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"Doamna Michel are eleganta ariciului: exteriorul e baricadat de tepi, o adevarata fortareata dar am intuitia ca in interior este la fel de rafinata ca si aricii, animale fals indolente, incapatanat de solitare si teribil de elegante."
“Ceea ce nu-i în regulă este că toţi copiii cred în vorbele adulţilor şi, deveniţi adulţi, se răzbună înşelându-şi propriii copii. „Viaţa are un sens pe care-l cunosc doar oamenii mari” este minciuna universală în care toată lumea e obligată să credă. Când, la vârs ...more
“Ceea ce nu-i în regulă este că toţi copiii cred în vorbele adulţilor şi, deveniţi adulţi, se răzbună înşelându-şi propriii copii. „Viaţa are un sens pe care-l cunosc doar oamenii mari” este minciuna universală în care toată lumea e obligată să credă. Când, la vârs ...more
"Civilization is the mastery of violence, the triumph, constantly challenged, over the aggressive nature of the primate."
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A long winded novel told from two protagonists point of view, one a 54 year old concierge of a wealthy apartment building who pretends to be uneducated and as stupid as she thinks she should be so as not to get her hopes up for a better life and a young girl who sees the pretentiousness of her family and plays dumb so as not to challenge them with her intelligence. A Japanese tenant who can break through the social pretensions of the French residence is the person who sees the women as they are
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If you are good at inferring vocabulary and get through the first 1/2 of this book, you will end up LOVING IT! Though I thought the philosophical standpoints were hogwash, I still grew to understand both narrators, Renee and Paloma, and their struggles as the book progressed; they became more lovable. And, the ending? Worth it!
I soooo enjoyed this book! Heartbreakingly beautiful! Renee the concierge & Paloma the 12 1\2 year old & the meaning of life!
Oct 31, 2009
Heather (DeathByBook)
marked it as to-read
Mar 14, 2010
Kathi
marked it as to-read
May 04, 2010
Roseann
marked it as to-read
Sep 19, 2010
Linda Robinson
marked it as will-not-finish
Nov 08, 2013
Padgy
marked it as to-read
Jan 29, 2014
D
marked it as to-read
Nov 22, 2014
Suzanne Orchard
marked it as to-read
