The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Europa Editions (September 2, 2008)
ISBN-13: 978-1933372600
Back-of-the-blurb: In the center of Paris, in an elegant apartment building inhabited by bourgeois families, Renée, the concierge, is witness to the lavish but vacuous lives of her numerous employers. Outwardly she conforms to every stereotype of the concierge: fat, cantankerous, addicted to television. Yet, unbeknownst to her employers, who are barely aware of her existence, Renée is a cultured autodidact who adores art, philosophy, music, and Japanese culture.
Paloma, a twelve-year-old genius, is the daughter of a tedious parliamentarian, a talented and startlingly lucid child who has decided to end her life on her thirteenth birthday. Until then she will continue behaving as everyone expects her to behave: a mediocre pre-teen high on adolescent subculture, a good but not an outstanding student, an obedient if obstinate daughter.
Paloma and Renée hide both their true talents and their finest qualities from a world they suspect cannot or will not appreciate them.
She is Too Fond of Books’ review: This book has been in my house for months, back and forth from the bookcase to my nightstand, then re-shelved. I bought it back in May, to read for one of the book groups I frequent; a conflict prevented me from going to the book group, and I didn’t feel compelled to finish it. My neighborhood book group selected it this month, so I pulled it out again. I really struggled to get into this book; if I were following Nancy Pearl’s rule of fifty, I would have marked it DNF. But, I persevered, and after about 70 pages I was hooked.
The novel is written from the points of view of both Renée and Paloma. Renée relates to the reader in the first person present tense; we are with her as events are unfolding and receive a near-constant stream of her thoughts and reactions to those around her. This may be one of the reasons I initially had a hard time connecting with the book. As much as this narrator is being judged by those in the apartment building, she, too, is judging them.
The second narrator, twelve-year-old Paloma, also evaluates those around her. Her portions use a different typeface and are told in the past tense, making it easy for the reader to follow as Barbery switches between narrators. Paloma explains, in her journal, why she doesn’t plan to be around past her thirteenth birthday (p 24):
… there’s no way I’m going to end up in the goldfish bowl. I’ve thought this through quite carefully. Even for someone like me who is super smart and gifted in her studies and different from everyone else, in fact superior to the vast majority – even for me life is already all plotted out and so dismal you could cry: no one seems to have thought of the fact that if life is absurd, being a brilliant success has no greater value than being a failure. It’s just more comfortable. And even then: I think lucidity gives your success a bitter taste, whereas mediocrity still leaves hope for something.
When the book finally sunk its claws into me (almost 20% through it!), it was Renée’s voice that I most appreciated. My unscientific sampling indicates that she narrated about 2/3 of the novel. While Paloma was searching, almost defiantly for a reason to live, Rene was resigned to her lot in life and content enough with the charade she had designed in order to be true to herself outside the role of concierge. We read what happens when Renée’s charade has been unmasked, a chink in her armor revealed; her reactions are genuine and intense.
In the end, I am so glad I stuck with The Elegance of the Hedgehog. In fact, this is likely a book that I’ll re-read at some point; I’m sure there are nuggets of gold in those first 70 pages, too … now that I know what Renée and Paloma are capable of, I’d like to go back and mine them. If you pick it up, do know that you may find it slow going at first.
FTC disclosure: I purchased this book from my local independent bookseller!
I don’t think I’ve read a bad review of this one. And I love the cover. What more persuasion do I need? I’ve seen your TBR online here, so if you think you’d re-read something, then that is saying something!!
I’ve been on the fence with this one, and will most likely end up reading it. Will be sure to stick with it longer than my usual 50 pages if it gives me trouble at first…
I’ve heard so many mixed things about this book. Your review does make it sound as if it would be a really good movie, however!
