I believe that the secret to making a book as absolutely amazing as possible is to have the perfect ending. My favorite are the ones that leave you hanging, not knowing what to think and then suddenly exploding with ideas, so full that the person next to you gives you a weird look. In a few (french) words, to make it clear: j'adore un beau fin.
There is a purpose here, believe it or not. Today I finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog.
For a few seconds I couldn't breathe. The magic of the book still lingers in the air for moments after you close it. My first thought was that I couldn't believe it was over; half a second later I realized I should be focusing on the actual ending itself.
And my reaction to that was at least a thousand times stronger.
To sum things up, we are forced to blow a kiss to Renee's life, and Paloma, caught up in grief for her only true friend, does not commit suicide.
I promise everyone these are my final thoughts on the book, but I HAD to blog about it today. Forgive me.
Renee and Paloma were destined to know each other. They brought out not necessarily the best in one another, but something that changed them. Renee, in life and death, brought Paloma to see the light in living, the values of life. For someone as clever, persistent, and cynical as Paloma, that was an immense accomplishment.
Paloma for Renee was less obvious, but I think- usng the title- that though Renee was pretty much a hedgehog, Paloma helped her see the elegance in that- the elegance of the hedgehog. The elegance of Renee.
I loved the two of them. I loved how honest and gentle Renee was while still managing to maintain her elegant intelligence. I loved Muriel Barbary's take on young girls of my own age, and I loved Paloma's little girlish side that, later in the book, slowly began to seep through her thick later of maturity and solitarity, showing that it's natural- even she couldn't repress it.
My final words on the book (though probably not really): Thank you, Ms. Robbins, for recomending to me the most thought provoking and incredible book I have ever read.
And that's saying a lot!
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I am *so* glad that you liked this book so much. We'll have to have a conference about the ending...it is just so poignant. I'm not sure what i would have done if i finished it at school, because i basically cried for an hour afterwards. Sigh. Nice insight on these characters!
ReplyDeleteHello! My name is Alison and I am Kristen's friend. She introduced me to your blog this weekend and I am so excited to keep reading it.
ReplyDeleteThe Elegance of the Hedgehog is one of my favorite books as well and I love the way you described it! You found the words I have been looking for:) I also couldn't breathe for a few seconds after finishing, I had to soak it all in. I love your thoughts on this book and the others you have read!