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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“You who suffer because you love, love still more. To die of love is to love by it.”
Absolutely enchanting tale of love, redemption, and how goodness can move the world.
Absolutely enchanting tale of love, redemption, and how goodness can move the world.
Honestly, I’ve never really understood the whole “French” thing.
I want to give this five stars—it is definitely up in my favorites—but Hugo’s tendency to digress insists I take a point from the unabridged version; maybe the unabridged versions flow more smoothly. At the same time, I think every generation should have a book that spends entire sixty-page chapters describing a crucial battle and a myriad of other chapters delving into the overlooked aspects of societies like every big name of 1817, convents, contemporary slang (or argot), and the state of the sewage system. I always appreciated the subjects of Hugo’s digressions, and they always had a purpose in the end, but they detracted a bit from the plot line. In fact, I believe the plot took up only about four hundred pages. Overall, the story had some very powerful moments, and Hugo’s dizzying style fit these emotional moments well (descriptions got wearisome). A greater familiarity with eighteenth and nineteenth century French celebrities would have helped me understand more references as well as general French pronunciation would have helped me keep track of all the French names.
I’m going to drop some quotes for myself that may be spoilers (especially the last few), so be warned:
“A fellowsopher: There is such a thing” (p. 378).
“Besides, there is a point when the unfortunate and the infamous are associated and confused in a word, a mortal word, les misérables; whose fault is it?” (p. 744)
“‘It’s a good long time now that I’ve been a parishioner of the die-of-hunger-if-you-have-any-fire-and-die-of-cold-if-you-have-any-bread parish!…” (p. 767).
“To love is the only thing that can occupy and fill up eternity” (p. 932).
“Man is not a circle with a single center; he is an ellipse with two focii. Facts are one, ideas are the other” (p. 984).
“A compliment is something like a kiss through a veil” (p. 1006).
“‘And then, do you know, Monsieur Marius, I believe I was a little in love with you.’
She tried to smile again and died” (p. 1144).
“Cosette turned toward Marius.
‘You, sir, I make faces at you’”
(p. 1402).
“‘You will come every evening,’ said Marius, ‘and Cosette will expect you’” (p. 1405).
“It is nothing to die; it is horrible not to live” (p. 1458).
“The night was starless and very dark. Without any doubt, in the gloom, some mighty angel was standing, with outstretched wings, waiting for the soul” (p. 1462).
I’m going to drop some quotes for myself that may be spoilers (especially the last few), so be warned:
“A fellowsopher: There is such a thing” (p. 378).
“Besides, there is a point when the unfortunate and the infamous are associated and confused in a word, a mortal word, les misérables; whose fault is it?” (p. 744)
“‘It’s a good long time now that I’ve been a parishioner of the die-of-hunger-if-you-have-any-fire-and-die-of-cold-if-you-have-any-bread parish!…” (p. 767).
“To love is the only thing that can occupy and fill up eternity” (p. 932).
“Man is not a circle with a single center; he is an ellipse with two focii. Facts are one, ideas are the other” (p. 984).
“A compliment is something like a kiss through a veil” (p. 1006).
“‘And then, do you know, Monsieur Marius, I believe I was a little in love with you.’
She tried to smile again and died” (p. 1144).
“Cosette turned toward Marius.
‘You, sir, I make faces at you’”
(p. 1402).
“‘You will come every evening,’ said Marius, ‘and Cosette will expect you’” (p. 1405).
“It is nothing to die; it is horrible not to live” (p. 1458).
“The night was starless and very dark. Without any doubt, in the gloom, some mighty angel was standing, with outstretched wings, waiting for the soul” (p. 1462).
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'll never give up the bragging right that I read it twice
Un libro te deja con la espera que pasara cada capitulo
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes