Scan barcode
michaelontheplanet's review against another edition
3.0
Mrs Tiggywinkle n’est pas là: this being a French novel, wears its stylish disdain for life and the reader (you are far too petit bourgeois for this) like a great big Gallic shrug. Gérard Depardieu is disappointed in your poor life choices. A poodle glances at you with thinly-disguised contempt: if you think I’m eating that, you can think again. A lady on the Métro eyes your shopping bag with suspicion. You have lost the key to your AirBnB in the troisième arondissement and il commence à pleuvoir.
The plot, such as it is, concerns a middle aged concierge with ideas above her gare, and an annoying child who by rights should be drowned in a bucket of calvados. What turns it is the increasing warmth and humour, and the growing affection of Renée for M. Kakuro and Japanese culture in general, something she shares with Paloma, who suddenly discovers she doesn’t want to indulge in hara kiri on hitting puberty after all.
I’m not sure what Beatrix Potter would have made of it, indeed I’m not sure what I make of it, but dare not ask in case an elegant French person stares at me with disbelief and makes a pfffft sound.
Thank you Sarah (Stevie out of Miranda) Hadland for the suggestion on A Good Read. It’s been bizarre.
The plot, such as it is, concerns a middle aged concierge with ideas above her gare, and an annoying child who by rights should be drowned in a bucket of calvados. What turns it is the increasing warmth and humour, and the growing affection of Renée for M. Kakuro and Japanese culture in general, something she shares with Paloma, who suddenly discovers she doesn’t want to indulge in hara kiri on hitting puberty after all.
I’m not sure what Beatrix Potter would have made of it, indeed I’m not sure what I make of it, but dare not ask in case an elegant French person stares at me with disbelief and makes a pfffft sound.
Thank you Sarah (Stevie out of Miranda) Hadland for the suggestion on A Good Read. It’s been bizarre.
tannina's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
The author is boasting her intellectuality, pery pretentious, does not make a very enjoyable read
sherylsheehan's review against another edition
1.0
I liked this book less than The Corrections. That's saying something.
ejdelorenze's review against another edition
2.0
Yeah ... this book officially took me more than a year to read. I started it when I was nursing, and didn't pick it up again after I stopped nursing. But I only had a bit left and finally decided to finish it. God, I really did not enjoy this book. I did like the very loose storyline at the base of this book, but I truly hated the people and the writing. It was so freaking pretentious. I just couldn't take it. And oh my god ... to have gone through all of that for THAT ending?! I wish I had not wasted any time on this book. I still give it a 2 because there were redeeming moments that I did enjoy. If someone else had written the same story I might have liked it. But as it stands, I am not a fan. Also? Crazy how similar it is to Olive Kitteridge thematically, since I just finished that one (which incidentally also took me a long time to get through).
jonimnewman's review against another edition
5.0
You have to be in the right headspace to read this book because it is a little bit high brow, but the pay off is amazing. I loved it.
kiwiflora's review against another edition
5.0
THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG by Muriel Barbery
A most surprising book in every possible way, from the intriguing title, the cover, the author, the plot and the way it is told! Firstly the author. Muriel Barbery is not English or American or from an English speaking place as you would imagine, but is French! Google her and she appears to be the epitomy of French chicness and refinement. She is a philosopher, and lives in Japan of all places with her husband. She loves Japan and everything Japanese. the story is translated from the French, and that must have been one helluva job for the translator. The sentences are very long, but extremely very well put together and punctuated so you never feel too lost. Her vocabulary is, to say the least, extensive, using words I have never of heard of so the dictionary was close by. But don't be put off by all this. Not at all, as I said everything about this book is surprising, including of course the story and how it unfolds.
Mme Renee Michel is 54, of very lowly poor origins, uneducated in the traditional sense. She has been a widow for ten years and a concierge at a very high end apartment block in Paris for 27 years. She is 'invisible' to the inhabitants of the building who include amongst others old money, a high ranking policitian, self proclaimed greatest food critic in the world. Also included are the spouses, children, pets etc. But like the book, Mme Renee is also full of surprises beng self taught in art, music, literature, current events, philosophy and so on. The other main character is Paloma, as 12 year old girl, daughter of said high ranking politician who hates her life, everything and everyone in it. She plans to kill herself on her 13th birthday and take the whole building out with her.
These two extreme personalities eventually come together along with a number of others in the building. Through a series of events and encounters their individual views of the world and their places in it change. It surprises all the way to the last sentence. From my own personal point of view there was a bit too much philosophising from the various characters, especially in the middle where I was starting to get a bit fed up with the author's take on the world. The story of course does come back to reality and some action, plus in parts it is exquisitely written (and translated), so naturally I was compelled to continue reading. Glad I did.
A most surprising book in every possible way, from the intriguing title, the cover, the author, the plot and the way it is told! Firstly the author. Muriel Barbery is not English or American or from an English speaking place as you would imagine, but is French! Google her and she appears to be the epitomy of French chicness and refinement. She is a philosopher, and lives in Japan of all places with her husband. She loves Japan and everything Japanese. the story is translated from the French, and that must have been one helluva job for the translator. The sentences are very long, but extremely very well put together and punctuated so you never feel too lost. Her vocabulary is, to say the least, extensive, using words I have never of heard of so the dictionary was close by. But don't be put off by all this. Not at all, as I said everything about this book is surprising, including of course the story and how it unfolds.
Mme Renee Michel is 54, of very lowly poor origins, uneducated in the traditional sense. She has been a widow for ten years and a concierge at a very high end apartment block in Paris for 27 years. She is 'invisible' to the inhabitants of the building who include amongst others old money, a high ranking policitian, self proclaimed greatest food critic in the world. Also included are the spouses, children, pets etc. But like the book, Mme Renee is also full of surprises beng self taught in art, music, literature, current events, philosophy and so on. The other main character is Paloma, as 12 year old girl, daughter of said high ranking politician who hates her life, everything and everyone in it. She plans to kill herself on her 13th birthday and take the whole building out with her.
These two extreme personalities eventually come together along with a number of others in the building. Through a series of events and encounters their individual views of the world and their places in it change. It surprises all the way to the last sentence. From my own personal point of view there was a bit too much philosophising from the various characters, especially in the middle where I was starting to get a bit fed up with the author's take on the world. The story of course does come back to reality and some action, plus in parts it is exquisitely written (and translated), so naturally I was compelled to continue reading. Glad I did.
meganmagicmusings's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
mia_w's review against another edition
4.0
There were moments that were a little slow for me, but there were more lovely, beautiful moments that made me really enjoy the novel overall.
paulzalemur's review against another edition
3.0
Ok. Overall this book was ok. I think it would be a good discussion point for a philosophy class, breaking down the various philosophies mentioned throughout the text and going into deeper talks about death and suicide and the morality or immorality of Paloma making that choice for herself.
I figured at the start after she said the specific date that she would kill herself and her methods for looking for something to live for, I figured she wouldn't end up killing herself. Part of what kept me reading was seeing what ended up keeping her from doing it.
I figured at the start after she said the specific date that she would kill herself and her methods for looking for something to live for, I figured she wouldn't end up killing herself. Part of what kept me reading was seeing what ended up keeping her from doing it.
steffers7's review against another edition
3.0
Hmmm... My feelings on this book are varied. The prose and ideas woven into the story were excellent. So on a literary level I would give it top marks. The points she makes were well thought out - - ideas such as feeling trapped in your place in life and whether or not you can escape your fate. The book was still accessible though - - I didn't find it a difficult read and never struggled to pick it up.
***BIG Spoiler ahead - do not read if you don't want it spoiled***
However, I did NOT like the way it ended. The book reminded me of something from the movie Stranger than Fiction. In the movie, a well-respected writer is writing a story, and in order for the book to be truly excellent literature, according to the experts, the main character (Harold) has to die. I hated that idea, and rooted for Harold to live. Well, apparently this author thought the same thing. Yep, here's that spoiler - the main character dies at the end. I'm sure there is some deep, profound, wonderful truth that only resonates because she dies. Well, blah blah blah. I hate that ending, it only served to the book's detriment for me. It made it depressing and hopeless. Sure, she said some inspiring stuff. But for me, the ending sucked and ruined the book. So maybe that makes me someone who can't appreciate good literature. Or maybe it was a sucky way to end a book. Probably, though, that is purely a subjective thing. But you know where I stand.
***BIG Spoiler ahead - do not read if you don't want it spoiled***
However, I did NOT like the way it ended. The book reminded me of something from the movie Stranger than Fiction. In the movie, a well-respected writer is writing a story, and in order for the book to be truly excellent literature, according to the experts, the main character (Harold) has to die. I hated that idea, and rooted for Harold to live. Well, apparently this author thought the same thing. Yep, here's that spoiler - the main character dies at the end. I'm sure there is some deep, profound, wonderful truth that only resonates because she dies. Well, blah blah blah. I hate that ending, it only served to the book's detriment for me. It made it depressing and hopeless. Sure, she said some inspiring stuff. But for me, the ending sucked and ruined the book. So maybe that makes me someone who can't appreciate good literature. Or maybe it was a sucky way to end a book. Probably, though, that is purely a subjective thing. But you know where I stand.