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Since she was a little girl, the wind has dictated every move Vianne Rocher has made, buffeting her from the small French village of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes to the crowded streets of Paris. Cloaked in a new identity, that of widow Yanne Charbonneau, she opens a chocolaterie on a small Montmartre street, determined to still the wind at last and keep her daughters, Anouk and baby Rosette, safe.Her new home above the chocolate shop offers calm and quiet; no red sachets by the door; no sparks of show more magic fill the air. Conformity brings with it anonymity—and peace. There is even Thierry, the stolid businessman who wants to care for Yanne and the children. On the cusp of adolescence, an increasingly rebellious Anouk does not understand. But soon the weathervane turns . . . and into their lives blows the charming, enigmatic—and devious—Zozie de l'Alba. And everything begins to change.
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Just as the year wound to a close and a new one began, it was time for the winds of change to bring Vianne Rocher, Anouk, and Pantoufle back into my life. With them this time, they bring a new child, completing the traditional witchy trio with the arrival of 4 year old Rosette. Yet missing initially is the chocolaterie that captured our hearts in Lansquenet, and even the quiet charm of Montmartre and its Parisian characters can’t quite make up for it. Yet Vianne can’t avoid the rich temptation of her soul’s calling, and it is only a matter of time before she becomes the target of a grifter - a woman who doesn’t really have a name, but who we come to know first as Fracoise and then more memorably as Zosie - and we are surrounded show more by the rich scent and memories of chocolate once again. We the reader recognize Zosie for what she is from the beginning, as it is she who opens the story with a harmless enough yarn about collecting letters from the dead and making old lives useful once again. This may not seem harmful on the surface, as she paints herself as a woman just trying to make her way in the complicated world, but the longer she speaks the more danger she reveals, and once we realize what her plan for Vianne and Anouk is we are firmly against her. As she works to ingratiate herself into Vianne’s carefully constructed life, we are also shown what a façade the whole thing is: they have been running ever since Vianne discovered her pregnancy in Lansquenet and continued to run as baby Rosette’s condition (cri-du-chat syndrome) and Anouk’s magic start to raise questions. They’ve built a small life for themselves in Montmarte, as it is easy enough to live a non-magical life in this pocket of the big city, but Vianne is fooling herself if she thinks she can hold off from the magic finding Anouk and Rosette. Zosie’s plan may be to take over Vianne’s life and steal Anouk from her (for her magical abilities, not for any sense of love or care), but the fractures that she creates only work to destroy the fragile tower of Vianne’s stifling life and reunite her with her true path, Roux and her newly found mother by her side. While it is unlikely they will be able to salvage the Montmartre chocolaterie from the rubble, the effects of this little shop will be felt by its patrons for many years to come - love, balance, and new truths are hard to shake once found - and we know that Vianne and her little family are once again to be swept away on their next adventure by a friendly wind. show less
"Children are knives....they don't mean to but they cut. And yet we cling to them, don't we, we clasp them until the blood flows"
I have read most of Joanne Harris books and enjoyed each in varying degrees. I loved this book. The format of giving the primary characters a totem and separate chapters to express their understanding of events added to the emotional roller coaster of the twists and turns of the story. And what a story it is. I found myself listening carefully to the nuances of each message that was being imparted and became caught up in what was to unfold. Magic? Well, perhaps we shouldn't dismiss what we can't explain or understand through simple logic.
I have read most of Joanne Harris books and enjoyed each in varying degrees. I loved this book. The format of giving the primary characters a totem and separate chapters to express their understanding of events added to the emotional roller coaster of the twists and turns of the story. And what a story it is. I found myself listening carefully to the nuances of each message that was being imparted and became caught up in what was to unfold. Magic? Well, perhaps we shouldn't dismiss what we can't explain or understand through simple logic.
Another complex web of chocolate, French magical realism, inane chatter about imaginary animals, and the return of Roux, as played by Johnny Depp in the film version of Chocolat. What’s not to love? My only real criticism is that it feels a bit like Joanne Harris has changed the cover of her mega-mammoth-massive bestseller, added a couple more chapters, replaced every instance of the word “Lasquenet” with “Paris”, and let this one out into the world. My recommendation is simple – if you liked Chocolat, you’ll like this. If you didn’t, you won’t. I did. Joanne Harris still does something wonderful, and her books invariably make me a bit hungry.
I didn’t realise that there was a sequel to [b:Chocolat|47401|Chocolat (Chocolat, #1)|Joanne Harris|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388674628s/47401.jpg|2930558] until a friend recommended it a few years ago. Then I happened to see a copy in the library and thought it might be fun to read, as indeed it was. The narrative picks up about five years after the events of [b:Chocolat|47401|Chocolat (Chocolat, #1)|Joanne Harris|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388674628s/47401.jpg|2930558]. Vianne and Anouk have been joined by little Rosette and are living quietly in Paris. Their relatively peaceful existence is upended by the arrival of the enigmatic Zozie. I found the split point of view between Vianne, Anouk, and Zozie delightful, show more as Zozie is such an interesting antagonist. Although the reader knows from the start that her intentions are nefarious, you also cannot help but be fascinated by her. Thus I found ‘The Lollipop Shoes’ a more tense and thrilling experience than [b:Chocolat|47401|Chocolat (Chocolat, #1)|Joanne Harris|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388674628s/47401.jpg|2930558]. In the latter, the villain is a simple personification of convention, whereas here multiple witches are in play. I loved all the references to the Kindly Ones, who the central characters sometimes paralleled: the maiden, the mother, and the crone. (That said, I did feel old when I realised that Vianne is my age in this novel.)
I read [b:Chocolat|47401|Chocolat (Chocolat, #1)|Joanne Harris|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388674628s/47401.jpg|2930558] quite a while back, but am nonetheless pretty sure I enjoyed ‘The Lollipop Shoes’ more. I appreciated that emotional bonds between women were at the centre of the plot and that the dilemmas faced by Vianne in particular were so sensitively explored. Paris was evoked vividly, which made me a little nostalgic. I’ve only been to Paris once, but the visit included a day wandering around Montmartre on my own. The descriptions chime with my memories of that day. The gradual build towards the denouement was elegantly done and the magical elements woven in beautifully. Although the ending did not surprise me, it was entirely charming and fitting. What an excellent novel to read over a restful weekend. It leaves you with a warm, cosy feeling. show less
I read [b:Chocolat|47401|Chocolat (Chocolat, #1)|Joanne Harris|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388674628s/47401.jpg|2930558] quite a while back, but am nonetheless pretty sure I enjoyed ‘The Lollipop Shoes’ more. I appreciated that emotional bonds between women were at the centre of the plot and that the dilemmas faced by Vianne in particular were so sensitively explored. Paris was evoked vividly, which made me a little nostalgic. I’ve only been to Paris once, but the visit included a day wandering around Montmartre on my own. The descriptions chime with my memories of that day. The gradual build towards the denouement was elegantly done and the magical elements woven in beautifully. Although the ending did not surprise me, it was entirely charming and fitting. What an excellent novel to read over a restful weekend. It leaves you with a warm, cosy feeling. show less
The Girl with No Shadow (aka Lollipop Shoes) is a sequel to the wonderful novel, Chocolat and proves the point that when you have a great thing, don’t try to add to it. Where Chocolat is a rich, dark seductive treat, TGWNS is a waxy, flavorless Tootsie Roll.
Our heroine from Chocolat, Vianne Rocher, has set up a chocolate shop in Montmartre, a village on the outskirts of Paris, with her daughter, Anouk, now 11, and a new addition to the family, Rosette, age 4. There are hints that they left Lansquenet because of some magic gone awry, performed by one of the children, both of whom have obviously acquired their mother’s talents. Vianne has changed her name to Yanne Charbonneau and, in addition to giving up her identity, has lost her show more passion and flair. She’s settled for a quiet, decidedly un-magical life and deals daily with the stress of keeping in check her daughters’ witchy tendencies.
The antagonist is a self-proclaimed identity thief and witch, who blows into town on an ill wind and worms her way into Yanne’s life. Trouble ensues, good vs. evil, yada yada yada.
It’s impossible not to compare this novel with Chocolat; but it’s almost as though they were written by different authors. Where the magic in Chocolat was subtle, just a hint of it sprinkled here and there, Harris hits us over the head with it in TGWNS, with glamours, charms, cantrips, spells, incantations and herbal potions on every page. It becomes quite tedious. The characters are flattened out. The plot has a couple of nice twists and surprises, but by the time they came around, I really didn’t care about them.
Harris has written some wonderful books in addition to Chocolat – Coastliners and Three Quarters of the Orange were favorites of mine. This one fell short. Way short. Now I’m off to have some good dark chocolate to cleanse my palate. show less
Our heroine from Chocolat, Vianne Rocher, has set up a chocolate shop in Montmartre, a village on the outskirts of Paris, with her daughter, Anouk, now 11, and a new addition to the family, Rosette, age 4. There are hints that they left Lansquenet because of some magic gone awry, performed by one of the children, both of whom have obviously acquired their mother’s talents. Vianne has changed her name to Yanne Charbonneau and, in addition to giving up her identity, has lost her show more passion and flair. She’s settled for a quiet, decidedly un-magical life and deals daily with the stress of keeping in check her daughters’ witchy tendencies.
The antagonist is a self-proclaimed identity thief and witch, who blows into town on an ill wind and worms her way into Yanne’s life. Trouble ensues, good vs. evil, yada yada yada.
It’s impossible not to compare this novel with Chocolat; but it’s almost as though they were written by different authors. Where the magic in Chocolat was subtle, just a hint of it sprinkled here and there, Harris hits us over the head with it in TGWNS, with glamours, charms, cantrips, spells, incantations and herbal potions on every page. It becomes quite tedious. The characters are flattened out. The plot has a couple of nice twists and surprises, but by the time they came around, I really didn’t care about them.
Harris has written some wonderful books in addition to Chocolat – Coastliners and Three Quarters of the Orange were favorites of mine. This one fell short. Way short. Now I’m off to have some good dark chocolate to cleanse my palate. show less
It was a surprise - this second Opus in the 'Chocolat' trilogy is actually better than the first novel. The writing style is different, as we switch narrative voices from one chapter to the next, from Vianne to Zozie or Anouk. The supernatural elements are kept in check to the level of the 'uncanny' and glances. The plot is about the clash between two witches for the control of one child, and one of them is willing to go to great lengths to win. There is a lot of inner thoughts and psychology involved, as well as manipulation. In the end, this is a very entertaining book, unlike the first one of the series, but adds more dynamic to the inital plot. Well worth reading, even if you did not like 'Chocolat'!
Another very winning novel from Joanne Harris, well in the spirit - as well as the world - of "Chocolat." Indeed, the only way I felt significantly removed from the experience of reading "Chocolat" - that is to say, a conscious awareness that I was reading a different story - was in the added complexity of "The Girl with No Shadow." "Chocolat" was beautiful, even poetic in its simplicity, like a little fable. It moved effortlessly and concluded in a pleasingly open-ended manner. "The Girl with No Shadow" has much of the same richness of prose, but we as readers aren't being treated to a fairy tale any longer. This is a darker, stronger chocolate: both literally as a longer, more melancholic novel, and structurally, as Harris moves from show more fable to a more complex form of storytelling.
In fact, my one complaint might be that this time around, Harris has cemented her story just a little too strongly. "Chocolat" seemed to take place in a "no-time" France, with only the rare fleeting mention of technology (making it quite easy to adapt into a film set in 1959). "Shadow" is filled with credit cards, mobile phones and other indicators of the present day that seemed to slightly counteract the magical element of the story, which of course becomes more and more prevalent (and important) as the tale goes on. Furthermore, I was secretly a little pleased to have Vianne and her daughter, Anouk left to their changing wind at the end of the original novel; in the sequel, everything wraps up just a little too tidy. I realize that Vianne's need for stability is a constant theme of the book; it just made it feel the *tiniest* bit less special, that's all.
Still, though, there's a great deal to delight in here. Vianne and Anouk - now going by Yanne and Annie - find themselves faced with a new and far more terrifying adversary, Zozie, who (both realistically and magically) steals identities. The conceit of gaining trust through magical chocolates, so much a part of "Chocolat," is turned on its head here as Zozie manipulates Vianne's new chocolaterie to serve her own purpose. There are both thematic and literal links to the earlier novel - including one or two questions answered - and we are introduced to Vianne's curious new daughter, Rosette, along with her own special "spirit animal." This is a novel to enjoy over many long, savored cups of hot chocolate.
A few more words about the American edition of the novel. Although I appreciate the title of "The Girl with No Shadow," I'm a little sorry that the original title, "The Lollipop Shoes," was not kept for the American market. It just seems to fit better, especially as the eponymous shoes are such a constant through the story. Furthermore, while I enjoyed the stylistic touch of introducing the different narrated sections with a little illustration - Cat Moon for Vianne, Rabbit Moon for Anouk, and a New Moon for Zozie - these were not always consistent in my Advanced Reader's Edition, which left me occasionally confused. I hope they were corrected for the final, printed edition as they very gently telegraph the flow of the story without interrupting the ease of reading.
