Chocolat

Vianne Rocher and her 6-year-old daughter, Anouk, arrive in the small village of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes–“a blip on the fast road between Toulouse and Bourdeaux”–in February, during the carnival. Three days later, Vianne opens a luxuriant chocolate shop crammed with the most tempting of confections and offering a mouth-watering variety of hot chocolate drinks. Its Lent, the shop is opposite the church and open on Sundays, and Francis Reynaud, the austere parish priest, is livid.
One by one the locals succumb to Viannes concoctions. Joanne Harris weaves their secrets and troubles, their loves and desires, into her third novel, with the lightest touch. Theres sad, polite Guillame and his dying dog; thieving, beaten-up Jos??phine Muscat; schoolchildren who declare it “hypercool” when Vianne says they can help eat the window display–a gingerbread house complete with witch. And theres Armande, still vigorous in her 80s, who can see Anouks “imaginary” rabbit, Pantoufle, and recognizes Vianne for who she really is. However, certain villagers–including Armandes snobby daughter and Jos??phines violent husband–side with Reynaud. So when Vianne announces a Grand Festival of Chocolate commencing Easter Sunday, its all-out war: war between church and chocolate, between good and evil, between love and dogma.