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mbpartlow's review against another edition
4.0
If you belong to a book group, this is the book for you. My group talked about this book for hours before we turned to other topics. And I hope they'll forgive me for describing phenomenology as "educated navel gazing." Completely engrossing slice of two intersecting lives in one apartment building in Paris.
diners_dineins_and_dives_oh_my's review against another edition
Nope I’ll try again later
xcaity's review against another edition
4.0
Loved it. Hated the ending even though I know it was necessary. Hmph.
pakramsnukas's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
thejadedhippy's review against another edition
4.0
This book started slow for me, but by the middle I was engrossed and the end was sad but beautiful.
janada59's review against another edition
2.0
I had to force myself to finish it. I just couldn't find the interest to care, and felt like the author spent the first hundred pages talking philosophy with no actual connection to the rest of the story.
renwandt's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ovidinpajamas's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Suicidal thoughts
trin's review against another edition
1.0
Painfully pretentious French novel that for some reason is selling like hotcakes at my store. The narrative is shared between two characters: a poor but brilliant concierge who feels she must play dumb lest the people who live in her building learn her TERRIBLE SECRET—that she, like, likes [b:Anna Karenina|331453|Penguin Readers Level 6 Anna Karenina Book and Audio Cassette (Penguin Readers)|Leo Tolstoy|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|2507928] and stuff (OH NOES?)—and an also-brilliant but disaffected 12-year-old girl who lives in the same building and plans to kill herself and burn down her parents’ apartment when she turns 13 because life is just NOT WORTH LIVING when people are just so shallow, you know?
No, I don’t know. I don’t know why Renée considers her genius to be such a horrible secret that she must desperately hide, or why we’re expected to feel sympathy for Paloma when she’s such a snobby, selfish brat. For a book that seems to be trying to argue that one should not dismiss people such as concierges or 12-year-old girls because they might be thinking deep thoughts and feeling deep things from their deep, precious souls, The Elegance of the Hedgehog is nevertheless incredibly elitist, looking down on and judging everyone who does not belong to Reneé and Paloma’s special little amateur philosophy club. At my worst, I know I can be a bit of a snob—turning up my nose at people buying [a:Nicholas Sparks|2345|Nicholas Sparks|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1204497914p2/2345.jpg] books and whatnot—but I still spent much of this novel wanting to punch those two. Especially Paloma: dude, you’re twelve, you’re smart, you’ve never had to want for anything, and I’m sorry your family’s obnoxious, but man up. Okay, part of the story does deal with you realizing that you’re being a little ridiculous, but first we have to wade through 300 pages of your faux-intellectual LIFE SO HARD rants? Shut up.
The plot also doesn’t really get going until about 150 pages in, and I found the ending—which I’m sure was supposed to be deeply moving—eyeroll-inducing. Yet the rich Brentwood ladies keep buying this book. Fine, whatever. I’m gonna go read something with spaceships or explosions with the rest of the plebes.
No, I don’t know. I don’t know why Renée considers her genius to be such a horrible secret that she must desperately hide, or why we’re expected to feel sympathy for Paloma when she’s such a snobby, selfish brat. For a book that seems to be trying to argue that one should not dismiss people such as concierges or 12-year-old girls because they might be thinking deep thoughts and feeling deep things from their deep, precious souls, The Elegance of the Hedgehog is nevertheless incredibly elitist, looking down on and judging everyone who does not belong to Reneé and Paloma’s special little amateur philosophy club. At my worst, I know I can be a bit of a snob—turning up my nose at people buying [a:Nicholas Sparks|2345|Nicholas Sparks|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1204497914p2/2345.jpg] books and whatnot—but I still spent much of this novel wanting to punch those two. Especially Paloma: dude, you’re twelve, you’re smart, you’ve never had to want for anything, and I’m sorry your family’s obnoxious, but man up. Okay, part of the story does deal with you realizing that you’re being a little ridiculous, but first we have to wade through 300 pages of your faux-intellectual LIFE SO HARD rants? Shut up.
The plot also doesn’t really get going until about 150 pages in, and I found the ending—which I’m sure was supposed to be deeply moving—eyeroll-inducing. Yet the rich Brentwood ladies keep buying this book. Fine, whatever. I’m gonna go read something with spaceships or explosions with the rest of the plebes.
vickyberry's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
me tomó nueve meses terminar este libro pero siempre quería volver a el pq quería a los personajes. terminé llorando como una boba. q tristeza siento pero q bonito al mismo tiempo