“Chocolat” sounds like the
perfect book for a chocoholic like myself, and I was thrilled to find
a copy in our local library (their collection of English books is
small but somewhat eccentric; you never know what you're going to
find. That's why I love going there - it's an adventure!). I saw the film based on the book some years ago, and remember it being
a lovely feel-good movie that makes you want to try your hand in the
art of chocolate making. But even though I was familiar with the story,
I still wanted to read the book.
Vianne Rocher, a vagabond
chocolatier, and her daughter settle in a small French town. As
outsiders, they encounter prejudice and suspicion – but who could
resist chocolate? With a bit of magic and lots of joie de
vivre, lives are about to change...
The story has two narrators: Vianne
with her sensuality and lust for life and the local priest, who sees
chocolate (and indeed any and all enjoyment and indulgence) as
something sinful. One of the novel's themes could be said to be
Christianity vs paganism, but that is not at all everything this book
is about. Prejudice/tolerance and belonging/rootlesness are other
prevalent themes, as is finding courage to live (and, perhaps, to
die) on your own terms.
The descriptions are beautiful and
sensual (yes, you will crave pralines and truffles and chocolate cake
and chocolate almonds and pain au chocolat and mocha with kahlua...
and dozens of other mouth-watering treats). I especially loved the
parts where chocolate, “the food of the gods - - - the bitter
elixir of life” was described, and where cooking acquired an air of
mysticism or a kind of alchemy:
“There is a kind of sorcery in
all cooking: in the choosing of ingredients, the process of mixing,
grating, melting, infusing and flavouring, the recipes taken from
ancient books, the traditional utensils – the pestle and mortar
with which my mother made her incense turned to more homely purpose,
the spices and aromatics giving up their subtleties to a baser, more
sensual magic. And it is partly the transience of it that delights
me; so much loving preparation, so much art and experience put into a
pleasure which can last only a moment, and which only a few will
ever fully appreciate.”
(Sensual magic! I will remember that the next time cooking feels like a chore.)
The novel has more depth than the
film and is also more melancholy. The way that the characters are haunted by their
past becomes more poignant, and the themes of love and loss, of having to give up something
precious, are central. At the same time, though, it is a celebration of
fleeting moments and reminds the reader of how important it is to
enjoy those moments and life's little pleasures.
If I had to offer criticism, I'd say
that the priest's narrative was somewhat repetetive (but then, I
suspect that was on purpose: to underline his obsessive-compulsive
thoughts) and, although the characters were interesting and complex,
I never felt as close to any of them as I would have wished. Even so, "Chocolat" ranks as the best book I've read this year so far (and that makes me very happy: last year wasn't very good, book-wise - perhaps this one will be better!).
Like a luxury chocolate praline, this
novel is sweet, delicious and satisfying – but also complex with
some deeper, darker notes. It left me wanting more.
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