It's The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.
Set in a très ooh la la apartment block in Paris, the story is told through the eyes of the humble concierge who witnesses all the comings and goings of the elite residents, while concealing from them a fascinating intellect and a surprising private self.
It's a great character study as well as a quirky story, told as only the French can - with an exterior seriousness but an underlying, kooky humour that cracked me up.
I love the 12-year-old kid who forges a bond with the concierge, she reminds me of Hank's daughter in the TV series Californication with her premature darkness, insight and deadpan honesty.
This book made me laugh out loud.
For that, for the original voices of its characters, and for its unpredictable plot, it was always going straight to my Top Three.
2 comments:
Ok, ok, you've inspired me. "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" is (and has been, since our fab trip to the Blue Mountains in August) in my ever growing "to read pile" but hasn't made the cut just yet.... I will just have to tear myself away from my beloved Kindle and get cracking on the old-fashioned paper version x
I like the title, I will judge this book by the cover and read it. Nothing beats good parody.
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