other books. I also noticed little discrepancies that I might not have thought about if I had waited six years in between books to read. These things kept me from immersing myself into the story, and I had been SO curious about what would happen when Vianne returned to the village of Lansquenet.
As it turned out, what happened was not as spectacular as I thought it might be. The book follows the same basic outline as Chocolat. Vianne arrives in town, only this time she is greeted as an old and dear friend. But there is trouble afoot, radiating not from a mysterious Man In Black this time, but from a mysterious Woman In Black. Who is she and what does she want? She came for a wedding, but why won't she go away?
In Chocolat, Vianne gave refuge to the wife of the man who ran the local cafe. Here she gives refuge to another woman hoping to escape an impossible situation. Vianne charmed every one with her magic chocolates in the earlier book. Here she starts with peaches, moving eventually to the chocolate.
See what I mean about reading these books too closely together? I saw the pattern instead of the story. I hate when that happens.
And speaking of story, this one, quite frankly, dragged for me. There was a change in narrator with nearly every chapter, just like the other two books. But nothing seemed to happen for the entire first half. We were all thinking about the past and wondering about the Woman In Black. Over and over again.
To tell the truth, I skimmed here and there. I just couldn't take the constant setting up of the story as opposed to telling the darned thing.
Not at all my favorite.
Nov 22, 315pm ~~ Joanne Harris has written (as of this date) four books featuring Vianne Rocher, the intriguing character from Chocolat. When I decided to re-read the first two I learned about the other two, and I have been reading them one right after the other for the past couple of weeks.
That may not have been such a good idea. Because the first two were still so fresh in my mind, I became exasperated with the frequent referrals here to people and events from the other books. I also noticed little discrepancies that I might not have thought about if I had waited six years in between books to read. These things kept me from immersing myself into the story, and I had been SO curious about what would happen when Vianne returned to the village of Lansquenet.
As it turned out, what happened was not as spectacular as I thought it might be. The book follows the same basic outline as Chocolat. Vianne arrives in town, only this time she is greeted as an old and dear friend. But there is trouble afoot, radiating not from a mysterious Man In Black this time, but from a mysterious Woman In Black. Who is she and what does she want? She came for a wedding, but why won't she go away?
In Chocolat, Vianne gave refuge to the wife of the man who ran the local cafe. Here she gives refuge to another woman hoping to escape an impossible situation. Vianne charmed every one with her magic chocolates in the earlier book. Here she starts with peaches, moving eventually to the chocolate.
See what I mean about reading these books too closely together? I saw the pattern instead of the story. I hate when that happens.
And speaking of story, this one, quite frankly, dragged for me. There was a change in narrator with nearly every chapter, just like the other two books. But nothing seemed to happen for the entire first half. We were all thinking about the past and wondering about the Woman In Black. Over and over again.
To tell the truth, I skimmed here and there. I just couldn't take the constant setting up of the story as opposed to telling the darned thing.
Not at all my favorite.
October 17, 2021
It took a long time for this story to catch my interest - at least half the book, and the whole time I wondered if it was really heading in the direction it seemed to be heading. It was.
Vianne, Anouk and Rosette were living contentedly (but not happily) in Paris with Roux and his houseboat until a letter arrives from Armaud, a little old woman from Lansquenet. It has been eight long years since she left, and the letter explains that Armaud is dying. She asks Vianne to return and help save someone else's life. Naturally, Armaud doesn't specify who needs saving...
When the family returns without Roux, they find the biggest change is that a community of Muslims has moved into the town. The mosque's minaret is as tall as the Catholic church's steeple and women walk here and there in burkas, avoiding everybody else. Vianne does her best to make friends with the newcomers, with mixed results. The warmest welcome comes from the eldest Muslims, while the younger ones - it's so hard to tell how old someone is with their face hidden - directly tell Vianne they do not want to know her, her children, or anybody else from the town. Well!
It turns out there are big secrets within the new community, and they are desperate to keep them hidden. Vianne, with the help of fresh peaches and homemade chocolate confections, will have to use every trick she knows to get to the bottom of things.
I didn't expect Joanne Harris to court controversy , but she managed it with Peaches. Oh there were hints of what was to come in the final chapters, but I still doubted she'd really go there - right up until I read it.
This novel and The Girl with No Shadow / The Lollipop Shoes both pale in comparison to the original Chocolat, which was absolute perfection. Up next is The Strawberry Thief, supposedly the last of the Vianne Rocher novels.
Vianne, Anouk and Rosette were living contentedly (but not happily) in Paris with Roux and his houseboat until a letter arrives from Armaud, a little old woman from Lansquenet. It has been eight long years since she left, and the letter explains that Armaud is dying. She asks Vianne to return and help save someone else's life. Naturally, Armaud doesn't specify who needs saving...
When the family returns without Roux, they find the biggest change is that a community of Muslims has moved into the town. The mosque's minaret is as tall as the Catholic church's steeple and women walk here and there in burkas, avoiding everybody else. Vianne does her best to make friends with the newcomers, with mixed results. The warmest welcome comes from the eldest Muslims, while the younger ones - it's so hard to tell how old someone is with their face hidden - directly tell Vianne they do not want to know her, her children, or anybody else from the town. Well!
It turns out there are big secrets within the new community, and they are desperate to keep them hidden. Vianne, with the help of fresh peaches and homemade chocolate confections, will have to use every trick she knows to get to the bottom of things.
I didn't expect Joanne Harris to court controversy , but she managed it with Peaches. Oh there were hints of what was to come in the final chapters, but I still doubted she'd really go there - right up until I read it.
This novel and The Girl with No Shadow / The Lollipop Shoes both pale in comparison to the original Chocolat, which was absolute perfection. Up next is The Strawberry Thief, supposedly the last of the Vianne Rocher novels.
February 3, 2019
Guys I'm throwing a chocolate party! All invited. Only two rules. You should bring a fictional character as a date and that shouldn't be Sirius. He's mine!
I'll make my super-duper brownies. Candy supply is from Wonka from Chocolate factory. Vianne is making her special chocolates. Missis Weasley is cooking. I'll try to negotiate with Weasley's Wizard Wheezes for some fun stuff, but don't promise anything. I almost wanted to have Peeves, but then thought better of it (I don't want all of you to go home covered in chocolate as fondu fruits).
Why I was here? Oh yeah, Peaches for Monsieur Le Curé was wonderful. I almost cried. Second favourite from series after first one.
I'll make my super-duper brownies. Candy supply is from Wonka from Chocolate factory. Vianne is making her special chocolates. Missis Weasley is cooking. I'll try to negotiate with Weasley's Wizard Wheezes for some fun stuff, but don't promise anything. I almost wanted to have Peeves, but then thought better of it (I don't want all of you to go home covered in chocolate as fondu fruits).
