Will hoey

[Cinnamon]

This book by Joanne Harris is a follow up to the wonderful 'Chocolat',which was also made into a very popular movie.

 

I read this a couple of months ago,so it may not be as fresh in my mind as for the rest of you, but I did really enojoy this book.

Its much darker than 'Chocolat', & has some interesting & somewhat disturbing new characters. Good to read about Vianne,Anouk & Roux again

I love the magical element to the story,& the spells too.

 

Certainly one I will read again.

 

The next book is 'Watchers' by Dean Koontz

[surferdog]

I loved this book but my absolute favourite Joanne Harris book is 'Blackberry Wine'. I have a very well-thumbed copy that gets dragged out every spring. It has the same hints of magic as Chocolat and Lollipop shoes but is based around fruit and veg rather than sweets.

[Cinnamon]

Yes,that is in my [ermenant collection too, & like yours get dragged out each Spring

[Snowy]

Oooh, one I did actually manage to read!

Like Cinnamon though, I read it a few months ago. I enjoyed it, I found Chocolat a bit confusing, but the Lollipop Shoes explained things a bit better. I can't really say that I love her books - they are entertaining but not gripping. I enjoyed Blackberry Wine, and is there another with Oranges in the title? Sure I've read that one as well. I do love the way she writes about France - her books make me want to go and book our next trip there!

[Seagazer]

The other book is Five Quarters of Orange. I read and enjoyed that one ages ago.

 

I really enjoyed reading The Lollipop Shoes and got really annoyed with Anouk that she could ignore her mum in favour of Zozie, although obviously she had used a bit of magic to enthrall her.

 

I got a bit confused to begin with until my SIL (who was reading it at the same time) told me that it was narrated by the three characters. I hadn't read Chocolat so I think I will get that out. I thought that although it got quite exciting towards the end it was also a bit predictable. But I really enjoyed the way Joanne Harris describes how the chocolate is made and I could almost smell it.

 

I could picture almost the shop in Paris and the different characters, I enjoy the way that she writes.

[Cinnamon]

T I hadn't read Chocolat so I think I will get that out.

 

Yes,you must.

I think its probably the better book,but then again they are quite different to each other.

I think you will enjoy it

[Snowy]

I think she puts so much detail into her writing that it can make the story quite hard to get into. I must go back and read Chocolat again - it might be better second time around.Yes - Five Quarters of the Orange was the other book, again I enjoyed that one, but I couldn't tell you now what it was about. Must re-read them. Her detail is marvellous though - makes you want to mount a raid on Thorntons doesn't it?

[Seagazer]

I've actually just bought Blackberry Wine from my son's school fair for 20p so I must get on and read that.

[little chickadee]

Right, just finished this. I had to listen to this on audio rather than reading it, so I wasn't confused by the different characters as they all had different voices!

 

I found it much much darker than Chocolat. I think that I would have been confused by the story line if I hadn't already read Chocolat, but I can't be sure! I found the character of Zozi (sorry if this isn't the correct spelling) very scary and much darker than any threats the family faced in Chocolat. I had a feeling that there was not going to be a happy ending, so was very relieved when everyone survived as I felt very involved with the characters. Especially the ones who I already felt I knew.

I was very pleased when she decided to revert to herself at the end of the book. It felt like a real relief, like she had been holding her breath throughout the whole novel.

 

I think that I will probably read it again back to back with Chocolat at some stage.

[Faye&Ant]

I loved this book, Joanne Harris writes wonderful magical books that you can really escape into. Although Chocolate and Blackberry Wine are my favourites, this comes a very close third!

 

I am reading Cecelia Ahearns 'The Gift' at the moment and I think her style is very similar to J.Harris so love her books too

[MedusA]

Having read and enjoyed "Chocolat" I was really looking forward to "The Lollipop Shoes".

 

I was not disappointed! I loved it. The dark magic element was exciting and I loved the character of Zozie. I also found it interesting in that the chapters were dated and I was reading it almost in line with the dates (to begin with at least).

 

A very enjoyable book and having read all your comments, I think more from Joanne Harris will be on my reading list.

[Scramble]

Sorry to say as this was the follow up I didn't want to start with it first!

So I'm reading Chocolat instead... just over halfway through, the characters seem very well thought out and the plot is just wonderful.