This a sequel to Chocolat, set eight years later in the same place. Vianne Rocher returns to the village where things have changed: new people have moved in, bringing with them a new set of questions for both Vianne and her old protagonist the curate.
As with the other novel, both characters and setting are strongly drawn and the plot is, if anything, even better: there's certainly more going on. Contemporary vibes in the shape of cross-religious relationships set this novel clearly in the present, yet the people's way of life is curiously old-world, with only the references to mobile phones to bring the reader anything like close to the present day. Natural, seasonal change is manifestly present, as with many of Harris's novels, and there's more than a hint of magic in the air. The twist at the end is a genuine surprise.
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