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World Ain't Ready
Les Misérables - Enjolras/Grantaire
Enjolras presses his lips together. He already looks pained, and Grantaire hasn't even opened his mouth yet. That's got to be a record, even for them.
"I need a favor," he says at last.
"With what?" says Grantaire. "Ooh, are you forming a cult? Can I join? I'd be awesome at cults, I just know it." He ticks off his qualifications on his fingers. "I love chanting, I look great in robes—"
(High school AU. Grantaire the disaffected stoner is pulled into a cause bigger than himself. Or: in which there are pretend boyfriends for great justice.)
Words: 185796 complete
Enjolras presses his lips together. He already looks pained, and Grantaire hasn't even opened his mouth yet. That's got to be a record, even for them.
"I need a favor," he says at last.
"With what?" says Grantaire. "Ooh, are you forming a cult? Can I join? I'd be awesome at cults, I just know it." He ticks off his qualifications on his fingers. "I love chanting, I look great in robes—"
(High school AU. Grantaire the disaffected stoner is pulled into a cause bigger than himself. Or: in which there are pretend boyfriends for great justice.)
Words: 185796 complete
395 pages, ebook
Published September 14, 2014
4 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
May 23, 2018
Yes, this is fanfiction. Yes, it's a high school AU featuring Les Amis de l'ABC from Les Misérables. Yes, it imagines an angsty, pretend-boyfriends scenario between Enjolras and Grantaire as seventeen-year-olds. And yes, it won't be everyone's cup of tea.
But still. This turned out to be one of my favorite non-fantasy teen novels (yes, novel—it is not in any sense short) in years. Edited down a bit, and with a slew of name changes, I could absolutely see it being picked up by a mainstream publisher.
If you like unrequited pining, bisexual angst, high school students being ridiculous and adorable gay couples, this may be the story for you.
But still. This turned out to be one of my favorite non-fantasy teen novels (yes, novel—it is not in any sense short) in years. Edited down a bit, and with a slew of name changes, I could absolutely see it being picked up by a mainstream publisher.
If you like unrequited pining, bisexual angst, high school students being ridiculous and adorable gay couples, this may be the story for you.
June 26, 2018
Forget the world, I wasn't ready.
September 12, 2023
Re-read Sept 2023: No matter your age, autumn is back-to-school time, and how better to celebrate than a ridiculously angsty, sarcastic, clever, gorgeous pine-fest? This was even better the second time around!
They say there's no better cure for a book hangover than another book hangover. So: mission accomplished!
Way better than the original! Almost as long, but way better!
This actually exceeds Carry On-levels of mutual oblivious pining. But much funnier.* [Insert delighted cackle.]
Note for my fellow "Grantaire Enjolras les mis ending" googlers: there are no tragic barricade deaths in this fic! I repeat: no tragic barricade deaths!! There is definitely a "come the revolution" feel, but unlike some people *cough*Victor Hugo*cough* idiopathicsmile feels no compulsion to kill their gays.
Also no "I die beautifully in the rain and you're sad for 2.5 minutes before you go back to pining over Cosette, you basic-iest of all basic bitches" deaths. Just fyi.
Seriously, I hearted this so hard. Loved it.
* I should qualify this by saying that there is a lot of heavy stuff in here -- bullying, homophobia, anxiety, Eponine's abusive parents, adults passively or actively making things worse, just general high school awfulness. But Grantaire's voice is amazing, and the ABC gang are consistently hilarious. This probably shouldn't work as well as it does, but it does.
Updated with link, because I am an enabler. Downloadable as an epub for those with an account.
Thanks once again to wasteland baby for the rec!
They say there's no better cure for a book hangover than another book hangover. So: mission accomplished!
Way better than the original! Almost as long, but way better!
This actually exceeds Carry On-levels of mutual oblivious pining. But much funnier.* [Insert delighted cackle.]
Note for my fellow "Grantaire Enjolras les mis ending" googlers: there are no tragic barricade deaths in this fic! I repeat: no tragic barricade deaths!! There is definitely a "come the revolution" feel, but unlike some people *cough*Victor Hugo*cough* idiopathicsmile feels no compulsion to kill their gays.
Also no "I die beautifully in the rain and you're sad for 2.5 minutes before you go back to pining over Cosette, you basic-iest of all basic bitches" deaths. Just fyi.
Seriously, I hearted this so hard. Loved it.
* I should qualify this by saying that there is a lot of heavy stuff in here -- bullying, homophobia, anxiety, Eponine's abusive parents, adults passively or actively making things worse, just general high school awfulness. But Grantaire's voice is amazing, and the ABC gang are consistently hilarious. This probably shouldn't work as well as it does, but it does.
