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

In an elegant apartment building in the heart of Paris, Ren?e, 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, Ren?e 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 Ren?e 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

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Europa Editions
Published: 04/01/2025
ISBN: 9798889661207
Pages: 336
Accelerated Reader Quiz #/Name: 169262 / Elegance of the Hedgehog
Reading Level: 8.1 / Interest Level: Upper Grade / Point Value: 15