Muriel Barbery

Biography

Muriel Barbery is the author of four previous novels, including the IMPAC-shortlisted multimillion-copy bestseller The Elegance of the Hedgehog.

She has lived in Kyoto, Amsterdam and Paris and now lives in the French countryside.

Praise for Muriel Barbery

‘[The Life of Elves] could be read as an allegory for the challenges that face our modern world, from the controversy surrounding our borders to climate change. Or, it may be seen as a strange and poetic fantasy similar to the work of Tolkien. In either case, it is a beautiful book about what it means to be brave and how we all must work to save ourselves and each other.’  San Francisco Book Review

‘Bewitching … [an] enchanting hero’s journey’ Foreword Reviews

‘At its best, Barbery’s imaginative tale reads as a mix of J.R.R. Tolkien and Hayao Miyazaki, epic in scope yet grounded by humor’  Publishers Weekly

‘Readers who love meditative, dreamlike fiction will enjoy this translation, which rings with the music of the original French’ Booklist

‘Barbery makes her characters come to life’ Guardian

‘The publishing phenomenon of the decade’ Le Figaro

‘Clever, informative and moving … admirable’  Observer

The Elegance of Muriel: An Author Profile