A review by monasterywine
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

5.0

I read les misérables when I was fifteen and I adored it and have maintained ever since that it is one of my favourite books - but does that mean anything anymore? I actually remember a lot about it, I even remember entire passages, a couple of the ones about religion; and I remember how I felt when I was reading it. but there must be an renewal date on an opinion about a book - how long can I go on assuming that what I thought when I was a teenager still holds true? I’m not saying this out of disrespect towards my fifteen-year-old self, I think she was discerning and had good taste and was probably smarter than me: it’s more about years passing. I know that when I am thirty I will still want to say that les misérables is one of my favourite books, but what will that mean, fifteen years after reading it? I don’t know when or even if I will read it again - it is so long and there are so many other books to read, but I know I would get more from it than from five other random novels. this isn’t really a review, I’m just preoccupied with the relentless passage of time. fwiw, still one of my favourites.