The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

 

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To be honest, I'm not sure exactly what to compare The Elegance of the Hedgehog to. It's fairly unique, in my opinion. Its focus is thought, social classes, and death. If you enjoy emotional reads and tear jerkers you might enjoy it, but there's also a heavy philosophical aspect to it. I would even argue that much of the story hinges on the main characters' thoughts rather than actual physical events. I'd also argue that it works perfectly for this particular narrative.

I picked up Hedgehog on a whim one day when I was at Chapters. Something about the cover caught my eye, I guess. I noticed it was the translation of a French novel and the synopsis sounded unique. It was nothing like the books I usually read, yet something made me take the risk and pick it up knowing almost nothing about it. I am so glad I did.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog follows two main characters. The first is a concierge at a posh Parisian hotel. She is old, unattractive and outwardly stereotypical for a low class servant. What no one knows is that she has taught herself to read and taken in all the knowledge she possibly can. She loves literature, philosophy and Japanese culture. She sees the irony of her position with respect to the residents of the hotel as they waste their lives ignorantly and surpass her only in physical wealth. 

The other character is a twelve year old girl - one of the hotel residents. Again, she is brilliant but hides behind a veil of mediocrity. She has reflected on the meaning of life and found it wanting. Unless something changes her mind, she calmly intends to kill herself on her thirteenth birthday. 

Of course, circumstance causes the two to meet and their lives change forever. 

The premise sounds incredibly dark, and though the story is filled with thoughts of despair and futility, the story is one filled with hope. The philosophical musings of each character are amusing, believable and thought-provoking. The story is both heart-breaking and satisfying. 

Another quality that I loved about Barbery's writing is the seriousness with which the younger character is treated. She is not presented as a silly, angst-driven pre-teen, but a thoughtful girl who is very aware of life's injustices. A girl who realizes that she is privileged in a world of unfairness. Too often young characters are presented as emotional and hormonal hyperboles instead of rational, empathetic human beings. 

If you're looking for a thought-provoking, emotional read, especially if you have a love for philosophical dialogue and Japanese culture, I very highly recommend The Elegance of the Hedgehog.

  

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