Customer Reviews
Family Ties and Traumas - By: M. J. Saxton, 03 Nov 2008 
There is a structure to this novel which is reminiscent of that of "Chocolat", so you know how it will end: with a firm romantic uncertainty. That's part of the Harris charm.
The convolutions of the plot are also part of what attracts, as they were in her three previous novels.
Mado is a great heroine: independent, artistic & thoughtful. She is the sort of person the reader can identify with in a wish-fulfillment way.
The road to love is not smooth, & Flynn's possible parentage doesn't help, but he's a cool, uncommitted enigma who you wouldn't mind being tucked up with now & again.
Joanne Harris evokes a feeling of Frenchness which seems authentic to those with a nodding acquaintance with the people. She is one of the best creators of atmosphere in modern novels. They conjure an intimate, fresh & individual setting for each story; the reader is drawn into a feeling of familiarity with the main characters & places.
"Coastliners" tastes of the brine & wind of a Breton island. You can feel the insularity & are drawn into the geography of Le Devin.
Certain characteristics are reminiscent of village life in rural England which aids understanding of the way of life of the people & their attitudes.
A captivating story. Familial ties & treachery, a great setting & characters - Joanne Harris at her best.
Deja vu; deja vu; deja vu - By: titaniamoth, 25 Mar 2008 
Starting to read this (thankfully library copy) book reminded me why I had stopped reading Joanne Harris.
Chocolat was a magical & enjoyable read, but i did begin to get that 'we have been here before' sense creeping up on me with both 'Five Quarters' & 'Blackberry Wine' Though 'Coastliners' doesn't follow the same food route, there is something very repetitious about Harris' writing - the 'outsider', the tight, often prejudiced community etc etc.
Some writers can repeat their same basic story but their depth of writing uncovers new truths, some writers (for example the wonderful Rose Tremaine) are endlessly original in every book - Harris is neither of these, & does her own same old same old - as several reviewers noted, the word 'formulaic' springs to mind. I abandoned Coastliners within about 50 pages & it is back on the library shelf
Reliable as ever... - By: daisyrock, 18 Aug 2007 
You can't reallly go wrong with Joanne Harris. This is another page-turning, totallly engaging tale with plenty of plot twists. Formulaic it may be, but her formula certainly seems to work. I much prefered this to Chocolat, but it's not as good as the black-hearted, sitting-up-till-4am read that is Five Quarters of the Orange.
so sweet, so enchanted - By: Tatjana Peskir, 09 Jul 2007 Whenever I read a Joanna Harris thing, its the same... smalll villages, modern times & the necessity to change, strangers & people who come back & change something...I liked alll books of her, but I love Coastliners. Everyone who knows a smalll village, struggling to keep their youth, their way of living & the connection with nature, history & religion that has been a foundation of the village life for so long, will know what Joanna Harris is writing about. Everyone who loves such a smalll village will love this book, & others will, too. You will feel the island, feel secluded, safe & at the same time, desperate & afraid, when you read this book.
Fab - By: SL Smith, 27 Feb 2006 I reallly enjoyed this. It's a little slow in places, but the wonderful descriptive narrative keeps you going & you become so involved in the characters, you cannot put it down by about half way.
This isn't Joanna Harris' best novel (Chocolat!) but still very enjoyable. Think somewhere in between Jane Austen & modern chick-lit.
