The book
A “beguiling fairy tale” by the bestselling author of The Elegance of the Hedgehog (The New York Times)
The villagers had never seen anything like it: dense white curtains of snow that instantly transformed the landscape. Not in autumn, not here in Burgundy. And on the same night a baby was discovered, dark-eyed little Maria, who would transform all their lives. Hundreds of miles away in the mountains of Abruzzo, another foundling, Clara, astonishes everyone with her extraordinary talent for piano playing. But her gifts go far beyond simple musicianship. As a time of great danger looms, though the girls know nothing of each other, it is the bond that unites them and others like them which will ultimately offer the only chance for good to prevail in the world.
“Vivid imagery and a thread of mystery draw readers into the timeless and ethereal world of these young girls with a destiny to fulfill.”—Booklist
“The novel is essentially a parable about the power both of art, which abolishes the ‘border between earth and mind,’ and of women.”—The New Yorker
“Fans of both Barbery and fantasy from writers like Alice Hoffman and Sarah Addison Allen will be enchanted.”—Library Journal
The author
Muriel Barbery
Muriel Barbery’s novels include the New York Times bestseller, The Elegance of the Hedgehog (Europa, 2008), and Gourmet Rhapsody (Europa, 2009). She is also the author of The Writer’s Cats, illustrated by Maria Guitart, a short tale about esthetics, inspiration, the writing life, and cats. Barbery has lived in Kyōto, Amsterdam, and Paris, and now lives in the French countryside.
Press
- Mar 14 2016
Briefly Noted: "a parable about the power both of art [...] and of women"
— The New Yorker - Mar 3 2016
‘The Life of Elves’ Trades Realism for Fantasy
— The Harvard Crimson - Feb 19 2016
For Muriel Barbery, It's Elves Who Are Elegant Now
— The New York Times - Feb 1 2016
"Vivid imagery and a thread of mystery draw readers into the timeless and ethereal world of these young girls with a destiny to fulfill."
— Booklist - Jan 20 2016
New Book Releases 2016: The 15 Most Anticipated Reads
— Newsday - Dec 31 2015
32 New Books to Add to Your Shelf in 2016
— Huffington Post