The Elegance of the Hedgehog
by Muriel Barbery
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Book Reviews of The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Book Review: A bit of a mix
Summary: 3 Stars
At times boring, at times bitter, this book had an interesting plot and character development. Two characters, overlooked and resentful, transform themselves to real human beings due to the presence of one man. Their facades of fitting into a mundane normalcy crumbles as they let forth their true selves.
Some of the chapters on philosophy were too esoteric for my taste and sometimes the characters were too crude, unlikeable and pretentious. But over the course of the book, their change was fascinating. It was hard for me to see why one would hide one's intelligence or want to conform to the unpleasant prejudices of others. But as the characters opened up, I began to relate to them more and their struggle with being insignificant.
The literary and cultural references abound and if you have some familiarity with them, its interesting to see how the author uses them. Renee, the main character, has a love for Anna Karenina that I don't share and she values the Dutch Masters over Michelangelo whereas I am the opposite. But I was reminded of the Ronsard poem I read in high school, Mignonne, allons voir si la rose. and I learned of an intriguing philosophy that says reality doesn't matter just our perceptions of it. Renee, of course, believes its poppycock but I found it interesting.
I realized though that I have a limited tolerance for abstract thought. After two chapters in the middle that were nothing but abstract thought, I was gasping for air - for something tangible. That's why this gets a 3-star rather than a 4-star. I'll overlook a book's fault of being slow to start with but not being slow in the middle.
The little girl (Paloma)'s prose was more entertaining. She was captivated by beauty in movement and her stories were funnier especially when relating the story of the cocker spaniel that wanted to mount an unwilling whippet and the attendant embarassment of both dog's fancy owners. Renee's rendition of the story was a lot more discreet, polite but Paloma's version was hilarious.
The book is worth it to get to the end even with the slow middle, there are too many other books that expound on ideas without taking a chapter or two to put you in a vacuum with them for me to rate this book higher. However, the story is quite charming and the characters turn out to be quite sensitive, likeable, and human. It will touch you in the end.
Book Review: Elegantly underdone
Summary: 2 Stars
You never know how much is just the cultural difference. I majored in romance language literature, so I expect a certain grey-area difference when I read a French author. Still, Barbery left me wondering what the hey she meant to accomplish here.
Let's start on the positive side. Her use of language is above average. When she explains a scene or a situation you can really see yourself there. And her characters are both nicely quirky and well developed. Where can you go to beat an unbelievably precocious adolescent, a rocket scientist concierge and a retired Japanese businessman living in Paris for running mates? And she does a craftsman's job of making these folks real to you.
In the middle of the road, so to speak, is the theme of the book. It's hard to say whether you take away any real meaning to the thing. Life really is worth living? There is always a chance for love? She's not so clear about what we are to learn from all this.
I don't have a category for Barbery's attempts at philosophy, but often she just launches off into these abstract junkets where her character is dwelling upon some strained notion that, I assume, is supposed to be deep and thoughtful. I'm sorry. They were confusing and a waste of my precious reading time. It's a shame the editor didn't have those episodes all printed in italics, so the reader could just skip over them.
From there things are even less rosy for this little tome. The story is, well, just lacking. Although well written technically, it is never a story you just can't put down. Not much happens and it fails to happen pretty slowly. But, to be charitable again, Barbery is a quality storyteller, so at least the episodes where the story does turn interesting are well spun. They just don't make up much of the book.
If there is some universal theme in this book, some moral to the story, I just didn't see it. Not every book has to have a message or a theme, but the lack of one needs compensation somewhere. This one just has a gap in it. And the ending? I was so disappointed. I won't say how it ends, in case you decide to read this book in spite of my downbeat review, but I just can't believe she handled it that way. What a letdown. What a waste of time reading this thing, for that matter. I can't believe someone recommended it to me.
Book Review: Social Satire at its Best
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved this social satire and the "critique" of modern French manners and society through the main characters.
Take one disenchanted 12-year-old child, smart but cynical for her age, add an equally cynical but likeable concierge/caretaker in a building of private apartments, and then mix in an erudite and wealthy Japanese gentlemen - shake together and see what happens when they meet and interact.
What they have in common is a love of beauty and art. Young Paloma thinks the world is not worth living in, until she discovers what she describes as perfection - the movements of a rising young player in a football game, for instance. The concierge, Renee, hides her love of good food, art, music, and literature behind nondescript clothing, unkempt hair, and a blank face that she shows to the tenants of her building. The Japanese gentleman, Mr. Ozu, is a new tenant who enjoys fine painting, music, and literature.
When Paloma and Mr. Ozu reach the conclusion that Renee the concierge is smarter than she lets on, Mr. Ozu is certain that Renee's cat Leo is named after the Russian writer Tolstoy. Renee decides that Mr. Ozu has found her out; his two cats have the names of characters in Tolstoy's War and Peace after all, and he has begun to observe her with curiousity. Ozu and Renee play cat and mouse games at first, trying to discover more about each other.
Young Paloma is anxious to get away from her wealthy parents and irritating older sister, who are always trying to draw her into meaningless conversations. She finds refuge in Renee's apartment. Mr. Ozu decides to invite Renee, whom everyone sees as a lowly concierge, to his elegant apartment for tea and again for dinner.
What happens next? Well, I won't tell everything!
I liked Renee's philosophical discourses on art, literature, beauty, and life. Her character is drawn to show that social stereotypes are just what they are - stereotypes. A concierge brought up in relative poverty is not what may seem to the outside world. She hides her knowledge of literature and art and her love of classical music because she, like the young girl Paloma, wants to be left alone by people who wouldn't understand her.
Those who like unusual and rebellious characters and who enjoy reading social satire will like this novel.
Book Review: Elegant and Exciting Reading
Summary: 5 Stars
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery is a beautiful, moving, and occasionally very funny novel. It tells the story of an amazing woman and a startling young girl, and their parallel and eventually joined paths to recognition of beauty, in the self and in the world.
Renee is the concierge of a very upscale building in Paris, a supremely intelligent and grammatically exacting woman, and Paloma is one of her tenants , a 12-year old girl already fed up with the falseness of the adults around her and doubtful about life's possibilities. Renee is acutely aware and appreciative of life's moments of beauty and yet is unable to grasp the absolute beauty within herself. Paloma is a French, intelligent, and female prepubescent version of Holden Caulfield, a confused and disillusioned but still young and therefore reachable rebel. Her thoughts are presented to us through her two thoroughly engaging and at times heartbreaking journals; from Renee we get her inner thoughts and observations through first person narration.
This book is about finding a reason to live but it is absolutely un-American in its prescription: there is no easy path, life is full of difficulties, and you are on your own. But if you are honest and intelligent and exacting, you will find and appreciate the beauty that exists in relationships and music and nature and books. The book is about the pure beauty that is possible in moments of genuine expression, the fleeting moments that can still last forever in our minds because of their beauty and truth.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog offers a beautiful but thoroughly realistic appraisal of life. By living fully observant and appreciative of the beauty that appears fleetingly in actual time but permanently in our minds, we can survive and surpass the mundane and trivial and superficial. We can make connections and stave off alienation; each moment caught by our flourishing minds only makes all the moments to come better and better. The reason to live, offered and accepted by the characters of this book (and wholeheartedly by me too!) is to find those "moments of always within never."
A wonderful book: read it and share it. Find more great books at www.readallday.org.
Book Review: A Slow Creeper full of Wisdom and Joy, I think...
Summary: 3 Stars
This isn't a novel I would typically read, but it was rated highly by someone I admire so I thought I'd give it a crack. Muriel Barbery is French and the novel was written in French, translated into English. It is set in a Paris block of expensive apartments and explores the lives of two residents; Renee, the fifty something widower of a concierge (the "Hedgehog" in the title) and Paloma, a twelve-year-old girl, who lives with her parents and older sister.
Look, I struggled with it and there were many times I contemplated putting it down. There is very little action whilst we listen to Renee and Paloma's observations of their respective lives. Both are great watchers of people: Renee, in particular, in her role of concierge, watches all the goings-on of the various residents and is frankly quite condescending and ungracious in her thoughts on most.
There is much philosophical posturing that is sometimes tiresome and the subtle satire actually reminded me of Jane Austen. Austen's strong female characters are also great observers of people and life, and often use acerbic wit to comment on the foibles of those they observe.
The story comes alive and, in my opinion develops a soul, when a new tenant takes up residence in a recently vacated apartment: a wealthy Japanese man, Mr Kakuro Ozu. He, like Renee and Paloma, is an observer and an outsider, a misfit. But in making connection with both ladies creates a bond that restores life to all three. It's a wonderful example of how powerful love and friendship are: they reinvigorate and in Paloma's case, changes her from living in her self-proclaimed death row, to choosing life.
I am glad I read it, principally for it's wonderful language and metaphors, (for example, I will always think differently about "camellias on the moss") but also it reminded me of the person who recommended it to me. They possess elements of all three of the key characters being tremendously elegant in their manner and style. I wonder if she thinks of herself as a hedgehog, not altogether fitting in, whilst possessing a wonderful alacrity of mind, soul and spirit.
The movie is out shortly and I'd love to see how it is brought to the screen.