Chocolat, Joanne Harris

First, I’d like to congratulate anyone who (a) has the resilience to finish a manuscript; and (b) has the fortitude to put themselves out into the world and publish a book. It is because of these two factors that I don’t rate anything below a 3, for the two factors listed above, authors are simply deserving of at least a three. Now, for the review.

I have said it before, I am often disappointed after reading a book that has received incredible hype; especially if that hype was in regard to a movie made from a book. I again have this feeling.

Chocolat is a good book, it is, in my opinion, not “delicious” or an “amazement of riches,” as touted in the book’s cover reviews. It is simply a well-written, easy to read book about a chocolatier gypsy who, for whatever reason, has her empathic insights likened to witchery - but only once or twice is this brought up; therefore, the witch concept was a lot on me.

There was the beginning of a love interest where an abused parishioner of the local church leaves her husband and falls for a river man. Ugh - there was just nothing there. And then there was the antagonist, the local priest. I really couldn’t grasp what his role was other than he was a bully in a cassock.

Would I recommend, Chocolat? Yes. Why, after no so great a review? Because there is nothing wrong with the book, it was just not all that entertaining to me. The writing is above average for sure and that alone is worth reading it.