27 pages • 54 minutes read
Éric-Emmanuel SchmittMonsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran
Fiction | Novella | Adult | Published in 2001A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt follows Moses, a young Jewish boy in Paris, who befriends Monsieur Ibrahim, a Muslim grocer. The grocer imparts wisdom and teaches Moses about happiness and Sufism. Moses transforms as he deals with a neglectful father and abandonment. Monsieur Ibrahim ultimately adopts him, and Moses inherits the store, adopts the name Mohammed, and grows into adulthood enriched by the grocer's lessons. Themes include sex work, suicide, and neglect.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt is widely praised for its poignant narrative and deep character development. The story's exploration of friendship and spirituality resonates, though some find it overly sentimental. Overall, the novella is celebrated for its humanistic themes and touching portrayal of cross-cultural relationships.
Who Should Read Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran?
Readers who appreciate introspective, character-driven tales with profound emotional and philosophical depth, akin to Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist or Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince, will find Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt's Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran compelling and enriching.