Behind the mask she has easily donned for 27 years, she is an autodidact who watches Japanese films, is up to par on philosophers such as Marx and William of Ockham, and has a cat named after Leo Tolstoy. There is Madame Renee Michel, a 50-something who dutifully plays the role of what she believes is expected of her: an unrefined, dumb, and grumpy widow concierge of the hôtel particulier. They view the world as it is, with its many unpleasant and uncomfortable realities, yet also full of simple, refreshing moments of beauty. Set in Paris within a posh, upper-class hôtel particulier, the world is seen through the brilliant minds of two seemingly forgettable people who both live in the hôtel particulier. Part of this surely lies in Barbery’s seemingly effortless capability to explore the meaning and joy behind life’s simplicity. It became a New York Times bestseller and a beloved book among readers beyond its French borders. The French novelist and philosophy teacher, Muriel Barbery wrote The Elegance of the Hedgehog in 2006. Translated from French into English by Alison Anderson This review is part of our Goodreads, Love Yourshelf bookclub and our ongoing Book Reviews project.
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