Chocolat:
Chocolat was first published in 1999 and later made into a movie, starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. It tells the story of a small rural village in France that is turned upside down by the arrival of a witch, Vianne, and her small daughter Anouk. The village is in the grip of strict Catholic morality, under the close watch of the disapproving parish priest, Francis Reynaud. Despite it being close to Easter and within the period of Lent, Vianne opens a chocolaterie, called "La Celeste Praline" and a war begins for control of the people of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes. Who will win? will Vianne's gentle but indulgent Paganism sweep the village over to her side, or will the severe discipline of the priest keep passions under control?
Vianne has her own demons to fight against. As the daughter of a now dead woman, who may or may not have abducted her as a baby, Vianne's story is told as a fairy tale to her daughter, who already has a very active imagination of her own. Vianne befriends the lonely women of the village: Armande, who daily battles with diabetes and her controlling daughter, and Josephine, who has is trapped in a loveless marriage with a brutal man. Armande's own daughter needs help to break out of her self-imposed cycle of grief and restraint, while the rest of the people of the village are in desperate need of escape. The whole novel is about the breaking of boundaries, allowing emotions to overwhelm and opening oneself up to enjoying life instead of obedience to some nefarious afterlife.
Some have criticised the novel for seeming to poke fun at Christianity while glorifying paganism. But the two strands of faith stand more for conducts of behaviour than for any religious ideals. The message seems to be, whatever your belief, believe in joy, kindness and love. The water gypsies are introduced to emphasise the themes of restraint and control, and freedom and excess. In the end, the wind blows Vianne and Anouck, plus an extra witchling as yet unborn, out of the village and back into the world, to spread their strange magic even further. Armande finds her release in friendship and fun, while Josephine finds a new love who treats her with gentleness. And the rest of the people, Vianne's "flock"? The find the joy in their hearts on Easter morning, while Francis Reynaud stuffs himself with the forbidden chocolate and then runs away, unable to face his own lapse of control.