The Elegance of the Hedgehog

I finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog last night, my book from France. This book was far different than I had expected. I was wanting to get some ideas about culture, geography, food, etc from the books I read, but since I didn't actually research any of these books before I picked them (beyond whether they looked interesting), that's really my fault. But I did really like this book- it was very philosophical, which is something that I really like. The two main characters both lived in a very elite sort of neighborhood. One was a 12-year old girl who lived in this expensive apartment, while the other main character was the concierge. They complemented each other very well, but they didn't even really meet until pretty far through the book.
Probably the most inspiring thing I read was a quote from it that was something like "The purpose of life is to find those moments that are dying." This took me some time to figure out, and I'm sure that many people would understand it differently. The way I read it, it meant that the purpose of life is to find the moments you can never have again. The moments that are happening just for a moment, the moments where something beautiful is ending. In the book specifically, it was a flower petal falling almost silently to the floor, a moment where beauty was ending, but ending beautifully.
And speaking of endings, the ending of this book was stunning. I'd never actually read a book where the ending was so surprising that I thought I had read it wrong. But this book was that- quite an ending. This book was enchanting, absorbing, and quite thought-provoking.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog- Update 1

I started The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery. This one is set in France, and I've just started it-about 50 pages through. It seems promising (and hopefully quick! I have lots of catching up to do) and I am looking forward to finishing it. The concierge, I must say, is kind of getting on my nerves... She is obsessed with the idea that she is at the very bottom of the social food chain, even though she is intelligent and reads lots of classics, etc. So she has pretty much given up on trying to convince anyone that she is as capable of intelligent discussion and such as anyone else. She finds great joy in acting like the dimwit everyone conceives her as being. So we'll see if she starts growing on me. The 12-year old, Paloma, who plans to commit suicide when she turns 13, is extraordinarily intellectual and philosophical. So far, her part in the story consists of "profound thoughts" and thoughts on movement. Very interesting, definitely something that gives you something to consider. I will let you know how this one goes- hoping to be done in a few days!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society a few days ago, but I haven't had time to update yet. This was a very charming book, something that I would love to read again. The characters were original from the start and their quirks became more and more enchanting as I read on. The plot was wonderfully undefined, a book without a definite direction- unpredictable and very good. It was overall a light and easy read, although it certainly had some darker moments. This is the kind of book that you can read more than once- because it is deep in an accessible way, the characters are mesmerizing in their eccentricities, and the storyline is spirited in its form. Highly recommended, Guernsey is a delightful book sure to captivate its readers.