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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
I'm not a big fan of novels that are marked as "classics". They are often very complicated and tell a boring story.
This one is the first real expection I have read. The proze is amazing, the story is original and mindblowing. Victor Hugo writes in a clear cut way, but with beautiful language. All his characters have good and bad sides and the Notre Dame church ties it all together.
This might be my new favorite novel and I can't wait to read Les Misérables.
This one is the first real expection I have read. The proze is amazing, the story is original and mindblowing. Victor Hugo writes in a clear cut way, but with beautiful language. All his characters have good and bad sides and the Notre Dame church ties it all together.
This might be my new favorite novel and I can't wait to read Les Misérables.
iconic characters and famous cathedrals make up a beautifully written tragedy, where i won’t lie it almost brought me to tears how sad the ending was. as much as i was hoping for a happyish ending, the ending was very fitting to the poor bastard that is quasimodo
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An absolutely awful racist and ableist book that no one should ever have to sit through and read. The story is so dull and there is literally no reason for this book to exist. Couldn't even finish because of how awful it is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racial slurs, Racism
challenging
dark
sad
slow-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
I won't post much of a review now, as it's 4am, but I'm glad I've finally finished this after over ten months. I enjoyed the story, but Victor Hugo could have done with a good editor; he never uses ten words when a thousand would do. Detailed descriptions of the architecture of medieval Paris are only interesting up to a point; it seems that Hugo took an entire chapter just to rant about the destruction or modification of various buildings. Yet again, the introduction (by John Sturrock), while containing some interesting and helpful background material for the novel, completely ruined the story by giving away its climactic ending. I like to read introductions for the former, but will have to give them up as they too often give away the biggest possible spoilers.
Devastating, heartbreaking, longing. So good. This is one of my all-time favorite “classic” books. Hugo knew what he was doing, and the end… well there’s barely enough tissues in the world to save me from my tears.
This is a miserable, depressing story. I love Hugo’s writing, and Les Miserables is one of my favourite books, but Hunchback is not a story to inspire any hope or joy. It is set in a brutal time, when life is cheap and executions seem to happen upon a whim. Superstition reigns and innocent girls are denounced as witches. Men treat women abhorrently, and one archdeacon in particular is a model for all the incels of today - “Love me, can’t you see I’m burning with pain for you? If you won’t love me I’ll die…No! I’ll kill you!” Even La Esmerelda is constantly deceived and seals her own sad fate through an infatuation with a heartless man. She is not to blame for her innocence and credulity, but it is still maddening to read. Quasimodo is a sympathetic character, but even he acts wrongly on most occasions and makes things worse through his zeal. I did not love this book, beautifully written as it is.
I read the abridge version of this books since:
1) there was no way I had enough of an attention span to read through the unabridged version
2) Had to read for a AP lit class and I wouldn't have had any time to read the long version
Hugo brings a old world that most people would think was too crazy to be true to light by centering his story around legends of a city that intertwine with historical facts. The changes of POV between the main characters and the everyday civilians on the street, who would otherwise be truly unimportant to the scene, really help bring the main characters worldly problems and internal problems to light.
I also love him for his wit in creating the chapter titles in the book, me and my friends agreed that those were some of the highlights within the book.
1) there was no way I had enough of an attention span to read through the unabridged version
2) Had to read for a AP lit class and I wouldn't have had any time to read the long version
Hugo brings a old world that most people would think was too crazy to be true to light by centering his story around legends of a city that intertwine with historical facts. The changes of POV between the main characters and the everyday civilians on the street, who would otherwise be truly unimportant to the scene, really help bring the main characters worldly problems and internal problems to light.
I also love him for his wit in creating the chapter titles in the book, me and my friends agreed that those were some of the highlights within the book.
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced