I found this good-condition softcover among the charity-sale books at a local Hannaford's, and had to give it a try. It's an intriguing novel weaving two characters' viewpoints: Renée Michel, the late-middle-aged widow who's concierge of a Paris hotel, and who strives to seem to be a crusty, half-ignorant drudge on the surface while indulging in fine food and great literature in the privacy of her rooms, and Paloma, the troubled 12-year-old daughter whose family is among the tenants - and who has planned to commit suicide on her 13th birthday after setting fire to the building, unless she finds some reason to go on living (!). [Paloma is so bright and so interested in things - she's taking Japanese so she can read her favorite manga (she refers to Jiro Taniguchi's Summit of the Gods!) in the original - that her moodiness seemed a bit out of place; I seldom sensed genuine despair in her.]

The story unfolds from their alternating viewpoints, which include some entertaining looks at each character through the eyes of the other - at a distance at first, but once events conspire to introduce them to each other, a touching friendship commences. (I'd have liked to be friends with Mme. Michel myself; from her cracks about her cat to her fondness for synchronized diving on TV to her love of literature and good food, she sounds great!)

There are plenty of other characters here, each with hints of their own stories, though we only see them as noticed by or recounted to our main characters. Lyrical prose, snarky conversation, loads of wonderful literary references - and, my favorite bits, the growing friendships between a new tenant, Kakuro, a wealthy Japanese man who is kind, generous, and clever, and both Paloma and Renée.

I admit that the conclusion of the story caught me by surprise - I nearly hurled the book at the wall at one point - but, on reflection, I can accept it (though I still don't like it {wry grin}). Overall, an enjoyable and involving read.

There are lots of passages I'd like to quote, but I'll stop with this haiku by Paloma (her family has two cats, and the concierge has one, so they're a theme in the story):

The cat here on earth
Modern totem
And intermittently decorative

[There's a short TV Tropes page on the novel. The book inspired a French 2009 film adaptation, The Hedgehog. I see that another novel in the same setting, Gourmet Rhapsody, is available in English; it's actually set before Hedgehog, and focuses on a character whose death early in this novel kicks off most of the story.]

I plan to leave this book on a bench near the Main Street bridge; hope the finder enjoys it!

*** Released as part of the 2016 September Sapphire release challenge. ***

*** Released as part of the 2016 You're Such an Animal release challenge. ***

*** Released as part of the 2016 Movie release challenge. ***