The Elegance of the Hedgehog
By Muriel Barbery
Set in a bourgeois apartment building in the centre of Paris, The Elegance of the Hedgehog focuses on three main characters: Renée, Paloma, and the mysterious Mr. Ozu.
Renée is the apartment building’s caretaker, and outwardly displays the stereotypical characteristics that the tenants of the apartment building expect of their concierge: overweight, grouchy, and addicted to television. Unbeknownst to her employers, however, Renée is an intellectual who adores art, music, philosophy and Japanese culture.
Paloma is a 12-year old girl whose family lives in the apartment building. Paloma is a genius who has decided, quite rationally, that she will end her life on her thirteenth birthday. Until then, she will outwardly behave like her parents, teachers, and other adults expect of a teenage girl: a good (but not outstanding) student, and an obedient (but obstinate) daughter who spends most hours at home in her room.
Paloma and Renée both hide their true talents and finest qualities from a world they suspect cannot or will not appreciate them. They discover their kindred souls when a wealthy Japanese man named Mr. Ozu arrives in the building. Only he is able to gain Paloma’s trust and to see through Renée’s disguise to the secret that haunts her. This is a moving, funny, triumphant novel that exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog is available at WSPL in regular print format, on Cloud Library as an eaudiobook and ebook, and as a book club set.
Kate Scheiers
Coordinator of Community Engagement
Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library
