Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
Es un libro demasiado extraordinario, el cambio que sufre el personaje principalmente a raíz de su encuentro inicial con el obispo. Lo único que encontré bastante innecesario fue la muerte al final de Jean Valjean, ya que me pareció demasiado simple y que no fue la reacción que esperaba de Cossette.
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Vive la France
slow-paced
I would have loved to dnf the book. i am the one who ended miserable. i have high expectations on the film
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
"While through the working laws and customs there continues to exist a condition of social condemnation which artificially creates a human hell within civilization, and complicates with human fatality a destiny that is divine; while the three great problems of this century, the degradation of man in the proletariat, the subjection of women through hunger, the atrophy of the child by darkness, continue unresolved; while in some regions social asphyxia remains possible; in other words, and in still wider terms, while ignorance and poverty persist on earth, books such as this cannot fail to be of value." - Hauteville House, 1 January 1862
Heads up. I never do this lengthy of a review! But this was so massive, I had to write down my thoughts and favorites parts!
Wow. I don't know where to begin. I started this book back in 2011 and got about a third of the way through before life happened. I decided I had to finish it this year. I got the audio book and listened to it, but found the language, wisdom and insight was so beautiful I had to read along. I'd listen and then go back to the book to mark it up. Translations matter! I listened to the unabridged version (67 hrs!!!) translated by Julie Rose. It was better than the hard copy book I have (imo), translated by Norman Denny, but I remember reading this mass market paperback version and really liking it better. I may have to buy another version and read through my favorite parts to compare.
I don't know how someone (Victor Hugo) could have so much insight into the human condition and our eternal potential to write something like this (let alone throwing in all the details of French history, politics, and culture of the time. There is so much that touched me about justice and God's expansive mercy. How one act of generosity and charity (seeing people as God sees them) can change the trajectory of a man's life. His integrity to that change and repeated submission to God's will. The characters all have to go through their own "dark night of the soul" multiple times in different contexts. Its heartbreaking because we all know how that feels! Different scenarios, but the same cycle of anguish, pain, anger, frustration, hope, desire, and submission time and time again. If you pay attention you can learn so many truths about God and his love for his children and how he expects us to love others.
I just feel so grateful to have read this book and added it to my life experience. And yes, I will be purchasing two silver candle sticks to put on my bookshelves to remind me of my own redemption and God's great mercy to me. (Actually, I should really go to France and buy some there....a thing in the place and all.)
Here are some beautiful sections:
Part 1, Book 1, An Upright Man- M. Myriel is amazing. Some may say 50 pages about him is too much, but he isn't. His life is a sermon of goodness.
Part 1, Book 2, The Outcast- The description of Valjean's history, the 19 years of labor that hardened his soul, and how it reinforced his negative (very negative) view of people was very interesting and makes the redemption moment even more impactful. His soul was cankered in hatred yet when an incredibly merciful act was bestowed on him, it pierced through the hate and brought light into his soul. It was a process and so beautifully presented.
Part 1, Book 6, Javert, Section 2 - The honesty of Javert. Javert is such an interesting character. How often do I want justice to be played out on those who have wronged me. He's very honest in his justice, if it is exacted on others, its exacted on himself. He's an interesting blend of honesty and humility, just misplaced and without the greatness of the Law of Mercy. Without mercy, justice (javert) is terrifying. See also Part 5, Book 4, Javert in Disaray".
Part 1, Book 7, Section 11 - A tempest in a human skull. This is when Valjean has an "out" because Javert has found a man who is supposedly Valjean. The battle he has with his integrity and conscious is amazing. It goes on for several sections throughout the story and the battle is powerful.
"No need to think about it any more,' he said. 'I have made up my mind.'
But he was far from happy.
