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The Elegance of the Hedgehog

By: Muriel Barbery
Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat, Cassandra Morris
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Editorial reviews

The Elegance of the Hedgehog tells the story of a life spent in hiding. Madame Michel is the concierge of a luxurious Parisian apartment building, tending to the plants, signing for packages, and polishing the brass, retreating when she can to her rooms on the first floor. She keeps a television blaring where the tenants can hear it; she zealously polices her speech and gestures to keep from giving herself away. What is the secret she hides? Madame Michel is an intellectual. She knows Kant, but she's separated by class from other people who do, so she discusses his work with herself while we listen in. Her musings are voiced by Barbara Rosenblat, who lends an air of theatrical irony — an auditory raised eyebrow — to her descriptions of class blind spots and philosophical rabbit holes.

The other pole of the story is Paloma Josse, a 12-year-old tenant in the building, voiced by Cassandra Morris with an appropriate measure of sarcasm and outrage. Paloma is a wildly precocious girl raised in privilege who has all the gifts of intellect and all the faults of a pre-adolescent. She's grandiose — she favors us with excerpts from a journal titled "Profound Thoughts". She's happy to throw stones at glass houses, and even plans to burn hers down, with the aim of teaching her family a pithy lesson about deprivation. She describes the currently deprived in terms that, while well-intentioned, condescend and distort. She is, in other words, a burgeoning intellect in serious need of the influence of an adult she can respect. An adult, perhaps, like the 54-year-old concierge on the first floor. But it takes more than a ride in an elevator to truly meet a woman who has spent her life in hiding. The novel takes two world views, both meticulously constructed from sound philosophical materials, and happily pulls them apart. —Rosalie Knecht

Publisher's Summary

An enchanting New York Times and international best seller and award-winner about life, art, literature, philosophy, culture, class, privilege, and power, seen through the eyes of a 54-year-old French concierge and a precocious but troubled 12-year-old girl.

Renee Michel is the 54-year-old concierge of a luxury Paris apartment building. Her exterior (short, ugly,and plump) and demeanor (poor, discreet, and insignificant) belie her keen, questing mind and profound erudition. Paloma Josse is a 12-year-old genius who behaves as everyone expects her to behave: a mediocre pre-teen high on adolescent subculture, a good but not outstanding student, an obedient if obstinate daughter. She plans to kill herself on the 16th of June, her 13th birthday.

Both Renee and Paloma hide their true talents and finest qualities from the bourgeois families around them, until a wealthy Japanese gentleman named Ozu moves into building. Only he sees through them, perceiving the secret that haunts Renee, winning Paloma's trust, and helping the two discover their kindred souls. Moving, funny, tender, and triumphant, Barbery's novel exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us.

©2006 Editions Gallimard, Paris (P)2009 Highbridge Company

Critic Reviews

"Gently satirical, exceptionally winning and inevitably bittersweet." ( The Washington Post )
"An exquisite book in the form of a philosophical fable that has enchanted hundreds of thousands of readers." (Italian Elle)
"Kinetic minds and engaging voices." ( New York Times Book Review)
"By turns very funny and heartbreaking". ( Publishers Weekly)
"Life-affirming." ( Time)

What listeners say about The Elegance of the Hedgehog

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful if you love philosophy.

The only irritation with the US performance is that the English translation has been Americanised, to the detriment of the book. I do not believe that Americans are so dense that they cannot read any book that is not translated for them into their own idiom, yet US publishers insist on going to great lengths to say (e.g.) "can" rather than "loo" , and even omit bits that US readers might find unfamiliar or puzzling. Can't a US reader work out that a "bright" child is clever? Does 'reductionist' have to be changed to ' simplistic'? The meaning is changed, and the UK English translation was perfectly fine. Parochial mollycoddling is silly --over-protective--these are adult readers. This (standard practice) US publishing chauvinism always astonishes and disappoints me. The UK, Canada and Australia seem to cope with US usage OK, as do the many other former British colonies. Why can't the USA listen to UK English once in a while?

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Accent spoils this book.

What disappointed you about The Elegance of the Hedgehog?

The narrators are French because the book is set in Paris and involves French characters. Unfortunately, the producers of this fabulous story for some obscure reason decided the reader would be American. Completely fails.

How could the performance have been better?

Use an English speaking French narrator!!

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

could not get pass the first chapter. I ended up buying the hardback.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Beautiful world, irritating characters

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I might recommend it to someone who wants a little "peek" into this type of world, but truly, I don't know what kind of person would like to read this. There was nothing particularly incredible or refreshing about the story and as such little to recommend.

Would you ever listen to anything by Muriel Barbery again?

Probably. The story had its good parts. The character of Ozu was most endearing and interesting -- so if another Barbery book had characters more like Ozu but less like Renee and Paloma, I would be much more interested.

Do you think The Elegance of the Hedgehog needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No, as there was nothing left to explore at the end of the story.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars

narration detracts from story...I can't engage!

for me, a terrible narrator: very contrived 'voice detracting from novel. sadly, I can't continue as an audio text. might try hard copy

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Jo
  • 24-06-2022

Utterly enthralled

Despite the ending this bill/story was an utter delight. Began listening again as soon as I finished the first time. The narrators are superb, especially Renee. I just adored it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

worth every second

perfect duo narration; capturing the essence of the characters perfectly . Intelligent, emotive and hilarious. 10/10

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

is life worth living?

this is a question asked by the young woman.
life vs death
beauty vs every day life
thinking vs feeling
poor vs rich
moments of always in the continual never.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

slowly draws you in as an emotional world opens up

A slow gradual development of the story and prose to a rich tale of friendship, paralleling the opening up of the characters, lots of beautiful considerations of life and death and meaning.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Profound and quirky yet delightfully entertaining

The dual protagonists as kindered souls provide enlightening observations that trigger the gamut of emotions!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A book that makes you think, feel and pause

Beautifully written. A tender story...
The performance is superb, it completes the book. Highly recommend.

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