The Strawberry Thief- Joanne Harris- Women's literary fiction

If you enjoy a wonderful story written beautifully read on...Rosette is 15 and does not

attend school. She rarely speaks but does communicate through sign language to whom

she chooses. Her and her mother have lived in the village for around five years and

Rosette has befriended an old man , Narcisse through going into his wood. Vianne

runs the village chocolaterie and hence sees many of the villagers day to day as they

pop in for a hot chocolate and sweets. When Narcisse dies Vianne is the executor

of his will- much to her surprise, and he has left Rosette the woodland. His daughter

who has only recently appeared is horrified and wants to contest his decision. Part

of her reason is to look after her son, a child no one has heard of before now. Narcisse

has also left a document to be read by Reynaud the village priest and no -one else.

Reynaud soon discovers that Narcisse held a secret for most of his life.  His old

floristry shop has been re-let by his daughter and the new occupant is rather a

mystery to the villagers. Art of a type they would rather not have around. Joanne is

a wordsmith. Her descriptions are beautiful and this is one of those where you

can immerse yourself in a another world and think of woodland, strawberries and

chocolate- what’s not to like? Rosette is a likeable character and much smarter than

many make her out to be. Her champion is her mother who would never

underestimate her. This is one beautiful and emotive read.

I smiled, I shed a tear. One to remember.

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