Why I was here? Oh yeah, Peaches for Monsieur Le Curé was wonderful. I almost cried. Second favourite from series after first one.
October 11, 2012
I'll admit, I love Joanne Harris. I love Vianne Rocher, Anouk and Roux! Of course, Roux. This was a five star read as soon as I heard about it. And it doesn't disappoint, for the most part.
Vianne gets a letter from a dead Armande, asking her to get back to Lansquenet. For a visit she says. Vianne wants to go very much, but Roux is strangely reluctant. So she goes with her two daughters, unprepared to see the changes that Lansquenet has gone through during her absence. There are now Muslims in Les Marauds, and they don't get along with folks from Lansquenet. Their girl children wear forbidding niqabs, and they seem to be in the sway of a charismatic woman called Inès Bencharki. What's more, Vianne's old nemesis Francis Reynaud has trouble of his own. He's been dismissed from the curate pending an inquiry about a fire set to Inès' school (which is Vianne's old chocolaterie). His successor is a young man with too many teeth and a penchant for PowerPoint. He needs Vianne's help very badly. So she stays.
Other reviews have called this a brave book, and I agree. Harris treads a very fine line - her heroine is obviously on the side of mysticism and magic, and the people she is helping are both traditionalists of different religions. She argues for both liberalism and traditionalism, and I think the idea is for a middle ground. Pere Renaud's mirror image in Les Marauds - old Mahjoubi, is an eccentric who argues against niqab for women and reads Victor Hugo in spare time. His successor, his son Saïd, is more like the Curé, strict and forbidding. Obviously, old Mahjoubi is the one who gets our sympathy on that end. Typically, Harris also has rather sordid themes of child molestation and rape along with the main theme of tolerance.
I loved the new characters. Since Armande is dead, Harris cleverly brings in another similar old lady called Omi. She's very old, cares two hoots for the fasting of Ramadan, and is always ready with a coconut macaroon. And I loved the new kids - I loved Rosette, Vianne's child with Roux, who hardly talks but is a little bundle of energy. There's Pilou - Joséphine's son, who is awesome! There is Du'a, Inès' daughter, who is nothing like her mother. And there is Maya, who becomes Rosette's close friend. There are amusing situations involving a dog, (a nervous dog that bites and barks his head off for apparently no reason), a cat who lives in three homes and has four owners and is called Otto, Tati, Hazrat and Sputnik respectively. (For a town the size of Lansquenet, you'd think there would be more cats). And I loved Monsieur le Curé. He was the character with the best story arc, he was wonderful.
So what was my problem with this?
Nothing much happens for a good chunk of the story. It's understandable, there are so many new characters to introduce. But still. It takes a while for the story to get going.
Harris has heavy themes, but the end is a band-aid solution applied to the whole mess. The villain ruins lives of people who are still living and paying for it, and yet, at the end they celebrate with a huge party? What about Du'a? She was threatened by Karim, put on fire, saved by Inès and Roux, Inès dying at the end. Would she not be traumatized? What about Alyssa? Karim's sister-in-law who was raped by him? What about Sonia? She married Karim and is pregnant with his child? What about Saïd? Karim made a fool of him and raped his daughter. None of this is addressed at all. Nope, there has to be a party.
The old characters. Anouk was just there. Her place has been taken over by Rosette. Which is fine, but we are treated to a number of her thoughts without resolution. Roux. What was the point? He could not have been there at all. For three quarters of the book he's absent with Vianne suspecting him to be the father of Joséphine's child. (Note that she never bothers to ask). And then she knows he's not, and he comes back, Vianne still doesn't trust him. We also have no idea what he's thinking. For all the pages wasted on whether he was or was not involved with Joséphine, he's a very trivial character. Joséphine. She's slinks around Vianne, because she thinks she has disappointed her by having Paul's son. And there's some unresolved bull between her and Roux, and her and (wait for it) Reynaud. Nope, it's not resolved. Instead, an easy way out - Paul sees the light when he's told he's Pilou's papa. Uh-huh.
Those are nothing compared to Vianne. She gets everything wrong. And she's still helping somehow. She pretends to know everything, and to anyone who calls her out, she says she doesn't pretend to know everything. Was she this arrogant in Chocolat? I don't remember. She goes on and on about how she couldn't trust Roux, and even if finds out she can trust Roux, she cannot trust him. Because, he's apparently not hers to keep. Right Vianne, did you think he's an object to own all this time? She has the restless need to run away with the wind, but she says it's Roux who can't settle. Roux, who stayed in Lansquenet for four years more than her. Roux, who is a gypsy, but has settled with her in the Seine in Paris for four more. Does she stay in Lansquenet in the end? Her kids want her to stay. But, I'm pretty sure she's too selfish for that. This go around I hated Vianne. She remained unchanged in the eight years that she has been away. She's learned nothing. Going where the wind blows is endearing for only so long.
Still 3 stars for nostalgia and Monsieur le Curé.
Vianne gets a letter from a dead Armande, asking her to get back to Lansquenet. For a visit she says. Vianne wants to go very much, but Roux is strangely reluctant. So she goes with her two daughters, unprepared to see the changes that Lansquenet has gone through during her absence. There are now Muslims in Les Marauds, and they don't get along with folks from Lansquenet. Their girl children wear forbidding niqabs, and they seem to be in the sway of a charismatic woman called Inès Bencharki. What's more, Vianne's old nemesis Francis Reynaud has trouble of his own. He's been dismissed from the curate pending an inquiry about a fire set to Inès' school (which is Vianne's old chocolaterie). His successor is a young man with too many teeth and a penchant for PowerPoint. He needs Vianne's help very badly. So she stays.
Other reviews have called this a brave book, and I agree. Harris treads a very fine line - her heroine is obviously on the side of mysticism and magic, and the people she is helping are both traditionalists of different religions. She argues for both liberalism and traditionalism, and I think the idea is for a middle ground. Pere Renaud's mirror image in Les Marauds - old Mahjoubi, is an eccentric who argues against niqab for women and reads Victor Hugo in spare time. His successor, his son Saïd, is more like the Curé, strict and forbidding. Obviously, old Mahjoubi is the one who gets our sympathy on that end. Typically, Harris also has rather sordid themes of child molestation and rape along with the main theme of tolerance.
I loved the new characters. Since Armande is dead, Harris cleverly brings in another similar old lady called Omi. She's very old, cares two hoots for the fasting of Ramadan, and is always ready with a coconut macaroon. And I loved the new kids - I loved Rosette, Vianne's child with Roux, who hardly talks but is a little bundle of energy. There's Pilou - Joséphine's son, who is awesome! There is Du'a, Inès' daughter, who is nothing like her mother. And there is Maya, who becomes Rosette's close friend. There are amusing situations involving a dog, (a nervous dog that bites and barks his head off for apparently no reason), a cat who lives in three homes and has four owners and is called Otto, Tati, Hazrat and Sputnik respectively. (For a town the size of Lansquenet, you'd think there would be more cats). And I loved Monsieur le Curé. He was the character with the best story arc, he was wonderful.
