Christin R. (raksha38) reviewed on 11/30/2011 + 203 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

This was very good. A very solitary concierge in a building full of very rich people works hard to present an image of stupidity and to conform to the residents' stereotpyes of the lower class, all the while she is a voracious reader, lover of films, and very intelligent, deep thinker (who also quotes Eminem songs on occasion, which made me laugh really, really hard). Among the rich families who live in her buildings is a very smart, but sad 12-year-old girl who has decided to commit suicide on her 13th birthday because she just doesn't see any purpose in her life. An interesting, charming Japanese man moves into their building and befriends them both, changing all of their lives in the process. It's a very beautiful book which ponders a lot of subjects (mainly beauty, intelligence, and truth) which would usually have me rolling my eyes, but it manages to do it in a way that's interesting and entertaining. I also think the woman who translated it from the original French did an excellent job. Given the a lot of the subject matter, that couldn't have been easy.

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