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    Peaches for Father Francis: A Novel
    Unavailable
    Peaches for Father Francis: A Novel
    Unavailable
    Peaches for Father Francis: A Novel
    Audiobook13 hours

    Peaches for Father Francis: A Novel

    Written by Joanne Harris

    Narrated by Rula Lenska and Gareth Armstrong

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    The bestselling author of Chocolat and The Girl with No Shadow returns to Lansquenet in this enchanting new novel

    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 beautiful French village in which eight years ago she opened a chocolate shop and first learned the meaning of home.

    But returning to one's past can be a dangerous pursuit. Vianne, with her daughters, Anouk and Rosette, finds Lansquenet changed in unexpected ways: women veiled in black, the scent of spices and peppermint tea-and there, on the bank of the river Tannes, facing the church, a minaret. Most surprising of all, her old nemesis, Father Francis Reynaud, desperately needs her help.

    Can Vianne work her magic once again?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateOct 2, 2012
    ISBN9781101593608
    Unavailable
    Peaches for Father Francis: A Novel
    Author

    Joanne Harris

    Joanne Harris is the author of seven previous novels—Chocolat, Blackberry Wine, Five Quarters of the Orange, Coastliners, Holy Fools, Sleep, Pale Sister, and Gentlemen & Players; a short story collection, Jigs & Reels; and two cookbook/memoirs, My French Kitchen and The French Market. Half French and half British, she lives in England.

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    Reviews for Peaches for Father Francis

    4/5

    183 ratings17 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Long before I saw the memorable film version, I read Joanne Harris' CHOCOLAT. I was captivated by her lyrical storytelling, her ability to create unforgettable places and people. From then on, I sought out her books: Her early work, SLEEP,PALE SISTER, the "heart-rendingly" good FIVE QUARTERS OF THE ORANGE, BLACKBERRY WINE, HOLY FOOLS, JIGS AND REELS,COASTLINERS, GENTLEMEN AND PLAYERS, CHOCOLAT's sequel THE GIRL WITH NO SHADOW ( oh, that insidious Zozie!) and now, PEACHES FOR FATHER FRANCIS, the third book that features Vianne Rocher.
      Vianne receives a letter from Armande, her old friend from Lansquenet; but this letter was sent long after Armande's death, eight years to be exact.....
      I won't say another word, except, if you like Joane Harris's work, do read this magical story.
    • 4/5
      An enjoyable book. Sort of like Act II of Stephen Sondheim's "Into The Woods;" you see what happens after "Happy ever after." After Vianne left Lansquenet at the conclusion of "Chocolat," time there did not pause while she dealt with the events in "Lollipop Shoes." Eight years have gone in the way time does in small towns: some things change little, while some things change a great deal.
      I'd recommend this to those who read the other two books in the series. If you have only seen the film, please read Joanne Harris' books. You might be surprised at how different they are from the film; like dark chocolate is from milk chocolate.
    • 4/5
      ".....We have the uncanny knack of focusing on difference; as if excluding others could make our sense of identity stronger. "

      There are so many thought provoking ideas woven into this story. The colors of the characters, the lessons to be taught and learned and a book to be enjoyed.
    • 5/5
      It's stunning!
    • 4/5
      Vianne Rocher, living in Paris on a riverboat with her two daughters, receives a letter from a friend from the rural village of Lansquenet, where she left eight years ago when she opened a chocolate shop described in the author's novel, Chocolat. The letter requests her return because Lansquenet could use her special abilities, including the ability to see the truth lying below the surface of appearances.

      "You see, everywhere I look, there are things that connect me to Lansquenet. Stories; people; memories; insubstantial as heat haze, and yet they have a resonance, as if those strings of light could play a tune that might finally lead me home."

      She can't resist her friend's invitation especially since the author of the letter has died since it was written.

