The Elegance of the Hedgehog

By: Muriel Barbery

Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat, Cassandra Morris

Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

An enchanting New York Times and international best seller and award-winner about life, art, literature, philosophy, culture, class, privilege, and power, seen through the eyes of a 54-year-old French concierge and a precocious but troubled 12-year-old girl.

Renee Michel is the 54-year-old concierge of a luxury Paris apartment building. Her exterior (short, ugly,and plump) and demeanor (poor, discreet, and insignificant) belie her keen, questing mind and profound erudition. Paloma Josse is a 12-year-old genius who behaves as everyone expects her to behave: a mediocre pre-teen high on adolescent subculture, a good but not outstanding student, an obedient if obstinate daughter. She plans to kill herself on the 16th of June, her 13th birthday.

Both Renee and Paloma hide their true talents and finest qualities from the bourgeois families around them, until a wealthy Japanese gentleman named Ozu moves into building. Only he sees through them, perceiving the secret that haunts Renee, winning Paloma's trust, and helping the two discover their kindred souls. Moving, funny, tender, and triumphant, Barbery's novel exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us.

©2006 Editions Gallimard, Paris (P)2009 Highbridge Company

Critic reviews

"Gently satirical, exceptionally winning and inevitably bittersweet." ( The Washington Post )
"An exquisite book in the form of a philosophical fable that has enchanted hundreds of thousands of readers." (Italian Elle)
"Kinetic minds and engaging voices." ( New York Times Book Review)
"By turns very funny and heartbreaking". ( Publishers Weekly)
"Life-affirming." ( Time)

Thoughtful and engaging

This story grew on me the more I listened. You have to some patience, however, since most for most of the story you are listening to the two main characters talking to themselves - thinking out loud. Both characters are amazingly smart and insightful - the young girl preternatually so. A touching but improbable ending is a bit of a disappointment. Fun if you enjoy learning more about class struggles in France.

How very mean

The book is technically very good; the translation is smooth and readable. The narration is more than adequate. THE HOWEVER and SPOILER: I do not want misanthropy in my books and the final chapters read, to me, more of a 'f*** you' than anything else. I do not recommend the book to people I care about and will certainly never read this particular author again. As always, this is a subjective, emotional response to the book which says as much about me as it does the author. And it is the mark of a well crafted book, that ability to evoke a strong emotional response, n'est pas?

beautiful book. mixed narration

i'm sure others have already said how you must pay close attention to this book. It's no light listen, but contrary to those who might think it pretentious because of the vocabulary. I found it a work of art. My only gripe is the narration of the little girl. She does a first class job, and I don't want to take anything away from her, but she is supposed to be playing a french girl, yet her accent is the strongest whiney american accent I think I have ever heard. But this shouldn't put you off downloading this one. It is worth it.

As pleasing to the ear as a Madeleine to the mouth

A wonderful book that I will listen to again. Full of insightful observations and philosophical questons to consider. And the narrators were both delightful, their voices enhancing the characters they portrayed.

Very French

The last third of this book has insight, flights of joy and pathos . The first two-thirds is so full of selfishness and Ayn Rand-like over philosophizing that it is torturous to wade through. I realize the point may be the metamorphosis of the protagonists,, but it needs a good editor. On a recent trip to Paris, I wondered at the marked absence of smiles on the faces of the passersby. I later read that it is de la mode to be depressed there. if you enjoy hearing how an atheist deals with life and death, this may be for you. People who understand only the smallest part of why we are here and where we are going can only feel around life like three three blind men trying to describe an elephant. Pathetic.

moving and beautiful storytelling

a beautiful tale, well worth the time. I was enraptured stay to finish. thank you.

the 1st half of the book was slow

it was slow and excruciating when in the first half of the book you just had to listen to long diatribes about how awful the audacity of the ultra wealthy misusing commas. and I don't know if it a difference between cultures or if I just haven't had the opportunity to really be introduced to the ultra wealthy, but I did not relate to the idea if dumbing yourself down, and pretending not to understand or like fine literature or art, in order to stay in your station. it wasn't until there was some actual action, that things started getting bearable. a love interest was introduced, there were comedic descriptions of goings on around the apartment building, and the characters really become human. by the end of the book I found I had a real heartfelt emotional connection with the characters. one of the women in my book group said she had to stop and look up the definition of some of the vocabulary that was common in the book. I found that I had to pay attention and look up the French words more often. I believe this book is a translation, and some of the nouns were left untranslated. a lot of them however, I was able to gather an understanding by context.

Merveilleux!

Récit à deux narratrices insolites: une concierge érudite et passionnée d'art et une fille de douze ans aux idées suicidaires. Réflexions sur la vie, la mort, les classes sociales. Dénouement bouleversant.

Wonderful and warm

This book is not for people who prefer action and adventure. For me, it was a quiet exploration of what it means to live a worthy and fulfilled human life, through the eyes of a 12 year old and a 54 year old. I enjoyed it thoroughly and will think back on it often. This one I might even listen to again, because the writing is so skillful that it's almost like poetry.

l loved this book!

The narrators were excellent! They were perfect for the parts they were reading. I did not want the book to end.