We can no more prevent a thought returning to the mind than we can prevent the sea from rising on the foreshore. To the sailor it is the tide, to the uneasy conscience it is remorse. God moves the soul as He moves the oceans." (p. 213)
"For the first time in eight years the unhappy man had tasted the bitter flavor of an evil thought and an evil deed. He spat it out in disgust." (p. 214)
Part 2, Book 4, Section 3 - Misfortunes shared create happiness. Love softens his heart, makes it work for the first time.
"Valjean had never loved anything. For twenty-five years he had been alone in the world, never a father, a lover, husband, or friend...But when he had seen Cosette, snatched her up and born her out of captivity, something had stirred within him. Everything in him that was passionate and capable of affection had been aroused and had flowed out to the child....He discovered a mother's agonized tenderness without knowing what it was, for nothing is deeper or sweeter than the overwhelming impulse of a heart moved suddenly to love - a saddened, aging heart made new!" (P. 391)
Part 4, Book 4, Section 4 "The heart beneath the stone" While so much of Marius and Cosette's views are so juvenile in many parts throughout the book, this section when Marius finally has found Cosette again and leaves his note book, or his heart, beneath the stone is so sweet. He's obsessed and overcome with love and the lines he writes about his experience with love really are beautiful.
"God is behind all things, but all things conceal God. Objects are black and human creatures are opaque. To love a person is to render them transparent" (p. 804)
"You will suffer because you love, love still more. To die of love is to live by it." (p. 805)
Part 4, Book 6, The Boy Gavroche Gavroche is the best. He is eternally optimistic even after his evil mother (the Tenardier's are the worst) and his years of neglect and self-preservation, when he meets two little boys (who happen to be his bothers!) he takes them in for the night, mentors them, provides food for them even though Gavroche has nothing. At the battle of the barricade his bravery was greater than the men. I just wish he hadn't died! Can I name my child Gavroche?
Part 5, Book 6, Section 4 Undying Faith Again, Valjean searches his soul for strength to do what he must do. Its awful, because, as the reader you know whats going on and that Marius and Valjean are both dumb in how they view Valjean's past. Valjean starts to separate himself from love and light and he thinks its just. But again, we walk through the turmoil of his soul, he says something that really resonates with anyone who has hard and challenging life questions.
"One must have grown accustomed to the harsher face of destiny to be able to confront facts in all their hideous nakedness. Good and evil are behind the vigorous question-mark: 'Well,' demands the sphinx, 'what are you going to do?' Valjean, from long habit, looked it steadily in the eye. Pitilessly he considered the facts in all their aspects. Cosette, that exquisite creature, was his life line. Was he to cling to it or let it go? If he clung to it, then he was safe; he could go on living. But if he let it go....Then, the abyss" (p. 1143)
" His meditation lasted through the night. He remained until daylight in the same posture, seated and bent double on the bed, with fists clenched and arms out-flung like those of a man cast down from the cross....Until suddenly he shuddered convulsively and pressed Cosette's garments to his lips. Only then did one see that he was alive.
one. Who was that one, when there was no one else there?
The One who is present in the darkness." (p. 1144)
Part 5, Book 9, section 5 - Night with day to follow. Oh! Saddest! "Just because we don't like the way things are, thats not reason to be unfair to God." (p. 1197) "Dying is nothing; what's terrible is not to live." This isn't in the book, though there is lovely passages in the part about love, but the musical says it right, "To love another person, is to see the face of God!"
A few more thoughts:
There is a lot of reference to "soul" and "conscience" throughout the book. They use these words in ways that we don't any more and it was a beautiful reminder about my own soul and my place in the world as well as a desire to listen to my conscience more and not ignore it like I usually do.
There's a section when he talks about "the noxious poor" where he mentions ignorance and want. It reminded me of Charles Dicken's The Christmas Carol and the Ghost of Christmas Present when he shows them to beware of ignorance and want. Really interesting that both of them would use that imagery. I wonder who did it first. They lived at the same time and I'm assuming read each other's works!
Heads up. I never do this lengthy of a review! But this was so massive, I had to write down my thoughts and favorites parts!
