Peaches for Monsieur le Curé
Joanne Harris
Peaches for Monsieur le Curé
When Vianne Rocher receives a letter from beyond the grave, she has no choice but to follow the wind that blows her back to Lansquenet, the village in south-west France where, eight years ago, she opened up a chocolate shop.But Vianne is completely unprepared for what she finds there. Women veiled in black, the scent of spices and peppermint tea, and there, on the bank of the river Tannes, facing the square little tower of the church of Saint-Jerôme like a piece on a chessboard - slender, bone-white and crowned with a silver crescent moon - a minaret.
Nor is it only the incomers from North Africa that have brought big changes to the community. Father Reynaud, Vianne's erstwhile adversary, is now disgraced and under threat. Could it be that Vianne is the only one who can save him?
3.7 out of 5 based on 3 reviews
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Omniscore:
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| Classification |
Fiction |
| Genre |
General Fiction |
| Format |
Hardcover |
| Pages |
464 |
| RRP |
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| Date of Publication |
June 2012 |
| ISBN |
978-0385619219 |
| Publisher |
Doubleday |
| |
When Vianne Rocher receives a letter from beyond the grave, she has no choice but to follow the wind that blows her back to Lansquenet, the village in south-west France where, eight years ago, she opened up a chocolate shop.
But Vianne is completely unprepared for what she finds there. Women veiled in black, the scent of spices and peppermint tea, and there, on the bank of the river Tannes, facing the square little tower of the church of Saint-Jerôme like a piece on a chessboard - slender, bone-white and crowned with a silver crescent moon - a minaret.
Nor is it only the incomers from North Africa that have brought big changes to the community. Father Reynaud, Vianne's erstwhile adversary, is now disgraced and under threat. Could it be that Vianne is the only one who can save him?
John Crace's Digested Read — The Guardian
Blueeyedboy by Joanne Harris.
Reviews
The Daily Mail
Stephanie Cross
“Lansquenet, reflects Vianne, is ‘like the sundew that draws in the fly with its many honeyed strands’ - which is a good description of this expertly crafted, typically mouthwatering novel, too. Harris sketches the culture clash deftly, but her real concern is whether others are as free as Vianne to shape their fate and ‘call the wind’.”
17/05/2012
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The Times
Kate Saunders
“On impulse, Vianne returns, to find the place oddly changed. Her old adversary, Father Reynaud, has been removed from office. A community of Muslims has sprung up in the disused tanneries, and there is a minaret facing the church. But Vianne — unconventional, good-hearted, slightly magical — blows in like a refreshing breeze, forcing people to question their prejudices. A delight.”
02/06/2012
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The Daily Telegraph
Toby Clements
“The key to enjoying Joanne Harris’s new novel is to read it quickly. If something doesn’t make sense or doesn’t seem remotely likely, don’t reread it, just accept it and push on. And don’t, whatever you do, read anything in italics. That way you will get past all the nonsense and will be able to get on to the considerable pleasures of her story.”
26/06/2012
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