The Girl with No Shadow

I read something every day, no matter where I am, and so sometimes think of books in terms of the season. Now while many stories are not specifically tied to a particular season, a few seem to almost demand it. Take Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman. That is a summer story, meant to be read on a cross-country vacation train ride ending in Florida, or at the beach. The Girl With No Shadow is a winter story. Not merely because the action occurs between the Days of the Dead and Christmas, but because it's absolutely perfect read curled up with a cozy blanket in a comfy chair, sipping thick chile-infused chocolate. The Girl With No Shadow is one of those books which is so engagingly timeless that when the author occasionally mentions - for example - a digital camera - it's actually a shock! I was so lost in the "further adventures" of Vianne, Anouk, & Roux that supper time crept up on me unannounced when I thought I still had hours...and though I say the "further adventures", this book could be easily read, not as a "sequel" to Chocolat, but on its own merits. Even as I read the last few pages, I felt the prevailing winds so instrumental to the story seemed to blow every which way, with outcome uncertain. The final moments of the story were quite satisfactory, yet, like real life, predictably ambiguous! What IS crystal clear is that I'll be indulging further Joanne Harris cravings in the near future.

Arrived one day early and in good condition.

I read Chocolat earlier this summer, and I absolutely loved it. My only qualm was that it was too short! Imagine my surprise when I discovered that there were not one, but TWO sequels to the original novel. The Girl With No Shadow is an excellent addition to Chocolat, and Harris does an amazing job keeping the reader's interest. With its darker plot, Harris is able to further develop the supporting characters from Chocolat, like Anouk and Roux, and add some new characters to pique your interest. Overall, for being close to 500 pages (much longer than Chocolat), I finished the book in a little less than a week. Great read!

I bought this book several years ago because my book group chose Peaches for Father Francis and I wanted to read the books in the series in order, having already read Chocolat. I ended up not reading either book because I didn't find this one compelling enough. Recently I reread Chocolat and decided to give this book another go. It took me a couple weeks and I nearly gave up a couple times, but I stuck with it. The second half is better, less confusing about which character is narrating each chapter. I felt that in Chocolat the magic was just right, but in The Girl with no Shadow it was, at least at the end, overplayed. On to Peaches for Father Frances (after a small break from Ms. Harris to read other authors).

This is one of the best books I have ever read in my life. Once I finished it, I read it again. I love stories of magic both light and dark and this one is a superb example. To explain, it's the kind of magic you can realistically think exists in this world, not a story like Harry Potter. While it talked about Christmas celebration in a French neighborhood, it also talked about the ancient Yule rituals and how they served in the cold and darkness of the year. It is also a story of a mother trying to keep her tween/teen daughter from being lost. It was beautiful writing and had a real flavor of what it was like being French and living in France, which I really enjoyed. I relished the references to the magic of the indigenous people in Latin America which is something I know very little about. Amid the sparkly tale of everyday magic, things surface that are very creepy and scary, and it turns out to be a suspenseful saga of good versus evil that is captivating until the end. One hint: the story is told in the first person by the three main characters. At the beginning of the chapter, look at the symbol to identify which person is speaking - most people probably caught that but I didn't so it was confusing. I couldn't recommend a book more than I do this one!

This is a sequel to Chocolat and is told by 3 narrators: Yanne (formerly Vianne), Annie (formerly Anouk), and Zozie, an new character. We first meet Zozie and find out that she is a con artist looking for abandoned mail outside a shop closed due to bereavement. She meets Anouk and when she asks her who has died, she says "Vianne Rocher". After I got over the shock and began wondering if the novel was told in flashback, it becomes clear that Anouk was joking, but in some ways not. Vianne has changed in more than her name, and they have fled to the outskirts of Paris to get away from the Kindly Ones with her other daughter, Rosette who is mute. She is involved with the shop's landlord, a stuffy man, who wants to marry her and has given up her magic. Anouk is growing up and having a hard time fitting in. Zozie is more than she seems and recognizes the magic in the girls. Roux returns to complicate matters. The tone in the book is much darker and Vianne must make hard choices to save her familty. I found the book to be different from Chocolat but still very enjoyable.

This is a "must read". Each page, paragraph, and chapter are riveting and will keep you in the edge of your seat. As a member of the Smithsonian Associates Program, I had an opportunity to meet the author today. When asked if she were planning another book sequel to the life of Vianne (The Girl With No Shadow), she replied that she didn't think so. Something tells me that like the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, the public may not leave her with much choice. This book is awesome and addictive. It leaves you wanting more and more. I would not be surprised if another movie follows. I rate this book with 5- stars. Excellent reading. And by the way; after the book review the chocolate treats and champagne were served; as mentioned in the book and in the movie "Chocolat". Hmmmmmm, yummm. I couldn't drink the champagne, but the chocolate treats were delicious. Do yourself a favor, buy and read this book. A summer treat.

There are not many books that I have ever read that kept me reading way into the night and abandoning my chores as this book did. This talented author has an exceptional way of weaving the known into the unknown to keep the suspense riveted throughout the story. (Note: As I had not read the first book, I did view the movie "Chocolat" before reading so that I had a vivid picture of the repeating characters in my mind which anchored me into the story.) I love books that take me away to another place and another time as this one did quite marvelously. The characters were intriguing, especially the sinister new woman, Zozie. A hugely complex personality with an unbelievable history riddled with magic, deception, cunning and horror takes center stage as she manipulates her way into the lives of the other characters and threatens every aspect of Vianne's very existence. I really, really enjoyed reading this wonderful tale and commend the author on her ability to capture the mind with her fantastic storytelling skills. I am anxious to read the next in the series and hope that it is as captivating.

Loved it! A continuation of Chocolat. The ending was terrific.

Good book

Je n'ai pas pas pu lâcher ce livre pleins de rebondissements. Je recommande vivement et surtout après chocolat. Excellent, fascinant

a non-story for fans of Chocolat who the author seems to believe are too stupid to see that here she is writing nothing. no story, just recipes.

I loved 'Chocolat' it has been my favourite for many years, but I thought it was a stand alone book. When I found that there are more, a series, I was delighted and anticipated the magic continuing. This book delivers on every level, better than I could have imagined, drawing me into the drama, allowing me to enjoy with all of my senses the continuation for Vianne and Anouk in a new village, hiding behind new identities, trying to fit in and being prey to another powerful miscreant. Joanne Harris, for me, is the master of storytelling at its very best and I highly recommend her books.I Update Having read all 4 of the books in the series, which I highly recommend, my favourite was The Lollipop Shoes. They are all excellent and evolve the continuing saga of Vianne and her relationships with her children, her lover and her world, through her eyes and those of others prominent in each story. Joanne Harris is the best for weaving her magic in extraordinary ways, to make her stories come alive and draw the reader, fully immersed into them 😊