Reviews

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo

Only show reviews with written explanations

eponineeurydice's review

4.0

Someone tell me how Victor manages to BREAK MY HEART so well! Oh my stars... that was such a sad book. But a good one! Despite its many imperfections, I'm still happy that I read because I really do love Victor Hugo. His lyrical writing and the way he talks to the readers as if they were his dear friends, his thoughtful and loving depiction of women and his obvious love for his own characters... all of these things work so well for me, and I still have such respect for him. I wish I could go back in time to speak to him about his books and characters. I do have something to say about this book, though, and that is the portrayal of disability—for Quasimodo is disabled. Aside from his body's disfigurement, he is also Deaf, and it is suggested—none too mindfully—that he is Neurodivergent as well. So no, this is not a supernatural or monstrous condition—it is a real disability, and I truly believe it should be handled as many other components of humanity are: with the assumption that despite this, or even because of it, they are still worthy of love, and of their story being well told. As far as I know, Victor Hugo is able-bodied. He wrote this story for the able-bodied, in many ways, assuming that we would pity Quasimodo. "Look at this poor fool," he seems to say. But did he ever consider, I wonder, that a little girl would watch the Disney movie and know that Quasimodo was disabled, just like her—although definitely with a different disability, I will stress—and see that he was being abused because of his supposed monstrousness, and wonder how others could simply watch this without addressing it? Did Victor know that when that little girl voiced that she disliked the show because she felt so similar to Quasimodo and it was easy to imagine herself in his position, she would be immediately told to never mention it again? (I must note that this was said by a well-meaning family member, probably just trying to protect her.) I can't read Hugo's thoughts, and I have no idea if he wrote this knowing that disabled people would in fact read it. And don't get me wrong, there were moments in this story where Quasimodo was portrayed with incredible beauty and empathy. I do believe that Hugo was well-intentioned in his writing of the story. But there is an innate assumption that Quasimodo is less than human because of his appearance, and the make-up of his mind... that he is, in fact, like a poor animal or beast who doesn't know any better than to love someone, even if she will never love him back—because certainly she will not, not when he is so hideous-looking. She tries, of course, but her pure spirit cannot stand his presence for very long... and it all turns my stomach a little, just to know that Quasimodo is so often dehumanized. The Disney movie gets many, MANY things wrong about the book. They objectify Esmeralda and portray her as almost the opposite of what she is in the book, they steal away Frollo's moral grayness—which I'm not too mad about, because I hate Frollo and always will lol—and they completely omit many women from the text. Additionally, they make Quasimodo into a hapless, childish soul who is only to be pitied. We never think, for a second, that he will end up with Esmeralda—any statements that we make regarding his ability to find love would be platitudes. But I'm going on a tangent; my main point is that Quasimodo does not even receive the privilege of being seen as human, because of his lack of beauty. And what does that say about society? Yes, Victor does not make Quasimodo into a villain; but he turns him into a beast who deserves nothing but pity, and while I do appreciate his efforts, and I do still adore Quasimodo and wish him every happiness (he ripped my heart apart lol), it still made me cringe to see the way he was handled in some scenes.

Here's a thought: disabled people deserve better. Not in spite of their disabilities, but in harmony with them, along with them, because of them. Quasimodo deserves love because of his imperfections, notwithstanding his hideous appearance which brings him to the point of wishing he could be made of stone instead of being treated the way he is. Be deserves better, not to be cured of his disfigurement but to find beauty in himself, because there is so much of it, as Victor observes. He finds himself unworthy and heart-broken in the end, but he deserves a story where he is found worthy of all the love in the world, a story where he doesn't have to withstand abuse because he is guilty and grateful for Frollo taking him in. He deserves to be loved, he deserves a story which does him justice, just as we all do. I hope that someday disabled children will see themselves in stories, fighting dragons and falling in love and pursuing their dreams—and yes, falling short and getting their hearts broken, just as all of us do. Because as cheesy as it sounds, humanity isn't about beauty. It's not about the love which makes us into handsome princes or beautiful princesses. Disabilities shouldn't have to transform to "earn" love, and disabled authors should have the chance to tell their own stories, and therein lies the one thing keeping me from rating this book five stars.

Okay... I talked for longer than I thought I would, but all that to say, there were so many things I loved about this book. The characters' journeys were beautiful, the descriptions of the bells were breathtaking, and the depictions of motherhood and its power, as well as the power of redemption, were just beautiful. Also, Victor Hugo is way too funny and I don't know why nobody talks about it. This man is a comedian!! I loved Esmeralda most of all, she was a wholesome bean and I truly am heartbroken by Hugo's depiction of prejudice and injustice and how it affects the world at large. He truly was a magnificent writer ahead of his time, in everything but disability rep, which I do believe he would have written better if he'd had more resources, or been in modern days. As much as I love Victor, I know the best way to understand an experience is either to go through it yourself or do extensive research, which I'm not sure if he did. I DO know that he researched architecture, but I'm not sure about the disability part lol! There are also depictions of other races in this book which I can't personally speak for, but which I know were unflattering for the most part... but that's not a conversation for today. Basically, even though Victor Hugo is a silly goofy guy sometimes, and even though I'm salty about beauty standards, I still quite enjoyed this book!

And if anyone read all of that... thanks so much for listening to me rant! Sorry it was so long lol!

happybookhabits's review against another edition

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5.0

The ending, oh my goodness

ladygodivas's review

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3.0

FINALLY FINISHED THIS BRICK OF A BOOK. i swear this book is almost as thick as notre dame itself. i know there are thicker books but this was a hard read so it felt longer than other books of the same size.
i have to say that the ending was satisfying and i loved all the twists, especially near the end.
and honestly, the movie did try to encapsulate the true essence of this book but failed miserably in order to be dubbed as suitable for children.
nonetheless, this was a nice read and i'm proud of myself for finishing it.
victor hugo still remains as one of my favorite authors.

vampiresreadtoo's review

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4.0

That was the most depressing ending ever written

liloulitdeslivres's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

smateer73's review

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4.0

Overall I liked this book. It was nice to read a book that actually made me think. The characters and their struggles will stick with you, and the sad lessons that are taught can help us to be more inclusive and accepting of others. Still a good book 200 years later.