Renowned Author Joanne Harris on Her Latest Novel ‘Vianne’ and the Power of Food and Identity
In a recent interview with The Independent, acclaimed author Joanne Harris discussed her latest novel, ‘Vianne’, a prequel to her beloved ‘Chocolat’ series. The book, which tells the story of Vianne’s origins, is a tale of food, identity, and the power of human connection.
According to The Independent, Harris’s most famous character, Vianne, has captivated readers for decades with her enchanting presence and magical confectionery. However, Harris is adamant that she and Vianne are not the same person, despite sharing a passion for food and a sense of wanderlust. "She’s not me, and people have sometimes been very disappointed to find that I’m not her," Harris revealed to The Independent. "I like to stay in one place, and I like a home to be somewhere that I’ve been involved with for years."
The Independent reports that Harris’s latest novel is set in Marseille, a city that fascinated her due to its duality. "It’s a city of two halves," she explained to The Independent. "It’s got this dark underbelly, and it’s also got this beautiful touristy side, and it’s got this monumental basilica on the hill, with the golden statue of the mother and child, which is such a powerful theme in the book – motherhood and what it means."
Food plays a central role in the ‘Chocolat’ series, and ‘Vianne’ is no exception. Harris, who is known for her vivid descriptions of food and drink, believes that the way we eat and think about food is deeply ingrained in our culture. "Food has always had its political side and its darkness – and there has always been a general fear around the pleasure of food and the ‘sin’ of gluttony," she told The Independent.
The Independent notes that Harris is also passionate about promoting inclusivity and diversity in the literary world. As chair of the Society of Authors, she faced a transphobic campaign, which led to her receiving death threats and online trolling. Despite this, Harris remains committed to championing the rights of marginalized communities.
In addition to her work as a novelist, Harris is also a vocal advocate for the importance of human creativity in the face of artificial intelligence. Alongside other prominent authors, including Richard Osman and Kate Mosse, Harris signed an open letter calling for the UK government to hold Meta accountable for its use of copyrighted books to train AI. "AI is an existential threat," Harris warned The Independent. "We need to be aware that their part is important. This is about the whole creative industry."
The Independent quotes Harris as saying that AI may be cheaper, but it will never replace the human element that makes art and literature so valuable. "We make art to communicate with people," she said. "We don’t want to communicate with machines. AI may well be cheaper, but it won’t be better, and it won’t give people what they need – which is the fact that you are sharing your human, lived experience with another human."
Harris’s latest cause is protesting against the onslaught of AI in the creative arts. She believes that AI-generated content will eventually lead to a decline in the quality of art and literature. "It’s a kind of petri dish, which is going to proliferate until eventually it runs out of food and it will die," she predicted to The Independent. "Unfortunately, by then, the industry may well also have died, and this is what we’re afraid of."
As The Independent reports, Harris’s experiences with breast cancer have given her a new perspective on life and her work. "I’ve always had these opinions, and I’ve always made them clear in my books, and I’ve always been on the side of tolerance and inclusivity," she said. "But I think having cancer gave me a certain perspective on life – how precious it is, and how important it is to look at who we are and where we’ve come from, and what we believe."
The Independent concludes that Joanne Harris is a true champion of human creativity and connection. Her latest novel, ‘Vianne’, is a testament to the power of food, identity, and community. As Harris herself said to The Independent, "We do this because we want to share our dreams. We don’t want machines to dream for us."
