The Life of Elves

Muriel Barbery author Alison Anderson translator

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Pushkin Press

Published:26th Feb '26

Should be back in stock very soon

The Life of Elves cover

'A beguiling fairy tale' New York Times

'A truly enchanting story, beautifully told and rich in meaning' Irish Times

The villagers had never seen anything like it: dense white curtains of snow transforming the landscape in an instant. Not in autumn, not in Burgundy. And on that same night, a baby was found - dark-eyed little Maria, who would go on to 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 reach far beyond mere musicianship.

As a time of great danger looms, the girls, though unaware of each other's existence, are bound by a hidden connection. And it is this bond, shared with others like them, that may offer the only chance for good to prevail in the world.

A beguiling fairy tale * New York Times *
A truly enchanting story, beautifully told and rich in meaning. . . this book truly deserves to be read by story lovers of all ages * Irish Times *
There are echoes of Milton, Tolkien, and Rowling. . . Undeniable evidence of a rich imagination * Kirkus Reviews *
This novel glows with finely crafted prose. Its luminous landscapes - environmental and psychological - lift it to the realm of literary fiction and the genre of magical realism * Los Angeles Book Review *
Vivid imagery and a thread of mystery draw readers into the timeless and ethereal world of these young girls with a destiny to fulfil * Booklist *
Fans of both Barbery and fantasy from writers like Alice Hoffman and Sarah Addison Allen will be enchanted * Library Journal *
The Life of the Elves is at once realistic and dreamlike. Barbery's poetic language and her endearing characters will delight readers * La Vie (France) *
An emotional, entertaining examination of magic in the modern world * France Today *

ISBN: 9781805333807

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

256 pages