Updated with link, because I am an enabler. Downloadable as an epub for those with an account.
Thanks once again to wasteland baby for the rec!
May 2, 2023
god I forgot how much a good high school au can slap! extra points for shamelessly setting the story in detroit sometime during the second bush administration and still having everyone retain the weird 19th ct french names.
no idea who most of these people are, mind, but I do love to see teenagers angsting and going to prom!!
no idea who most of these people are, mind, but I do love to see teenagers angsting and going to prom!!
June 4, 2023
talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it.
Read
July 22, 2020OH MY GOD... This was so, so, so good!!!
Honestly, this is the best fanfiction I have read in a while! (maybe ever???) I love slow burns, and it had been so long since I just... sat down and DEVOURED a huge fic. (and devour I did, by the way, did I even do anything else since I started it on Sunday evening??? Besides eating, sleeping, showering and studying?? I actually don't remember spending my free time doing anything other than reading this fic wtf)
I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS ABOUT ENJOLRAS AND GRANTAIRE AND THIS AU... GOOD. JUST, GOOD CONTENT! The only thing I'm sad about is that it doesn't have an epilogue... I just want MOREEEEE!!!! THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT! THE ANGST! THE SLOW BURN!!! THE ACTING!!!! THE FRIENDS!!! IT HAS EVERYTHING I LOVE IN FANFIC!!!!!!
I don't reread fic, unless it's a one-shot, but I feel like I might come back to this...
Honestly, this is the best fanfiction I have read in a while! (maybe ever???) I love slow burns, and it had been so long since I just... sat down and DEVOURED a huge fic. (and devour I did, by the way, did I even do anything else since I started it on Sunday evening??? Besides eating, sleeping, showering and studying?? I actually don't remember spending my free time doing anything other than reading this fic wtf)
I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS ABOUT ENJOLRAS AND GRANTAIRE AND THIS AU... GOOD. JUST, GOOD CONTENT! The only thing I'm sad about is that it doesn't have an epilogue... I just want MOREEEEE!!!! THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT! THE ANGST! THE SLOW BURN!!! THE ACTING!!!! THE FRIENDS!!! IT HAS EVERYTHING I LOVE IN FANFIC!!!!!!
I don't reread fic, unless it's a one-shot, but I feel like I might come back to this...
May 29, 2022
yes this is fanfic, yes I am adding it to my goodreads. docking a star because the ending was rushed and I wasn't sure if high school kids are entirely my vibe, but it definitely came through. the writing style was a real page turner and R will always be THE blueprint of depressed but cool men with low self-esteem in any version of him
September 4, 2017
OH MY GOD. I'm so surprised to find this here. One of the best fanfics I've ever read
March 28, 2021
Yes this is a fanfic but I did not spend 3 days reading this on my grandpas ranch instead of the book I brought for it not to count towards my reading goal
June 24, 2024
June 2024: Wow has it really been five years since I read this? Super sweet YA.
April 2019: Oh my GOD I’m not even in this fandom and I loved this SO MUCH. Funny and angsty and sweet and GOOD. Also, obviously fanfic doesn’t need to be traditionally published fiction to be amazing, but if the writer just changed the French names I feel like they could publish this as a YA novel and it would launch a loyal fandom of its own. SO good.
April 2019: Oh my GOD I’m not even in this fandom and I loved this SO MUCH. Funny and angsty and sweet and GOOD. Also, obviously fanfic doesn’t need to be traditionally published fiction to be amazing, but if the writer just changed the French names I feel like they could publish this as a YA novel and it would launch a loyal fandom of its own. SO good.
April 21, 2023
you know how we often look at fanfics and jokingly say "wow, this is the best piece of literature I've ever read"
bro I don't think it's a joke anymore
bro I don't think it's a joke anymore
January 27, 2025
I mean. 500 stars.
I finish this story and immediately want to start it over again so I don't have to say goodbye. This book, with idiopathicsmile's way of doing these characters, the dialog moments, and just the whole effin' plot, has my heart forever. There's a part of me that will forever relate to Grantaire, and another part of me that sees my own passion for change in Enjolras and the rest of the ABC. There are so many moments in this book that make me grin like a fool ("I don't think a hurricane could stop you, babe."), that make my heart ache ("God, Grantaire, what was your plan?"), and that make me want to climb onto a barricade and scream at oppressors. Is this maybe my favorite book forever? Quite possibly.
---
Pre-Read: I have lost count of how many times I have read this book, but it's been at least a half a dozen times in the last 8 or 9 years. Here's to hoping another re-read gets me out of my reading slump! Starting the audiobook version this time, which is 21 hours, so it should keep me entertained for a little while.
And yes, this is technically a fanfic. But if it was a published novel, it would be at the top of my rec list.
I finish this story and immediately want to start it over again so I don't have to say goodbye. This book, with idiopathicsmile's way of doing these characters, the dialog moments, and just the whole effin' plot, has my heart forever. There's a part of me that will forever relate to Grantaire, and another part of me that sees my own passion for change in Enjolras and the rest of the ABC. There are so many moments in this book that make me grin like a fool ("I don't think a hurricane could stop you, babe."), that make my heart ache ("God, Grantaire, what was your plan?"), and that make me want to climb onto a barricade and scream at oppressors. Is this maybe my favorite book forever? Quite possibly.
---
Pre-Read: I have lost count of how many times I have read this book, but it's been at least a half a dozen times in the last 8 or 9 years. Here's to hoping another re-read gets me out of my reading slump! Starting the audiobook version this time, which is 21 hours, so it should keep me entertained for a little while.
And yes, this is technically a fanfic. But if it was a published novel, it would be at the top of my rec list.
February 20, 2017
Ohhh! This was such a beautiful reading! SO FULL OF EMOTIONS!
This fanfic is really well written and in character! I can totally imagine Les Amis in Highschool, with their small group trying to fight for human rights!
I fell in love with each one of the characters ALL OVER AGAIN! But especially with Jehan! He is so precious, so strong and yet innocent... so kind and different... so brave!
And Joly! Our fanboy! Talking about Tv shows and Space facts!!!
Eponine was so independent and trying so hard for her little brother! Showing that even with a very bad situation at home, she could make beautiful things! Her friendship with Musichetta felt so natural and beautiful!
Don't even let me start with Combeferre!!! Inventing his own language when he was a kid, and being compared to a teacher!!
But I think what I enjoyed the best in this fic was the slow progress in Grantaire's mental health. How comfortable he grew to be... how his self-esteem started to change a bit, how he started to draw again, how he opened up to the possibility of therapy!
It was endearing to read about Enjolras (secretly a dork! :D) and how oblivious both of them were!
Oh boys!!! the best fake relationship fic i've ever read!
This fanfic is really well written and in character! I can totally imagine Les Amis in Highschool, with their small group trying to fight for human rights!
I fell in love with each one of the characters ALL OVER AGAIN! But especially with Jehan! He is so precious, so strong and yet innocent... so kind and different... so brave!
And Joly! Our fanboy! Talking about Tv shows and Space facts!!!
Eponine was so independent and trying so hard for her little brother! Showing that even with a very bad situation at home, she could make beautiful things! Her friendship with Musichetta felt so natural and beautiful!
Don't even let me start with Combeferre!!! Inventing his own language when he was a kid, and being compared to a teacher!!
But I think what I enjoyed the best in this fic was the slow progress in Grantaire's mental health. How comfortable he grew to be... how his self-esteem started to change a bit, how he started to draw again, how he opened up to the possibility of therapy!
It was endearing to read about Enjolras (secretly a dork! :D) and how oblivious both of them were!
Oh boys!!! the best fake relationship fic i've ever read!
February 22, 2022
yeah maybe it’s cringe to log this on my goodreads but it’s over twice the length of most novels and i annotated it like high literature w/ tovey so whatever cringe culture is dead. and it’s not just about the romance, it’s about—and I cannot stress this enough—the insurance fraud.
August 10, 2021
Takže jsem tu náhodou našla svoji oblíbenou fanfikci. Dobře, konečně si to můžu zase znovu (asi popadesáté) přečíst aniž bych se cítila provinile, že zanedbám svoji čtenářskou výzvu.
Nicméně!!! I když je to fanfikce, je to napsaný tak, že si to užije i ten, co o Les Mis a Victoru Hugovi jaktěživ neslyšel. A že to stojí za to! Ostatní komentáře zde na GR i přímo pod povídkou na AO3 vám to potvrdí. Tohle je mnohonásobně lepší než většina oficiálně vydávaných YA contemporary knih.
Prosím, přečtěte si to. Prosím.
Nicméně!!! I když je to fanfikce, je to napsaný tak, že si to užije i ten, co o Les Mis a Victoru Hugovi jaktěživ neslyšel. A že to stojí za to! Ostatní komentáře zde na GR i přímo pod povídkou na AO3 vám to potvrdí. Tohle je mnohonásobně lepší než většina oficiálně vydávaných YA contemporary knih.