Sandy – I say that because I’m sure I missed some gems in those first 70 pages. By the time I get around to re-reading, we may be living in a Jetson’s world, where we ‘read’ by taking a pill (the way they ate in the cartoon)
JoAnn – after I posted my review I checked out some others … I’m not the only one who said there was an ‘appreciation curve’ to this book (and then, some loved it, some hated it – too wordy). I definitely LIKED it, but I don’t think I’d push it into your hands without a warning.
rhapsody – I wonder how/if it would translate. So much was in the thoughts of Renee and Paloma … maybe a lot of voice overs (?)
I was sad that I didn’t like this one. My mum LOVED it, and it’s very rare that she’ll love a book and I’ll just be so-so on it. I’m glad you enjoyed it – have you read the other of Barbery’s books to be published here? I can’t think of the title just now but I’m thinking of getting it for my mother for Christmas.
I know that most people have really loved this one, but I haven’t had much success with contemporary French literature, so I have really been on the fence whether to give this one a try or not. I found it really interesting that you found the first 70 pp a struggle but that it redeemed itself after that point; it’s something I will try to keep in mind should I ever pick this one up!
I’m glad you were eventually hooked by this one. My book club is reading it right now and I chose it, so hopefully everyone likes it and gives it a chance!
You had the EXACT same reaction as I did! I almost quit on this book several times, but then got hooked and loved it. Great review!
I’m happy to hear you ended up enjoying this one. I’ve heard many good things about this one, but I’ve been kind of reluctant to pick it up for some reason. If I do, I’ll be sure to stick with it past page 50.
A friend of mine got this one as a gift and struggled with it as well. I think she felt that it went right over her head. She is passing it along to me to read, so I am glad for this little heads up on what made it so inaccessible and how it’s one you have to stick with.
Excellent review. I’m not yet sure if it’s for me, but If I pick it up, I’ll do my best to wait out the first 70 pages or so.
A lot of people seem to struggle with this one. I think a lot of them give up, though. I think I’ll have to be in the right mood to tackle this one. Thanks for your great review. (I expect nothing less from you, though!)
This book is on my list. I’m curious how long it will take me to get into it. I don’t know that I have your patience to wait 70 pages to get hooked.
I had the same problem in the beginning. I loved it as well.
[...] Book Review: *The Elegance of the Hedgehog* by Muriel Barbery [...]
I struggled with the philosophy (I loathe philosophy), but I did like Renee. And the ending! OMG.
This one has been in my TBR for a few months now. I’ll definitely keep in mind that it took you a while to get into the book!
That’s why I very rarely give up on a book, at some point I might get it! This one’s going on my list.
I started this one and loved it but then had to take it back to the library. I ended up buying the book but haven’t got to it yet. Glad you liked it!
I’m glad you perservered as well, and I got to enjoy this wonderful review. I purchased this book this summer, and it’s still unread (why do we buy books, we must have and then let them set starring us in the face?? LOL
I’m glad that you ended up liking it after all! I have heard such good things about this book and I am waiting to get my hands on a copy of it. Maybe I will see it under the tree!
Sounds like an interesting book, but since it takes a while to get into, I will have to pass on it for now.
I agree — slow beginning, hidden gems, and a smashing ending! However I found the writing too annoyingly pretentious for my taste.
I enjoyed reading this book a lot and couldn’t help but think that the author was making pointed criticisms of French manners and customs, and that Rene and Paloma just didn’t go along with it. They had that in common and only the Japanese gentleman could understand them both.
I love when a book is open to so many different interpretations, all of them valid!
You make a great point, Harvee, and I really appreciate it – we each have our own interpretation of a book; as readers we bring our own experience to the way the book reads for us. Thank you!
Similar to previous commenters who almost gave up on the book in the beginning, I had trouble getting through it, because of the heavy style of writing. I had to read though each page slower than I would with a novel that may not be as philosophical. However, the journey was worth it, because I truly enjoyed the story. Perhaps my mood matched the need to read this book, because after I finished, I felt better. The message behind it was straight-forward, and underneath all that articulate writing lay a very simple message about life being beautiful.