• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Lieff Ink

TELL YOUR STORY

  • About
  • Services
    • Writing • Editing
    • PR
    • Writing Tutor
  • Words
  • Press
  • Blog
  • Clients
    • Client List
    • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Book
    • Accolades
    • Reviews

The Elegance of the Hedgehog

November 1, 2022

I don’t know what I was expecting from this book, but it definitely surprised me. The characters, their observations, the witty language – all of it. An extremely well-read friend of mine recommended The Elegance of the Hedgehog years ago and I am glad that I was finally was able to read it. She initially thought I’d appreciate the characters’ insights on music and grammar and, of course, she was right. But the book is way more than that.

Both protagonists demonstrate sarcasm that is biting, funny, powerful, and sad at the same time. Although one is 12 years old (Paloma) and the other is in her mid-50s (Renee), they both have a similar intelligent, dry sense of humor and, for different reasons, feel the need to hide who they are which is something the reader learns more about later in the novel. Of course, their attention to language is one of my favorite aspects of the book. Both of them, but especially Renee, use their own satirical diction to watch and comment on the people around them (most of whom deserve it) and I can’t help but laugh. #professionalhazard

The eerie nonchalance of wise-beyond-her-years Paloma is almost scary and Renee’s choice to make everyone think she’s an uneducated concierge is baffling – even later when she explains her reasoning. During the first half of the narrative Renee is angry and lonely – except when it comes to her friend and fellow building employee Manuela – which initially makes her hard to root for because the reader doesn’t know the backstory yet. She later reveals exactly what she has overcome, which helps clarify her behavior, but the idea that her entire life has been (sort of) lived based on someone else’s actions is heartbreaking.

Paloma and Renee have very strong yet very different opinions on education and intelligence and the nuanced observations made by both protagonists says a lot about them. Renee demonstrates how the power of small acts of kindness from a stranger make a huge impact, but then she is hilariously judgmental about a resident’s intelligence: “Her misuse of punctuation constitutes an instance of blasphemy.” I laughed out loud! Paloma is a self-loathing (but smart and clever) rich kid. Even the pets in her building have pretentious names. On a shopping trip with her mom and her annoying friends to a tony store, Paloma observes: “Fine lingerie is already an interesting name. What else would it be – coarse lingerie?” Haha of course.

While the book is heartbreaking but beautifully and intuitively written, the narrative really gathers steam when Paloma and Renee begin interacting which isn’t until page 242. I wish it was earlier. Also, there are a great deal of philosophy references in this book which isn’t for me. Neither is the existentialism discussed by both protagonists. In terms of layout, the short chapters lend to the pace of the book as the vignettes provide detailed snapshots of what’s going on with both protagonists in the past and present. Also, learning about the politics of a posh building in France from the point of view of the concierge and the rich girl who lives there is bittersweet and insightful.

Favorite Paloma Quotes:

“You can’t leave anything up to chance when you’ve made a decision that most people won’t understand.”

“Music plays a huge role in my life. It is music that helps me endure…well…everything there is to endure.”

“In the end, I wonder if the true movement of the world might not be a voice raised in song.”

“It is crazy how people think that though they understand nature they can live without it.”

“One thing is sure, no matter what: I won’t get any better by punishing the people I can’t heal.”

Favorite Renee Quotes

“When illness enters a home, not only does it take hold of a body; it also weaves a dark web between hearts, a web where hope is trapped.”

“Entrusting one’s life is not the same as opening up one’s soul.”

“I assume a neutral expression – one of my favorites, for its wide latitude of interpretation.”

“You have to admit I have a certain gift for laconicism.”

Paloma and Renee on grammar and language:

“Humans live in a world where it’s words and not deeds that have power, where the ultimate skill is mastery of language.”

“Grammar lessons have always seemed to me a sort of synthesis after the fact, and perhaps, a source of supplemental details concerning terminology.”

“I am a complete slave to vocabulary.”

“To those who have not understood that the enchantment of language comes from nuances, I shall address the following prayer: beware of commas.”

“He’s a specialist in the use of the ellipses in stock polite formulas.”

Laura

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Blog Archive

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010

Footer

Laura Lieff was named Colorado Mountain College’s 2017-2018 Part Time Staff Member of the Year for her work as a writing tutor and teaching assistant.
Laura Lieff was named Colorado Mountain College’s 2017-2018 Part Time Staff Member of the Year for her work as a writing tutor and teaching assistant.

Work With Me

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
lieff-ink-logo_updated-2
  • About
  • Services
  • Words
  • Blog
  • Client List
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 · PO Box 1228 Edwards CO 81632 · info@lauralieff.com