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Les Misérables
It is hardly surprising that Victor Hugo's 1862 masterwork should have inspired one of the most phenomenally successful musicals in the history of the Broadway stage. "Les Miserables" has long been recognized as one of the finest novels of all time, a brilliant fusion of unforgettable characters and universal themes.
Its hero is Jean Valjean, the noble peasant imprisoned. A sweeping story of love and honor in the depths of the Parisian underworld, immerses us in an epic struggle between good and evil, and carries us onto the barricades during the uprising of 1832 with a realism that is unsurpassed in modern literature. We experience the desperation of the prostitute, Fantine; the amorality of the rogue, Thenardier; and the unquenchable desire of all human beings to be genuinely free.
Hugo saw "Les Miserables" as a means of dramatizing his bitter criticism of French society, but the novel that resulted transcends its own time and place. It's an ever-fascinating story, a sweeping spectacle that dazzles the senses as it touches the heart, and this audio edition captures its lasting greatness.
Its hero is Jean Valjean, the noble peasant imprisoned. A sweeping story of love and honor in the depths of the Parisian underworld, immerses us in an epic struggle between good and evil, and carries us onto the barricades during the uprising of 1832 with a realism that is unsurpassed in modern literature. We experience the desperation of the prostitute, Fantine; the amorality of the rogue, Thenardier; and the unquenchable desire of all human beings to be genuinely free.
Hugo saw "Les Miserables" as a means of dramatizing his bitter criticism of French society, but the novel that resulted transcends its own time and place. It's an ever-fascinating story, a sweeping spectacle that dazzles the senses as it touches the heart, and this audio edition captures its lasting greatness.
- GenresClassics
6 pages, Audio Cassette
Published December 1, 1992
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March 19, 2017
I basically hated it.
True to it's name, it is entirely about a cast of characters and their miserable lives. Specifically, it is about the first character introduced and how his life ties in to many other people's lives and circles back around to him, while demonstrating the ups and downs that life typically offers. Most of the time, however, everyone is not leading the life they dream about and is struck with various forms of unfortunate circumstances. Various circumstances that I perceived to be heavily concentrated on missed opportunities due to a lack of resources such as wealth and family support. The most interesting aspect about this story I found was it's focus on villains and reformed villains and their victims. My favorite line from the book is, "He fell into a wasp nest of wits." However, I did not enjoy most of the final half of this book and found it increasingly difficult to fight from tuning out the narrator. I became bored and there was nothing new to add to the story or peak the climax. I'm not entirely sure if there was a point to the story if it isn't what I already mentioned. Thank heavens I "read" this book in audio format or I know I would've struggled to finish it. Also, I think this makes my 4th-ish audiobook and I really disliked the narrator's voice.
True to it's name, it is entirely about a cast of characters and their miserable lives. Specifically, it is about the first character introduced and how his life ties in to many other people's lives and circles back around to him, while demonstrating the ups and downs that life typically offers. Most of the time, however, everyone is not leading the life they dream about and is struck with various forms of unfortunate circumstances. Various circumstances that I perceived to be heavily concentrated on missed opportunities due to a lack of resources such as wealth and family support. The most interesting aspect about this story I found was it's focus on villains and reformed villains and their victims. My favorite line from the book is, "He fell into a wasp nest of wits." However, I did not enjoy most of the final half of this book and found it increasingly difficult to fight from tuning out the narrator. I became bored and there was nothing new to add to the story or peak the climax. I'm not entirely sure if there was a point to the story if it isn't what I already mentioned. Thank heavens I "read" this book in audio format or I know I would've struggled to finish it. Also, I think this makes my 4th-ish audiobook and I really disliked the narrator's voice.
Displaying 1 of 1 review