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. Harris has indicated that several of the book's characters were influenced by individuals in her life:... 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 French for "chocolate", and is pronounced [ʃɔkɔˈla] or "shocola". A sequel to the novel, The Lollipop Shoes, was released in the UK in 2007; under the title The Girl with No Shadow, it was released in the US in 2008. The story begins as a woman, Vianne Rocher, and her daughter Anouk move into the small French village of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes.
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| Author: | Joanne Harris |
| Genre: | Novel, Magic realism, Fiction, Romance novel, Fantasy, Speculative fiction |
| Year published: | 1999 |
| Number of editions: | 20 |