      When she returns to Lansquenet with her two daughters, she discovers that the town has changed. A community of Muslims from North Africa has immigrated to the town settling in a downtrodden part of the village on the river Tannes. Many of the women she encounters are veiled in black. She also discovers dissension in the town: French Catholic natives and Muslim immigrants, young and the old, traditional ways and more contemporary ways. Her former chocolate shop, now a Muslim school for girls, has recently been burned. Father Francis, Vianne's former adversary but now friend has been blamed even though he claims innocence. The Bishop has removed him from his parish for an unknown interim period replacing him with a younger priest who has been instituting contemporary worship practices, which many of his former flock has delightfully accepted.

      Shortly after Vianne returns, Father Francis disappears. Has he left town? Has he been the victim of foul play? Is the "Woman in Black" behind the tension? These are the questions that Vianne is attempting to answer. And, can she uses her particular skills to heal the schisms which exist between religions and the old and the new.

      The fictional French town and its residents of Lansquenet come so alive through Harris' writing that you find yourself moving in.
    • 4/5
      Another cracker from Joanne Harris - yes, it was a little slow to get going, but hang on in there and the magic really begins to happen. This time round I loved Monsieur le Cure who's just a delight and a wonderfully unlikely hero - I loved him and would definitely read more - does he need his own book? I do hope so.Later there's a real sense of horror in the secret crimes which go on in the village (and beyond) - but this balances nicely with the sensuous poetry and the magic. Excellent stuff and, as always, a superb and mystical ending.
    • 5/5
      I always love Joanne Harris's novels. Her characters seem to come alive, and her evocative language truly captures the feel of the setting - the scent, the smell, the lifestyle, it makes it all seem so real. "Peaches" is no exception. It does have some darker moments, and Vianne is having to explore a bit more of her own nature,reflecting on her life and where it is going, growing more than the free spirit caught in the wind. Of course, the biggest changes have been wrought in Monsieur Cure, still stuck in his ways, but he too has grown a little more accepting. He would never, before, have asked Vianne for help. Harris writes few villains, merely characters whose goals do not always coincide and, indeed, often clash. Real people, whose thoughts and hopes, desires and dreams are almost tangiable.I love her work, and shall continue to read it for as long as she may write it!
    • 3/5
      ***Possible SPOILERS***

      Shelfari doesn't provide much of a summary, huh?

      Let me try my hand at it:
      This is the third book in the Chocolat series, and brings Vianne Rocher back where she started, the town of Lasquenet. Much has changed in the 8 years she has been gone. She has another daughter, Rosette, who doesn't speak, but only makes sounds and is getting very good with magic. Teenager Anouk is starting to feel the awakenings of becoming a woman, but is still in that time where she easily straddles child and adult. These three travel back to the city where Vianne met and fell in love with Roux, Rosette's father.

      But what has beckoned Vianne to return to a place where she has less than fond memories? A letter from a now-dead friend entreats her to come back...that there is trouble brewing. Trouble that only Vianne may be able to thwart.

      Pretty good, huh?

      There is a lot of symbolism in this series. Food is almost a character in the book, substituting for longing, unfulfilled dreams, rebirth, etc. It also serves as a commonality between several cultures, bringing people together.

      The Muslim faith is a key component in the story, showing both the extreme and the peaceful sides, the older generation and the younger. I found it to be handled with honesty and not skirting around political correctness.

      Characters throughout the series are given more depth and interest. You see Josephine and how she had matured and developed after getting out of her abusive relationship. You see Francis and how he has become a bit more relaxed in his attitudes of others, while still maintaining that aloofness that he thinks comes with being a priest. Anouk and Rosette are growing nicely, as we see Anouk's interest in boys develop and Rosette becoming more social.

      The magical elements are not so prominent in this story, which was a good thing, in my mind. It centered more on character relationships and clashes as opposed to manipulating them to find their eventual path. While magic is still a component, it is much more relevant to the story in Chocolat and much more manipulative in The Girl with No Shadow.

      All books share commonalities, but can be read as standalones. I would recommend them in order, however, so you get the full spectrum of beginning to end. There is obviously another on its way, and I look forward to reading it.
    • 4/5
      Chocolat, book three.I've been a fan of Joanne Harris for many years now (though not of her newer Young Adult fantasy series), and another book in the Chocolat series is a treat. I did wish I'd read Lollipop Shoes (The Girl with No Shadow) before reading this book though, as there were definitely some gaps caused by jumping straight from Chocolat. Unfortunately I didn't have time to read both before the discussion.The subject matter is highly topical, particularly in France, where it has been declared illegal to wear a face veil, or niqab. The sleepy village of Lansquenet, where Vianne had opened her chocolaterie eight years before, is now home to a growing population of North African Muslims. A community has sprung up on the far side of the river and animosity has developed on both sides. A mysterious letter draws Vianne back, along with her, now teenage daughter, Anouk and her younger sister, Rosette. Meanwhile, Roux awaits for their return on a houseboat in Paris.The animosity between Vianne and Father Reynaud is still there, but he has changed and no longer has the power over the village that he once had. Several other familiar faces take their place in the narrative, like old friends returning.Eight year old Rosette is a lively addition to the Roche family, she is such a character, and she plays an important role in events. The descriptions of the village are just beautiful and the whole flavour of France is wonderfully evoked.There are misunderstandings to be tackled and a question lurking in the past that must be addressed, and Vianne stays longer than she had originally planned.I was surprised when my book group slated this book, as I'd enjoyed it, maybe not quite as much as Chocolat, but it was a solid 4 stars. They criticised it for being too unbelievable, but I think you expect to need a little imagination for Joanne Harris books.Ms Harris handles the racial tension with a deft hand, raising a subject that is rarely written about in contemporary novels. This seems a natural progression for an author who wrote about Catholicism in Holy Fools, and she handles it with discretion.I sincerely hope this is not the last we have seen of Vianne and the little village of Lansquenet. The author will be at the Dubai Literary Festival in March, hopefully she will have good news :)Also read:Chocolat (5 stars)Blackberry Wine (5 stars)Sleep, Pale Sister (4 stars)Gentlemen and Players (5 stars)Runemarks (2 stars)Coastliners (5 stars)Holy Fools (4 stars)Five Quarters of the Orange (5 stars)
    • 5/5
      Peaches for Father Frances is also a carefully constructed, thought-provoking novel exploring faith, the personal meaning and ways of worship, and the evolution of fellowship and religion in a community struggling to endure tensions between Muslims and Christians.
    • 4/5
      I picked this up to read strictly based on my love of the book Chocolat. There have been others by the author that I have picked up for the same reason, and liked with mixed results. This story features many of the same characters from Chocolat, with many of the same delicious flavors and overtones, but little of the magic that grabbed me in the original (published in 1999). It was a good enough story, but hasn't touched the memory that is still strong in my heart after 16 years, several re-reads and a wonderful screen adaptation.True, Harris has managed to create (and maintain) some remarkable characters, and touch on some very key elements of human nature, both good and bad. But I wanted magic, too.
    • 3/5
      It was good to catch up with familiar characters. There's a kind of homeyness in it.
    • 5/5
      If you, like me, fear to read this book for it not to disturb your impression from Chocolat, don´t. It took me four years to get here, and I have not been able to put it down. Like Chocolat, it speaks to all your senses, and makes you long for more.
    • 5/5
      Yes, I struggled with the large cast of characters. Yes, I would probably have got more from the story if I had re-read Chocolat immediately beforehand.
      Nonetheless, Harris' storytelling was captivating and her handling of delicate, traumatic topics was pitch-perfect. Father Francis (Monsieur le Curé) emerged as a protagonist whom I was surprised but delighted to love. And for vivid imagery which enthralled all five - no, six - senses, I can't give this anything other than 5 stars.
    • 3/5
      I'm still not sure I really wanted anything more to be added to Chocolat -- remembering my second read of The Lollipop Shoes leaves me distinctly unimpressed, however compelling Joanne Harris makes her writing while you're actually reading it -- but as usual I was bewitched for a while. I'm not entirely certain about the choice of topic: it's always tempting for white women to take on the subject of the niqab, and of the position of women in Muslim communities. I even understand the temptation. But I'm not sure it's a good thing when we need those women to tell their own stories if we want to understand.

