The Elegance of the Hedgehog

The Elegance of the Hedgehog

by Muriel Barbery

4.2 (5,228)

4.2 stars from 5,228 reviews. One of the highest rated Contemporary Fiction books we track.

325 pages~5.4 hr readPublished by Gallic BooksPublished 2008-01-01

$3.99Deal78% off peak

Last checked: Jun 21, 2026

Price history: $1.99 $17.99

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Fans of these authors will like this...

  • Françoise Sagan
  • David Mitchell
  • Kazuo Ishiguro

Fans of these books will like this...

  • The Remains of the Day
  • Convenience Store Woman
  • Amélie (if novelised)

Perfect for you if...

  • You appreciate characters with secret lives and hidden depths, especially those who feel invisible to the world around them.
  • You enjoy witty, philosophical fiction that doesn't take itself too seriously but still asks big questions about meaning and connection.
  • You love European literary fiction with sharp social observation and a sense of quiet humour.

Maybe not for you if...

  • You prefer fast-paced plots with clear narrative momentum rather than character-driven meditations on life.
  • You're looking for books that resolve emotional crises with clear resolutions rather than gentle epiphanies.
  • You find philosophical tangents and lengthy inner monologues tedious rather than rewarding.

About this book

In an elegant Parisian apartment building, Renée works as the concierge. She appears to be exactly what society expects: short, plump, middle-aged, and devoted to television soaps and her cat, Leo. In reality, she secretly devours art, philosophy, music, and Japanese culture, and observes the tenants' lives with sharp humor. Paloma, a twelve-year-old living on the fifth floor, is talented and precocious. Convinced of life's futility, she has decided to end her own life on her thirteenth birthday. Until then, she hides her intelligence behind a facade of mediocrity, presenting herself as an average student interested in pop culture. Both Paloma and Renée conceal their true abilities from a world they believe will not appreciate them. When a wealthy Japanese man named Ozu moves into the building, the two begin to recognize each other as kindred spirits. The novel explores how these inconspicuous individuals harbor rich secret lives beneath conventional exteriors.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

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Free$8.99$17.99Mar '21Apr '23Dec '24Jun '26
$1.99$17.99

Currently on sale at $3.99 — 78% off peak. Price has dropped 45 times over the last 5 years. Goes on sale roughly every 42 days. Typically stays discounted for 8 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

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#61#55,312#110,562Apr '18Jun '22Jan '25May '26

Currently around #35K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller. Climbing the charts — 33% improvement recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

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3.5★4.3★5.0★May '23Mar '24Jul '24Apr '26RatingReviews

Currently 4.2★ from 5,228 reviews

Review activity has been quiet recently. Rating has remained stable at 4.2 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

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Free$8.99$17.99Mar '21Apr '23Dec '24Jun '26PredictedJun '26

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $3.99. It typically returns to around $17.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.

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Muriel Barbery

1 book on Vagrant Press

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