Prosím, přečtěte si to. Prosím.
January 1, 2025
Literally THE blueprint
February 8, 2017
There's a lot of bad fic out there.
This is awesome. It's the perfect specimen of a belly-laughing, hair-tugging, sigh-heaving, tear-wiping, awwwwwwwww-ing, feel-good fic. It's not the heaviest, but it's not just surface-level fluff either. I love seeing different authors' takes on the Les Mis characters, and this one is certainly very endearing. The humor is on point, and does not let up or get old. Highly recommend for a fun read!
This is awesome. It's the perfect specimen of a belly-laughing, hair-tugging, sigh-heaving, tear-wiping, awwwwwwwww-ing, feel-good fic. It's not the heaviest, but it's not just surface-level fluff either. I love seeing different authors' takes on the Les Mis characters, and this one is certainly very endearing. The humor is on point, and does not let up or get old. Highly recommend for a fun read!
February 2, 2021
Feeeeelings.......
January 5, 2024
First of all…. Yes, this is Les Mis fanfiction and what about it? I didn’t spend 8 hours reading this for it to not count towards my Goodreads Reading Challenge, especially as it’s 200k words (arguably longer than the average novel). Plus it’s lived rent free in my mind since I first read it back in 2017.
I would argue that this fanfic is BETTER written than a lot of the published romance novels I’ve read; it has the perfect level of banter, character development, plot progression… Plus Grantaire is such an entertaining protagonist and some of his jokes are straight up Live at the Apollo worthy. Plus the subplot about tackling homophobia in 2005? Incredible. Flawlessly executed.
I will recommend this fic until the day I die. Anyway, I’ll get back to reading *real* books now.
I would argue that this fanfic is BETTER written than a lot of the published romance novels I’ve read; it has the perfect level of banter, character development, plot progression… Plus Grantaire is such an entertaining protagonist and some of his jokes are straight up Live at the Apollo worthy. Plus the subplot about tackling homophobia in 2005? Incredible. Flawlessly executed.
I will recommend this fic until the day I die. Anyway, I’ll get back to reading *real* books now.
December 18, 2016
best book ive read so far
April 21, 2017
Amazingly funny and charming. I couldn't stop reading.
December 11, 2017
I've read this fic more times than I can count and it still continues to be one of my favorite stories I've ever read.
March 27, 2018
I don't really read fanfic.
I've read this multiple times over the course of four years. Each time is like the first.
I've read this multiple times over the course of four years. Each time is like the first.
March 18, 2019
1) CANNOT believe this is on goodreads
2) this book is better than everything charles dickens, stephen king, and mark twain ever wrote COMBINED
2) this book is better than everything charles dickens, stephen king, and mark twain ever wrote COMBINED
February 15, 2023
cringe culture is dead im putting this on my goodreads
November 19, 2021
Don't consider this a fanfiction, because it's not. The writing took my breath away every time, there's banter, there's a fun insight on Grantaire's thoughts, and moments when I felt like I was being stripped of my very own skin and everything I am was being carefully transcripted on the page. I could relate to R in a worryingly profound way and his story gave me comfort in a... not so bright period of my life. This work of art made me happy, angry, sad, euphoric, enraged and so many other things. It's way better than lots of actual books.
Basically Grantaire is his old people's-nature-is-awful self but make it 17 and American, a closeted lgbt fella in a very conservative school, and meets and plunges in love with Enjolras, still the rioty hungry-for-justice student. There's pretend date but it's not... cheesy? I'm not a huge fan of the trope because I've seen it done badly way too many times, but this is good. It's what people are behind the facade and it crushed me. The vulnerability or certain characters and the strength of others just sweeps you off your feet. I cried in my bed at 3 am and stifled laughter under the covers two minutes after.
I'm just so happy I like reading and I got into Les Miserables in that exact moment, or I probably wouldn't have read this story when I mostly needed it. If you like that glorious band of revolutionaries from 1832, or even if you don't, really, please read this. It absolutely is worth it.
Side note, the author has a tumblr for the audio drama she's publishing (it should be much shorter and the names and some minor stuff are changed for copyright, I think) and it's really good, check it out too!
http://idiopath-fic-smile.tumblr.com
Basically Grantaire is his old people's-nature-is-awful self but make it 17 and American, a closeted lgbt fella in a very conservative school, and meets and plunges in love with Enjolras, still the rioty hungry-for-justice student. There's pretend date but it's not... cheesy? I'm not a huge fan of the trope because I've seen it done badly way too many times, but this is good. It's what people are behind the facade and it crushed me. The vulnerability or certain characters and the strength of others just sweeps you off your feet. I cried in my bed at 3 am and stifled laughter under the covers two minutes after.
