The Life of Elves

Muriel Barbery — 2016

A moving and deeply felt homage to the power of nature and art by one of the world's most beloved authors. Do two young girls have the power to change the world? Maria, raised by powerful older women, lives in a remote village in Burgundy, where she discovers her gift of clairvoyance, of healing and of communicating with nature. Hundreds of miles away in Italy, Clara discovers her musical genius and is sent from the countryside to Rome to nurture her extraordinary abilities. Who are the mysterious elves? Will they succeed in training the girls for their higher purpose in the face of an impending war? Barbery's The Life of Elves is the story of two children whose amazing talents will bring them into contact with magical worlds and malevolent forces. If, against all odds, they can be brought together, their meeting may shape the course of history. Seven years after the publication of her international bestseller, The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Muriel Barbery returns with an inspiring novel about finding the divine in the domestic, about the quest for enchantment. With its cast of unforgettable characters, each fighting to preserve the idea of an enhanced life, The Life of Elves is a luminous novel about art, nature, dreams, the power of love, and how imagination can help us build a bridge to a better future.

Reviews

Briar's Reviews@briarsreviews

Jul 31, 2023

The Life of Elves was an interesting read by Muriel Barbery. I was totally ready to read this book, and then I lost all interest once I got two chapters in. The plot of the book sounded so exciting! It was going to be a thrilling adventure! But, it was quite the let down for many reasons. 1. This book is actually going to be two books, but it could have just been one big one. 2. You should be able to read a sample of this novel before you get it - the writing style was definitely not my favourite. I had a hard time reading it (it was translated from french, so maybe that's why?). The style was strange and didn't benefit the novel at all. You can tell the author tried really hard to make an interesting book, but it fell really flat. 3. The chosen words are beautiful, but it just drags on and on and on and on and on....explaining is great, don't get me wrong, but too much makes a boring book. I felt like I read three chapters and only moved forward two minutes into the entire story. I kept avoiding this book because it bored me, so I just trucked through it. I wouldn't recommend it personally, it's not a book for me! People who love flowery type explanation in books will like this one. Two out of five stars. I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

Trevor Berrett@mookse

Nov 10, 2021