I am currently reading a book that I predict will go down in my personal history of most favorite and beloved books- The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Fifty pages into the book I have NO idea what the title means, and I am dying for even just a hint that can help me uncover it. But despite that mystery, I am thoroughly loving it.
The book, originally french, goes between the perspectives of two characters tied in some way to a fancy building in France. One is very intelligent twelve year old Paloma, who come from a wealthy family and lives in a four thousand sqare foot appartment in the building. The other is Renee, a fifty-four year old widow who describes herself as rather disgusting and poor, and works as the concierge at the building (7, rue de Grenelle)
Here's the catch, on the younger side: on the last day of school when she's thirteen, Paloma plans to commit suicide.
Which is a very dark thing to a twelve year old to even consider, let alone plan on doing...though not totally unheard of.I am more able to connect to her for the obvious reasons- age, etc.- but there's a part of her that I feel I will never understand. For example, Paloma is a lover af art, and she watches a real life scene in the hallway that seems to immitate a piece of artwork she's seen exactly, and in some ways broadens her understanding of art...life art.
Of course, when she's done thinking this, Paloma decides even moments like that- rare, exciting moments for a person like her- are not worth living for.
And I am stuck thinking about how TOTALLY and COMPLETELY irrational this is, and I have to go back and read over her thinking again. And it always comes up thes same.
But Paloma is a smart girl, and she knows that. She talks with an air of dark, sophisticated knowing, and I always feel so awkward. This character knows something I don't. She puts me down. ALL the time. And though I admire her persistence and sense of thought, I don't like her as a person. Atleast, I hate that she has such a cynical attitude. She's intelligent enough to sense it.
But that's the thing. Paloma has so much smart thinking and reasoning behind her plan that it's almost impossible to disagree with her. While at the same time, you couldn't disagree with her more.
And this is what's driving me absolutely insane...
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Gabrielle, you have nailed Paloma's character! Very nice analysis! It must be really interesting to read her as a peer. When I read her as an adult, I just kept chuckling because despite the fact that she *is* really brilliant, she is also incredibly naive (which of course you don't realize when you are the only being naive...you can only look back and cringe at yourself, but such is growing up!) Anyway, I can't wait to hear what you think of the book when you finish. I enjoyed the philosophical angles and LOVED LOVED LOVED Renee.
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