Vianne by Joanne Harris

Book Blurb Secrets. Chocolate. A touch of magic… On a warm July evening, Sylviane Rochas scatters her mother’s ashes in New York and lets the changing wind blow her to the French seaside town of Marseille. For the first time in her life, Vianne holds the future in her own hands. Charming her way into a job as a waitress in a local bistrot, she knows that she is not here to stay – when her child is born in a few months, she must be gone. As she discovers the joy of cooking, making recipes her own with the addition of bittersweet chocolate spices, she realises that it possesses its own magic in this town full of secrets. Yet Vianne will never forget her mother’s warning: that there is danger in revealing the true desires of those around her – and she must flee these cobbled streets before it’s too late…

My Review

It’s always an joyous moment when the a new novel from Joanne Harris drops through your letterbox but when it is the prequel to the amazing Chocolat then that is a moment to jump up and down with excitement. Vianne, as the title implies is the story of Vianne when she first comes to France in 1993, and starts her journey of learning all about chocolate.

With a new novel in the Chocolat series comes a lot of expectation, and in this case it didn’t just meet expectations but blew them through the roof. The story of the twenty one year old Vianne arriving in Marseille after the death of her mother and pregnant is simply beautiful. Vianne has spent her life moving with the wind as her mother taught her but is now considering putting down roots, having a room of her own for her and her baby, having friends and security.

Watching Vianne grow, even over a few months, was what I found most enjoyable about the book. How she became passionate about cooking and using that skill to please others, something she takes to her chocolate making as well; that gift of knowing what is someone’s favourite.

Joanne Harris has of course created a wonderful and memorable cast of supporting characters, all with their own intriguing backgrounds. Widowed Louis who runs the Bistro, Guy running from his wealthy family to open a Chocolate shop, homeless Stèphane and his cat Pompinette, and an appearance of a young Marseille priest who becomes priest of Lansquenet Sous Tannes in Chocolat.

That’s is no disputing that Joanne Harris is a masterful storyteller, and whose writing just encompasses you into her stories. I love her evocative writing, a real treat for the senses, and the detail she puts into her characters that makes them relatable. It’s hard to put into words how much I enjoyed reading Vianne, it was exquisite and it left me feeling warm, happy and nostalgic. For any fan of Chocolat this is a must read; a sensational and stunning read.