CULTURE EDITION
JOANNE HARRIS Chocolat
This is a curveball from the late 90s, but for an evocative, transporting and totally unforgettable ‘a stranger comes to town’ novel, you really can’t do better than this classic from Joanne Harris. Set in a fictional French village, chocolatier Vianne and her daughter Anouk blow in at the start of Lent and quietly open their new shop’s doors on the town square, opposite the church. This bewitching single mother slowly enchants the village’s population, winning them over one by one, devising precisely the flavour of chocolate each villager needs to solve their problems and soothe their minds. The priest, Reynaud, is the one hold-out: furious at the temptation on blatant display during a time of abstinence and appalled by Vianne’s lack of shame at her marital status, he preaches to the community to avoid the shop’s charms, dividing the village even further. Meanwhile, on the nearby river, a band of travellers have pulled up their boats to find work: welcomed by Vianne but given the cold shoulder by Reynaud, tensions start to run even higher. Can the community reunite before the Easter celebrations begin – or will Vianne’s Festival of Chocolate be the final spark to ignite the flames? Come for the effortless prose, but stay for the mouth-watering descriptions of chocolate. You’ll be pulling up the Hill St website to order a box before you even realise what you’re doing.
WISH YOU WERE HERE! Follow these characters as they head abroad for plenty more holiday dramas
You’ve watched the film, you’ve seen the Netflix series – now treat yourself to the original novels by the absolute master of psychological thrillers: there’s nothing better to sweep you away to Italy, even if you’re really just lounging by your local lido. The Talented Mr Ripley PATRICIA HIGHSMITH
Hot Milk DEBORAH LEVY
Heatwave VICTOR JESTIN
Ahead of the film adaptation, scorch yourself with this fractious mother- daughter relationship that fares no better abroad than at home. Sofia and her mother Rose seek a cure for Rose’s ailments in Spain, but both are in need of healing. A fever dream.
Teenagers on family holidays are a heady source of drama. Here, Leonard tries desperately to fit in at a French campsite. In the final days of the trip, his life is turned upside down by some wild decisions. Short, sharp and smouldering, it’s an ideal beach read.
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK AUGUST 2025 29
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