Chocolat is a 1999 novel by Joanne Harris. It tells the story of Vianne Rocher, a young mother, who arrives at a fictional insular French village of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes with her six-year-old daughter, Anouk. Vianne opens La Céleste Praline, a small chocolaterie, and her confections quickly begin to change the lives of the townspeople through magic, setting up a conflict with Francis Reynaud, the parish curate. Chocolat is a recent contribution to the literary stream of Magic Realism. Chocolat is a 2000 film based on the novel Chocolat by Joanne Harris. ... Chocolat is a 1999 novel by Joanne Harris. ... Joanne Michèle Sylvie Harris (born July 3, 1964) is a British author. ... For other uses, see Country (disambiguation). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... For other uses, see Novel (disambiguation). ... A publisher is a person or entity which engages in the act of publishing. ... It has been suggested that The Crime Club be merged into this article or section. ... is the 63rd day of the year (64th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ... Hardcover books A hardcover (or hardback or hardbound) is a book bound with rigid protective covers (typically of cardboard covered with cloth, heavy paper, or sometimes leather). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... ISBN redirects here. ... See also: 1998 in literature, other events of 1999, 2000 in literature, list of years in literature. ... For other uses, see Novel (disambiguation). ... Joanne Michèle Sylvie Harris (born July 3, 1964) is a British author. ... For other uses, see Chocolate (disambiguation). ... From the Latin curatus (compare Curator), a curate is a person who is invested with the care, or cure (cura), of souls of a parish. ... Magic realism (or magical realism) is an artistic genre in which magical elements or illogical scenarios appear in an otherwise realistic or even normal setting. ...

Harris has indicated that several of the book's characters were influenced by individuals in her life:^[1] Her daughter forms the basis for the young Anouk, including her imaginary rabbit, Pantoufle. Harris' strong-willed and independent great-grandmother influenced her portrayal of both Vianne and the elderly Armande.

Chocolat is the French spelling of "chocolate", and is pronounced [ʃɔkɔˈla].

A sequel to the novel, The Lollipop Shoes, was released in the UK in 2007; under the title The Girl with No Shadow, it is set for a May 2008 release in the US.^[2]

Plot Summary

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 festival of Mardi Gras. Three days later, Vianne opens a luxuriant chocolate shop opposite the church. It is Lent, however, and the chocolate shop is open on Sundays, and Francis Reynaud, the austere parish priest, is livid. One by one the locals succumb to Vianne's concoctions and their private lives become intwined. There's sad, polite Guillame and his dying dog; thieving, beaten-up Joséphine Muscat; Armande Voizon, still vigorous in her 70s, who can see Anouk's "imaginary" rabbit, Pantoufle, and recognizes Vianne for who she really is; Roux, a traveling gypsy who, along with his companions, is ostracized by many of the closed-minded villagers, including Armande's snobby daughter and Joséphine's violent husband, all under the guidance of Reynaud. So when Vianne announces a Grand Festival of Chocolate commencing Easter Sunday, it's all-out war: war between church and chocolate, between good and evil, between love and dogma.

Characters

• Vianne Rocher
• Anouk
• Josephine Muscat
• Paul-Marie Muscat
• Armande Voizin
• Francis Reynaud
• Caroline Clairmont
• Luc Clairmont
• Guillaume
• Narcisse
• Roux
• Zezette & Blanche

Film adaptation

Main article: Chocolat (2000 film)

The novel was adapted for film in 2000, directed by Lasse Hallstrom and starring Juliette Binoche, Alfred Molina, Judi Dench, and Johnny Depp. Chocolat is a 2000 film based on the novel Chocolat by Joanne Harris. ... Lars Hallström (born Lasse Hallström on 2 June 1946) is a Swedish director. ... Juliette Binoche (French IPA: ) (born March 9, 1964 in Paris) is an Oscar-winning and Golden Globe nominated French film actress. ... Alfred Molina (born May 24, 1953) is an English actor of both the stage and screen. ... Dame Judith Olivia Dench, CH, DBE, FRSA, (born 9 December 1934), usually known as Dame Judi Dench, is an Academy Award, Golden Globe, Tony, three-time BAFTA, and six-time Laurence Olivier Award-winning English actress. ... John Christopher Depp II[1] (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor, best known for his frequent portrayals of offbeat and eccentric characters such as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy and the titular character of Tim Burtons Edward Scissorhands. ...

Release details

• 1999, UK, Doubleday (ISBN 0-385-41064-6), Pub date 4 March 1999, hardback (First edition)
• 2000, UK, Black Swan (ISBN 0-552-99848-6), Pub date 2 March 2000, paperback
• 1999, USA, Viking Adult (ISBN 0-670-88179-1), Pub date February 1999, hardback
• 2000, USA, Penguin Books (ISBN 0-14-028203-3), Pub date January 2000, paperback
• 2000, USA, Penguin Books (ISBN 0-14-100018-X), Pub date November 2000, paperback (film tie-in edition)
• 2000, Australia, Black Swan (ISN 0-552-99893-1), Pub date 2000, paperback (film tie-in edition)

is the 63rd day of the year (64th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ... is the 61st day of the year (62nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

References

1. ^ "About the Book". Joanne Harris Website. Retrieved on 2007-06-09. Contains comments by the author.
2. ^ The Girl with No Shadow by Joanne Harris

Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 160th day of the year (161st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Novel (disambiguation). ...

External links

• Joanne Harris Official Website