A review by leduyhxxng
The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

4.0

The Elegance of the Hedgehog is not an easy read for all through the book was heavy prose laced with comprehensive references to philosophy, psychoanalysis, Yasujirō Ozu's The Flavour of Green Tea Over Rice, and Leo Tolstoy's fictive works. For me, even with an audiobook, the reading experience, still, was quite painful because the plot only picks up halfway through, the first one hundred and fifty pages spent laboriously on the two main characters Renée and Paloma, fleshing each of them out as thinking individuals. More excitingly, in the other half, readers get to see them, both of whom initially are very reclusive, in action and in growing relation to other people. We see them learn to recognise and welcome love to the point that they themselves begin, but only begin, to give love—and the possibility of such a gesture, the promise of it, is beyond beautiful. However, Muriel Barbery's The Elegance of the Hedgehog is very much an acquired taste, at least for my own preference; I dislike convoluted discourse, a feature from which this book did not shy away, the dreaded act of meandering even embraced into signature. It is furiously hard to love this book, but I find that in the end the effort is worth it.
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