Scan barcode
itsraquel's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
mariabarroso97's review against another edition
5.0
📌"O livro que o leitor tem neste momento diante dos olhos é, do princípio ao fim, no seu conjunto e nos seus pormenores, quaisquer que sejam as intermitências, as exceções ou as fraquezas, o caminho do mal para o bem, do injusto para o justo(...). Ponto de partida: a matéria; ponto de chegada:a alma. No começo, a hidra; no fim, o anjo."
🌥️🌤️
Nem acredito que acabei de ler os miseráveis. Fazer uma resenha deste livro é por si só uma grande responsabilidade. Avaliar um livro tão grande e grandioso é difícil, por isso mesmo eu acredito mais no sentimento com que ficamos após ler a última frase do que numa sinopse ou numa descrição factual.
❤️💓💔
O sentimento com que fiquei ao acabar este livro foi o de concretização, ele é tudo o que dizem e muito mais. Chorei ao ler as últimas páginas, tive mesmo de limpar os olhos para poder continuar. E porquê? Primeiro porque sou bastante sensível, em relação a tudo ahah. Mas principalmente porque esta obra foi feita para ferir, para dilacerar.
⚔️🔫
A história de Jean Valjean só podia ter sido escrita por Victor Hugo. A vida real é dura, nela nunca haverá finais felizes. E a vida de Jean valjean demonstrou isso mesmo. No final de tudo a felicidade está no bem que fazemos aos outros e não no que as pessoas dizem que nós somos ou no que a sociedade quer fazer de nós.
⏳🔇⌛
O livro tem imensas personagens e todas nos ensinam algo! Mas na minha opinião, é em Jean Valjean e através de todos os nomes e personalidades que ele assume no desenrolar do enredo que está o coração da história. (Não poderia deixar de dizer que o Gavroche, tal como Jean Valjean, ficou a ser uma das minhas personagens favoritas.)
👀💬🎭🌟
Ao acabar o livro senti que tive uma longa e extraordinária conversa com um senhor que teve sempre algo importante para dizer. E a sua tarefa mais importante foi manter viva a memória dos miseráveis, dos esquecidos e dos marginalizados.
📕🕯️⚖️
🌥️🌤️
Nem acredito que acabei de ler os miseráveis. Fazer uma resenha deste livro é por si só uma grande responsabilidade. Avaliar um livro tão grande e grandioso é difícil, por isso mesmo eu acredito mais no sentimento com que ficamos após ler a última frase do que numa sinopse ou numa descrição factual.
❤️💓💔
O sentimento com que fiquei ao acabar este livro foi o de concretização, ele é tudo o que dizem e muito mais. Chorei ao ler as últimas páginas, tive mesmo de limpar os olhos para poder continuar. E porquê? Primeiro porque sou bastante sensível, em relação a tudo ahah. Mas principalmente porque esta obra foi feita para ferir, para dilacerar.
⚔️🔫
A história de Jean Valjean só podia ter sido escrita por Victor Hugo. A vida real é dura, nela nunca haverá finais felizes. E a vida de Jean valjean demonstrou isso mesmo. No final de tudo a felicidade está no bem que fazemos aos outros e não no que as pessoas dizem que nós somos ou no que a sociedade quer fazer de nós.
⏳🔇⌛
O livro tem imensas personagens e todas nos ensinam algo! Mas na minha opinião, é em Jean Valjean e através de todos os nomes e personalidades que ele assume no desenrolar do enredo que está o coração da história. (Não poderia deixar de dizer que o Gavroche, tal como Jean Valjean, ficou a ser uma das minhas personagens favoritas.)
👀💬🎭🌟
Ao acabar o livro senti que tive uma longa e extraordinária conversa com um senhor que teve sempre algo importante para dizer. E a sua tarefa mais importante foi manter viva a memória dos miseráveis, dos esquecidos e dos marginalizados.
📕🕯️⚖️
mvuijlst's review against another edition
3.0
"Trololol," zei Victor Hugo.
Een kwart van het boek over de slag bij Waterloo, waar welgeteld één zijpersonage bijzonder terloops op het toneel verschijnt: helemaal op het einde, Thénardier, als lijkenpikker.
Dan een paar hoofdstukjes over hoe Jean Valjean Cosette komt ophalen bij de Thénardiers, en dat hij ze naar Parijs meeneemt.
Cue heelder hoofdstukken om de buurt te omschrijven waar ze zich vestigen, met de herinneringen van Hugo vóór de Haussmannisatie van Parijs.
En dan denkt Valjean dat hij Jabert gezien heeft, en inderdaad, hij heeft Javert gezien, en hij vlucht weg, en hij verschuilt zich in een klooster.
Volgt een derde van het boek dat gaat over het specifieke klooster waarin Valjean zit, over de kloosterorde die er verblijft, over kloosterordes in het algemeen, over geloof in de overgang van Ancien Régime naar revolutie en later:
Om af te sluiten met een hoofdstukje van hoe Valjean uiteindelijk 'legitiem' in het klooster geraakt, als hulptuinier, en hoe Cosette er leerlinge wordt.
Volgen heelder lappen tekst over hoe het leven van kloosterzusters en het leven van levenslangveroordeelden eigenlijk op mekaar lijken.
En de laatste zin van het boek? "Plusieurs années s'écoulèrent ainsi; Cosette grandissait."
Serieus, Victor Hugo? Serieus?
Een kwart van het boek over de slag bij Waterloo, waar welgeteld één zijpersonage bijzonder terloops op het toneel verschijnt: helemaal op het einde, Thénardier, als lijkenpikker.
Dan een paar hoofdstukjes over hoe Jean Valjean Cosette komt ophalen bij de Thénardiers, en dat hij ze naar Parijs meeneemt.
Cue heelder hoofdstukken om de buurt te omschrijven waar ze zich vestigen, met de herinneringen van Hugo vóór de Haussmannisatie van Parijs.
En dan denkt Valjean dat hij Jabert gezien heeft, en inderdaad, hij heeft Javert gezien, en hij vlucht weg, en hij verschuilt zich in een klooster.
Volgt een derde van het boek dat gaat over het specifieke klooster waarin Valjean zit, over de kloosterorde die er verblijft, over kloosterordes in het algemeen, over geloof in de overgang van Ancien Régime naar revolutie en later:
Le cloître catholique proprement dit est tout rempli du rayonnement noir de la mort.
Le couvent espagnol surtout est funèbre. Là montent dans l'obscurité, sous des voûtes pleines de brume, sous des dômes vagues à force d'ombre, de massifs autels babéliques, hauts comme des cathédrales; là pendent à des chaînes dans les ténèbres d'immenses crucifix blancs; là s'étalent, nus sur l'ébène, de grands Christs d'ivoire; plus que sanglants, saignants; hideux et magnifiques, les coudes montrant les os, les rotules montrant les téguments, les plaies montrant les chairs, couronnés d'épines d'argent, cloués de clous d'or, avec des gouttes de sang en rubis sur le front et des larmes en diamants dans les yeux. Les diamants et les rubis semblent mouillés, et font pleurer en bas dans l'ombre des êtres voilés qui ont les flancs meurtris par le cilice et par le fouet aux pointes de fer, les seins écrasés par des claies d'osier, les genoux écorchés par la prière; des femmes qui se croient des épouses; des spectres qui se croient des séraphins. Ces femmes pensent-elles? non. Veulent-elles? non. Aiment-elles? non. Vivent-elles? non. Leurs nerfs sont devenus des os; leurs os sont devenus des pierres. Leur voile est de la nuit tissue. Leur souffle sous le voile ressemble à on ne sait quelle tragique respiration de la mort. L'abbesse, une larve, les sanctifie et les terrifie. L'immaculé est là, farouche. Tels sont les vieux monastères d'Espagne. Repaires de la dévotion terrible, antres de vierges, lieux féroces.
