Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

18 reviews

nicholas_ryan's review

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This is a very well written book, but it is dated. It relies on heavy gender stereotypes. The descriptions are incredible, but he goes on diatribes about various topics only loosely related to the plot. This is beneficial to some point that he gives sufficient context for a book that engages with history and politics, but too much time is spent on it. The plot is emotionally moving. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Violence, War, and Grief

Minor: Death of parent

thesaltiestlibrarian's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, War, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Child death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Violence, Suicide, and Medical content

Minor: Trafficking

cerilouisereads's review

challenging emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Blood, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Violence

amberinbookland's review

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Child abuse, and Blood

lyrasilvertongue's review

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

i'm crying at my cousin's gender reveal party bc of this book

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Suicide, and Violence

berd's review

dark hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Sexism and Sexual content

lesty_gibbs's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Jean Valjean is quite possibly one of the most compelling characters of all time, and his relationship with Javert is equally so. I did an essay on this, which is why I read the book. Overall it is so intricate and deeply structured, with so much thought, effort, and time put into it, that, as a result, Les Miserables can't help but be a classic.

Ah, but there it is, the whispering in the wind; "What about the length?"

Listen, did Hugo say "we must be brief" and then ramble on for 40 pages about the Battle Of Waterloo, but then never give his characters full names because, again, "we must be brief"? Yes. Are over 150 characters named Jean? Also yes. 

Les Miserables isn't called "The Brick" for nothing. Just acknowledge that his ramblings about the streets of Paris are so intricate and long that we can map it out in Paris to this day, accept that the Sewers are really the main character, and you'll have a ball reading it. I will admit though, I docked some marks for this. We didn't need 50 pages on the sewer system, we really didn't.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Death, Violence, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, and Terminal illness

valereads's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Minor: Fatphobia