Publisher Review

'Witty and touching, this novel features two of my favorite female characters' Gillian Anderson 'Resistance is futile . . . you might as well buy it before someone recommends it for your book group. Its charm will make you say yes' The Guardian 'Clever, informative and moving . . . an admirable novel which deserves as wide a readership here as it had in France' The Observer 'Wins over its fans with a life-affirming message, a generous portion of heart and Barbery's frequently wicked sense of humor' Time Magazine 'A book of great charm and grace' Metro 'The book's attractive, Amelie-esque Parisian setting and cast of eccentrics will appeal to many' Sunday Telegraph 'Breathtakingly singular novel . . . totally French yet completely universal' Good Housekeeping 'Reveals itself as a version of the Cinderella fairytale' Financial Times 'Gently satirical, exceptionally winning and inevitably bittersweet' Washington Post 'Barbery's sly wit . . . bestows lightness on the most ponderous cogitations' New Yorker 'The narrators' kinetic minds and engaging voices (in Alison Anderson's fluent translation) propel us ahead' New York Times Book Review 'An elegant, light-spirited and very European adult fable' Kirkus Reviews 'Nobody ever imagined that this tender, funny book with a philosophical vein would have enjoyed such incredible success. For some, it is part Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder, part Monsieur Malaussene by Daniel Pennac. While for others it resembles a written version of the film Amelie. Either way, readers are responding in vast numbers' Le Monde 'The reader will be amused, surprised and moved by this philosophical tale: a user's guide to life which is a delight on every level' Elle 'Enthusiastically recommended for anyone who loves books that grow quietly and then blossom suddenly' Marie Claire