By may 2008 it had sold more than a million copies and has been a bestseller in france, italy. Do you feel this is an accurate characterization of the novel. Barbery attained fame with her second novel the elegance of the hedgehog. Inspired by the beloved new york times bestseller, the elegance of the hedgehog, by muriel barbery, the hedgehog is the timely story of paloma garance le guillermic a young girl bent on ending. Renee, the 54 year old concierge of an elegant hotel in paris. The elegance of the hedgehog was an international phenomenon, so it was only a matter of time before hollywood came calling. The elegance of the hedgehog kindle edition by barbery, muriel, alison anderson. Published in france in 2006 and in the uk in 2008, it has gone on to sell more than 6 million copies worldwide and has been described by le figaro as the publishing phenomenon of the decade. The elegance of the hedgehog questions and answers.
Elegance of the hedgehog this book is about the power of beauty to make life worthwhile and the power of art to illuminate beauty. This summary of the elegance of the hedgehog includes a complete plot overview spoilers included. The elegance of the hedgehog has been described as a toolbox one can look into to resolve lifes problems, a life. The elegance of the hedgehog, a novel by muriel barbery. The elegance of the hedgehog muriel barbery europa editions. In the process of filming her apartment and family, the girl befriends the concierge. The elegance of the hedgehog, a best seller in france and several other countries, belongs to a distinct subgenre. The elegance of the hedgehog has apparently sold a million copies in france, where it is a proverbial publishing phenomenon.
The international bestseller that has sold over 10 million copies worldwide. For this reason, renee goes to great lengths to hide the fact that she often spends her days reading marx and tolstoy. Simple elegance is also found in the japanese word, wabi, which means. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery, paperback. They decide that the concierge has the same simple refinement as the hedgehog. No idea is too big or small to find a home in the parisian apartment building where most of the characters. Over the years she has maintained her carefully constructed persona as someone reliable but totally uncultivated, in keeping, she feels, with societys expectations of what a concierge should.
The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery book chat duration. The elegance of the hedgehog quotes by muriel barbery. The elegance of the hedgehog is a study in the dichotomy of the hidden inner self versus outer perceptions. Review of the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery, plus backstory and other interesting facts about the book. The elegance of the hedgehog audiobook by muriel barbery.
The question and answer section for the elegance of the hedgehog is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel ask your own question. Muriel barbery is a former lecturer in philosophy and bestselling author. The elegance of the hedgehog tells the story of a life spent in hiding. Until a new tenant moves into their building, this plan has worked well but no longer. Muriel barbery is the author of the new york times bestseller, the elegance of the hedgehog europa, 2008, gourmet rhapsody europa, 2009, and the life of. The elegance of the hedgehog paperback tattered cover.
These two characters provide the double narrative of the elegance of the hedgehog, and you will this is going to sound corny fall in love with both. In short, she is everything society expects from a concierge at a bourgeois building in a posh parisian neighborhood. Inspired by the beloved new york times bestseller, the elegance of the hedgehog, by muriel barbery, the hedgehog is the timely story of paloma garance le guillermic a. The elegance of the hedgehog is a novel by the french novelist and philosophy teacher muriel barbery.
Renee is the concierge of a grand parisian apartment building, home to members of the great and the good. Critic and educator robert adams lectures on the elegance of the hedgehog. The book follows events in the life of a concierge. The elegance of the hedgehog by barbery, muriel and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The book follows events in the life of a concierge, renee michel, whose deliberately concealed intelligence is uncovered by an unstable but intellectually precocious girl named paloma josse. The elegance of the hedgehog is told by two different point of view pov characters. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery the guardian. Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of the book and why its important. Paloma learns her lessons, of course, but the central figure is the concierge. But the hedgehog, the film made from muriel barberys novel, is as. Lelegance du herisson is a novel by the french novelist and philosophy teacher muriel barbery. Muriel barbery is a former lecturer in philosophy and the bestselling author of impacshortlisted novel the elegance of the hedgehog.
The elegance of the hedgehog is a highwire performance. Hailed as the french publishing phenomenon in recent years, the elegance of the hedgehog has maintained 102 weeks straight on frances best seller lists since its publication in 2006, and sold over 1 million hardback copies. Please be aware that this discussion guide may contain spoilers. The elegance of the hedgehog, is not a plot driven novel, instead it is part character study. The elegance of the hedgehog is a meaningoflife book, but instead of focussing on the child who fears becoming part of the odious adult world it centres on the old woman whom life has largely passed by. Quotes from the elegance of the hedgehog ben casnocha. The the elegance of the hedgehog community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and. In the heart of paris, in the posh building made famous in the elegance of hedgehog, pierre athens, the greatest food critic in the world, is dying. The elegance of the hedgehog is a moving, funny, atmospheric novel that exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us. There is paloma, age twelve, who is set on committing suicide on a certain day. The elegance of the hedgehog is a novel by writer muriel barbery.
The other pov character is renee, who is 54, and is the concierge at the building where paloma lives. Despite its cutesy air of chocolatebox paris, the elegance of the hedgehog is, by the end, quite radical in its stand against french classism and hypocrisy. She has lived in kyoto, amsterdam, and paris, and now lives in the french countryside. The elegance of the hedgehog muriel barbery, 2007 penguin group usa 336 pp. Muriel barbery is the author of the new york times bestseller, the elegance of the hedgehog europa, 2008, and gourmet rhapsody europa, 2009.
In this novel, renee michel is a concierge who believes that every concierge is perceived as unintelligent by those for whom they work. Elegance of the hedgehog barbery, muriel, anderson. The elegance of the hedgehog kindle edition by barbery. She has lived in kyoto, amsterdam and now lives in the french countryside. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery goodreads. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the elegance of the hedgehog. Muriel barbery, author, alison anderson, translator, trans. Muriel barbery muriel barbery is the author of the new york times bestseller, the elegance of the hedgehog europa, 2008, gourmet rhapsody europa, 2009, and the life of elves europa, 2016. Madame michel is the concierge of a luxurious parisian apartment building, tending to the plants, signing for packages, and polishing the brass, retreating when she can to her rooms on the first floor. True life is elsewhere one french critic called the elegance of the hedgehog the ultimate celebration of every persons invisible part.