The Elegance of the Hedgehog: The International Bestseller

(Paperback)

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Description

The funny and moving publishing sensation about an unassuming apartment building in Paris Renee is the concierge of a grand Parisian apartment building. To the snobbish residents she is all they expect from a caretaker - hard working, dowdy and unsophisticated. But Renee has a secret. Beneath this faade she is a self-taught intellectual, devoted to arthouse Japanese cinema and has a cat named after Tolstoy.Meanwhile, several floors up, twelve-year-old Paloma has also learned to conceal her gifts. The precocious and lonely daughter of pampered parents, Paloma is convinced that life is meaningless and plans to commit suicide on her next birthday. But the arrival of a new charismatic resident will bring dramatic change to number 7, Rue de Grenelle, altering the course of both their lives forever.

Reviews

'Witty and touching, this novel features two of my favorite female characters' - Gillian Anderson

'Resistance is futile . . . you might as well buy it before someone recommends it for your book group. Its charm will make you say yes' - Guardian

'Clever, informative and moving . . . an admirable novel which deserves as wide a readership here as it had in France' - Observer

'Wins over its fans with a life-affirming message, a generous portion of heart and Barberys frequently wicked sense of humor' - Time Magazine

'A book of great charm and grace' - Metro

Author Bio

Muriel Barbery is the author of four previous novels, including the IMPAC-shortlisted multimillion-copy bestseller The Elegance of the Hedgehog. She has lived in Kyoto, Amsterdam and Paris and now lives in the French countryside.