Wow. I don't know where to begin. I started this book back in 2011 and got about a third of the way through before life happened. I decided I had to finish it this year. I got the audio book and listened to it, but found the language, wisdom and insight was so beautiful I had to read along. I'd listen and then go back to the book to mark it up. Translations matter! I listened to the unabridged version (67 hrs!!!) translated by Julie Rose. It was better than the hard copy book I have (imo), translated by Norman Denny, but I remember reading this mass market paperback version and really liking it better. I may have to buy another version and read through my favorite parts to compare.
I don't know how someone (Victor Hugo) could have so much insight into the human condition and our eternal potential to write something like this (let alone throwing in all the details of French history, politics, and culture of the time. There is so much that touched me about justice and God's expansive mercy. How one act of generosity and charity (seeing people as God sees them) can change the trajectory of a man's life. His integrity to that change and repeated submission to God's will. The characters all have to go through their own "dark night of the soul" multiple times in different contexts. Its heartbreaking because we all know how that feels! Different scenarios, but the same cycle of anguish, pain, anger, frustration, hope, desire, and submission time and time again. If you pay attention you can learn so many truths about God and his love for his children and how he expects us to love others.
I just feel so grateful to have read this book and added it to my life experience. And yes, I will be purchasing two silver candle sticks to put on my bookshelves to remind me of my own redemption and God's great mercy to me. (Actually, I should really go to France and buy some there....a thing in the place and all.)
Here are some beautiful sections:
Part 1, Book 1, An Upright Man- M. Myriel is amazing. Some may say 50 pages about him is too much, but he isn't. His life is a sermon of goodness.
Part 1, Book 2, The Outcast- The description of Valjean's history, the 19 years of labor that hardened his soul, and how it reinforced his negative (very negative) view of people was very interesting and makes the redemption moment even more impactful. His soul was cankered in hatred yet when an incredibly merciful act was bestowed on him, it pierced through the hate and brought light into his soul. It was a process and so beautifully presented.
Part 1, Book 6, Javert, Section 2 - The honesty of Javert. Javert is such an interesting character. How often do I want justice to be played out on those who have wronged me. He's very honest in his justice, if it is exacted on others, its exacted on himself. He's an interesting blend of honesty and humility, just misplaced and without the greatness of the Law of Mercy. Without mercy, justice (javert) is terrifying. See also Part 5, Book 4, Javert in Disaray".
Part 1, Book 7, Section 11 - A tempest in a human skull. This is when Valjean has an "out" because Javert has found a man who is supposedly Valjean. The battle he has with his integrity and conscious is amazing. It goes on for several sections throughout the story and the battle is powerful.
"No need to think about it any more,' he said. 'I have made up my mind.'
But he was far from happy.
We can no more prevent a thought returning to the mind than we can prevent the sea from rising on the foreshore. To the sailor it is the tide, to the uneasy conscience it is remorse. God moves the soul as He moves the oceans." (p. 213)
"For the first time in eight years the unhappy man had tasted the bitter flavor of an evil thought and an evil deed. He spat it out in disgust." (p. 214)
Part 2, Book 4, Section 3 - Misfortunes shared create happiness. Love softens his heart, makes it work for the first time.
"Valjean had never loved anything. For twenty-five years he had been alone in the world, never a father, a lover, husband, or friend...But when he had seen Cosette, snatched her up and born her out of captivity, something had stirred within him. Everything in him that was passionate and capable of affection had been aroused and had flowed out to the child....He discovered a mother's agonized tenderness without knowing what it was, for nothing is deeper or sweeter than the overwhelming impulse of a heart moved suddenly to love - a saddened, aging heart made new!" (P. 391)
Part 4, Book 4, Section 4 "The heart beneath the stone" While so much of Marius and Cosette's views are so juvenile in many parts throughout the book, this section when Marius finally has found Cosette again and leaves his note book, or his heart, beneath the stone is so sweet. He's obsessed and overcome with love and the lines he writes about his experience with love really are beautiful.
"God is behind all things, but all things conceal God. Objects are black and human creatures are opaque. To love a person is to render them transparent" (p. 804)
"You will suffer because you love, love still more. To die of love is to live by it." (p. 805)
Part 4, Book 6, The Boy Gavroche Gavroche is the best. He is eternally optimistic even after his evil mother (the Tenardier's are the worst) and his years of neglect and self-preservation, when he meets two little boys (who happen to be his bothers!) he takes them in for the night, mentors them, provides food for them even though Gavroche has nothing. At the battle of the barricade his bravery was greater than the men. I just wish he hadn't died! Can I name my child Gavroche?
Part 5, Book 6, Section 4 Undying Faith Again, Valjean searches his soul for strength to do what he must do. Its awful, because, as the reader you know whats going on and that Marius and Valjean are both dumb in how they view Valjean's past. Valjean starts to separate himself from love and light and he thinks its just. But again, we walk through the turmoil of his soul, he says something that really resonates with anyone who has hard and challenging life questions.
"One must have grown accustomed to the harsher face of destiny to be able to confront facts in all their hideous nakedness. Good and evil are behind the vigorous question-mark: 'Well,' demands the sphinx, 'what are you going to do?' Valjean, from long habit, looked it steadily in the eye. Pitilessly he considered the facts in all their aspects. Cosette, that exquisite creature, was his life line. Was he to cling to it or let it go? If he clung to it, then he was safe; he could go on living. But if he let it go....Then, the abyss" (p. 1143)
" His meditation lasted through the night. He remained until daylight in the same posture, seated and bent double on the bed, with fists clenched and arms out-flung like those of a man cast down from the cross....Until suddenly he shuddered convulsively and pressed Cosette's garments to his lips. Only then did one see that he was alive.
one. Who was that one, when there was no one else there?
The One who is present in the darkness." (p. 1144)
Part 5, Book 9, section 5 - Night with day to follow. Oh! Saddest! "Just because we don't like the way things are, thats not reason to be unfair to God." (p. 1197) "Dying is nothing; what's terrible is not to live." This isn't in the book, though there is lovely passages in the part about love, but the musical says it right, "To love another person, is to see the face of God!"
A few more thoughts:
There is a lot of reference to "soul" and "conscience" throughout the book. They use these words in ways that we don't any more and it was a beautiful reminder about my own soul and my place in the world as well as a desire to listen to my conscience more and not ignore it like I usually do.
There's a section when he talks about "the noxious poor" where he mentions ignorance and want. It reminded me of Charles Dicken's The Christmas Carol and the Ghost of Christmas Present when he shows them to beware of ignorance and want. Really interesting that both of them would use that imagery. I wonder who did it first. They lived at the same time and I'm assuming read each other's works!
Popsugar 2021: The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list
Numbers of pages in question: 1,378
Okay so this one was technically hovering on my currently reading list shelf since 2018. Basically I was super into it during a trip to the outer banks but then at some point in 2018 I stalled out in the section where Valjean and Cosette arrive at the convent and just … never could pick it up again. It wasn’t the digression, I actually like most of the digressions. But for whatever reason it lost me there for approximately three years. I figure it’s still in the spirit of this challenge because what I had left to read was probably longer than the second longest book on my TBR list.
I greatly enjoyed my time with this book as you can see my my rating but … I also hardly know what’s left to be said about it, haha. I have seen a couple takes on the musical but I saw it too late to imprint on it in a theater kid way. It was interesting comparing and contrasting the Les Mis of this novel versus the Les Mis of the popular imagination. For example Marius was probably my biggest surprise. He’s much more frustrating than his musical counterpart but also such a weird, sad case owing to his upbringing… it was interesting for me to follow him. The intensity which he latches into the Thing He Idolizes In This Moment was ….. woof. It held train wreck fascination for me I suppose. There are other characters too that aren’t quite what they were in the musical. Eponine for one. And definitely Javert. Enjolras’s character development is very backloaded but interesting to follow.
Jean Valjean was the heart of the novel for me though. Just … what a saga. Marius is so keen to call him a saint at the end, and he certainly has many good traits. But in a book prone to sermons and pontificating he comes across as so human.
My favorite segment was far and away the barricade section. It was nailbiter even if I knew how it would all end. This was another section that comes across different than in the musical. I don’t quite know how to put my finger on it… maybe the fact that it goes on for a long, long while and it really conveys how much of it involved tense waiting around.
Might come back with more thoughts later but this book exhausted me, haha. I’m proud I stuck with it though!
Numbers of pages in question: 1,378
Okay so this one was technically hovering on my currently reading list shelf since 2018. Basically I was super into it during a trip to the outer banks but then at some point in 2018 I stalled out in the section where Valjean and Cosette arrive at the convent and just … never could pick it up again. It wasn’t the digression, I actually like most of the digressions. But for whatever reason it lost me there for approximately three years. I figure it’s still in the spirit of this challenge because what I had left to read was probably longer than the second longest book on my TBR list.
I greatly enjoyed my time with this book as you can see my my rating but … I also hardly know what’s left to be said about it, haha. I have seen a couple takes on the musical but I saw it too late to imprint on it in a theater kid way. It was interesting comparing and contrasting the Les Mis of this novel versus the Les Mis of the popular imagination. For example Marius was probably my biggest surprise. He’s much more frustrating than his musical counterpart but also such a weird, sad case owing to his upbringing… it was interesting for me to follow him. The intensity which he latches into the Thing He Idolizes In This Moment was ….. woof. It held train wreck fascination for me I suppose. There are other characters too that aren’t quite what they were in the musical. Eponine for one. And definitely Javert. Enjolras’s character development is very backloaded but interesting to follow.
Jean Valjean was the heart of the novel for me though. Just … what a saga. Marius is so keen to call him a saint at the end, and he certainly has many good traits. But in a book prone to sermons and pontificating he comes across as so human.
My favorite segment was far and away the barricade section. It was nailbiter even if I knew how it would all end. This was another section that comes across different than in the musical. I don’t quite know how to put my finger on it… maybe the fact that it goes on for a long, long while and it really conveys how much of it involved tense waiting around.
Might come back with more thoughts later but this book exhausted me, haha. I’m proud I stuck with it though!
Took me two and a half months to read this giant of a book. From time to time this felt quite a lot, but more than that I really enjoyed the read.
challenging
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
trying to come up with a review that will perfectly encapsulate my feelings for this book is a lost cause. i love all the characters dearly (the thénardiers excluded) and I'm mad because I'll never again read any book that will evoke as many emotions from me as this one.
i love jean valjean. he's like my dad. i love him so much he's literally jesus to me. everytime he speaks i feel god's light all around me.
marius truly one of the characters of all time. the great booby. the boobiest booby to ever booby.
éponine i will forever mourn you.
also "do you permit it?" stop.
i left javert for last because i love him a normal amount. I'm VERY normal about javert. i have definitely not dedicated my entire life to this bitch. he's a sarcastic piece of shit diva that I'd take several bullets for.
(also i don't see people commenting much on it but it's a very funny book! lots of hilarious scenes)
i love jean valjean. he's like my dad. i love him so much he's literally jesus to me. everytime he speaks i feel god's light all around me.
marius truly one of the characters of all time. the great booby. the boobiest booby to ever booby.
éponine i will forever mourn you.
also "do you permit it?" stop.
i left javert for last because i love him a normal amount. I'm VERY normal about javert. i have definitely not dedicated my entire life to this bitch. he's a sarcastic piece of shit diva that I'd take several bullets for.
(also i don't see people commenting much on it but it's a very funny book! lots of hilarious scenes)