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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
hopeful
reflective
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
currently reading and enjoying the Victor Hugo classic novel Les Misérables
A wonderful book. A combination of many things--well-drawn characters, page-turning action, strong emotion, social portrait, and philosophical commentary. I did find the later sections a bit weaker than the earlier, particularly those dealing with the love between Marius and Cosette, who are both somewhat dopey. But it kept me reading all the way.
Wow! It's hard to know where to start with this book. Les Misérable by Victor Hugo was absolutely outstanding. Such a phenomenal story and depiction of the 19th century. There is an almost insurmountable amount of information inside but it creates such a vivid world to step into it makes it hard to hold it against Hugo.
While the story itself was enjoyable I must say the chapters where Hugo delves into French society in the 19th century really stood out for me. The book starts with a quote by Hugo “…as long as there are ignorance and poverty on earth, books of this kind may serve some purpose.” and I’d thought that a lofty statement until I read those chapters focused on society. There were numerous instances and quotes that were poignant even today almost 200 years later. I’ll quote a few at the end of the review as not to digress. These chapters create such an immersive experience for the reader that they are what makes the story come alive. They give context and reasoning for all the choices made throughout.
While I won’t say I was happy with everyone’s fates they all felt honest to the characters and story. I was a bit drained towards the end. No matter how much I enjoyed the book 1300+ pages is a lot to get through but I’m glad I stuck with it. It has been a goal of mine to read more classics and while some were misses (Vanity Fair) this is one I will read again and push others to take on. 5 glowing stars from me and I only wish I could more eloquently put into words how impressive this book was.
Side notes/thoughts
- I love the copy I got. For being such a thick book it fell well while reading. Having all the characters illustrated was also fun
- Hugo talks about centaurs at one point and their having human faces and equine breast…are original centaurs just human faces and not upper bodies?!? The reference was speaking about Orpheus epics
Quotes that stuck out to me;
- “…for aside from wars of liberation everything armies do is done by violence. The term “unquestioning obedience” indicates this. An army is a strangely contrived masterpiece by which force results from an enormous amount of powerlessness. This is the explanation of war, waged by humanity against humanity despite humanity”
- “Rightfulness is everlastingly persistent in its protests against such doings. There is no statute of limitations or the theft of a nation. These great swindles have no future. A nation’s identity cannot be removed like the initials on a handkerchief.”
- “A whole schools of politics called ‘the happy medium’ derives from this. Between cold and hot water, this is the party of the lukewarm. In its entirety superficial pseudo-profundity, which analyses the effects without looking at the causes….”
While the story itself was enjoyable I must say the chapters where Hugo delves into French society in the 19th century really stood out for me. The book starts with a quote by Hugo “…as long as there are ignorance and poverty on earth, books of this kind may serve some purpose.” and I’d thought that a lofty statement until I read those chapters focused on society. There were numerous instances and quotes that were poignant even today almost 200 years later. I’ll quote a few at the end of the review as not to digress. These chapters create such an immersive experience for the reader that they are what makes the story come alive. They give context and reasoning for all the choices made throughout.
While I won’t say I was happy with everyone’s fates they all felt honest to the characters and story. I was a bit drained towards the end. No matter how much I enjoyed the book 1300+ pages is a lot to get through but I’m glad I stuck with it. It has been a goal of mine to read more classics and while some were misses (Vanity Fair) this is one I will read again and push others to take on. 5 glowing stars from me and I only wish I could more eloquently put into words how impressive this book was.
Side notes/thoughts
- I love the copy I got. For being such a thick book it fell well while reading. Having all the characters illustrated was also fun
- Hugo talks about centaurs at one point and their having human faces and equine breast…are original centaurs just human faces and not upper bodies?!? The reference was speaking about Orpheus epics
Quotes that stuck out to me;
- “…for aside from wars of liberation everything armies do is done by violence. The term “unquestioning obedience” indicates this. An army is a strangely contrived masterpiece by which force results from an enormous amount of powerlessness. This is the explanation of war, waged by humanity against humanity despite humanity”
- “Rightfulness is everlastingly persistent in its protests against such doings. There is no statute of limitations or the theft of a nation. These great swindles have no future. A nation’s identity cannot be removed like the initials on a handkerchief.”
- “A whole schools of politics called ‘the happy medium’ derives from this. Between cold and hot water, this is the party of the lukewarm. In its entirety superficial pseudo-profundity, which analyses the effects without looking at the causes….”
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
slow-paced
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i LOVE les mis and i will DEFINITELY read this again (but not the waterloo chapter and the one of the convent, those were boringgg)
That's actually a "kids version" for this book, but still amazing!!
Only realised I was reading the abridged version when I was already halfway through 😭😭😭 I wanted to hear Hugo’s stupid 30 page long essays and descriptions. He’s a little passionate guy.
Uh anyways great book, so interesting to see his change in perspective on the value of human life from The Hunchback to this. No human life is meaningless, “my mother is the republic”, no person is truly bad or truly good, you are only who you choose to be.
Love that he shouts out himself and his uncle. Hugo has the biggest ego biggest me me me energy but I love him for it he’s so cool and funny and charming and clever. Love this book
Uh anyways great book, so interesting to see his change in perspective on the value of human life from The Hunchback to this. No human life is meaningless, “my mother is the republic”, no person is truly bad or truly good, you are only who you choose to be.
Love that he shouts out himself and his uncle. Hugo has the biggest ego biggest me me me energy but I love him for it he’s so cool and funny and charming and clever. Love this book
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes