Five Quarters of the Orange

Five Quarters of the Orange is a novel written by English author Joanne Harris and first published by Doubleday in 2001. It also exists as an audiobook, narrated by the author.

The novel is set in France, in the small village of Les Laveuses on the river Loire. With two alternating timelines throughout the story, Five Quarters of the Orange may be described as historical fiction. One narrative strand follows Framboise Dartigen's childhood during the German Occupation. Framboise remembers her difficult relationship with her mother and two siblings as well as her dangerous friendship with a young German officer. The other part of the story is set in present-day France, now following the life of the widowed Framboise Simon, who returns under an alias to the village of her childhood. Framboise opens a small restaurant, cooking the recipes left to her by her mother, but conceals her identity, lest she be recognized as the daughter of the woman who once brought shame and tragedy upon the village.