The Book

I just finished the book this morning. It was wonderful. Yes the movie-makers made significant changes to the story. In the movie, the priest is the mayor's mouthpiece. In the book there is no mayor. Just the priest. I am guessing the movie-makers wanted to soften any anti-catholic implications.

The book also fills you in on a lot of Vianne's history and on Reynaud's history and childhood as well.

There are other fairly significant and surprising differences. Do you want to know what they are, or would you rather read the book without knowing? I heartily recommend reading the book, and also reading Five Quarters of the Orange by the same author, Joanne Harris.

In the book Johnny Depp's character is supposed to speak French with a deep southern accent. Obviously that had to be dropped for the movie.

All in all I kind of liked the movie more. It was more entertaining than the book and it wasn't bogged down in religious baggage.

Roux has red hair, not important but hes such a loveable character. =]

There were a lot of insignificant changes as well. The mayor/priest was named Paul in the film. In the book he was Francis. Josephine's husband became Serge in the film. In the book he was Paul-Marie. Charly the dog died in the book, but not i the movie, Caroline Clairmont was not a widow. And there was no Madame Audel as Guillaume's love interest.
Vianne's background was completely different, Pantoufle was rabbit, not a kangaroo, and is was a little vague as to whether Vianne and Anouk stayed or moved on.


Love is never having to say you're sober.