MBS Newsletter
Book Review by Christianne Humphrey - Trustee, Massachusetts Bible Society
In Joanne Harris' sequel to Chocolat, Vianne Rocher returns with her daughter, Anouck, and young toddler, Rosette. The family is living in the Montmartre district of Paris and once again they call home the upper floors of a building which houses a chocolaterie. Vianne has taken on a new identity as the widow, Yanne Charbonneau, and an uncharacteristic conventionality in the hopes that it will bring a stable environment for raising her girls. Anouck attends school and struggles to fit in with the other pre-teen girls in her class. Vianne oversees the shop and cares for Rosette, believing her new identity will silence the wind. Into the village breezes Zozie de l'Alba, an opportunistic, mysterious woman who begins to stir up the placid scene. Slowly, the mask of normalcy is cracked as the season of Advent begins. Harris masterfully weaves the story of the lives of these characters and the people of the village, culminating in the celebration of the Eve of the Nativity. The book contains the enchantment and mystery of Chocolat, and reminds the reader of the dangers of pretending to be someone you are not.