The Elegance of the Hedgehog

A moving, funny, triumphant novel that exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous.

In an elegant apartment building in the heart of Paris, Renée, the concierge, scrutinizes the vacuous lives of its well-to-do tenants. Outwardly she conforms to every stereotype of the concierge: plump, cantankerous, addicted to television. Yet, unbeknownst to her employers, Renée is a sophisticated autodidact who adores art, philosophy, music, and Japanese culture.

Then there's Paloma, twelve years old. Convinced of the meaninglessness of life, she's decided to end her own on her thirteenth birthday. Until then she will continue behaving as everyone expects her to behave, hiding behind the mask of an average pre-teen.

Paloma and Renée hide both their true talents and their finest qualities from a world they suspect will not appreciate them. The arrival in the building of a wealthy Japanese tenant changes a delicate and fragile equilibrium.

"This story, like all great tales, will break your heart, but it will also make you realize--or remember--that sometimes the pain is worth it."--Chicago Sun-Times

Muriel Barbery's novels include the New York Times bestseller, The Elegance of the Hedgehog (Europa, 2008), Gourmet Rhapsody (Europa, 2009), A Single Rose (Europa, 2022) and One Hour of Fervor (Europa, 2024). She is also the author of The Writer's Cats, illustrated by Maria Guitart, a short tale about esthetics, inspiration, the writing life, and cats. Barbery has lived in Kyōto, Amsterdam, and Paris, and now lives in the French countryside.

Alison Anderson is an author and the translator of around 100 books from French. Her translations for Europa Editions include novels by Amélie Nothomb, Sélim Nassib, and Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt.