Chocolat By Joanne Harris

This is one of those books that was typically made into a film and then hugely bragged about. But it never really caught my attention till recently when I became more interested in books. I suppose in someways that the book did appeal to me as I am a huge lover for chocolate, in fact what girl isn't. But this story dives much deeper than the love of chocolate, it discusses in depth the wonder of bringing in something out of the ordinary into a town of organized simplicity. It just represents and shows that sometimes we can bring change to the smallest of things and to the smallest of places without even really meaning to. But for me I love the way that the writer has written the novel in the perspective of the two main characters, the ones that do not get along because they both have different beliefs and opinions about society and religion. And I feel that she has shown this conflict in a wonderful way, truly represented it with emotions and personality.

The novel is clearly written with a depth of description that makes the pages come alive and really builds the whole entire scene around you. It is captivating and the smell of chocolate really does seem to seep through the words as you read and leaves you longing and wishing to be at that shop. And yet at the same time, the parts where it is the priest that is talking, you are left considering the effects of religion, the depth in which his beliefs go and how much they can affect the beliefs of others. And I suppose in this sense the writer is writing in the sense of making the reader think about there morals and beliefs, and to look at the rights and wrongs.

A lot of issues and prejudices are brought up in the novel and I suppose this does make it more grasping because it gives a wider view on society and what has become of it, in that we are quick to judge the gypsies as scum, and to banish new things before we have even tried it. I love the way the characters show there strength though, how though things go wrong and how there are struggles there is still strength there and there is still belief and wisdom there. the words are just powerful and I truly fell in love with this book. I didnt want it to end and actually wanted to read on to find out what becomes of their life, how her daughter grows up, if she ever gets married and settles down and what becomes of the priest. it was just an interesting write that truly grasped me.