Om af te sluiten met een hoofdstukje van hoe Valjean uiteindelijk 'legitiem' in het klooster geraakt, als hulptuinier, en hoe Cosette er leerlinge wordt.
Volgen heelder lappen tekst over hoe het leven van kloosterzusters en het leven van levenslangveroordeelden eigenlijk op mekaar lijken.
En de laatste zin van het boek? "Plusieurs années s'écoulèrent ainsi; Cosette grandissait."
Serieus, Victor Hugo? Serieus?
irinam's review against another edition
5.0
Peaaegu et minu lapsepõlve lemmik raamat. Lemmikut mul polnud, aga piisavalt eriline on ta küll :D
irinam's review against another edition
4.0
Juba teine lapsepõlvelemmiku lugemine viimase mõne aasta jooksul :) Esimene raamatukogust laenutatud raamat minu jaoks :) Kunagi kauges lapsepõlves.
e_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
Why bother reading Les Misérables?
1. If you have a soft spot for tormented characters, then you've reached your destination. Welcome to the club!
2. JEAN VALJEAN! He's one of the most admirable male protagonists to ever come across. Hands down.
3. It's a comprehensive book that covers many themes in life and succeeds in describing internal human struggles.
4. It's like a universal treasure. Been in too many must-read-before-you-die lists. It's a "big deal" in two words.
You don't say! And what else to expect?
I spotted a War and Peace situation.. You know, when you read a very interesting story on a group of people and get interrupted several times by the author's whim to talk, talk, AND talk about boring stuff (i.e. Water-effin-loo), insignificant details (i.e. Paris sewer system), and shit like that. It was like sabotaging a masterpiece by one's worst enemy, except [a:Victor Hugo|13661|Victor Hugo|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1415946858p2/13661.jpg]'s worst enemy was no one but himself! Such interruptions slow down the pace of the story right where you crave for more!
Le me while reading Waterloo and the European history of sewers.
Fluffing up +1000 pages with no added-value to what could have been perfection.. WHY?! I don't get intimidated by big novels, take The Count of Monte Cristo for example: it has a similar length but I've never felt it was a duty to keep reading. Those annoying wordy parts dimmed a star from my rating. Only -1 star because the amazing parts of the book simply compensate for all the blabbering. It was the only time I've ever wished to pick up an abridged version that focuses on our main characters and ditches all the hiccups.
That said, the story is wonderful and one of the VERY best. The main events happen in France around the times of the revolution. Hugo shows how a simple act of kindness leads to redemption and rekindles righteousness when poverty and injustice strip away faith, hope, and everything else that counts. Characters are well invested in, plot is carefully built, and storytelling is exquisite (or at least that's what I got from the English translation). Despite the misery that casts its shadows on this book, it's about love, empathy, and second chances. Attending a live Les Mis musical, Broadway-style, is in my wishlist. I highly recommend watching the 1998 and 2012 movie adaptations.
The characters:
Some characters are in the habit of adopting a(n) nickname/alias or more. The good news is you won't get lost and you'll automatically know who's who because Hugo made sure to give super easy hints after introducing a new name and before revealing the character's real name. You'll be fine if you just paid attention.
• M. Myriel aka M. Bienvenu (Monseigneur Welcome): The author starts the book by describing bishop M. Myriel's manner and wisdom, and relating his outs and abouts. He's such an excellent man, obviously. He's an ascetic and as the first part suggests; a just man. M. Myriel had a great role in reforming Jean Valjean.
• Jean Valjean aka M. Madeleine (Monsieur le Maire): When we first meet Jean Valjean, he is the absolute definition of a miserable man. Having had a rough start in life, he ended up in prison for 19 years. What was his crime? Stealing a loaf of bread to feed his starving family. What a messed up world that we live in! Nevertheless, he manages to lead a bright life filled with philanthropy after crossing paths with M. Myriel.
