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A review by writtenontheflyleaves
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo βͺ
πππβ¨
βͺThe plot: In Medieval Paris, the fates of a handful of citizens collide in the shadow of the cathedral: Gringoire, the down-on-his-luck playwright; Esmeralda, the innocent dancer; Claude Frollo, the archdeacon tortured by his horniness for Esmeralda; Phoebus, fuckboy extraordinaire; and Quasimodo, the deaf bellringer.
This edition was a surprise gift from my boyfriend when he visited @shakespeareandcoparis (he came home and asked "Is that shop famous or something? There was a big queue" π) and honestly I don't think it's something that would have occurred to me to read otherwise!
Having now read the book and re-watched the movie, my overall review is: I have no idea, whatsoever, how ANYONE read this and thought "Ah, yes. Perfect material for a Disney film." This is bleak chapter after bleak chapter, interspersed with long and detailed (π©) musings on medieval architecture. Quasimodo is treated as less than human by everyone, including the narrator; no one but Esmeralda's pet goat gets a happy ending. It's astonishing that they managed to create a hopeful masterpiece like "Out There" from this material honestly!!
That said, one thing Disney stayed surprisingly faithful to - especially for a kids' movie - is how horny Frollo is π The man is absolutely rabid, to a degree I didn't expect, and Phoebus is tragically not much better.
In short: The writing was frequently beautiful, and I'm glad I read it, but I don't think this is an unmissable classic. In fact, this is one of the rare occasions where the cartoon does it better π
βͺRead it if you are passionate, and I mean PASSIONATE, about medieval architecture and city planning. Victor Hugo has got you boo. Also if the above has made you wonder "How bad can it be?" π
π« Avoid it if you think reading severe ableism, even in a historical novel, will be too much for you. Also if you're avoiding narratives that involve sexual assault and violence.
πππβ¨
βͺThe plot: In Medieval Paris, the fates of a handful of citizens collide in the shadow of the cathedral: Gringoire, the down-on-his-luck playwright; Esmeralda, the innocent dancer; Claude Frollo, the archdeacon tortured by his horniness for Esmeralda; Phoebus, fuckboy extraordinaire; and Quasimodo, the deaf bellringer.
This edition was a surprise gift from my boyfriend when he visited @shakespeareandcoparis (he came home and asked "Is that shop famous or something? There was a big queue" π) and honestly I don't think it's something that would have occurred to me to read otherwise!
Having now read the book and re-watched the movie, my overall review is: I have no idea, whatsoever, how ANYONE read this and thought "Ah, yes. Perfect material for a Disney film." This is bleak chapter after bleak chapter, interspersed with long and detailed (π©) musings on medieval architecture. Quasimodo is treated as less than human by everyone, including the narrator; no one but Esmeralda's pet goat gets a happy ending. It's astonishing that they managed to create a hopeful masterpiece like "Out There" from this material honestly!!
That said, one thing Disney stayed surprisingly faithful to - especially for a kids' movie - is how horny Frollo is π The man is absolutely rabid, to a degree I didn't expect, and Phoebus is tragically not much better.
In short: The writing was frequently beautiful, and I'm glad I read it, but I don't think this is an unmissable classic. In fact, this is one of the rare occasions where the cartoon does it better π
βͺRead it if you are passionate, and I mean PASSIONATE, about medieval architecture and city planning. Victor Hugo has got you boo. Also if the above has made you wonder "How bad can it be?" π
π« Avoid it if you think reading severe ableism, even in a historical novel, will be too much for you. Also if you're avoiding narratives that involve sexual assault and violence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism