Spiny on the Outside Cuddly in the Middle

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have not been surprised by a book in a long time. I usually get a feeling by a 1/3 a way through how I am going to like the book but Elegance slowly charmed it's way into my heart and moved from a 3 star to a solid 4, 4 and 1/2 star by the end. The first couple of chapters were slow, a little "precious", and the characters were not entirely likable. If it hadn't been a book club selection, I am not sure I would have kept reading but I am so glad I did. The story takes place in a posh apartment building in Paris and is told from alternating points of view of a the widowed concierge,Rene and a thirteen year old resident, Paloma. Paloma's sense of superiority and suicidal teen angst was what turned me off from the book initially. However, like all good characters Paloma changes as the book progresses and she becomes humbler and more appreciative of life. Through the voices of both Paloma and Rene, Barbery is exploring the idea that all people are free of determinism and you don't have to be what other people expect you to be. In other words, just because you always been a concierge in Paris and everyone expects you to behave like an uneducated working class person you don't have to really be that person. Rene applies this thought to her own life and through her connection with others in the apartment begins to realize she can be free to be who she really is. Sounds a little hokey, I know but I think the book is successful because she uses subtle transitions in character and becomes more plot driven and less "preachy" towards the climax. The book is also surprising in that a translated, philosophical treatise could become a national bestseller. I found it amusing that one publisher thought hedgehog wouldn't do well in America because it is a class-less society and we wouldn't get it. Ha wouldn't that be nice.


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