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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
C'est magnifique!
It's not my first time reading this book, but the enjoyment only grows stronger everytime I read this book again. Hugo, Hugo, Hugo, how can I not love thee? The intricate web of destiny you spun! The beautiful, subtle (or not so subtle) social comments you write! Absolutely mesmerizing!
My translated Bahasa Indonesia version literally means "The Beauty from Notre Dame". Initially I nagged a lot because I think a book should be translated as faithfully as possible to the original source, so it should be "Notre Dame of Paris" or at least its popular title, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". But seeing how the story revolves around La Esmeralda and feelings of four men about her, I think that translation is acceptable.
What I loved most from this book is the characterization. Even for minor characters, such as Jehan Frollo, I think they are well developed. I especially loved Esmeralda and the men around her. Claude Frollo, an archdeacon who was obsessed over her. Phoebus de Chateaupers, whom she loved dearly with all her heart but turned his head from her at the most important time. Quasimodo, the hunchbacked Notre Dame bell ringer, whose pure love for Esmeralda was hid under layers of physical deformity. Lastly, Pierre Gringoire, her phony husband whom she married just to save his life from the court of miracle.
The strongest theme I found in this story is how love could be a beautiful yet destructive force. Frollo's love for Esmeralda, Esmeralda's love for Phoebus, brotherly love, fatherly love, motherly love, all kind of love. As an outsider you want to yell at them, "do not be stupid!" but you can also sympathize with their feelings, understand why they did what they did. They are not perfect, of course, but it's their imperfection and their complexity you will fall in love with. When you look at the mirror, you might see a little bit of Esmeralda, Frollo, Quasimodo, and Phoebus in yourself.
Other strong message : don't judge a book from its cover. Behind Phoebus' good looks, he is untrustworthy and vain. Under Quasimodo's hideous physical appearance lies a purest love and gratitude. Just because Esmeralda is a gypsy girl, doesn't mean she is responsible for all the cruel thing that happened inside the story. When we were prejudiced against someone, it is more often because of laziness in our part than the truth. It is clearly stated at the part of Esmeralda's court, where the judge was eager to decide on whatever punishment for her just because they had not had their lunch. They did not care about the truth, they just took the easiest path : "Esmeralda is a gypsy girl, gypsy girl is related with witchcraft, which is cruel. Therefore, Esmeralda is guilty, so let us just torture and hang her so we can get our lunch, shall we?" As blatantly stupid as it was, we really still use this path of thinking sometimes, even in modern times.
In the end, this is a really beautiful and heart wrenching novel. Will definitely revisit this book sometimes in the future.
It's not my first time reading this book, but the enjoyment only grows stronger everytime I read this book again. Hugo, Hugo, Hugo, how can I not love thee? The intricate web of destiny you spun! The beautiful, subtle (or not so subtle) social comments you write! Absolutely mesmerizing!
My translated Bahasa Indonesia version literally means "The Beauty from Notre Dame". Initially I nagged a lot because I think a book should be translated as faithfully as possible to the original source, so it should be "Notre Dame of Paris" or at least its popular title, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". But seeing how the story revolves around La Esmeralda and feelings of four men about her, I think that translation is acceptable.
What I loved most from this book is the characterization. Even for minor characters, such as Jehan Frollo, I think they are well developed. I especially loved Esmeralda and the men around her. Claude Frollo, an archdeacon who was obsessed over her. Phoebus de Chateaupers, whom she loved dearly with all her heart but turned his head from her at the most important time. Quasimodo, the hunchbacked Notre Dame bell ringer, whose pure love for Esmeralda was hid under layers of physical deformity. Lastly, Pierre Gringoire, her phony husband whom she married just to save his life from the court of miracle.
The strongest theme I found in this story is how love could be a beautiful yet destructive force. Frollo's love for Esmeralda, Esmeralda's love for Phoebus, brotherly love, fatherly love, motherly love, all kind of love. As an outsider you want to yell at them, "do not be stupid!" but you can also sympathize with their feelings, understand why they did what they did. They are not perfect, of course, but it's their imperfection and their complexity you will fall in love with. When you look at the mirror, you might see a little bit of Esmeralda, Frollo, Quasimodo, and Phoebus in yourself.
Other strong message : don't judge a book from its cover. Behind Phoebus' good looks, he is untrustworthy and vain. Under Quasimodo's hideous physical appearance lies a purest love and gratitude. Just because Esmeralda is a gypsy girl, doesn't mean she is responsible for all the cruel thing that happened inside the story. When we were prejudiced against someone, it is more often because of laziness in our part than the truth. It is clearly stated at the part of Esmeralda's court, where the judge was eager to decide on whatever punishment for her just because they had not had their lunch. They did not care about the truth, they just took the easiest path : "Esmeralda is a gypsy girl, gypsy girl is related with witchcraft, which is cruel. Therefore, Esmeralda is guilty, so let us just torture and hang her so we can get our lunch, shall we?" As blatantly stupid as it was, we really still use this path of thinking sometimes, even in modern times.
In the end, this is a really beautiful and heart wrenching novel. Will definitely revisit this book sometimes in the future.
Una maledizione e una benedizione.
La maledizione è per chi sceglie i brani da inserire nelle antologie scolastiche, scelte così insipide, noiose, inutili, che hanno tenuto una lettrice incallita come me lontana dal Hugo per tutti questi anni.
La benedizione invece è per lui, il grande Victor, per la sua scrittura meravigliosa, piena di humour persino nei punti più grevi e didascalici del racconto, per la sua penetrazione psicologica dei personaggi, per la sua abilità pittorica e architettonica nel descriverli.
Perché la Esmeralda, la piccola zingara, è descritta in modo pittorico, è un quadro pieno di luce e di colori, mentre Quasimodo è pura architettura, nelle sue membra deformi.
Da leggere, e inserire nelle riletture periodiche di cui non si può fare a meno per non perdere il senso della propria lettura.
La maledizione è per chi sceglie i brani da inserire nelle antologie scolastiche, scelte così insipide, noiose, inutili, che hanno tenuto una lettrice incallita come me lontana dal Hugo per tutti questi anni.
La benedizione invece è per lui, il grande Victor, per la sua scrittura meravigliosa, piena di humour persino nei punti più grevi e didascalici del racconto, per la sua penetrazione psicologica dei personaggi, per la sua abilità pittorica e architettonica nel descriverli.
Perché la Esmeralda, la piccola zingara, è descritta in modo pittorico, è un quadro pieno di luce e di colori, mentre Quasimodo è pura architettura, nelle sue membra deformi.
Da leggere, e inserire nelle riletture periodiche di cui non si può fare a meno per non perdere il senso della propria lettura.
challenging
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.25/5stars
I really enjoyed this! It was WAY more accessible than I thought it would be, and the story was very easy to follow (although there were a handful of characters it took me a while to keep straight). The story was fun, dramatic, and filled with anxious, fast-paced scenes but also very sad, insightful moments. I also really enjoy Hugo's writing style.
I really enjoyed this! It was WAY more accessible than I thought it would be, and the story was very easy to follow (although there were a handful of characters it took me a while to keep straight). The story was fun, dramatic, and filled with anxious, fast-paced scenes but also very sad, insightful moments. I also really enjoy Hugo's writing style.
For an audiobook, this took me a long while.
There's not much to judge in a classic; I can only say my personal opinion of it.
I had some issues with the narrator of this particular edition. While overall pretty good, he tended to pitch his voice strangely while doing most voices, sounding more like a Monty Python sketch than an actual narration.
I also could have lived without a lot of the things going on. I didn't mind the whole "the book has killed the edifice" thing that did drag on and repeated itself as much as I minded the constant narration of Latin and French songs and hymns throughout the audiobook, as well as the frantic monologues of the Recluse and 90% of the scene with the king. Those parts I loathed as they dragged on forever and the narration made them much worse.
I did enjoy the whole of it, however. It was interesting to see where such well-known characters started and how they've changed in the general conscience and pop culture over a couple of centuries. It was also extremely interesting to read Hugo right after Tolkien; both are incredibly angry about something they're extremely passionate about (architecture and nature), and they spend chapters upon chapters throwing sophisticated shade at the aggressors. Honestly, more books like that are needed.
I'll give the book this as a final note: despite me knowing the story pretty well, and being unaware only of very minor characters and subplots, the very ending of it is absolutely heartbreaking.
Generally, it's a book that deserves its fame and stands the test of time. Strangely, much like a building does, in Hugo's mind. This one did it.
There's not much to judge in a classic; I can only say my personal opinion of it.
I had some issues with the narrator of this particular edition. While overall pretty good, he tended to pitch his voice strangely while doing most voices, sounding more like a Monty Python sketch than an actual narration.
I also could have lived without a lot of the things going on. I didn't mind the whole "the book has killed the edifice" thing that did drag on and repeated itself as much as I minded the constant narration of Latin and French songs and hymns throughout the audiobook, as well as the frantic monologues of the Recluse and 90% of the scene with the king. Those parts I loathed as they dragged on forever and the narration made them much worse.
I did enjoy the whole of it, however. It was interesting to see where such well-known characters started and how they've changed in the general conscience and pop culture over a couple of centuries. It was also extremely interesting to read Hugo right after Tolkien; both are incredibly angry about something they're extremely passionate about (architecture and nature), and they spend chapters upon chapters throwing sophisticated shade at the aggressors. Honestly, more books like that are needed.
I'll give the book this as a final note: despite me knowing the story pretty well, and being unaware only of very minor characters and subplots, the very ending of it is absolutely heartbreaking.
Generally, it's a book that deserves its fame and stands the test of time. Strangely, much like a building does, in Hugo's mind. This one did it.
A farcical comedy that evolves into an ironic tragedy, and in which architecture is virtually a protagonist; strewn with both lengthy, didactic digressions and brief, poignant moments.
I'm going to Paris for the first time later this year and thought I'd read this before I left, and I used the audiobook for most of it.
Wow.
I don't know what the publishing process was like in the 1800s, Victor Hugo really could've used an editor. But there's a reason his books are classics.
Wow.
I don't know what the publishing process was like in the 1800s, Victor Hugo really could've used an editor. But there's a reason his books are classics.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes