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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
This would be my advice to Victor Hugo. If I had a time machine I would travel to a time just before he published this book, and give him an intervention.
Dear Mr. Hugo,
Firstly, may I say that I am a big fan of your future work, Le Miserables. And because of that, I cannot accept The Hunchback of Notre Dame as you have written it. If it were written by a different author, I would dismiss this as a three star novel, not terrible, but not a book I would read again if I had the chance. But in the future you will write a masterpiece, and so I rate this a two star novel, for failed potential.
The plot is magnificent. But you have written this story all wrong. You destroyed the mysteries- Esmerelda's enemy, and her mother, by revealing the information too soon, and not using the early revelation to create tension and anticipation in the reader to be sustained throughout the story. Leave things unexplained- it gives you the chance to surprise us later on. Readers love to be surprised.
You made the story less fun to read, by woefully neglecting Esmerelda and Quasimodo (the only sympathetic characters) perspectives. By all means, give us glimpses of the perspective of the villainous archdeacon (no, DON'T! Frankly his perspective disturbed me greatly), use Gringoire's perspective to introduce the book, and show how the mysterious Esmerelda looks to a stranger, give Jehan a few lines to add some wit. But all of that should come to less than a quarter of the book. YOU CREATED TWO AMAZING, SYMPATHETIC, UNIQUE CHARACTERS. GIVE THEM THE VOICE THEY DESERVE!
I admire your story, but the story telling in this novel is incredibly disappointing. I sincerely wish you could have a do-over, rewrite this story with the wisdom and genius you will accumulate by the time you write Le Miserables.
Thankyou for listening,
Goodbye from,
An admirer and well-wisher, a friend.
Dear Mr. Hugo,
Firstly, may I say that I am a big fan of your future work, Le Miserables. And because of that, I cannot accept The Hunchback of Notre Dame as you have written it. If it were written by a different author, I would dismiss this as a three star novel, not terrible, but not a book I would read again if I had the chance. But in the future you will write a masterpiece, and so I rate this a two star novel, for failed potential.
The plot is magnificent. But you have written this story all wrong. You destroyed the mysteries- Esmerelda's enemy, and her mother, by revealing the information too soon, and not using the early revelation to create tension and anticipation in the reader to be sustained throughout the story. Leave things unexplained- it gives you the chance to surprise us later on. Readers love to be surprised.
You made the story less fun to read, by woefully neglecting Esmerelda and Quasimodo (the only sympathetic characters) perspectives. By all means, give us glimpses of the perspective of the villainous archdeacon (no, DON'T! Frankly his perspective disturbed me greatly), use Gringoire's perspective to introduce the book, and show how the mysterious Esmerelda looks to a stranger, give Jehan a few lines to add some wit. But all of that should come to less than a quarter of the book. YOU CREATED TWO AMAZING, SYMPATHETIC, UNIQUE CHARACTERS. GIVE THEM THE VOICE THEY DESERVE!
I admire your story, but the story telling in this novel is incredibly disappointing. I sincerely wish you could have a do-over, rewrite this story with the wisdom and genius you will accumulate by the time you write Le Miserables.
Thankyou for listening,
Goodbye from,
An admirer and well-wisher, a friend.
This diverged from my memory of the Disney movie quite a bit...
I'm sad that it took me so long to read this book. It was just staggeringly beautiful, and it has definitely become one of my favorites.
Couldn't get through. I've got a Dutch version with a horrible translation, but I will try again reading it in English. Someday.
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
I went through a period in school where I was reading French novels in their original language to try and improve my own French and "exercise" my brain for my language classes. It was a blurry 3 years. Doesn't help when you have no one to speak French to and your brain starts to think in that language.
I read this in the original French, never was able to finish it but did make it more than half through. Truthfully, at the time I was burnt out on French literature because I had just done a Flaubert in English and French, and then slogged through Les Miserables in French, and just needed a long break from these huge, sad novels (everything is sadder in French, especially if it was originally written in that language). I'm fully intending on coming back to this in English and looking forward to hopefully enjoying it.
I read this in the original French, never was able to finish it but did make it more than half through. Truthfully, at the time I was burnt out on French literature because I had just done a Flaubert in English and French, and then slogged through Les Miserables in French, and just needed a long break from these huge, sad novels (everything is sadder in French, especially if it was originally written in that language). I'm fully intending on coming back to this in English and looking forward to hopefully enjoying it.
I really struggled the first 50-60 pages of this book. Once I adjusted to Hugo's style though, I really hit a stride with Notre-Dame de Paris/Hunchback of Notre Dame and I struggled to put the book down.
I went in knowing only the Disney version of this story and the book is definitely worth the read if that's the only version you are familiar with. This is really a dual story, on one hand it's a tragic tale of obsession and on the other, a love letter to Paris. What caught me off guard though, was how funny this book was at times, which offset some of these darker or more erudite themes. This humor largely came from Gringoire and Hugo's satirical observations as narrator and author. Regardless of where it came from, there were moments that had me laughing out loud.
The feeling of atmosphere and place in Hunchback is also incredible. Paris is a character, in and of itself and that's a testament to the sometimes long, but exquisite descriptions of the city. There were quite a few moments that creeped me out or made me feel morose, but it was the first time we met Chantefleur and heard her story that gave me goosebumps.
That said, some things happened far, far too fast. The vast majority of character development felt relegated to the last 250ish pages. I would have much rather preferred it if Hugo had condensed the chapters on architecture and King Louis to give the reader more time with the characters. Frollo's descent into villainry felt like it happened largely off-page, especially as we witnessed him behave selflessly and compassionately with Quasimodo and Jehan early on. Phoebus and Esmeralda's affair came across as what I can only describe as "insta-love" (and one sided insta-love at that).
Overall, very worth the read but maybe not a favorite classic.
Yo, la verdad, no se por qué esperaba que este libro tenga un final feliz. Victor Hugo tiene un enorme talento para hacerme llorar. Todo es triste. I wanna hug Esmeralda and Quasimodo. Everyone else can go fuck themselves.
As always, la forma de escribir de Victor (y la traductora) es hermosa. Me encanta leer sus opiniones de 20 paginas en medio del plot. La única razón por la que este libro no tiene 5 estrellas es porque no me impactó al nivel de Los Miserables.
As always, la forma de escribir de Victor (y la traductora) es hermosa. Me encanta leer sus opiniones de 20 paginas en medio del plot. La única razón por la que este libro no tiene 5 estrellas es porque no me impactó al nivel de Los Miserables.
If there's ever a book to read the abridged version of, Hugo's Hunchback of Notre-Dame is it. While the actual plot is interesting and heart-wrenching, most of the book is a lecture on a variety of things somewhat related to Paris, Notre Dame, etc... Claude Frollo's descent is particularly human and real, but Esmerelda wasn't as compelling a character as I was hoping. Overall, this read was worth my time, but only marginally. A heavily edited version would have been more enjoyable.
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes