Book 92: The Girl With No Shadow

This is Joanne Harris's sequel to Chocolat.

Vianne and her daughter, Anouk, have been on the run for a few years, changing their names and their background stories, and raising little Rosette, Vianne's second daughter. They have stopped doing magic/witchcraft and are being as normal and boring as possible.

Then they meet their match: a woman who travels around, stealing identities and practicing her own brand of magic/witchcraft, with spells and symbols and charms. She moves into their lives -- too far into their lives.

The writing is lyrical and mystical. Vianne's still making chocolates and the descriptions might lead readers into chocolate binges.

The major theme is Identity. Can you change yours? Can you just become someone else and be happy? Can you deny your true self? Yes, no, and no, of course. If you liked the first book, you'll probably like this one, too. It's a fun, exciting story about magic mixed with modern life's text messages, security cameras, and internet searches.