This was a best seller in France probably because of its philosophical bent. It is full of eccentric characters, particularly the two narrators - Renée, the concierge who hides her intellect and aesthetic leanings behind her prickly exterior, and Paloma, a precocious 12-year-old 'philosopher'. For me the book came alive with the arrival of Kakuro Ozu. It will either charm or annoy you, or perhaps both.
(translated from the French by Alison Anderson)
(Christine Miller - bwl 57 Summer 2010 ) |