I'm just so happy I like reading and I got into Les Miserables in that exact moment, or I probably wouldn't have read this story when I mostly needed it. If you like that glorious band of revolutionaries from 1832, or even if you don't, really, please read this. It absolutely is worth it.
Side note, the author has a tumblr for the audio drama she's publishing (it should be much shorter and the names and some minor stuff are changed for copyright, I think) and it's really good, check it out too!
http://idiopath-fic-smile.tumblr.com
February 27, 2025
How am I just now discovering that fan fiction can be logged on Goodreads…
According to my ao3 history, I’ve visited this story 80 times. I discovered it at age 14 or 15, and every time I stumble back I worry that it’ll lose its magic. That I’ll finally view it with the eyes of an adult and realize it wasn’t as charming, witty, and touching as I remember. Thankfully, having just finished my 5th re-read, I can assure myself that this story deserves its place in my heart.
Grantaire and Enjolras are very dear to me and it is such fun to read a story that captures them (and all the Amis) so well. The plot and characterization of Grantaire remind me a lot of things with which my younger self struggled. It manages to be serious without becoming distressingly angsty. The constant quips definitely helped in this task and genuinely had me laughing.
This story allows me to recontextualize thoughts and memories of myself in a more positive light, which is very special to me. I’ll definitely be returning for a 6th re-read soon enough!
According to my ao3 history, I’ve visited this story 80 times. I discovered it at age 14 or 15, and every time I stumble back I worry that it’ll lose its magic. That I’ll finally view it with the eyes of an adult and realize it wasn’t as charming, witty, and touching as I remember. Thankfully, having just finished my 5th re-read, I can assure myself that this story deserves its place in my heart.
Grantaire and Enjolras are very dear to me and it is such fun to read a story that captures them (and all the Amis) so well. The plot and characterization of Grantaire remind me a lot of things with which my younger self struggled. It manages to be serious without becoming distressingly angsty. The constant quips definitely helped in this task and genuinely had me laughing.
This story allows me to recontextualize thoughts and memories of myself in a more positive light, which is very special to me. I’ll definitely be returning for a 6th re-read soon enough!
July 10, 2021
Yes, while this is technically my second re-read, I'm ecstatic that this is even on GR!!
My current re-read is brought to you by the fact that this amazing work is getting an original audio drama adaptation entitled "Keep It Steady" that I am vibrating out of my skin about.
This is how I love my fiction. With a sharp wit (GOD some of this dialogue is so funny), a strong narrative voice in Grantaire, and one of the best tropes handled without all of the weird cliche nonsense, World Ain't Ready still makes me weep with the hope and resilience I feel looking at this lovable band of (reluctant) crusaders.
I'm absolutely positive this will not be my last time reading this (especially now that there are coda updates!), and I can't believe this gem is already 7 years old. A treasure.
My current re-read is brought to you by the fact that this amazing work is getting an original audio drama adaptation entitled "Keep It Steady" that I am vibrating out of my skin about.
This is how I love my fiction. With a sharp wit (GOD some of this dialogue is so funny), a strong narrative voice in Grantaire, and one of the best tropes handled without all of the weird cliche nonsense, World Ain't Ready still makes me weep with the hope and resilience I feel looking at this lovable band of (reluctant) crusaders.
I'm absolutely positive this will not be my last time reading this (especially now that there are coda updates!), and I can't believe this gem is already 7 years old. A treasure.
October 14, 2023
ok so i normally don't like or even read high school au's but this one just DID IT FOR ME I DONTKON W WHY AAAAKGHDJHALKHGLK i have GIGGLED SO MANY TIMES because of this fic it's just so funny and so perfect and has the right complexity for every single character and it was the most delicious whiplash switching between this and like clips of them dying together in the musical anyways fake dating au's for the win they are SO HOMELESS ANT IN THIS FIC they are SO STUPID & PATHETIC (affectionate) and i can't believe i finished this in under a week i'm gonna go binge read like 20 other fics that bobby & michelle sent me now
August 8, 2025
this is my third re-read, and my second re-read in less than 12 months. it's fast becoming my favourite comfort read and it's definitely my favourite fanfiction. did i love fake dating as a trope before this, or is this why i love fake dating? we'll never know. i think probably the names are slightly off putting if you're not familiar with les mis, but otherwise i would heartily recommend this to anyone who loves a good lgbtq+ high school romance with unbelievable amounts of angst and yearning.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews