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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Amazing. Amazing. I was honestly afraid I would not be able to make it through the interminable 19th century sentences, but after a few pages of getting used to them, I was hooked. Alas, the Disney movie was never far out of my mind and it was frustrating to imagine Esmerelda as the typical Disney-pricess type. After a break with another author or I two I plan to take the plunge and attempt all 1,200+ pages of Les Miserable.
Moral of the story: Don't live in 15th century France. No matter how the dice land, you lose. It's a sucky piece of timespace.
This book, of course, has a hunchback, and Notre Dame, and the gypsy La Esmerelda - oh, and a sequence where the titular hunchback wreaks deadly havoc on crowds of marauders below him in the titular Dame - but other than that, it bears no resemblance to the movie versions (I've seen the silent one and the Charles Laughton version). It's worth reading just for that.
I had a hard time believing this was the same author that wrote Les Miserables, except for the very long chapter about architecture. It felt more like Three Musketeers writing. I'd have pegged it as Dumas.
This book, of course, has a hunchback, and Notre Dame, and the gypsy La Esmerelda - oh, and a sequence where the titular hunchback wreaks deadly havoc on crowds of marauders below him in the titular Dame - but other than that, it bears no resemblance to the movie versions (I've seen the silent one and the Charles Laughton version). It's worth reading just for that.
I had a hard time believing this was the same author that wrote Les Miserables, except for the very long chapter about architecture. It felt more like Three Musketeers writing. I'd have pegged it as Dumas.
I finally had to call it quits halfway through this book. It just meandered so much that I grew tired of waiting for something to actually happen. I cheated and read the recap on wikipedia and feel like I now know everything I care to know.
If you like long descriptive passages about architecture and history then you'll probably enjoy this. It just doesn't work for me and my reading temperament.
If you like long descriptive passages about architecture and history then you'll probably enjoy this. It just doesn't work for me and my reading temperament.
3.63 overall rating
3.23 for the writing
4.03 for the story
I'm tired of giving vent to all my frustrations with this book so I'll just copy and past what I texted my friends while I was reading it
To my friend Dorothy:
"I'm trying to get through The Hunchback of Notre Dame but I find Hugo's writing style to be nearly unbearable
He's literally spent an entire 25 page chapter describing the church of Notre Dame.
Now he's doing the same thing with the city of Paris.
Please kill me
I am 33% through the book and It has not been made clear what the book is about, I feel like I'm still in the intro
I will find the descendants of Hugo and they shall pay for the sins of their father, or (relative if he never sired children)"
To my Friend Chris:
"There are several chapters of The hunchback of Notre Dame book that one can completely ignore and not miss anything at all as far as the plot is concerned.
I'm very against skipping content in books, but when it has no bearing on the plot whatsoever, and is torturous to read,
3.23 for the writing
4.03 for the story
I'm tired of giving vent to all my frustrations with this book so I'll just copy and past what I texted my friends while I was reading it
To my friend Dorothy:
"I'm trying to get through The Hunchback of Notre Dame but I find Hugo's writing style to be nearly unbearable
He's literally spent an entire 25 page chapter describing the church of Notre Dame.
Now he's doing the same thing with the city of Paris.
Please kill me
I am 33% through the book and It has not been made clear what the book is about, I feel like I'm still in the intro
I will find the descendants of Hugo and they shall pay for the sins of their father, or (relative if he never sired children)"
To my Friend Chris:
"There are several chapters of The hunchback of Notre Dame book that one can completely ignore and not miss anything at all as far as the plot is concerned.
I'm very against skipping content in books, but when it has no bearing on the plot whatsoever, and is torturous to read,
challenging
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I couldn't finish it. I read about 200 pages but I could never get into the story. I'm sure if I was French and lived 150 years ago I would have appreciated it more.
Je ne savais pas ce qu’était un 5 étoiles avant de lire Notre Dame de Paris.
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes