BOOK - THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG by MURIEL BARBERY (2006) (NO SPOILERS)

Do you think I liked this BOOK????  

Every once in awhile I read a book where the writing really GRABS me! This is one of those books. As you can see, I used STICKY TABS AND a YELLOW HIGHLIGHTER. I haven't used a HIGHLIGHTER on a book in a LONG time. But when I'm inspired to do so, that tells me that the story is really going to impact me. I LOVE and RESPECT a well-written book. 

The STORYLINE is quite simple, but it's written in a way that provoked much THOUGHT for me. 

The characters are well developed and each is so different from the others - QUIRKY - INSECURE - KIND - CONFUSED - INTELLIGENT - UNEDUCATED - SEARCHING - ORDINARY - REFINED - PREDICTABLE. The author certainly built-in an ARRAY that integrated beautifully.

She also challenged me with BIG WORDS - UNFAMILIAR WORDS - JAPANESE - FRENCH - ENGLISH WORDS, so that I had to stop and search for the definition. (Admittedly, I have a limited personal vocabulary.) I marked each word - there were 50 of them!! And on PAGE 117 alone, there were FIVE! 

• FRISSON
• SPATIOTEMPORAL DIMENTION
• ETIOLOGIES
• OBDURATE
• INTERSTITIAL IDIOPATHIC CYSTITIS (The main character, Renee's cat had this)

This book is RICH with TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION for any BOOK CLUB. Ours is later this month, which I'm preparing for now (if you want my outline, please ask). 

• POVERTY
• WEALTH
• FAMILY DYNAMICS
• THE UNEXPECTED
• INSECURITY and SELF-ESTEEM
• DESPAIR
• CURIOSITY
• SYNCHRONICITY
• TAKING A RISK
• ANTICIPATION
• COMFORT IN ANOTHER'S PRESENCE
• RITUALS
• PUNCTUATION, WRITING, GRAMMAR

Without telling you what the story is about, I hope I've INTRIGUED you enough that you'll give it your consideration. One BOOK CLUB member mentioned that it was SLOW to start and she put it down. When encouraged to TRY AGAIN, she jumped to the middle and by the end of the book, she enjoyed it enough to start at the beginning again. She gave it a 4 OUT OF 5, so I encourage you to STICK WITH IT.

I finished the book on Tuesday...... and the next day, I immediately started again at the beginning, reading full chapters and AT LEAST the paragraphs that I had highlighted. I give it a 5 OUT OF 5. But, fair warning - if you prefer a FAST-PACED, SUSPENSEFUL book, this is not that book. This is one to SAVOR.........

THANK YOU JOANIE LINDSTROM, for recommending this book to me. YOU never fail to suggest the BEST BOOKS!!!

JOAN