• Fantine: She's a poor orphan young woman whose only asset is her beauty, and her only sin is falling in love, because of course! She raised her child (Cosette) alone and struggled to provide. She entrusts her daughter with the monstrous Thenardiers.. Such an awfully abusive pack of scoundrels! Fantine's story is one of the most tragic I've ever read and made me want to rethink a hundred times before firing judgments at prostitutes.
• Javert: He's a police spy. Jean Valjean's nemesis (sort of). Javert is obsessed to expose Jean Valjean's real identity and bring him to "justice". He has such a corrupted misconception of justice. He appears to be the bad guy here along with the Thenardiers, except that personally I don't think he's completely a villain. He's just color-blind to what's between black and white. To him, you're either an angel or a demon.
• Marius and Cosette: Marius appears towards the 2nd half of the book and will be Cosette's love interest. He literally stalks her in the name of love.. Creepy? Debatable. However, their love story is as far-fetched as 19th century romance can go. Cosette's naïveté is out of this world.. Don't believe me, justwatch read:
I thought at first that she was metaphorically speaking and it kinda made sense, but the disaster came after the narrator had explained sweet Cosette's statement:
Just for the record, Cosette was “a little more than fourteen” at that time!
Wannabe readers; steer clear!
I would recommend it to hardcore bookworms who have a wider scope of interests and never get tired of prolonged historical or intellectual reading. I would never recommend the unabridged version to the basic reader. Go for an audiobook or an abridged one if you must. Why? Because it will make you rethink the hobby of reading and I don't guarantee that you'll finish this beast of a book. It requires a lot of patience, endurance, and devotion.
1. If you have a soft spot for tormented characters, then you've reached your destination. Welcome to the club!
2. JEAN VALJEAN! He's one of the most admirable male protagonists to ever come across. Hands down.
3. It's a comprehensive book that covers many themes in life and succeeds in describing internal human struggles.
4. It's like a universal treasure. Been in too many must-read-before-you-die lists. It's a "big deal" in two words.
You don't say! And what else to expect?
I spotted a War and Peace situation.. You know, when you read a very interesting story on a group of people and get interrupted several times by the author's whim to talk, talk, AND talk about boring stuff (i.e. Water-effin-loo), insignificant details (i.e. Paris sewer system), and shit like that. It was like sabotaging a masterpiece by one's worst enemy, except [a:Victor Hugo|13661|Victor Hugo|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1415946858p2/13661.jpg]'s worst enemy was no one but himself! Such interruptions slow down the pace of the story right where you crave for more!
Le me while reading Waterloo and the European history of sewers.
Fluffing up +1000 pages with no added-value to what could have been perfection.. WHY?! I don't get intimidated by big novels, take The Count of Monte Cristo for example: it has a similar length but I've never felt it was a duty to keep reading. Those annoying wordy parts dimmed a star from my rating. Only -1 star because the amazing parts of the book simply compensate for all the blabbering. It was the only time I've ever wished to pick up an abridged version that focuses on our main characters and ditches all the hiccups.
That said, the story is wonderful and one of the VERY best. The main events happen in France around the times of the revolution. Hugo shows how a simple act of kindness leads to redemption and rekindles righteousness when poverty and injustice strip away faith, hope, and everything else that counts. Characters are well invested in, plot is carefully built, and storytelling is exquisite (or at least that's what I got from the English translation). Despite the misery that casts its shadows on this book, it's about love, empathy, and second chances. Attending a live Les Mis musical, Broadway-style, is in my wishlist. I highly recommend watching the 1998 and 2012 movie adaptations.
The characters:
Some characters are in the habit of adopting a(n) nickname/alias or more. The good news is you won't get lost and you'll automatically know who's who because Hugo made sure to give super easy hints after introducing a new name and before revealing the character's real name. You'll be fine if you just paid attention.
