👶👶👶 The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery

Once again, I am captivated by a book with such exquisite vocabulary. However, I will be the first to admit that perhaps I am not quite the intellect, that is clearly the author's intended audience. I muddled through the first half of the book, appreciating the existential insight, but feeling as though it was a bit too much like an extended lecture in philosophy. It was at the point when the internal monologue switched to character-driven dialogue, that the narrative took an important turn, and suddenly, the characters sprang to life.

Although one of the character's verisimilitude was questionable (a twelve-year-old child prodigy, with the wit and wisdom of a 50-year-old), I believe the essence of the book lies within these outsiders' experiences. It was certainly one of those reads that makes one ponder life, and all of its ethereal qualities.

The ending was disappointing, and rather abrupt. Instead of relying irony, it seemed more likely that the author didn't quite know how to end the novel in a gratifying manner. On the other hand, I felt the most emotion at the end, because the lyricism was indeed quite "elegant".

Read 2/3/16