Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris.

Author: Joanne Harris
ISBN: 0-552-99883-4
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Black Swan

"The magical new novel from the author of the Number One be Beyond the main street of Les Laveuses runs the Loire, smooth and brown as a sunning snake - but hiding a deadly undertow beneath its moving surface. This is where Framboise, a secretive widow named after a raspberry liqueur, plies her culinary trade at the creperie - and lets memory play strange games. Into this world comes the threat of revelation as Framboise's nephew - a profiteering Parisian - attempts to exploit the growing success of the country recipes she has inherited from her mother, a woman remembered with contempt by the villagers of Les Laveuses. As the spilt blood of a tragic wartime childhood flows again, exposure beckons for Framboise, the widow with an invented past. Joanne Harris has looked behind the drawn shutters of occupied France to illuminate the pain, delight and loss of a life changed for ever by the uncertainties and betrayals of war."

This is my third Joanne Harris novel and like the previous two I have read (Chocolat & Blackberry Wine), I really enjoyed this book. It was different from the two I have read before and I felt this was refreshing.

I was apprehensive about reading this book at first as I had read some mixed reviews about it. Not everyone seems to think this is one of Joanne's best books, but I have to disagree.
I found myself quickly becoming absorbed into the story and felt a connection with the characters. I really felt for the mother in this story as well as the children. I found my emotions at work reading this book and didn't find myself bored while reading it.

I loved reading about Framboise struggle to catch 'Old Mother' and how she found herself falling in love with one of the characters. I love how this character was strong and yet you are shown her weakness's as she has to face one of the biggest challenges in her life.

My verdict: Throughly enjoyable.