• M. Myriel aka M. Bienvenu (Monseigneur Welcome): The author starts the book by describing bishop M. Myriel's manner and wisdom, and relating his outs and abouts. He's such an excellent man, obviously. He's an ascetic and as the first part suggests; a just man. M. Myriel had a great role in reforming Jean Valjean.
• Jean Valjean aka M. Madeleine (Monsieur le Maire): When we first meet Jean Valjean, he is the absolute definition of a miserable man. Having had a rough start in life, he ended up in prison for 19 years. What was his crime? Stealing a loaf of bread to feed his starving family. What a messed up world that we live in! Nevertheless, he manages to lead a bright life filled with philanthropy after crossing paths with M. Myriel.
• Fantine: She's a poor orphan young woman whose only asset is her beauty, and her only sin is falling in love, because of course! She raised her child (Cosette) alone and struggled to provide. She entrusts her daughter with the monstrous Thenardiers.. Such an awfully abusive pack of scoundrels! Fantine's story is one of the most tragic I've ever read and made me want to rethink a hundred times before firing judgments at prostitutes.
• Javert: He's a police spy. Jean Valjean's nemesis (sort of). Javert is obsessed to expose Jean Valjean's real identity and bring him to "justice". He has such a corrupted misconception of justice. He appears to be the bad guy here along with the Thenardiers, except that personally I don't think he's completely a villain. He's just color-blind to what's between black and white. To him, you're either an angel or a demon.
• Marius and Cosette: Marius appears towards the 2nd half of the book and will be Cosette's love interest. He literally stalks her in the name of love.. Creepy? Debatable. However, their love story is as far-fetched as 19th century romance can go. Cosette's naïveté is out of this world.. Don't believe me, just
“When he was seated, she leaned her cheek against his white hair, and dropped a silent tear, saying to herself: "Perhaps this man is my mother."”
I thought at first that she was metaphorically speaking and it kinda made sense, but the disaster came after the narrator had explained sweet Cosette's statement:
“Cosette, although this is a strange statement to make, in the profound ignorance of a girl brought up in a convent,—maternity being also absolutely unintelligible to virginity,—had ended by fancying that she had had as little mother as possible.”
Just for the record, Cosette was “a little more than fourteen” at that time!
Wannabe readers; steer clear!
I would recommend it to hardcore bookworms who have a wider scope of interests and never get tired of prolonged historical or intellectual reading. I would never recommend the unabridged version to the basic reader. Go for an audiobook or an abridged one if you must. Why? Because it will make you rethink the hobby of reading and I don't guarantee that you'll finish this beast of a book. It requires a lot of patience, endurance, and devotion.
taile's review against another edition
5.0
i fINISHED IT I CAN'T BELIEVE I FINISHED IT OH MY GOODNESS
i now just
I NEED TO SHARE THIS OKAY I JUST LOVE LES MIS A LOT
(If you want a proper review, I apologise sincerely. It's probably not worth me writing one since there are a ton of better ones but I liked it a lot. Probably one of the only older classics I've both completed and enjoyed.)
--
Re-read 30/07/18
The Donougher translation was SO MUCH nicer than Hapgood!! Also lots of footnotes which was useful.
i now just
I NEED TO SHARE THIS OKAY I JUST LOVE LES MIS A LOT
(If you want a proper review, I apologise sincerely. It's probably not worth me writing one since there are a ton of better ones but I liked it a lot. Probably one of the only older classics I've both completed and enjoyed.)
--
Re-read 30/07/18
The Donougher translation was SO MUCH nicer than Hapgood!! Also lots of footnotes which was useful.
eulalie's review against another edition
5.0
BEAUTIFUL. JUST BEAUTIFUL. I LOVED IT ALL, EVEN THE PART ON THE HISTORY OF THE SEWERS.
whatcassiedid's review against another edition
3.0
Finally! This would have been 100% better if someone had told Hugo to cut the tangents, especially the 19 chapters about Waterloo, the history of the convent, and the five chapters about the history of Parisian sewers. When it stuck with the actual plot, it was good. Needs more of the barricade boys.
More...