      Still, the issue of race and religion in France is a current one, and Joanne Harris put her finger right on it. And Vianne was her enchanting self, and even Reynaud was, this time, a character you could sympathise with and even come to love a little. The magic of food and the importance of community were well-portrayed, as usual, and Harris' usual gift for describing said food and making you want to eat it was on display.

      Enjoyable enough to read, but. Perhaps best not thought about too much.
    • 3/5
      Joanne Harris always writes so well about food, and this is no exception.

      The story is a much more satisfying follow-up to Chocolat than was The Lollipop Shoes. More of the familiar characters from the first story reappear, but it still lacks some of the charm of the original.
    • 5/5
      When Peaches for Monsieur le Curé landed on my doorstep for review I wasn’t particularly enthusiastic. I remembered seeing the movie Chocolat quite some years ago (purely because Johnny Depp starred) and not being overly impressed, however with a few pages of this novel I was hooked and hated having to put it down, even briefly.Peaches for Monsieur le Curé is the third book in the Chocolat series, following on from Chocolat and The Girl with No Shadow. Vianne, Roux, Anouk and Rosette are living in Paris when a letter arrives from Luc Clairmont within which is a letter from Armande, despite her death more than 8 years before. In it, Armande pleads for Vianne to return to Lansquenet with the conviction that that the townspeople need her once again. With some trepidation, Vianne and her daughters do as Armande asks, only to discover a village divided and her old rival, Monsieur Reynaud le Curé in trouble. The wind is restless as are the people and this time, Vianne’s magic may not be enough to unite the people of Lansquenet.Joanne Harris conjures the town of Lansquenet and its people so wonderfully, I was immediately entranced by the novel. I enjoyed being introduced to the author’s versions of the characters, admiring Vianne’s spirit and desire to create peace between the French and growing community of les Maghrébins (Muslims) who have established themselves at the fringes of the town. I even came to like Monsieur le Curé, despite his stiff necked ways.Peaches for Monsieur le Curé sensitively explores themes such as religious difference, tolerance, change and the meaning of home. The ‘war’ between the (Catholic)French and Muslims is portrayed without disrespecting either religion, as Vianne tries to determine what is at the heart of the conflict.For Vianne the changes in Lansquent are disorientating at first, not only the development of Les Marauds, but also the changes in the people she once knew so well, like Josephine and Reynaud. Vianne’s experiences in Lansquanet forces her to consider if in always seeking change, Vianne has simply been running away.It is food in general, rather than Vianne’s chocolates, that unites the people of this story, from the peaches growing in the garden of Armande’s house where Vianne and her daughters are living, to the feasts served at sundown in Les Marauds. Harris’s descriptions of the food, the sight, smell and taste is wonderfully evocative.I was surprised at the rather fundamental differences between Harris characters and those in the movie of Chocolat, for example Reynaud is the town mayor in the movie, but a priest in the book. Co-incidentally, Chocolat was shown on television the night after I finished Peaches for Monsieur le Cure so I watched and was disappointed with the lack of whimsy and nuance in the film (though, Johnny Depp *sigh*).Peaches for Monsieur le Curé (titled Peaches for Father Frances in the US) is a delicious read. I adored the subtle touch of magical realism, the lyricism of the writing, the fascinating characters and engrossing story and plan to read the first two books as soon as I can. Charming, delightful, magical, Peaches for Monsieur le Curé is a wonderful novel.