So what was my problem with this?
Nothing much happens for a good chunk of the story. It's understandable, there are so many new characters to introduce. But still. It takes a while for the story to get going.
Harris has heavy themes, but the end is a band-aid solution applied to the whole mess. The villain ruins lives of people who are still living and paying for it, and yet, at the end they celebrate with a huge party? What about Du'a? She was threatened by Karim, put on fire, saved by Inès and Roux, Inès dying at the end. Would she not be traumatized? What about Alyssa? Karim's sister-in-law who was raped by him? What about Sonia? She married Karim and is pregnant with his child? What about Saïd? Karim made a fool of him and raped his daughter. None of this is addressed at all. Nope, there has to be a party.
The old characters. Anouk was just there. Her place has been taken over by Rosette. Which is fine, but we are treated to a number of her thoughts without resolution. Roux. What was the point? He could not have been there at all. For three quarters of the book he's absent with Vianne suspecting him to be the father of Joséphine's child. (Note that she never bothers to ask). And then she knows he's not, and he comes back, Vianne still doesn't trust him. We also have no idea what he's thinking. For all the pages wasted on whether he was or was not involved with Joséphine, he's a very trivial character. Joséphine. She's slinks around Vianne, because she thinks she has disappointed her by having Paul's son. And there's some unresolved bull between her and Roux, and her and (wait for it) Reynaud. Nope, it's not resolved. Instead, an easy way out - Paul sees the light when he's told he's Pilou's papa. Uh-huh.
Those are nothing compared to Vianne. She gets everything wrong. And she's still helping somehow. She pretends to know everything, and to anyone who calls her out, she says she doesn't pretend to know everything. Was she this arrogant in Chocolat? I don't remember. She goes on and on about how she couldn't trust Roux, and even if finds out she can trust Roux, she cannot trust him. Because, he's apparently not hers to keep. Right Vianne, did you think he's an object to own all this time? She has the restless need to run away with the wind, but she says it's Roux who can't settle. Roux, who stayed in Lansquenet for four years more than her. Roux, who is a gypsy, but has settled with her in the Seine in Paris for four more. Does she stay in Lansquenet in the end? Her kids want her to stay. But, I'm pretty sure she's too selfish for that. This go around I hated Vianne. She remained unchanged in the eight years that she has been away. She's learned nothing. Going where the wind blows is endearing for only so long.
Still 3 stars for nostalgia and Monsieur le Curé.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2015
Η Τζόαν Χάρις στο τρίτο μέρος της ιστορίας της Βιάν καταπιάνεται με ένα δύσκολο ζήτημα, αυτό των πολιτισμικών διαφορών. Και ενώ παραθέτει τα προβλήματα της συμβίωσης διαφορετικών πολιτισμικά μικρών κοινωνιών, δεν την αφορά να εμβαθύνει, δημιουργώντας ένα ρεαλιστικό κοινωνικό κείμενο, δεν είναι η θέση της να δώσει δίκιο ή αδικο. Αντιθέτως, ενσωμάτωσε αυτή τη δύσκολη θεματική σε ένα κείμενο μαγικού ρεαλισμού, για να μιλήσει για τα πράγματα που πάντα αγαπάει να μιλά σχεδόν σε όλα της τα βιβλία, να κατονομάσει τον φανατισμό και τη μισαλλοδοξία των ανθρώπων -σε οποιαδήποτε μορφή, απο'που κι αν προέρχεται- από τη μία πλευρά, και να αναδείξει την παιδικότητα και την αισιοδοξία που υπάρχει στο κάθε τι, στη κρυφή μαγεία των πραγμάτων από την άλλη πλευρά. Το δύσκολο εγχείρημα του δεσίματος της ατελείωτης διαμάχης ανάμεσα στις διαφορετικές κουλτούρες και του φόβου της διαφορετικότητας, με την αφελή γλυκύτητα του μαγικού ρεαλισμού, η συγγραφέας κατά την άποψη μου το πέτυχε. Το διάβασα ευχάριστα, το ένιωσα και με ταξίδεψε στους τόπους του. Πραγματικά πιστεύω ότι οι ιστορίες της Βιαν Ροσέ δύσκολα ξεπερνιούνται.
December 15, 2016
Author Joanne Harris shows readers what often—and unfortunately—causes division between differing cultures and spiritual traditions, then brilliantly unites them with very real, very human, similarities.
Pour yourself a hot cuppa tea and settle in because as mystical, magical, and decadent as Chocolat, every page turn in Peaches for Monsieur le Curé is equivalent to opening an exquisite jar of sun-infused peach jam.
Pour yourself a hot cuppa tea and settle in because as mystical, magical, and decadent as Chocolat, every page turn in Peaches for Monsieur le Curé is equivalent to opening an exquisite jar of sun-infused peach jam.
August 6, 2023
4.5⭐️
Joanne Harris doesn't disappoint. Also, it's funny and sad how this story still applies to nowadays.
Joanne Harris doesn't disappoint. Also, it's funny and sad how this story still applies to nowadays.
October 24, 2021
Peaches for Father Francis is the 3rd book in the Chocolat Series, four in total. Chocolat has been my series for 2021. What fun to follow this vulnerable magical family - through questions of what is religion, faith, compassion, community, humanity? For all her life Vianne Rocher has been a woman on the run, an outsider everywhere she goes, in danger, just by being who she is. But now with two kids, an odd gift for seeing the colors of others, she is again obliged and forced to be of help to communities and families and faith communities in conflict. But now, really for the first time, there are others who step in to help and stand up for what's right. Vianne stands for others and gains strength for herself. And she does it with compassion, bravery, and chocolate. Perfect chocolates uniquely shaped, to give the individual exactly what their soul needs. Although the deviation in this book, is that she also does it with Peach Jam. From the garden of her old friend Armande, that you might remember from the first Chocolat, in book one. Armande will always be the incomparable Judi Dench. And Vianne gets strength from her family and her daughters, and her River Rat Roux.
The magical realism is rather delightful, especially with the invisible but colorful friends of the daughters. A Rabbit named Pantoufle, and a Monkey called Bam! And friends appearing in the most unexpected of places. Really enjoyed this read, and it has been a great series to follow.
The magical realism is rather delightful, especially with the invisible but colorful friends of the daughters. A Rabbit named Pantoufle, and a Monkey called Bam! And friends appearing in the most unexpected of places. Really enjoyed this read, and it has been a great series to follow.
