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Les Miserables
Enriched Classics offer readers accessible editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and commentary. Each book includes educational tools alongside the text, enabling students and readers alike to gain a deeper and more developed understanding of the writer and their work.
Les Miserables tells the story of ex-convict, Jean Valjean, and his valiant struggle to redeem his past. A potent social document of the poverty, ignorance, and brutality of man, Les Miserables is also a rousing adventure story, famous for such unrivaled scenes as the brilliant depiction of the Battle of Waterloo. Victor Hugo reached the peak of his powers in this far-reaching novel of nineteenth-century France. Here are combined the dramatic skills of Hugo the playwright, the rich imagination of Hugo the poet, and the compassion of Hugo the man.
Enriched Classics enhance your engagement by introducing and explaining the historical and cultural significance of the work, the author’s personal history, and what impact this book had on subsequent scholarship. Each book includes discussion questions that help clarify and reinforce major themes and reading recommendations for further research.
Les Miserables tells the story of ex-convict, Jean Valjean, and his valiant struggle to redeem his past. A potent social document of the poverty, ignorance, and brutality of man, Les Miserables is also a rousing adventure story, famous for such unrivaled scenes as the brilliant depiction of the Battle of Waterloo. Victor Hugo reached the peak of his powers in this far-reaching novel of nineteenth-century France. Here are combined the dramatic skills of Hugo the playwright, the rich imagination of Hugo the poet, and the compassion of Hugo the man.
Enriched Classics enhance your engagement by introducing and explaining the historical and cultural significance of the work, the author’s personal history, and what impact this book had on subsequent scholarship. Each book includes discussion questions that help clarify and reinforce major themes and reading recommendations for further research.
656 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published May 1, 2005
About the author
Victor Hugo
6,585 books13.4k followersAfter Napoleon III seized power in 1851, French writer Victor Marie Hugo went into exile and in 1870 returned to France; his novels include
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
(1831) and
Les Misérables
(1862).
This poet, playwright, novelist, dramatist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, and perhaps the most influential, important exponent of the Romantic movement in France, campaigned for human rights. People in France regard him as one of greatest poets of that country and know him better abroad.
This poet, playwright, novelist, dramatist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, and perhaps the most influential, important exponent of the Romantic movement in France, campaigned for human rights. People in France regard him as one of greatest poets of that country and know him better abroad.
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May 14, 2026
oh boy. talk about miserable…
[i didn't know how to begin this review because of how dense the book was. that being said, i really enjoyed it. my thoughts are kind of all over the place, so i'm no sure how formatted or lengthy this review is gonna be 👍]
i knew this book was title Les Misérables for a reason, but for some reason my mind had convinced me that it wasn't going to be that sad.
well i was wrong.
this is an abridged version of Les Mis containing notes and essays on the historical context, Hugo’s life, the book itself, and more. it was super helpful because my knowledge of the French Revolution was very limited, and it was also interesting to learn about Victor Hugo’s very miserable life.
no wonder this book is so sad...
first of all, everyone should read this book. don’t say it’s too long or it’s too hard to read because it’s really not. yes, it might take some time to read. yes, Hugo rambles a lot. but it was so engaging, and actually pretty readable.
it was also genius the way the characters were constructed, and the depth of Jean Valjean and Javert was brilliant.
and the book literally covers every aspect of life: coming of age, poverty, love, camaraderie, sacrifice, redemption, and more.
Jean Valjean really lived the craziest life.
not only that, the book had emotional depth - something i struggle to find in most classics since the old-timey lingo can be so boring sometimes. everyone knows this book is a sad book, but the truth of it is that the book is just about the human condition and life, making it even more impacting when you realize it's telling that the world just sucks.
especially within politics and society.
i also fell in love with the characters, especially Enjolras, Father Mabeuf, and Eponine. i loved the book so much, it felt like a life of journeys and adventures with Jean Valjean and the others.
spoilers ahead
my thoughts on scenes, characters et cetera:
arguably the most critical part of the story was when the Bishop Myriel/Bienvenu forgave Jean Valjean, calling him to live the rest of his life as an honest man after he was released from prison.
even though the bishop was the one to initiate his transformation, Valjean wasn't fully swayed by the bishop's efforts right away. it took him more instances of kindness and understanding to turn embrace compassion and honesty. even then, he was still conflicted every now and then, wanting to return to his dishonest ways.
i think that he decided to ignore his original chance at redemption because he didn't trust himself to stay honest - he was too stuck in his ways, didn't know how else to survive without being a criminal, or he couldn't find his purpose in life outside of the prison. however, all that changed when he met Cosette, learned to love, and truly embraced honesty.
i really enjoyed the early parts of their father-daughter relation ship.
this connects to the final moment of the book when Jean Valjean dies and his grave is written on: "Though fate was quite strange to him, / He lived. He died when he no longer had his angel. / The thing simply happened of itself, / as the night makes itself when the day departs."
basically shows that he felt his purpose in life was to care and love Cosette. and when she no longer needed him, he died believing he fulfilled his purpose. which is so sad but also bittersweet.
going back to the beginning, Fantine's narrative was so heartbreaking to read. how she gave up Cosette to protect her from poverty. when she gave up her hair and her teeth. it was so horrid and seeing her constantly rejected by society was so painful. and it was no help that the Thenardiers kept asking for money claiming that Cosette was sick or need more clothes, like ugh i hated them so much.
Cosette was not a favorite character only because of how underdeveloped her character was. it seemed like Hugo enjoyed writing whole backstories and narratives about characters who are seen for about three seconds, whereas Cosette is such a major part of the story, but only get like three lines. she came across as naive and shallow.
her personally was almost non-existent and i thought she was so ungrateful to Jean Valjean. like seriously, she owes her entire life to Jean Valjean, and decides to give up everything he provided her for some guy.
ahem- Marius needs to get a grip. i liked his character when he was first introduced, and his journey of exploring politics through his father and the Friends of the ABC was super interesting. but of course, he "fell in love" (it wasn't love, it was infatuation, a crush at best) and proceeds to become one the most annoying characters. the scenes where he was basically stalking Cosette made me laugh out loud, and the beginnings of their relationship were kind of sweet, but i ultimately ended up rolling my eyes whenever he spoke.
and girl, Cosette, why are you kissing a man before you even know his name??
it may be the time period, but Cosette was presented as an object or possession being passed to Marius, which made me angry. and the scenes after their marriage where Marius tried to prevent Jean Valjean and Cosette from being more familiar were so infuriating. Marius was just a whiny scumbag who got upset whenever things didn't go his way.
and the way he treated Eponine!! get out. she gave everything for you, bastard, including her life.
Cosette and Marius' marriage was so annoying because did they just forget that there's a revolution going on? and does Marius realize that all his friends are dead?? it's so crazy that they are so "in love" they don't even care about what is actually important. (i honestly think Cosette didn't ever care - did she even know there was a rebellion going on..?)
the whole June Rebellion was my favorite part of the whole book. the combination of all the narratives arriving in one setting, and the dramatics of it was just too good.
the way Gavroche joined the Friends of the ABC, even though he didn't fully understand what he was getting into, just proved how sucky the Thenardiers were. it was just so sad that he felt like he had no one, so he desperately tried to fight. i liked how he died singing the song mocking the soldiers :')
i cried the most when Father Mabeuf died. i don't know why, but it was just so emotional. he knew he was going to die, and knew that his descent into poverty and depression was the fault of society. i think he wanted to make a stand before he died. go out with a bang. (sorry pun not intended 😭)
and when Enjolras held up his holed up jacket and declared it as the new flag, i got chills. that was so good.
so far this is all i can write about this brick of book before losing my mind over how profound and revolutionary it was.
_____
currently reading: i'm coming to realize why this story is so popular and has endured the test of time.
_____
pre-read: i'm so ready
my experiences with classics have been up and down, so i'm hoping this one is as life changing as they say!
[i didn't know how to begin this review because of how dense the book was. that being said, i really enjoyed it. my thoughts are kind of all over the place, so i'm no sure how formatted or lengthy this review is gonna be 👍]
i knew this book was title Les Misérables for a reason, but for some reason my mind had convinced me that it wasn't going to be that sad.
well i was wrong.
this is an abridged version of Les Mis containing notes and essays on the historical context, Hugo’s life, the book itself, and more. it was super helpful because my knowledge of the French Revolution was very limited, and it was also interesting to learn about Victor Hugo’s very miserable life.
no wonder this book is so sad...
first of all, everyone should read this book. don’t say it’s too long or it’s too hard to read because it’s really not. yes, it might take some time to read. yes, Hugo rambles a lot. but it was so engaging, and actually pretty readable.
it was also genius the way the characters were constructed, and the depth of Jean Valjean and Javert was brilliant.
and the book literally covers every aspect of life: coming of age, poverty, love, camaraderie, sacrifice, redemption, and more.
Jean Valjean really lived the craziest life.
not only that, the book had emotional depth - something i struggle to find in most classics since the old-timey lingo can be so boring sometimes. everyone knows this book is a sad book, but the truth of it is that the book is just about the human condition and life, making it even more impacting when you realize it's telling that the world just sucks.
especially within politics and society.
i also fell in love with the characters, especially Enjolras, Father Mabeuf, and Eponine. i loved the book so much, it felt like a life of journeys and adventures with Jean Valjean and the others.
spoilers ahead
my thoughts on scenes, characters et cetera:
arguably the most critical part of the story was when the Bishop Myriel/Bienvenu forgave Jean Valjean, calling him to live the rest of his life as an honest man after he was released from prison.
even though the bishop was the one to initiate his transformation, Valjean wasn't fully swayed by the bishop's efforts right away. it took him more instances of kindness and understanding to turn embrace compassion and honesty. even then, he was still conflicted every now and then, wanting to return to his dishonest ways.
i think that he decided to ignore his original chance at redemption because he didn't trust himself to stay honest - he was too stuck in his ways, didn't know how else to survive without being a criminal, or he couldn't find his purpose in life outside of the prison. however, all that changed when he met Cosette, learned to love, and truly embraced honesty.
i really enjoyed the early parts of their father-daughter relation ship.
this connects to the final moment of the book when Jean Valjean dies and his grave is written on: "Though fate was quite strange to him, / He lived. He died when he no longer had his angel. / The thing simply happened of itself, / as the night makes itself when the day departs."
basically shows that he felt his purpose in life was to care and love Cosette. and when she no longer needed him, he died believing he fulfilled his purpose. which is so sad but also bittersweet.
going back to the beginning, Fantine's narrative was so heartbreaking to read. how she gave up Cosette to protect her from poverty. when she gave up her hair and her teeth. it was so horrid and seeing her constantly rejected by society was so painful. and it was no help that the Thenardiers kept asking for money claiming that Cosette was sick or need more clothes, like ugh i hated them so much.
Cosette was not a favorite character only because of how underdeveloped her character was. it seemed like Hugo enjoyed writing whole backstories and narratives about characters who are seen for about three seconds, whereas Cosette is such a major part of the story, but only get like three lines. she came across as naive and shallow.
her personally was almost non-existent and i thought she was so ungrateful to Jean Valjean. like seriously, she owes her entire life to Jean Valjean, and decides to give up everything he provided her for some guy.
ahem- Marius needs to get a grip. i liked his character when he was first introduced, and his journey of exploring politics through his father and the Friends of the ABC was super interesting. but of course, he "fell in love" (it wasn't love, it was infatuation, a crush at best) and proceeds to become one the most annoying characters. the scenes where he was basically stalking Cosette made me laugh out loud, and the beginnings of their relationship were kind of sweet, but i ultimately ended up rolling my eyes whenever he spoke.
and girl, Cosette, why are you kissing a man before you even know his name??
it may be the time period, but Cosette was presented as an object or possession being passed to Marius, which made me angry. and the scenes after their marriage where Marius tried to prevent Jean Valjean and Cosette from being more familiar were so infuriating. Marius was just a whiny scumbag who got upset whenever things didn't go his way.
and the way he treated Eponine!! get out. she gave everything for you, bastard, including her life.
Cosette and Marius' marriage was so annoying because did they just forget that there's a revolution going on? and does Marius realize that all his friends are dead?? it's so crazy that they are so "in love" they don't even care about what is actually important. (i honestly think Cosette didn't ever care - did she even know there was a rebellion going on..?)
the whole June Rebellion was my favorite part of the whole book. the combination of all the narratives arriving in one setting, and the dramatics of it was just too good.
the way Gavroche joined the Friends of the ABC, even though he didn't fully understand what he was getting into, just proved how sucky the Thenardiers were. it was just so sad that he felt like he had no one, so he desperately tried to fight. i liked how he died singing the song mocking the soldiers :')
i cried the most when Father Mabeuf died. i don't know why, but it was just so emotional. he knew he was going to die, and knew that his descent into poverty and depression was the fault of society. i think he wanted to make a stand before he died. go out with a bang. (sorry pun not intended 😭)
and when Enjolras held up his holed up jacket and declared it as the new flag, i got chills. that was so good.
so far this is all i can write about this brick of book before losing my mind over how profound and revolutionary it was.
_____
currently reading: i'm coming to realize why this story is so popular and has endured the test of time.
_____
pre-read: i'm so ready
my experiences with classics have been up and down, so i'm hoping this one is as life changing as they say!
June 29, 2019
Feeling disappointed with myself for putting this book on DNF (Did Not Finish). One, this copy is a mass market paperback that contains small fonts. This will give terrible headaches if I'll continue further. Two, this is a classic "war" fiction. I already saw the 1957 movie, which is four-hour long. That would be enough and I need to move on. I need fiction stories that could bring my imagination to another world of the unknown.
March 23, 2017
My 81st book read this year and just a few times I gave a 4-star rating. Faultless. Bewildering. Truly engaging.
I have been thinking what lapse I could cite in this review but there is none. This cannot be outdated as this is a historical novel and its messages still resound even up to the present generation. This is what I like about classics: their deathless universal truths about being human. We sometimes think that we are different, being in a cyberspace age and all, so we have our own sets of issues to face and armed with our own set of values to find never-before-thought-of solutions. That's not totally wrong as some circumstances have indeed changed but if you dig through these eternal literary classics, you will find that we are not really different from the characters portrayed in them. Somethings have never changed and are bound to be true forever.
Valjean the ex-convict who gets incarcerated for 5 years for stealing bread (remember the cake of Marie Antoniette?) and suffers for some more years for attempting to escape. How many of the prisoners in jail are innocent? How much stigma does our society still give to ex-convicts? Fantene who has to prostitute herself to support her child. She who is terminated from her job because having a child out of wedlock is deemed to be immoral while her lover who has impregnated her is faultless? The double standard of our society with women considered inferior to men. Javert who follows orders chasing criminals left and right without realizing that his own life may be dirtier as the criminals that he is prosecuting. The criminal system that favors the rich and punishes the innocent poor. But in the midst of these characters come Cosette who seems like a perfume in a decayed society of France in the 19th century. She is akin to the child Pearl of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlett Letter providing contrast to the decay and morass of the Napoleon France.
I read the abridged version. In 2009, when my brother and I agreed to read all books in the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die this was one of those that I picked up without really thinking. "Les Miserables! Yey! This is a 1001!" I remember shrieking with delight when I saw this copy at my favorite second-hand bookshop. I even texted my brother: "What does 'abridged' mean?" But I did not care to know that there were portions removed by the editors or publishers (Wiki says that those are the historical background of the novel). Classics used to scare me during that time so I thought that it would just be nice to have a slimmer version. Nice and easy. After all, I am just after the story and had I been interested on history, I would pick a history book. Also, I thought that this book was hard to read. Untrue. It was enjoyable and a breeze.
Really, now. I think I have to get myself a copy of the unabridged. This is really beautiful for me to settle for a shortened version. Really now.
I have been thinking what lapse I could cite in this review but there is none. This cannot be outdated as this is a historical novel and its messages still resound even up to the present generation. This is what I like about classics: their deathless universal truths about being human. We sometimes think that we are different, being in a cyberspace age and all, so we have our own sets of issues to face and armed with our own set of values to find never-before-thought-of solutions. That's not totally wrong as some circumstances have indeed changed but if you dig through these eternal literary classics, you will find that we are not really different from the characters portrayed in them. Somethings have never changed and are bound to be true forever.
Valjean the ex-convict who gets incarcerated for 5 years for stealing bread (remember the cake of Marie Antoniette?) and suffers for some more years for attempting to escape. How many of the prisoners in jail are innocent? How much stigma does our society still give to ex-convicts? Fantene who has to prostitute herself to support her child. She who is terminated from her job because having a child out of wedlock is deemed to be immoral while her lover who has impregnated her is faultless? The double standard of our society with women considered inferior to men. Javert who follows orders chasing criminals left and right without realizing that his own life may be dirtier as the criminals that he is prosecuting. The criminal system that favors the rich and punishes the innocent poor. But in the midst of these characters come Cosette who seems like a perfume in a decayed society of France in the 19th century. She is akin to the child Pearl of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlett Letter providing contrast to the decay and morass of the Napoleon France.
I read the abridged version. In 2009, when my brother and I agreed to read all books in the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die this was one of those that I picked up without really thinking. "Les Miserables! Yey! This is a 1001!" I remember shrieking with delight when I saw this copy at my favorite second-hand bookshop. I even texted my brother: "What does 'abridged' mean?" But I did not care to know that there were portions removed by the editors or publishers (Wiki says that those are the historical background of the novel). Classics used to scare me during that time so I thought that it would just be nice to have a slimmer version. Nice and easy. After all, I am just after the story and had I been interested on history, I would pick a history book. Also, I thought that this book was hard to read. Untrue. It was enjoyable and a breeze.
Really, now. I think I have to get myself a copy of the unabridged. This is really beautiful for me to settle for a shortened version. Really now.
January 31, 2025
Cosette + Marius foreverrrrrr <3 love them love Jean Valjean love Fantine poor poor Fantine hate that they took her teeth (should’ve seen my face when I read that part) hate the Thernadier’s they are cray, love the innocence of Marius and Cosette’s love even in the midst of evil and sorrow, love how this book describes love & relationships especially between Jean Valjean and Cosette. It puts words to feelings that are hard to explain. By the end I had seen the movie so it was pretty much spoiled which made it hard to want to finish. The barricade seen was too long for my liking & was tough to get through. The end was great. Woohoo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2014
Les Misérables is a wonderful introduction to classic French literature – I read the Isabel Hapgood translation and loved it! Although I’ve read a fair few short stories by Balzac and listened to an abridged version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, I had never before read anything by Hugo (1802-1885) and I didn’t know his style. Since the entire Les Mis stage show phenomenon had passed me by, I didn’t know the plot either and I was soon captivated by the pathos.
To see my review visit http://anzlitlovers.wordpress.com/201...
To see my review visit http://anzlitlovers.wordpress.com/201...
July 21, 2020
i scanned over some chapters because there is sooo much detail but SO GOODDDD you guys. i love les mis.
August 11, 2020
Les Misérables: ★★★★★
To prove just how impressive that five-star rating is, let me clear this up: I'm not a classics kinda gal.
I read a book for how interesting it sounds and not for how popular the book actually is. Usually when I read a classic it's because everyone said I should and then I end up not liking it very much.
However, j'ai adoré Les Misérables.
The writing! The characters! The storytelling! C'est parfait, tu vois! Le livre met un sourris sur ma visage, mais le livre met larmes dans mes yeux aussi.
Alright, enough flexing of my elementary-level French. I really liked this book.
(Merci et au revoir (: )
To prove just how impressive that five-star rating is, let me clear this up: I'm not a classics kinda gal.
I read a book for how interesting it sounds and not for how popular the book actually is. Usually when I read a classic it's because everyone said I should and then I end up not liking it very much.
However, j'ai adoré Les Misérables.
The writing! The characters! The storytelling! C'est parfait, tu vois! Le livre met un sourris sur ma visage, mais le livre met larmes dans mes yeux aussi.
Alright, enough flexing of my elementary-level French. I really liked this book.
(Merci et au revoir (: )
September 24, 2018
Why did I put off reading this for so long?
This is one of life's greatest mysteries.
Possessed with the thought that this book would be to dense, too hard to understand, I deprived myself of the joy and sadness that is indeed wrapped up inside of it's pages.
It's such a brilliant work, pure genius.
This is now one of my favorite books ever, one of the best works of all time. Everyone should read this, EVERYONE!
Now, if you will excuse, it is nearly time to go watch the movie!
This is one of life's greatest mysteries.
Possessed with the thought that this book would be to dense, too hard to understand, I deprived myself of the joy and sadness that is indeed wrapped up inside of it's pages.
It's such a brilliant work, pure genius.
This is now one of my favorite books ever, one of the best works of all time. Everyone should read this, EVERYONE!
Now, if you will excuse, it is nearly time to go watch the movie!
December 25, 2025
Though edited and abridged, I really enjoyed reading this and it made the story more approachable. Reading it is a much more rich experience than watching it. There are so many good quotes, and though most of that credit of course goes to the author, I think some can also go to the translator who appropriately captures the romantic tone and also maintains the humorous parts.
Some of my favorite quotes come from Marius (my lover boy extreme) when he was writing a letter to Cosette:
“The reduction of the universe to a single being, the expansion of a single being even to God, this is love.”
“Love partakes of the soul itself. It is of the same nature. Like it, it is a divine spark; like it, it is incorruptible, indivisible, imperishable. It is a point of fire which is within us, which is immortal and infinite, which nothing can limit and which nothing can extinguish. We feel it burn even in the marrow of our bones, and we see it radiate even to the depths of the sky.”
“You who suffer because you love, love still more. To die of love is to live by it.”
Some of my favorite quotes come from Marius (my lover boy extreme) when he was writing a letter to Cosette:
“The reduction of the universe to a single being, the expansion of a single being even to God, this is love.”
“Love partakes of the soul itself. It is of the same nature. Like it, it is a divine spark; like it, it is incorruptible, indivisible, imperishable. It is a point of fire which is within us, which is immortal and infinite, which nothing can limit and which nothing can extinguish. We feel it burn even in the marrow of our bones, and we see it radiate even to the depths of the sky.”
“You who suffer because you love, love still more. To die of love is to live by it.”
January 16, 2023
This abridged edition was the one I first read in high school, completely unfamiliar with the musical or plot. For years I considered it my favorite book due to the impact it had on me: such powerful messages of grace, forgiveness, and redemption, especially contrasted against the strict black-and-white legalism that has always come more naturally to me.
I've since read an unabridged version, which admittedly I didn't care for as much.
I've since read an unabridged version, which admittedly I didn't care for as much.
January 16, 2025
Now time to read the unabridged and highlight every other sentence
March 15, 2026
Sometimes, I read "classics," and absolutely wish someone had warned me it's one of those "used to be relevant but isn't we just keep making high schoolers read them" books. Les Miserables is not one of those. It's VERY long, I had to swap back and forth between audio and physical, but it's also very good. Most (if not all?) of what I would have thought was creative juice for the musical was pulled STRAIGHT from the book, direct line reads, direct moments. Lil Gavrouche was still one of my favorites. I was just as much in tears here when Enjolras takes his last fatal stand as when I watch the musical. Cosette's final plea to Valjean and his answer "Forbid me now to die" is there in French/English the same as you've seen on stage and screen. 10/10. Would read again. Would recommend.
April 9, 2026
I love the romance plotline, it makes the novel a bit squeal-worthy. I understand Fantine's choice to leave Cosette with the Thenardiers, but she should've done more research or whatever because they were clearly bad people. I kinda wish Eponine hadn't died; she should've just moved on and tried to make a life for herself elsewhere. I don't understand why JVJ wasn't completely honest with Cosette, but it worked out in the end. Gillenormand was a very irritating character, honestly, but he saw the error of his ways and made things right with Marius in the end.
Overall, a good, introspective book on society and right and wrong, 10/10 would recommend.
Overall, a good, introspective book on society and right and wrong, 10/10 would recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2012
There are few fictional novels that have the capacity to touch the human soul like Les Mis. The ubiquitous show of human generosity and love throughout the course of the novel was not only humbling as a reader, but inspiring: Jean Valjean and his love for Cosette and his eventual show of love for Marius; The reciprocal compassion that Javert and Jean Valjean show each other in their respective most desperate times; Even Eponine, who was raised by scoundrels, sacrificed her life for another, and the list goes on.
If there is one line from the novel that perfectly sums the essence of this novel, it is, "There is a point, moreover, at which the unfortunate and the infamous are associated and confounded in a single word, a fatal word, les miserables; whose fault is it? And then, is it not when the fall is lowest that charity ought to be the greatest" (254)?
If there is one line from the novel that perfectly sums the essence of this novel, it is, "There is a point, moreover, at which the unfortunate and the infamous are associated and confounded in a single word, a fatal word, les miserables; whose fault is it? And then, is it not when the fall is lowest that charity ought to be the greatest" (254)?
September 6, 2012
This is not a quick read. I *often* found myself having to reread paragraphs before I "got" them. But when I got them, boy did I get them. The reward for making the effort to understand was more than worth it. It really spoke to me, this story of beauty in misery. The story is framed by absolute poetry in the writing. The way the characters' lives intertwined was fantastic, allowing the reader a really rich understanding of the nuances of interactions. I did have trouble following all the characters of the revolution, but the main characters' stories were enough to keep me going.
Film rating: PG. The story includes both prostitution and murder, but with a tactful lack of graphic details.
Film rating: PG. The story includes both prostitution and murder, but with a tactful lack of graphic details.
January 17, 2024
Solid 4.5 but I do think that may only be because I read my dad's (an English teacher) desk copy with notations. I generally have a harder time making my way through this style of older writing.
DEFINITELY go with the abridged version IMO. My dad's recommendation was a blessing. Still a very worthwhile story.
DEFINITELY go with the abridged version IMO. My dad's recommendation was a blessing. Still a very worthwhile story.
June 18, 2009
As desperately as I think this book need to be abridged, I'm never happy with any of the abridgments. This was the longest abridgment I could find, and it still left out stuff I wish were left in. And left in a few things I could have done without. Ahh, the dangers of abriging.....
February 24, 2017
Read the abridged version. Really liked it, couldn't put the book down. Want to read the complete version!
June 11, 2013
I had to read the abridged version for a class assignment. I'm sure I'll stumble upon this great classic in its entirety some time, soon.
August 4, 2013
Absolutely powerful! One of the most amazing novels I've ever read. Such a beautiful story of mercy triumphing over justice.
August 26, 2016
Perfect emotional drama. This book has influenced my life immensely. The heart, love and compassion that we aim for in humanity are expressed so beautifully by Victor Hugo.
September 18, 2022
I read this book many times in the 1970s and 1980s. It is a great abridgement.
April 30, 2026
Went for a classic!
Although the original published version of this book is about 1600 pages, I decided that I don’t hate myself enough to put myself through that and went for the abridged.
As a musical fan (and someone reading this in anticipation of seeing a professional stage production of it for the first time) I was happy I made the choice to read it! I will have so much to compare and enjoy in tandem when I see the show this week, which is a lovely treat for me.
The abridged cut a few things which I felt should have remained, especially in fantine’s storyline. However it was a really enjoyable novel! I was impressed with its readability for something that is two centuries old. Of course, this is the abridged so I’m sure the 1000 pages cut from it had a lot of tedious parts that I’m missing. I do often find classics to be hard to follow, and this wasn’t!
I haven’t decided if I regret reading this version and not going for the full 1600 pages. Part of me feels like I definitely missed something, but the other larger part of me knows that if I had been annoyed by the length I wouldn’t have enjoyed the final product. I THINK I made the right decision, but there’s no way to know!
Regardless, I’m excited for my show this week. And glad I’ve accomplished (in my own way) a classic read!
Although the original published version of this book is about 1600 pages, I decided that I don’t hate myself enough to put myself through that and went for the abridged.
As a musical fan (and someone reading this in anticipation of seeing a professional stage production of it for the first time) I was happy I made the choice to read it! I will have so much to compare and enjoy in tandem when I see the show this week, which is a lovely treat for me.
The abridged cut a few things which I felt should have remained, especially in fantine’s storyline. However it was a really enjoyable novel! I was impressed with its readability for something that is two centuries old. Of course, this is the abridged so I’m sure the 1000 pages cut from it had a lot of tedious parts that I’m missing. I do often find classics to be hard to follow, and this wasn’t!
I haven’t decided if I regret reading this version and not going for the full 1600 pages. Part of me feels like I definitely missed something, but the other larger part of me knows that if I had been annoyed by the length I wouldn’t have enjoyed the final product. I THINK I made the right decision, but there’s no way to know!
Regardless, I’m excited for my show this week. And glad I’ve accomplished (in my own way) a classic read!
July 27, 2025
The husband and I read this out loud together, and it took for-e-ver. Even though it’s the abridged version I read in high school. 😂
So I rated this 5 stars officially, because I love this book. And I stand by the fact that is it indeed more than worthy of 5 stars.
But here’s the caveat. It’s a *really* hard book to read out loud if you don’t speak French. (And neither of us do.) Neither of us have ever even been to France. There is a lot of French geography, French names, etc in this book, obviously. And if you were reading these French words silently in your head, it wouldn’t matter if you could pronounce them or not because you’d know what they looked like and could recognize them if they came up again in the text. But if you’re reading out loud? You just have to butcher it, and that makes for really choppy reading. At least it did for us. So the read aloud experience was probably just a 2.5-3 star experience. But the book is definitely a 5 star book.
So I rated this 5 stars officially, because I love this book. And I stand by the fact that is it indeed more than worthy of 5 stars.
But here’s the caveat. It’s a *really* hard book to read out loud if you don’t speak French. (And neither of us do.) Neither of us have ever even been to France. There is a lot of French geography, French names, etc in this book, obviously. And if you were reading these French words silently in your head, it wouldn’t matter if you could pronounce them or not because you’d know what they looked like and could recognize them if they came up again in the text. But if you’re reading out loud? You just have to butcher it, and that makes for really choppy reading. At least it did for us. So the read aloud experience was probably just a 2.5-3 star experience. But the book is definitely a 5 star book.
September 6, 2025
An incredible book, a few too many coincidences for my liking, but I still teared up a few times. I live for the Jean Valjean redemption plot.
December 27, 2025
A stunning story of redemption.
June 3, 2025
That was a doozy. Some high highs and some low lows, but the last 1/3 of the book goes crazy. Wish it was more modern english but it was still a banger
Read
June 6, 2020This is a sweeping historical socio-political romance that starts just after the war of 1815 and ends beyond the Cholera Pandemic of the 1830's. So what are the themes? Social injustice, legal vs moral rights and the redemptive power of love.
In paris in 1832 the hospitals could not keep pace, politicians took to bed from sickness and morgues were overflowing. There was already a social and economic ineqaulity and caste that was made even greater with the pandemic. The trigger event for the French Rebellion in 1832 was the death of General Jean Lemarque. He was a hero of the republic and was a critic of the constitutional monarchy of King Louis Philipp.
Lemarque's death from cholera sparked conspiracy theories and ultimately triggered the rebellion. The rebellion was suppressed by the National Guard and the Army.
During the 1830's Paris was an industrialized slum and was densely packed with large numbers of poor - the slums became breeding grounds for Cholera. "...Soon class tensions reached, quite literally, a fever pitch. The rich blamed the poor for spreading the disease, while the poor thought that the rich were trying to poison them. In this climate of fear and animosity, the suffering Parisians directed their anger at the government."
"...Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables includes a fictional account of the brief uprising which followed General Lamarque's death. In Les Misérables, Hugo views Lamarque as the government's champion of the poor. Hugo says that Lamarque was "loved by the people because he accepted the chances the future offered, loved by the mob because he served the emperor well". Hugo portrays Lamarque as an emblem of French pride and honour..."
The insurrection was a failure both historically and in the novel, but it is romanticized in the novel.
Lastly, Hugo is extravagantly sentimental and romantic, but this is what gives the novel its credibility - its extravagant paternalism.
The novel, the characters, the legal, the moral, the timing of events and the sweeping nature in which all collide makes this romance timeless and immortal. The events of 1832 could easily be the events of 2020.
In paris in 1832 the hospitals could not keep pace, politicians took to bed from sickness and morgues were overflowing. There was already a social and economic ineqaulity and caste that was made even greater with the pandemic. The trigger event for the French Rebellion in 1832 was the death of General Jean Lemarque. He was a hero of the republic and was a critic of the constitutional monarchy of King Louis Philipp.
Lemarque's death from cholera sparked conspiracy theories and ultimately triggered the rebellion. The rebellion was suppressed by the National Guard and the Army.
During the 1830's Paris was an industrialized slum and was densely packed with large numbers of poor - the slums became breeding grounds for Cholera. "...Soon class tensions reached, quite literally, a fever pitch. The rich blamed the poor for spreading the disease, while the poor thought that the rich were trying to poison them. In this climate of fear and animosity, the suffering Parisians directed their anger at the government."
"...Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables includes a fictional account of the brief uprising which followed General Lamarque's death. In Les Misérables, Hugo views Lamarque as the government's champion of the poor. Hugo says that Lamarque was "loved by the people because he accepted the chances the future offered, loved by the mob because he served the emperor well". Hugo portrays Lamarque as an emblem of French pride and honour..."
The insurrection was a failure both historically and in the novel, but it is romanticized in the novel.
Lastly, Hugo is extravagantly sentimental and romantic, but this is what gives the novel its credibility - its extravagant paternalism.
The novel, the characters, the legal, the moral, the timing of events and the sweeping nature in which all collide makes this romance timeless and immortal. The events of 1832 could easily be the events of 2020.
October 7, 2013
I was hoping that reading the abridged version of the book would resonate with me more than the film did. Though vaguely familiar with the story prior to seeing the 2012 adaption, the movie was very much a "new" experience for me. And you wanna know what? I was really, really, really bored with it. And I thought maybe reading the book would fix that. It didn't.
First of all, I actually love the story. In general. As in, if I read a cliffnotes version of it, or maybe a version adapted for modern times somehow, I would probably be all about it. But christ, Hugo is just so goddamn wordy. I can handle descriptions, but his are superfluous- they don't add to the context, they don't deepen the atmosphere, they don't add clues for the reader later- they just add length to an already fairly interminable novel. (I can't imagine the unabridged version; I imagine a lot of furious masturbation to Napoleon.)
Regardless of all that, I did enjoy the story, although there were way too many coincidences for my taste. (Maybe this is because someone on Cracked had recently pointed out all of them in Dickens.) Are there only twelve people in Paris? I get people were confined to their neighbourhoods a lot more, but the fact that three main characters kept running into each other across time and space... it's like a Time Lord was at work.
Anyway this is a classic novel and it's not impossible to read. The overarching story is lovely and there are excellent and thought-provoking themes to the story. It just doesn't need to be as long and tedious as it is. If you at least somewhat enjoyed the movie or have a passion for French literature, you'll probably enjoy it. But man, I liked Dumas a whole lot better.
First of all, I actually love the story. In general. As in, if I read a cliffnotes version of it, or maybe a version adapted for modern times somehow, I would probably be all about it. But christ, Hugo is just so goddamn wordy. I can handle descriptions, but his are superfluous- they don't add to the context, they don't deepen the atmosphere, they don't add clues for the reader later- they just add length to an already fairly interminable novel. (I can't imagine the unabridged version; I imagine a lot of furious masturbation to Napoleon.)
Regardless of all that, I did enjoy the story, although there were way too many coincidences for my taste. (Maybe this is because someone on Cracked had recently pointed out all of them in Dickens.) Are there only twelve people in Paris? I get people were confined to their neighbourhoods a lot more, but the fact that three main characters kept running into each other across time and space... it's like a Time Lord was at work.
Anyway this is a classic novel and it's not impossible to read. The overarching story is lovely and there are excellent and thought-provoking themes to the story. It just doesn't need to be as long and tedious as it is. If you at least somewhat enjoyed the movie or have a passion for French literature, you'll probably enjoy it. But man, I liked Dumas a whole lot better.
March 30, 2017
This is one of the first classics I've read in a while, and one that I've wanted to read since I played Eponine in a stage production of Les Mis in high school. I always found the story fascinating, and actually always loved the Broadway musical that is based on this.
I'd always heard a lot about Hugo, but never actually read any of his work. This is what I would say: he is an extremely eloquent, detailed and beautiful writer. His words are often closer to poetry than prose, and he was able to make me identify with a character (Jean Valjean) that was so unlike myself.
About Jean Valjean...he may be one of the most beautifully and exquisitely realized characters in fiction. Les Misérables is ultimately his journey, and it is a beautiful, horrible one. The other characters are also incredibly intriguing, particularly Marius Pontmercy and Javert. Some of the best scenes in this book take place during the French Revolution; these scenes were the page turners.
Having said this...there are points in even this shorter version that I found lagging, preachy, and even boring. I would caution those wanting to read it that you may find there are times you simply want to give up on reading it altogether - but stick with it, by the end you'll be glad you did.
Lastly, I would highly recommend this abridged version of the book for someone wanting the main taste of the story, without having the patience or time to read the full 1400 page version. At times I did feel like I was copping out a bit by reading this version, but I don't think it made the experience of reading it any less for me.
Darn it, now I definitely want to go back to France.
I'd always heard a lot about Hugo, but never actually read any of his work. This is what I would say: he is an extremely eloquent, detailed and beautiful writer. His words are often closer to poetry than prose, and he was able to make me identify with a character (Jean Valjean) that was so unlike myself.
About Jean Valjean...he may be one of the most beautifully and exquisitely realized characters in fiction. Les Misérables is ultimately his journey, and it is a beautiful, horrible one. The other characters are also incredibly intriguing, particularly Marius Pontmercy and Javert. Some of the best scenes in this book take place during the French Revolution; these scenes were the page turners.
Having said this...there are points in even this shorter version that I found lagging, preachy, and even boring. I would caution those wanting to read it that you may find there are times you simply want to give up on reading it altogether - but stick with it, by the end you'll be glad you did.
Lastly, I would highly recommend this abridged version of the book for someone wanting the main taste of the story, without having the patience or time to read the full 1400 page version. At times I did feel like I was copping out a bit by reading this version, but I don't think it made the experience of reading it any less for me.
Darn it, now I definitely want to go back to France.
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