For hedgehog lovers, the title of Muriel Barbery’s 2006 global best seller, “The Elegance of the Hedgehog,” was a bit of a tease. The titular hedgehog is allegorical and never appears in the prickly flesh.
Her new novel, “The Life of Elves,” fully delivers on its title. Ms. Barbery unleashes a complete magical menagerie, a kaleidoscopic cast that includes not only elves but also unicorns; a giant squirrel; a fantastical, shape-shifting wild boar; and an otter with a human face.
Read the full profile in the New York Times.