December 9, 2014
I am glad I read if only so I can now say that Joanne Harris is now out of my system. I have definitely outgrown her writing. This book was an extreme disappointment. The plot was an interesting take on the Moslem issue, and could have been very powerful. If only the voices had been right and actually had some substance. Vianne Rocher came across as a busy body and Father Francis as a pathetic wimp in this sequel to Chocolat. Roux was a non-entity. The characters were superficial and the story tried to hard to make everything right. Even the tragic scenes stimulated little emotion. This was a murder mystery but so wrapped in scented oils and chocolate and peaches that the story was sent drifting to the winds...early on in the book. I persevered but honestly it was a waste of time. Bye bye Joanne Harris - you have lost the plot.
January 30, 2022
Joanne Harris attempts something rather different with Peaches for Monsieur le Curé to Chocolat and The Lollipop Shoes. The first two novels in the series touch on social issues, but focus on personal relationships, small community bonds, and cosy conjuring. Here she examines social and religious integration in modern France, which doesn't always combine well with Vianne making magical jam. I respect the attempt and the theme of questioning short-term outsider intervention as a solution to complex problems. Nonetheless, I do not think it entirely works to give the points of view to Vianne and Father Reynaud, as this leaves the Muslim community as mysterious outsiders. For me, this slightly undermined the point that the village can live together as one awkward community of different people. Vianne's magic doesn't help the situation, so the narrative seems a bit disjointed. I think it would have been a stronger book if Ines had been a third protagonist, rather than a shadowy threatening presence. I also wasn't keen on the ending.
That said, I found Reynaud's narration interesting and the plot compelling enough to read the whole novel in an evening. There are some lovely character moments and the vivid sensual details continue to be pleasing. Although there isn't much chocolate-making, some of the meals sound pretty amazing. I certainly found it a fun break from reading theory, despite not enjoying it as much as Chocolat or The Lollipop Shoes
That said, I found Reynaud's narration interesting and the plot compelling enough to read the whole novel in an evening. There are some lovely character moments and the vivid sensual details continue to be pleasing. Although there isn't much chocolate-making, some of the meals sound pretty amazing. I certainly found it a fun break from reading theory, despite not enjoying it as much as Chocolat or The Lollipop Shoes
August 8, 2016
3,5 αστερακια
Και που λέτε ξεκινώ να διαβάσω την Γεύση από Ροδάκινο... πιστεύοντας ότι ήταν ανεξάρτητη ιστορία... εννοείται ότι από τις 10 πρώτες σελίδες κάτι μου έλεγε ότι είναι -ιλογία και μετά το 1ο κεφάλαιο νιώθω ότι αυτούς τους χαρακτήρες κάπου τους έχω ξανά συναντήσει. Τελικά μην τα πολυλογώ άργησα να καταλάβω ότι είναι η συνέχεια από τo "Σοκολάτα" το οποίο έχω δει βεβαίως βεβαίως αλλά δεν έχω διαβάσει... Στην ουσία δεν ήξερα καν ότι (και) αυτή η ταινία είναι εμπνευσμένη από βιβλίο!!!!
Άρα για ακόμα μια φορά πως κατάφερα και διάβασα το 3ο βιβλίο χωρίς να έχω διαβάσει το 2ο και έχοντας δει μόνο το 1ο μην σας κάνει εντύπωση...
Το βιβλίο τώρα το βρήκα λίγο κουραστικό και σαν υπόθεση δεν ήταν τόσο περίπλοκη ώστε να το τραβήξει τόσο πολύ. Τα κάθε κεφάλαια είναι χωρισμένα ημερολογιακά όπου στο ένα μιλάει η Βιαν και στο άλλο ο Πάτερ.
Αλλά ήταν τόσο ωραία γραμμένο και μου προκαλούσε μια ηρεμία όταν το διάβαζα που στο τέλος δεν μπορούσα να το αφήσω από τα χέρια μου.
Και που λέτε ξεκινώ να διαβάσω την Γεύση από Ροδάκινο... πιστεύοντας ότι ήταν ανεξάρτητη ιστορία... εννοείται ότι από τις 10 πρώτες σελίδες κάτι μου έλεγε ότι είναι -ιλογία και μετά το 1ο κεφάλαιο νιώθω ότι αυτούς τους χαρακτήρες κάπου τους έχω ξανά συναντήσει. Τελικά μην τα πολυλογώ άργησα να καταλάβω ότι είναι η συνέχεια από τo "Σοκολάτα" το οποίο έχω δει βεβαίως βεβαίως αλλά δεν έχω διαβάσει... Στην ουσία δεν ήξερα καν ότι (και) αυτή η ταινία είναι εμπνευσμένη από βιβλίο!!!!
Άρα για ακόμα μια φορά πως κατάφερα και διάβασα το 3ο βιβλίο χωρίς να έχω διαβάσει το 2ο και έχοντας δει μόνο το 1ο μην σας κάνει εντύπωση...
Το βιβλίο τώρα το βρήκα λίγο κουραστικό και σαν υπόθεση δεν ήταν τόσο περίπλοκη ώστε να το τραβήξει τόσο πολύ. Τα κάθε κεφάλαια είναι χωρισμένα ημερολογιακά όπου στο ένα μιλάει η Βιαν και στο άλλο ο Πάτερ.
Αλλά ήταν τόσο ωραία γραμμένο και μου προκαλούσε μια ηρεμία όταν το διάβαζα που στο τέλος δεν μπορούσα να το αφήσω από τα χέρια μου.
May 17, 2020
La Harris confeziona un romanzo carino, che si fa leggere con piacere in cui riporta in scena Vianne Rocher, la proprietaria della cioccolateria di Chocolat, e il piccolo paese di Lansquenet con i suoi abitanti.
È una lettura scorrevole, da relax, anche se cerca di farsi "romanzo sociale" nel racconto delle difficoltà tra la comunità cattolica e quella mussulmana e della condizione della donna. Pur avendolo trovato complessivamente discreto, nel trattare queste tematiche mi sembra un po' semplicistico e semplificate come se uno scartoccino di cioccolatini potesse garantire la pace nel mondo. Magari! Ma non ancora purtroppo.
È una lettura scorrevole, da relax, anche se cerca di farsi "romanzo sociale" nel racconto delle difficoltà tra la comunità cattolica e quella mussulmana e della condizione della donna. Pur avendolo trovato complessivamente discreto, nel trattare queste tematiche mi sembra un po' semplicistico e semplificate come se uno scartoccino di cioccolatini potesse garantire la pace nel mondo. Magari! Ma non ancora purtroppo.
April 17, 2021
Это могла быть неплохая книга, но мне никогда не нравился телеканал France 24. И очевидно я не Вианн Роше😒
Если в бочку магического реализма фигануть половник пропаганды, получится бочка неправдоподобных шаблонов.
Если в бочку магического реализма фигануть половник пропаганды, получится бочка неправдоподобных шаблонов.
July 20, 2019
I am a big fan of magical realism and the use of food as character in fiction (which Harris pretty much pioneered). I did not like it in this book. For a good amount of the book, I could not figure out why. Then I realized that the themes and topics covered here are far more serious than others she had addressed in previous works.
The other book I have read that included dark aspects was "Three Quarters of an Orange" (Nazis. Germans. World War II. Murder.); the tone of the text was much more serious and somber there, however. In "Peaches For Monsieur Lé Cure", the repeated referring to these magical winds, chocolates, "colours" was excessive, bordering on annoying. I may not be explaining this comprehensibly, but it may be something I cannot exactly put my finger on- but it was off and not only did not contribute to the story, but deterred the reader's focus; distracting, detracting, removing them from the flow.
The central themes explored are discrimination, feminism, racism, xenophobia. For a long time, Lansquenet has been a quiet and safe town with no need for anything but Francis Reynaud, the local priest. "The Wind", however, leads change into the picturesque French town. Muslims come with intentions to build their own temple. Some members intended to make their mark by whatever means necessary. Starting with This leads to violence and drama, which Vianne Rocher (from Chocolat) is, alas, deeply intertwined with. She has received a letter from a dead friends of hers, after all, pleading her to come visit, unsubtly starting that she is needed in Lansquenet. Despite her previous vow to never return, Vianne takes her two children with her to visit. Which, of course, becomes longer than a "visit".
It is immediately revealed that the particular religious beliefs of the new residents (since she was last there), including their publicly visible headscarves, has been changing the small town for quite some time already. I found this article quite informative in imagining various scenes written by Harris regarding the hijab: [http://twentytwowords.com/not-all-hea...].
**** Spoilers ****
The main woman of mystery is Ines, whom we eventually find out is charismatic Karim's mother. He is her illegitimate son, from her rape as a young girl. Unfortunately, Karim has grown into a disrespectful rapist himself, despite his agreeable persona. Anyways, a lot of unnecessary drama twists and plots ensue, including Ines taking the boat Roux actually owns, Vianne's discovery of some truths that cause her to suspect that her husband Roux is actually the father of her best friend's son, Karim raping Alyssa, the grandaughter of an important father figure in the community, Alyssa being found by Reyaud and delivered to Vianne for safekeeping, Reynaud being shunned from his parish, then held captive in the cellar of the gym owned by the Muslims.
As for Ines and Karim, a showdown leads to her secret being revealed, her Burka thrown off with it (as the story goes, because her unplanned pregnancy's meanings to any true Muslim, her own family not only publicly humiliated and shunned her, but they also cut her face up many so many times. With shocking ferocity and a feeling of having been betrayed, they have damaged it to the point of unrecognizability).
The cartoon face almost proudly staring at the crowd that magically appears, she reveals the truth for all to hear. Karim, meanwhile, is holding Pilou hostage with a lighter surrounded by kerosene. In a Hollywoodesque sequence of events, Karim lights up, Ines throws her shawl and, indeed, her entire being on top of him to minimize the flames, and Roux runs with lightning speed to tackle all three of them, forcing them into the river. There child is saved, but, eloquently, Ines and Karim are taken forever by the waters.
Always a happy ending (conveniently) with enough vagueness to leave the door open for yet another sequel, Reynaud is rescued at the last possible seconds by Vianne and her daughters, returned to his grateful parish. Vianne fulfills the entire story's goal for her, which is to feel useful. (More importantly, that she felt useful with her chocolates and magical sense of others' auras and colors; her ability in her eyes to help anyone who needs her, that she is "sent" wherever she is "needed". Sadly, she had passed this philosophy on to her children, resulting in a sad scene where she begins to realize the futility her whimsical gestures can have at times- only to be reminded by her eldest daughter that they cannot give up, that they have a duty to fulfill.
And so on they go, maybe to stay on in Lansquenet, maybe to move back to Paris. But, we suppose, that is up to wherever the wind goes. Wherever The Wind Goes. This might start to get pretentious if I invest myself in this series.
The other book I have read that included dark aspects was "Three Quarters of an Orange" (Nazis. Germans. World War II. Murder.); the tone of the text was much more serious and somber there, however. In "Peaches For Monsieur Lé Cure", the repeated referring to these magical winds, chocolates, "colours" was excessive, bordering on annoying. I may not be explaining this comprehensibly, but it may be something I cannot exactly put my finger on- but it was off and not only did not contribute to the story, but deterred the reader's focus; distracting, detracting, removing them from the flow.
The central themes explored are discrimination, feminism, racism, xenophobia. For a long time, Lansquenet has been a quiet and safe town with no need for anything but Francis Reynaud, the local priest. "The Wind", however, leads change into the picturesque French town. Muslims come with intentions to build their own temple. Some members intended to make their mark by whatever means necessary. Starting with This leads to violence and drama, which Vianne Rocher (from Chocolat) is, alas, deeply intertwined with. She has received a letter from a dead friends of hers, after all, pleading her to come visit, unsubtly starting that she is needed in Lansquenet. Despite her previous vow to never return, Vianne takes her two children with her to visit. Which, of course, becomes longer than a "visit".
It is immediately revealed that the particular religious beliefs of the new residents (since she was last there), including their publicly visible headscarves, has been changing the small town for quite some time already. I found this article quite informative in imagining various scenes written by Harris regarding the hijab: [http://twentytwowords.com/not-all-hea...].
**** Spoilers ****
The main woman of mystery is Ines, whom we eventually find out is charismatic Karim's mother. He is her illegitimate son, from her rape as a young girl. Unfortunately, Karim has grown into a disrespectful rapist himself, despite his agreeable persona. Anyways, a lot of unnecessary drama twists and plots ensue, including Ines taking the boat Roux actually owns, Vianne's discovery of some truths that cause her to suspect that her husband Roux is actually the father of her best friend's son, Karim raping Alyssa, the grandaughter of an important father figure in the community, Alyssa being found by Reyaud and delivered to Vianne for safekeeping, Reynaud being shunned from his parish, then held captive in the cellar of the gym owned by the Muslims.
As for Ines and Karim, a showdown leads to her secret being revealed, her Burka thrown off with it (as the story goes, because her unplanned pregnancy's meanings to any true Muslim, her own family not only publicly humiliated and shunned her, but they also cut her face up many so many times. With shocking ferocity and a feeling of having been betrayed, they have damaged it to the point of unrecognizability).
The cartoon face almost proudly staring at the crowd that magically appears, she reveals the truth for all to hear. Karim, meanwhile, is holding Pilou hostage with a lighter surrounded by kerosene. In a Hollywoodesque sequence of events, Karim lights up, Ines throws her shawl and, indeed, her entire being on top of him to minimize the flames, and Roux runs with lightning speed to tackle all three of them, forcing them into the river. There child is saved, but, eloquently, Ines and Karim are taken forever by the waters.
