The Girl with No Shadow

By: Joanne Harris

Narrated by: Susanna Burney

Length: 14 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Be careful what you wish for...

Hailed as an "irresistible confection" (Entertainment Weekly), "as sweet, rich and utterly satisfying as a fine truffle" (Wall Street Journal), and "an amazement of riches" (New York Times), Chocolat won the hearts of readers and critics everywhere. At last, Joanne Harris returns with The Girl with No Shadow, an exquisite treat that continues the story that began in her international best seller.

Since she was a little girl, the wind has dictated every move Vianne Rocher has made, buffeting her from place to place, 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 the baby, Rosette, safe.

Her new home above the chocolate shop offers calm and quiet: no red sachets hang by the door; no sparks of magic fill the air; no Indian skirts with bells hang in her closet. Conformity brings with it anonymity - and peace. There is even Thierry, the stolid businessman who wants to take care of Yanne and the children. On the cusp of adolescence, an increasingly rebellious and restless Anouk does not understand. But soon the weathervane turns... and into their lives blows the charming and enigmatic Zozie de l'Alba. And everything begins to change.

Zozie offers the brightness Yanne's life needs. Anouk, too, is dazzled by this vivacious woman with the lollipop-red shoes who seems to understand her better than anyone - especially her mother. Yet this friendship is not what it seems. Ruthless, devious, and seductive, Zozie has plans that will shake their world to pieces. And with everything she loves at stake, Yanne must face a difficult choice: run, as she has done so many times before, or stand and confront this most dangerous enemy.

©2008 Frogspawn, Ltd. (P)2008 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Harris revisits characters from 1999's bestselling Chocolat in this equally delectable modern fairy tale." ( Publishers Weekly)
"A contemporary, razor-edged fairy tale - very dark chocolate but likely to be gobbled up." ( Kirkus Reviews)

love this book

I read hardcover when it first came out then just recently via audible. I love the characters.

Fabulous!

A great listen—continuation of Chocolat drew me in and held my attention until the last word! Dark chocolate must be on hand while listening!

Enjoyed this very much

Having stumbled upon Chocolat not too long ago and loving that story, I could not resist this sequel and was not disappointed. The character development was thorough and the perspective of each chapter coming from the three main characters worked very well.
The reader did a great job and it really held my interest start to finish.

Narrator

This narrator is not suitable for reading french words. Her accent was terrible and it was sometimes hard to understand the french words and names she was saying. I really hope that in the future there would be another version of this book with another narrater, preferably the author herself.

not a fan of the narrator

I think the story would be better with a different narrator. She's understandable and articulate, but I feel like I'm listening to a television commercial, or an aggressively polite telephone operator.

No Shadow

Very good read with an interesting twist or two.

Magical story!

Joanne Harris is such a wonderful storyteller. I loved Chocolat and truly enjoyed this continuation of the story. Harris’ characters are so vibrant and intriguing. She had me guessing how it would all turn out until the very end!

Interesting

Interesting story. I knew some of the characters from the movie “Chocolat,” but some had much more depth. As a francophone, it was super annoying that the narrator kept mispronouncing one of the main character’s names, as well as “Paris” and the name of the neighborhood where the story takes place. Other than that, it was a compelling and interesting read.

Beautifully narrated; magical.

This was a gorgeous, compelling sequel to "Chocolat;" the narration is perfect and I am sad to have finished! I will miss the characters and keep looking in corners and peripheries for Pantouf.

Burney gives a versatile & captivating performance

Burney gives a versatile & captivating performance. And, as always, Harris' prose paints a many layered masterpiece, a feast for the senses, which leaves one hungry for more.