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The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide
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Unlock the more straightforward side of The Elegance of the Hedgehog with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!
This engaging summary presents an analysis of The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, a thoughtful, witty look at the absurdity of human life. Through the unlikely friendship between a suicidal 12-year-old schoolgirl, an incredibly cultured 54-year-old concierge and a perceptive Japanese pensioner, The Elegance of the Hedgehog examines the most essential things in life, including friendship, love and death. Muriel Barbery is a French novelist who was born in Casablanca in 1969. Her second novel, The Elegance of the Hedgehog, was met with widespread public and critical acclaim and won several prestigious literary awards. Every reader owes it to themselves to read “the publishing phenomenon of the decade” (Le Figaro) and discover that life is perhaps not quite as meaningless as it seems.
Find out everything you need to know about The Elegance of the Hedgehog in a fraction of the time!
This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection
Why choose BrightSummaries.com?
Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.
See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!
This engaging summary presents an analysis of The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, a thoughtful, witty look at the absurdity of human life. Through the unlikely friendship between a suicidal 12-year-old schoolgirl, an incredibly cultured 54-year-old concierge and a perceptive Japanese pensioner, The Elegance of the Hedgehog examines the most essential things in life, including friendship, love and death. Muriel Barbery is a French novelist who was born in Casablanca in 1969. Her second novel, The Elegance of the Hedgehog, was met with widespread public and critical acclaim and won several prestigious literary awards. Every reader owes it to themselves to read “the publishing phenomenon of the decade” (Le Figaro) and discover that life is perhaps not quite as meaningless as it seems.
Find out everything you need to know about The Elegance of the Hedgehog in a fraction of the time!
This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection
Why choose BrightSummaries.com?
Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.
See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!
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The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (Book Analysis) - Bright Summaries
French novelist
Born in Casablanca (Morocco) in 1969.
Notable works:
Gourmet Rhapsody (2009), novel
The Life of Elves (2016), novel
Muriel Barbery, born in 1969, is a French novelist. After graduating from the prestigious École Normale Supérieure de lettres et sciences humaines and successfully completing an agrégation (a highly selective competitive examination for teachers) in philosophy, she first taught in a secondary school in Caen before working at the Saint Lô Institut universitaire de formation des maitres, a teacher training college.
In 2000, she wrote her first novel, Gourmet Rhapsody, which was one of the most successful books that autumn and has been translated into 12 languages. In 2006, she released her next novel, The Elegance of the Hedgehog, a bestseller in every sense of the word. Wishing to remain out of the limelight, Barbery has led her life far from media pressure. She is fascinated by Japan and lived for a time in Kyoto before coming back to settle down in Touraine, France.
A real bestseller
Genre: novel
Reference edition: Barbery, M. (2013) The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Trans. Anderson, A. London: Gallic Books.
1st edition: 2008 (Original work published in France 2006)
Themes: bourgeoisie,
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