Always a happy ending (conveniently) with enough vagueness to leave the door open for yet another sequel, Reynaud is rescued at the last possible seconds by Vianne and her daughters, returned to his grateful parish. Vianne fulfills the entire story's goal for her, which is to feel useful. (More importantly, that she felt useful with her chocolates and magical sense of others' auras and colors; her ability in her eyes to help anyone who needs her, that she is "sent" wherever she is "needed". Sadly, she had passed this philosophy on to her children, resulting in a sad scene where she begins to realize the futility her whimsical gestures can have at times- only to be reminded by her eldest daughter that they cannot give up, that they have a duty to fulfill.
And so on they go, maybe to stay on in Lansquenet, maybe to move back to Paris. But, we suppose, that is up to wherever the wind goes. Wherever The Wind Goes. This might start to get pretentious if I invest myself in this series.
January 28, 2013
Joanne Harris è un'autrice che ama ripetersi. La sua consistente produzione (14 romanzi, 1 raccolta di racconti, 2 ricettari) è come un paese di provincia in cui tutti si conoscono, vivono più o meno le stesse situazioni e visitano i posti di sempre. Le connessioni che legano i suoi libri (a volte fitte, altre appena accennate) hanno creato un luogo letterario a cui i suoi lettori amano tornare, e il nucleo centrale di questa architettura è composto dalla fortunata trilogia di Chocolat.
Il giardino delle pesche e delle rose è la terza parte della storia di Vianne Rocher, ed è rivolto a un pubblico che ne conosce già i personaggi e le vicende: Vianne, come ricorderà chi ha letto Le scarpe rosse, vive a Parigi con Anouk, Roux e la figlia avuta da lui, Rosette. Un giorno una lettera della vecchia Armande la riporta a Lansquenet, e in un torbido agosto la donna e le bambine, come otto anni prima, si ritrovano sulla salita che porta al paese.
Lansquenet pare a Vianne lo stesso posto che si era lasciata alle spalle, anche a differenza di anni; tuttavia Les Marauds, la zona in cui gli zingari del fiume erano soliti accamparsi, è cambiata pesantemente e adesso ospita nuovi stranieri. La folta comunità musulmana del paese, composta da “marocchini, algerini, tunisini, berberi”, dopo un periodo di pacifica convivenza diventa un focolaio di contrasti improvvisi e inspiegabili, causando forti tensioni. Facendosi di nuovo strada attraverso i cuori reticenti e diffidenti degli abitanti, Vianne smusserà gli angoli delle incomprensioni e si farà silenzioso cardine di un'ennesima e prevedibile riappacificazione.
Appesantito da un punto di vista molteplice e ingombrante, il romanzo segue lo sviluppo di altre opere della Harris: cavallo che vince non si cambia, e l'autrice ha deciso di abbandonarsi ancora una volta ai capitoli brevi e numerosi, provando solo timidamente a introdurre qualche cambiamento nei vari personaggi, e nessuno nello stile e nella struttura del libro. Così l'originalità di Vianne viene soffocata da rituali usati e abusati, che tornano nella scrittura come imbarazzanti strizzatine d'occhio. Inutilmente viene riproposto il tratto che rappresentava la particolarità stessa di Vianne: la magia domestica dei suoi gesti e della sua cucina si dissolve nell'impatto con il moderno. Il tentativo di conciliazione tra il mondo privato di Chocolat e la contemporaneità fallisce miseramente, traducendosi in un sentimento di estraniazione e disagio. Si ha quasi l'impressione che un'altra persona ben diversa dalla Harris abbia scritto il romanzo, mescolando insieme punti forti di altre opere: il risultato è un minestrone di idee già lette altrove, incastrate quasi sempre in maniera completamente gratuita e inadeguata.
Quasi come in uno specchio distorto, Vianne compie il suo ritorno durante un periodo di digiuno religioso (era la Quaresima prima, è il Ramadan adesso), e la sua identità di nomade e straniera si riflette nelle vicende della comunità musulmana di Lansquenet, che ben presto assorbirà completamente l'attenzione della Harris: una sfilza di esotici nomi arabi ingarbuglia la narrazione e non è così difficile perdere il filo del discorso, pur immaginando già dove la scrittrice voglia andare a parare. Anche la figura dell'uomo nero, nemico ancestrale di Vianne, viene sminuita durante il trasferimento da pére Francis Reynaud a Inès Bencharki, la regina scorpione celata dal nihab. Così anche la tematica dell'integrazione tra culture diverse, pur essendo un proposito quantomeno filantropico, si rivela la scelta meno adatta per una storia iniziata male, condotta peggio e conclusa sbrigativamente. La stessa qualità della traduzione mi fa dubitare fortemente, a meno che la traduttrice non abbia deciso di riportare, insieme al testo, anche i difetti di una scrittura superficiale e quasi a buon prezzo.
Quella che doveva essere un'attesa réunion, dunque, si è rivelata un incontro mal combinato tra individui che il tempo ha tirannicamente cambiato; tra queste persone penso vada annoverata la Harris stessa, che sembra aver piegato la sua penna a esigenze ben diverse da quelle dettate dalla sua ispirazione.
Il giardino delle pesche e delle rose è la terza parte della storia di Vianne Rocher, ed è rivolto a un pubblico che ne conosce già i personaggi e le vicende: Vianne, come ricorderà chi ha letto Le scarpe rosse, vive a Parigi con Anouk, Roux e la figlia avuta da lui, Rosette. Un giorno una lettera della vecchia Armande la riporta a Lansquenet, e in un torbido agosto la donna e le bambine, come otto anni prima, si ritrovano sulla salita che porta al paese.
Lansquenet pare a Vianne lo stesso posto che si era lasciata alle spalle, anche a differenza di anni; tuttavia Les Marauds, la zona in cui gli zingari del fiume erano soliti accamparsi, è cambiata pesantemente e adesso ospita nuovi stranieri. La folta comunità musulmana del paese, composta da “marocchini, algerini, tunisini, berberi”, dopo un periodo di pacifica convivenza diventa un focolaio di contrasti improvvisi e inspiegabili, causando forti tensioni. Facendosi di nuovo strada attraverso i cuori reticenti e diffidenti degli abitanti, Vianne smusserà gli angoli delle incomprensioni e si farà silenzioso cardine di un'ennesima e prevedibile riappacificazione.
Appesantito da un punto di vista molteplice e ingombrante, il romanzo segue lo sviluppo di altre opere della Harris: cavallo che vince non si cambia, e l'autrice ha deciso di abbandonarsi ancora una volta ai capitoli brevi e numerosi, provando solo timidamente a introdurre qualche cambiamento nei vari personaggi, e nessuno nello stile e nella struttura del libro. Così l'originalità di Vianne viene soffocata da rituali usati e abusati, che tornano nella scrittura come imbarazzanti strizzatine d'occhio. Inutilmente viene riproposto il tratto che rappresentava la particolarità stessa di Vianne: la magia domestica dei suoi gesti e della sua cucina si dissolve nell'impatto con il moderno. Il tentativo di conciliazione tra il mondo privato di Chocolat e la contemporaneità fallisce miseramente, traducendosi in un sentimento di estraniazione e disagio. Si ha quasi l'impressione che un'altra persona ben diversa dalla Harris abbia scritto il romanzo, mescolando insieme punti forti di altre opere: il risultato è un minestrone di idee già lette altrove, incastrate quasi sempre in maniera completamente gratuita e inadeguata.
Quasi come in uno specchio distorto, Vianne compie il suo ritorno durante un periodo di digiuno religioso (era la Quaresima prima, è il Ramadan adesso), e la sua identità di nomade e straniera si riflette nelle vicende della comunità musulmana di Lansquenet, che ben presto assorbirà completamente l'attenzione della Harris: una sfilza di esotici nomi arabi ingarbuglia la narrazione e non è così difficile perdere il filo del discorso, pur immaginando già dove la scrittrice voglia andare a parare. Anche la figura dell'uomo nero, nemico ancestrale di Vianne, viene sminuita durante il trasferimento da pére Francis Reynaud a Inès Bencharki, la regina scorpione celata dal nihab. Così anche la tematica dell'integrazione tra culture diverse, pur essendo un proposito quantomeno filantropico, si rivela la scelta meno adatta per una storia iniziata male, condotta peggio e conclusa sbrigativamente. La stessa qualità della traduzione mi fa dubitare fortemente, a meno che la traduttrice non abbia deciso di riportare, insieme al testo, anche i difetti di una scrittura superficiale e quasi a buon prezzo.
Quella che doveva essere un'attesa réunion, dunque, si è rivelata un incontro mal combinato tra individui che il tempo ha tirannicamente cambiato; tra queste persone penso vada annoverata la Harris stessa, che sembra aver piegato la sua penna a esigenze ben diverse da quelle dettate dalla sua ispirazione.
June 23, 2012
The popular wisdom is that it’s often a mistake to revisit earlier successes. Try telling that to Joanne Harris.
Just once in a while you read a book that is so good, so well-written that you can’t leave it behind, and you find that long after closing the final pages the characters are still intruding on your life, slipping into your thoughts throughout the working day. Many of Harris’s novels seem to have that effect on me, but possibly none more so than this one.
This is an absolute gem of a book, deftly plotted and beautifully constructed. The pace is measured and never rushed as Harris confidently interweaves the narratives of her main characters. With an interesting twist it could be argued that Vianne Rocher is not truly the main protagonist this time around, as the plot spirals around Father Reynaud as he struggles to deal with the influx of Muslim Maghrebins into the sleepy village of Lansquenet. Set around Ramadan (in itself a clever echo back to the Lenten setting of “Chocolat”) Vianne’s return to Lansquenet with her daughters Anouk and Rosette finds the village trying to cope with women wearing the niqab and the appearance of a mosque.
The book raises a number of questions about the nature of communities and the prejudice with which outsiders are viewed. However, as you would expect, it does so with a subtle touch rather than a heavy hand. Harris neatly encapsulates the main themes of the book with the phrase “everything returns” which echoes throughout the story, layering the plot threads into an integrated whole.
For anyone following the trajectory of Harris’s writing career this novel stands alongside Chocolat in representing the zenith of that curve. I am in awe of her talent and fervently hope that she is drawn back into her shed to write whilst her muse remains such a fascinating enchantress.
Just once in a while you read a book that is so good, so well-written that you can’t leave it behind, and you find that long after closing the final pages the characters are still intruding on your life, slipping into your thoughts throughout the working day. Many of Harris’s novels seem to have that effect on me, but possibly none more so than this one.
This is an absolute gem of a book, deftly plotted and beautifully constructed. The pace is measured and never rushed as Harris confidently interweaves the narratives of her main characters. With an interesting twist it could be argued that Vianne Rocher is not truly the main protagonist this time around, as the plot spirals around Father Reynaud as he struggles to deal with the influx of Muslim Maghrebins into the sleepy village of Lansquenet. Set around Ramadan (in itself a clever echo back to the Lenten setting of “Chocolat”) Vianne’s return to Lansquenet with her daughters Anouk and Rosette finds the village trying to cope with women wearing the niqab and the appearance of a mosque.
The book raises a number of questions about the nature of communities and the prejudice with which outsiders are viewed. However, as you would expect, it does so with a subtle touch rather than a heavy hand. Harris neatly encapsulates the main themes of the book with the phrase “everything returns” which echoes throughout the story, layering the plot threads into an integrated whole.
For anyone following the trajectory of Harris’s writing career this novel stands alongside Chocolat in representing the zenith of that curve. I am in awe of her talent and fervently hope that she is drawn back into her shed to write whilst her muse remains such a fascinating enchantress.
April 10, 2017
12/10/2016
I...was surprised by how long it took me to get into this on reread. I adore both Chocolat and The Lollipop Shoes, and ULTIMATELY I loved this one. It just took a long time to get there. I loved the idea of Vianne coming full circle, back to where her story started. I loved her effectively teaming up with Pere Reynaud to sort out Lansquenet's ridiculous judginess all over again.
It's full of racial and religious tension, of ignorance and snap judgments. It's full of twists and turns and plenty of surprises. And ultimately, it's worth it. It just took me a while to feel invested in the story...
5/7/2012
Plot summary: Eight years after she left, Vianne Rocher is heading back to Lansquenet after receiving a letter from her long dead friend, Armand. But Vianne is unprepared for what she finds there. While many old friends and adversaries are still there, the village is filled with the aroma of spices, and women in black robes - newcomers from Northern Africa. And this time, Father Reynaud needs Vianne's help to put the community at peace.
Thoughts: I loved it, much like I love its predecessors, Chocolat and The Lollipop Shoes. Many of the fantastic characters that Harris brought to life in Chocolat are back, and as brilliant as ever, albeit slightly older. The new characters are equally amazing - so full of life and passion and colour.
The plot tackles religion and politics, making it possible to feel empathy to both sides. It tells the stories of those frequently overlooked in these areas - the women and children.
The only reason this loses a star is that there were so many unanswered questions for me at the end. Hopefully these are a sign that Harris is going to deliver us a fourth installment of the Chocolat series!
I...was surprised by how long it took me to get into this on reread. I adore both Chocolat and The Lollipop Shoes, and ULTIMATELY I loved this one. It just took a long time to get there. I loved the idea of Vianne coming full circle, back to where her story started. I loved her effectively teaming up with Pere Reynaud to sort out Lansquenet's ridiculous judginess all over again.
