Renée Michel is the concierge of an elegant apartment building in Paris, and she hides her intelligence behind the figure of an ordinary, grumpy doorkeeper. In secret she reads philosophy, loves art and watches Japanese films. On the fifth floor lives Paloma Josse, a twelve-year-old girl, also brilliant, who has decided to kill herself on her thirteenth birthday and keeps a notebook of profound thoughts. When a new tenant, the cultured Japanese gentleman Kakuro Ozu, arrives, he sees through Renée's act. Muriel Barbery alternates between the two narrators, using their observations to criticize class snobbery and ask what makes life worth living.
It appeals to readers who like French literary novels, humor and gentle philosophy. If you enjoy characters who love books and art, it is a warm and thoughtful read.
Deep, inward-looking, contemplative and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Mindful Reader. Which reader are you?
- ISBN
- 9788876417962
- Language
- IT
