Thursday, April 10, 2008
Chocolat by Joanne Harris
Although I've seen the movie many times, I never read Joanne Harris' novel Chocolat. Her next novel, The Girl With No Shadow is a sequel to Chocolat and should be arriving any day now, so I thought I ought to read it first. I absolutely love the movie, so I was worried that the book would either disappoint me, or I would love the book so much that the movie would now disappoint me. I find that happens a lot with books made into movies. For the most part, the movie follows the storyline of the book, with some changes. The good news is that this didn't change my feelings about the movie or lessen my enjoyment of the book. Both are delightful in their own right. The book has a slightly more serious side to it, with Vianne's memories of her mother and her past. But the characters are well-drawn and Harris' vivid descriptions bring the small village to life. Warning: the descriptions of the chocolate are likely to cause intense cravings. Stay tuned for my review of The Girl With No Shadow.
1 comment:
I read the book Chocolat before seeing the film. One of the major differences, (and here comes a spoiler for anyone who has seen neither!) is the full explanation of Grandmere's death.
In the film it appears that it occurs naturally after the feast, but in the book it is of Grandmere's own doing and is quite deliberate.
She is diabetic, refuses her medicine, and so begins her hedonistic rush towards death, sampling all the delights of Vianne's chocolate shop on the way. All the time wearing scarlet petticoats.
What a wonderful image - this old woman with a, seemingly improper, fondness of Rimbauld, bowing out of life disgracefully, using up her very last ounces of passion for life. Wonderful stuff, yet so diluted for the film.
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