Camellias on moss

I have just finished reading 'The Elegance of the Hedgehog' by Muriel Barbery, a translation from the french original. It's a little quirky, but the underlying message is something that I have long held onto. Life is full of pain and sadness, hypocrisy and doubt,  and yet there is also so much beauty, seek out those moments of untold, awe-inspiring beauty. 









The preoccupations of both heroines resonates with me on some levels, running a guesthouse is probably not too far away from being a concierge, and Paloma the misunderstood schoolgirl who's trying to find some sense to it all. I feel a million miles away from the wealthy Paris banlieu, sans regrets, but it was still a good read, and for once any easy book to do with children, as you can quite easily put down and pick up.