The Elegance of the Hedgehog

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

In an elegant apartment building in the heart of Paris, Renée, 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, Renée is a sophisticated autodidact who adores art, philosophy, music, and Japanese culture.

Then there's Paloma, twelve years old. C...