Elegance of a Hedgehog

I listened to "Elegance of a Hedgehog" by Muriel Barbery on CD this week. This is a quirky novel set in a foreign country - France.  The culture and the sociological structure feels especially foreign.  The story is about a concierge named  Renee.  Sometimes they called her Michelle which confused me until I read her first name was Renee and second name was Michelle.  Renee came from a very poor family.  She tries to hide her great intelligence. She has her reasons for doing this.  Two people in the luxurious apartment building where she works see through her sham. They realize she named her cat Leo after Leo Tolstoy.  One of the two people who see the real Renee is Paloma, a sad twelve year old girl.  The other is a new tenant, Mr. Ozu.  The three of them become friends.  Most of the chapters are narrated by Renee.  The rest are entries in Paloma's diary.  Paloma and Mr. Ozu help Renee realize she doesn't need to hide her intelligence anymore.  All three of the characters help each other savor the finer moments of life.  The book has lots of philosophy in it.  Renee is the hedgehog mentioned in the title - "quills on the outside but fiercely solitary and terribly elegant within."