It's full of racial and religious tension, of ignorance and snap judgments. It's full of twists and turns and plenty of surprises. And ultimately, it's worth it. It just took me a while to feel invested in the story...
5/7/2012
Plot summary: Eight years after she left, Vianne Rocher is heading back to Lansquenet after receiving a letter from her long dead friend, Armand. But Vianne is unprepared for what she finds there. While many old friends and adversaries are still there, the village is filled with the aroma of spices, and women in black robes - newcomers from Northern Africa. And this time, Father Reynaud needs Vianne's help to put the community at peace.
Thoughts: I loved it, much like I love its predecessors, Chocolat and The Lollipop Shoes. Many of the fantastic characters that Harris brought to life in Chocolat are back, and as brilliant as ever, albeit slightly older. The new characters are equally amazing - so full of life and passion and colour.
The plot tackles religion and politics, making it possible to feel empathy to both sides. It tells the stories of those frequently overlooked in these areas - the women and children.
The only reason this loses a star is that there were so many unanswered questions for me at the end. Hopefully these are a sign that Harris is going to deliver us a fourth installment of the Chocolat series!
September 3, 2014
I'm a little mystified by this series. One of these books doesn't belong with the others. Book Two, The Girl with No Shadow was so different in tone and structure that it seems like I took a detour reading it. Book Three, Peaches for Monsieur le Curé brought me back to the things I loved so much about Chocolat - the structure, the themes, even the feel. Once again, the magic was understated. It was almost invisible. Getting reacquainted with the setting and characters were like returning home.
I perceive Chocolat to have been more about inner conflict as it relates to intolerance and non-acceptance. This sequel delves more into the external conflict of differing cultures, religions, and customs as it affects the community as a whole. What happens, then, when individuals take that conflict to a place of fanaticism and obsession?
I really struggled with whether or not to give this 4 or 5 stars. I decided that the few holes were trivial in comparison to the emotional impact this story had on me.
I perceive Chocolat to have been more about inner conflict as it relates to intolerance and non-acceptance. This sequel delves more into the external conflict of differing cultures, religions, and customs as it affects the community as a whole. What happens, then, when individuals take that conflict to a place of fanaticism and obsession?
I really struggled with whether or not to give this 4 or 5 stars. I decided that the few holes were trivial in comparison to the emotional impact this story had on me.
March 17, 2024
Интересно, че прочетох тази книга сега, когато проблемите с емигрантите са доста наболели и се говори постоянно за това. Самата книга е увлекателно написана, а езикът на авторката е красив и грабващ. По жанр се определя като магически реализъм с вмъкната щипка вълшебства в една съвсем не лека за четене история.
Виан Роше се завръща в Ланскене осем години, след като е избягала от селцето. Заварва хората там в напрегната и враждебна обстановка, особено отец Рейно, който не я е харесвал. Новите заселници са емигранти от Мароко. Всичко е било наред между живеещите в селцето и пришълците до идването на Инес. С нея вятърът донася религиозната нетърпимост, спазването на мюсюлманските обичаи, вика на мюезина от джамията и обличането на жените в традиционни хиджаби. Така те остават затворени в своята малка общност и спират контактите с местното население. В центъра на всичко е кюрето, мразен и от едните, и от другите. Интригите срещу него са зачестили и някои искат новия свещеник с лъскава външност, който идва да им проповядва. За повечето той е чужд човек, не ги познава и не разбира проблемите им. Рейно е отчаян и никога не е предполагал, че точно Виан, която е изгонил, ще му помогне в този труден момент.
Много мислих върху проблемите с пришълците и защо се налага да напускат родината си. Безброй българи също са зад граница. Всеки човек, който отива в чужда държава е наясно, че трябва да спазва законите им и че това е чужда страна. На практика, те получават повече права от местното население и стават арогантни. Нападат хората, които живеят открай време по тези места. Защо? Би трябвало закона да важи за всички и би трябвало, щом са чужденци, да спазват местните обичаи и закони, а не обратното - да налагат своите. Те са пришълците и държавата не е тяхна, за да се съобразява само с техните чувства. Така е редно. Трябва да има баланс и разбиране в отношенията между двете страни. Трудно и може би почти невъзможно начинание. Не виждам изход от това, ако и двете страни проявяват агресия и ако държавата не защитава на първо място своите граждани. Интеграция може да съществува, само когато хората имат желание за това. Ако те не искат по този начин, държавата с нищо не им е длъжна.
Виан Роше се завръща в Ланскене осем години, след като е избягала от селцето. Заварва хората там в напрегната и враждебна обстановка, особено отец Рейно, който не я е харесвал. Новите заселници са емигранти от Мароко. Всичко е било наред между живеещите в селцето и пришълците до идването на Инес. С нея вятърът донася религиозната нетърпимост, спазването на мюсюлманските обичаи, вика на мюезина от джамията и обличането на жените в традиционни хиджаби. Така те остават затворени в своята малка общност и спират контактите с местното население. В центъра на всичко е кюрето, мразен и от едните, и от другите. Интригите срещу него са зачестили и някои искат новия свещеник с лъскава външност, който идва да им проповядва. За повечето той е чужд човек, не ги познава и не разбира проблемите им. Рейно е отчаян и никога не е предполагал, че точно Виан, която е изгонил, ще му помогне в този труден момент.
Много мислих върху проблемите с пришълците и защо се налага да напускат родината си. Безброй българи също са зад граница. Всеки човек, който отива в чужда държава е наясно, че трябва да спазва законите им и че това е чужда страна. На практика, те получават повече права от местното население и стават арогантни. Нападат хората, които живеят открай време по тези места. Защо? Би трябвало закона да важи за всички и би трябвало, щом са чужденци, да спазват местните обичаи и закони, а не обратното - да налагат своите. Те са пришълците и държавата не е тяхна, за да се съобразява само с техните чувства. Така е редно. Трябва да има баланс и разбиране в отношенията между двете страни. Трудно и може би почти невъзможно начинание. Не виждам изход от това, ако и двете страни проявяват агресия и ако държавата не защитава на първо място своите граждани. Интеграция може да съществува, само когато хората имат желание за това. Ако те не искат по този начин, държавата с нищо не им е длъжна.
September 27, 2021
I recently read and absolutely loved Chocolat.
And then The Girl with No Shadow, which was rather confusing and not as enjoyable.
So then came this third book in the series. As Vianne Rocher returns to the original chocolate shop village, and we are reunited with all our old friends.
An excellent story.
And then The Girl with No Shadow, which was rather confusing and not as enjoyable.
So then came this third book in the series. As Vianne Rocher returns to the original chocolate shop village, and we are reunited with all our old friends.
An excellent story.
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