Book Review: February

Book review time! February - the month of love and relationships. I suppose it is weird that I chose The Forty Rules of Love for January instead of February, but I think I've chosen an appropriate book for this month.

The Girl with No Shadow by Joanne Harris.

A little background. This book is actually the sequel to Chocolat and that book was actually made into a movie. This was originally titled "Lollipop Shoes" but it was rebranded into "The Girl with No Shadow."

The story is about a woman named Vianne Rocher, although she goes by many names. She is a woman that follows the wind and has a knack for practical magic. Chocolat is all about Vianne and who she is as she confronts Pere Reynaud. The Girl with No Shadow is about Vianne and Anouk (her daughter) as they confront some of their past and Zozie (the owner of the 'lollipop shoes').

A signed first edition which I purchased off of Amazon. I have never (knowingly) met Joanne Harris, but I was lucky enough to receive this in the mail. It is also a hardcover and I'm afraid my bookshelf lacks those so I love this all the more. 

What to say about this book...

It has three different perspectives. Zozie, Anouk and Vianne which puts the reader in an interesting situation. We know our "villain" from the start, but when will our characters learn, how will they learn, what will they do?

I appreciate the sensory descriptions. Joanne Harris did not lose her touch. If you've read Chocolat, then you know that her descriptions can make your mouth water. There is a very subtle and delightful imagery that she builds in your mind from the first page. 

Not only that, but her characters leap from the pages. They are individuals with secrets and those secrets draw readers further into the story. What has happened to Vianne and Anouk since we saw them in Lansquenet sous Tannes? We know the family of two has become three with the addition of Rosette, but Vianne (now Yanne) is far from herself. Reserved, quiet, gray - she has become quite a faded photo of herself.

Read on for a more in-depth discussion and spoilers.

Now for the delicious spoilers. There is nothing so seductive as chocolate. It enraptures the senses and good chocolate leaves your mouth feeling clean. The highly processed chocolate is sticky and overly sweet, it will make your throat dry and stick to your teeth.

Vianne has lost herself. She hasn't made her own chocolates in years. She stopped the magic; cantrips, sachets, little couplets and forked signs to ward off malchance. She has become plain and ordinary.

Zozie is everything that Vianne lost. She is unafraid to speak her mind and bold in her clothing choices. Like the lollipop shoes (which are red and I imagine like Dorothy's red slippers), she wears sweaters with dresses, boots with high-tops and an assortment of dangling jewelry. She captures attention with her confidence and she ensnares Vianne and Anouk too.

Anouk is going through the early preteen years and it's rough. She is bullied by her classmates because she sticks out. I can sympathize with feeling different (especially in the middle school age range). She just doesn't understand why everyone else wants to be the same. The same movies and lipstick and clothing and opinions, she explains how tiring it is to try and fit in. When she meets Zozie, she wants to be like her.

Anouk has her mother's gifts and she has almost forgotten them. Everything has become an Accident or a "game." With Zozie, those forgotten gifts are brought back to life and Zozie teaches Anouk some of her tricks. Specifically with signs that come from the ancient civilizations of the Americas.

The chocolaterie isn't doing well since Vianne is flying under the radar and so begins the conflict. Her landlord is sweet on her and wants to marry her - and she says yes! Now don't mistake the exclamation mark, I mean that with surprise and astonishment. Thierry le Tresset is not the man we want Vianne to marry. Oh no no, he is the exact opposite of Roux and his patronizing ways grate on the nerves. He thinks that women should want to wear dresses and take care of homes. He's old fashioned as Vianne puts it. Behind his easy-going facade is a hard mask that demands obedience - not the man we're looking for at all.

But who really needs a man anyway. Vianne, Anouk and Rosette form a complete family without anyone else. Each of them special and able to see the colors as well as manipulate events. That's what I love the most about this book. The subtle magic. None of it's huge like moving mountains, but a deception, a encouragement, bad luck thrown to the wind. It's practical magic.

Zozie's a mystery too, but worth exploring. We know she isn't up to any good, but that won't stop you from getting closer and sympathizing with some of her views. Zozie knows what she wants and she takes it. She is a bit of a grifter, a con artist, identity thief - she uses her skills to play the part. A shift in posture, the right clothing and she becomes a different person, not so farfetched from what people do today.

So why should you read this?
Because it is a detailed and deletable tale of finding oneself with magic, chocolate and love.

Now doesn't that sound like the perfect recipe?