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)

Poignant!

I can't say this is a book for everyone. In fact at times it can be hard going. I frequently had to consult a dictionary and google various philosophy tenets. Nonetheless, it is a good book. I read and listened to it as part of a book club selection, everyone agreed that we felt lost in the text at times but the story was worth the struggle. #UnlikelyFriends, #FrenchCulture, #TearJerker, #tagsgiving, #sweepstakes

A strong character portrait, heavy on philosophy

This is one of those books that I find impossible to review. The writing is extraordinary, unique, simple and beautiful. The stories of each protagonist are quite different. One is a highly-intelligent middle aged woman who works a menial job in an apartment building of the very wealthy in Paris. She hides her intelligence behind the job, allowing people to treat her as though she is less than they are. The second is an equally brilliant 12 year old girl who lives in the building and is contemplating suicide. Both of their stories are told in first person but in very different ways. The characters do not meet until the book is nearly complete, and this allows each of them to be developed with so much detail that you really believe you know them. All of this would often result in 5 stars from me as I am a big lover of books that are character portraits. However, the author dives deeply into philosophy (not surprising because she is a professor) which is rarely something I enjoy despite (or maybe because of) the fact that my oldest son is getting an advanced degree in the subject. The book is heavy on themes of art and beauty as well.

I will read this one again someday as I believe it is the kind of book that will grow in my esteem and that I will pick up on much more of what so many love about it if I give it another turn.

Better in audio.

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Possibly the ending.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Deflated.

Have you listened to any of Barbara Rosenblat and Cassandra Morris ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Was Elegance of the Hedgehog worth the listening time?

Couldn't read the book, but enjoyed the character that the performances audio gave it.

Any additional comments?

The readers made the story transform my world.

Wonderfully captivating and Deep

If you could sum up Elegance of the Hedgehog in three words, what would they be?

Love the Story.

What about Barbara Rosenblat and Cassandra Morris ’s performance did you like?

Both narrators are very articulate and emphatic. I just could see Ms. Rosenblat as Mme. Michele, I could imagine her facial expressions and body language as she told the story. Ms. Morris as Paloma was great too - she was precocious and precious at the same time.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

At the end, when Renee Michele was describing how she woke up very hungry and she ate bread with plum jam, and the moment right after that.

Delicious Mosel, unexpected

With expert narration, I feel this was meant to be listened to. It added something wonderful to an intriguing story that my imagination while reading, may have missed! Wonderful!

Superb tale marvelously narrated. Bitter-sweet.

While most listeners of this book will probably be female, this male reviewer was thoroughly entranced by the funny, sophisticated & poignant women in this tale. The ending was bitter-sweet but, in hindsight, is congruent with the main themes. The narration is superb. Cassandra Morris captures the spirit of a precocious 12 y.o. girl. And Barbara Rosenblat, well, she is in a class by herself. Her narration carries one aloft and allows the story to blossom -- like camellias in winter.

PHILOSOPHY AND COMEDY UNITED!

Would you consider the audio edition of Elegance of the Hedgehog to be better than the print version?

yes. i read the book years ago, but the characters really came to life in the audio book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Elegance of the Hedgehog?

mozart's requiem played when she flushed the toilet. it was a wonderful moment!

Which scene was your favorite?

the touching ending.

If you could take any character from Elegance of the Hedgehog out to dinner, who would it be and why?

renee of course.

Any additional comments?

the narration was superb!

what a story!

You will laugh and you will cry. What a story! You will fall in love with the characters.

Starts out slow, glad I didn't give up.

This was not my typical read/listen. Beautifully sad yet hopeful. Worth taking the time to get to know the characters... then I really wanted to hear the whole story.

Delightful

I had never heard of this book until I came across a glowing review by Stephen Fry. The story is told , in turn, by the 50+ year old widowed concierge of a building in Paris and a journal-writing young girl who lives in one of the apartments
with her family. But that's just a brief bare- bones synopsis that doesn't do it justice.
However, I was a few short ,chapters into it before I realized how much I was enjoying it.. Both narrators do an excellent job, making the transition pass smoothly back and forth.
At the end of the book I felt as though it was suddenly evolving as a slow time-lapse film of a bdlossoming flower does in a nature video.
It's a delightful read!