Overall, a very fine book. I will be recommending this to friends who have read the earlier novel or seen the film. show less
In fact, my one complaint might be that this time around, Harris has cemented her story just a little too strongly. "Chocolat" seemed to take place in a "no-time" France, with only the rare fleeting mention of technology (making it quite easy to adapt into a film set in 1959). "Shadow" is filled with credit cards, mobile phones and other indicators of the present day that seemed to slightly counteract the magical element of the story, which of course becomes more and more prevalent (and important) as the tale goes on. Furthermore, I was secretly a little pleased to have Vianne and her daughter, Anouk left to their changing wind at the end of the original novel; in the sequel, everything wraps up just a little too tidy. I realize that Vianne's need for stability is a constant theme of the book; it just made it feel the *tiniest* bit less special, that's all.
Still, though, there's a great deal to delight in here. Vianne and Anouk - now going by Yanne and Annie - find themselves faced with a new and far more terrifying adversary, Zozie, who (both realistically and magically) steals identities. The conceit of gaining trust through magical chocolates, so much a part of "Chocolat," is turned on its head here as Zozie manipulates Vianne's new chocolaterie to serve her own purpose. There are both thematic and literal links to the earlier novel - including one or two questions answered - and we are introduced to Vianne's curious new daughter, Rosette, along with her own special "spirit animal." This is a novel to enjoy over many long, savored cups of hot chocolate.
A few more words about the American edition of the novel. Although I appreciate the title of "The Girl with No Shadow," I'm a little sorry that the original title, "The Lollipop Shoes," was not kept for the American market. It just seems to fit better, especially as the eponymous shoes are such a constant through the story. Furthermore, while I enjoyed the stylistic touch of introducing the different narrated sections with a little illustration - Cat Moon for Vianne, Rabbit Moon for Anouk, and a New Moon for Zozie - these were not always consistent in my Advanced Reader's Edition, which left me occasionally confused. I hope they were corrected for the final, printed edition as they very gently telegraph the flow of the story without interrupting the ease of reading.
Overall, a very fine book. I will be recommending this to friends who have read the earlier novel or seen the film. show less
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Author Information
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Joanne Harris was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire, England on July 3, 1964. She studied Modern and Mediaeval Languages at St Catharine's College, Cambridge. While working as a teacher for fifteen years, she published three novels: The Evil Seed (1989), Sleep, Pale Sister (1993) and Chocolat (1999), which was made into a film starring Juliette Binoche show more and Johnny Depp. Her other works include Blackberry Wine, Five Quarters of the Orange, Coastliners, Holy Fools, The Lollipop Shoes and Runemarks. She also co-wrote two cookbooks with cookery writer Fran Warde: The French Kitchen and The French Market. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Ullstein (26975)
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title*
- Rode schoenen
- Original title
- The Lollipop Shoes
- Alternate titles
- The Girl with No Shadow
- Original publication date
- 2008
- People/Characters
- Vianne Rocher; Zozie de l'Alba
- Important places
- Paris, France
- Epigraph*
- Het verrukkelijke vervolg op Chocolat
- Dedication
- To A.F.H.
Skiriu A.F.H, - First words
- It is a relatively little-known fact that, over the course of a single year, about twenty million letters are delivered to the dead.
Mažai kam žinoma, kad per metus apie dvidešimt milijonų laiškų pristatoma mirusiesi... (show all)ams. - Quotations
- „Nes vėjas reiškia permainas, o be permainų pasaulis žūtų.“;
„ nes jei pragare nėra piktesnės raganos nei paniekinta moteris, tai žemėje nėra baisesnio žmogaus už apgautą raganą.“;
„Kaina už š... (show all)irdies troškimus yra tavo širdis. Gyvenimas už gyvenimą. Pasaulyje egzistuoja pusiausvyra. Per daug įtempsi virvę, ir ši galų gale tėkštelės tau į veidą.“;
„ apie tai, kaip stengiausi tapti sava bet kuria kaina, net jei tektų prarasti šešėlį; net jei savo sielą.“
It's my fault. I know that now. To bring her up in my mother's beliefs seemed so natural at the time. It gave us a plan; a tradition of our own; a magic circle into which the world could not enter. But where the world can... (show all)not enter, we cannot leave. Trapped inside a cocoon of our own making, we live apart, eternal strangers from the rest. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)I'm a free spirit, don't forget - And I go wherever the wind takes me.
Aš juk laisva dvasia, nepamirškite to...Ir keliauju ten, kur vėjas mane neša. - Disambiguation notice
- The Lollipop Shoes was also published as The Girl With No Shadow.
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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