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Les Misérables: Tome I/4
A rousing adventure story peopled with heartbreaking, unforgettable characters and a powerful allegory about the good and evil lying beneath the surfaces of human beauty, ugliness, and superior intellect.
First published January 1, 1862
About the author
Victor Hugo
4,845 books13.5k 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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August 9, 2022
هناك لحظات تكون فيها النفس جاثية على ركبتيها مهما كان وضع الجسد"وفي السجن تزداد مرارتك و يسود قلبك
في كل انواع"السجن"التي نرتمي وراء قضبانها"باختيارنا"سيزداد ظلام ارواحنا
فما بالك لو سجنت 19سنة لسرقتك رغيف خبز؟
☆خير تعمل شر تلقى☆
حسنا هذه احدى الكلاسيكيات العتيدة التي احقد عليها لانها"بوظت دماغي"..عندما تقرأ عيون الادب العالمي قبل العشرين "ستربيك"حرفيا..ستشكل مبادءك مهما تهربت ..ستصدقها للاسف
*في حياتنا. .سنتبادل الادوار..دوما☆
جان فالجان شاب بريء سوى يتحول الى مجرم آثم محروم من تعاطف القضاة فيسجن لتسعة عشر عام لسرقته رغيف خبز.. يخرج للدنيا محطما ليلاقي الهوان من اهل بلدته . .عدا القس ميريل الذي يحسن اليه و لكن مرارة فالجان تطفح و يرد الاحسان بالاساءة و يسرق منه شمعدانات فضية و يتم القبض عليه
لكن القس يتعاطف معه؛و يدعي انه اعطاه الفضيات هدية
و هنا يذهل فالجان و يتحول تماما بعد "ثاني" بادرة عطف يتلقاها
و الفضة ترمز لطبيعة معدن فالجان
حسنا ؛ محظوظ انت يا ميريل
في حياتنا سنكون احيانا ميريل و احيانا فالجان؛ حسب اقدارنا احيانا ستكون عادلا واحيانا مظلوما"الظالمون لا يقراون البؤساء ابدا"..لكن كلنا سنلتقي من يعلمنا كل حرف من جملة "اتقي شر من احسنت اليه"ا
او سنعمل الخير و نرميه في البحر
و في رحلة تحول فالجان: لماديلاين سيتحول فعل الخير لعدوى سنقابل كوزيت و فانتاين و جافير. .رجال سلطة وعمال و بنات ليل و عشرات الشخصيات بلا مبالغة لا يجمع بينها سوى :البؤس هناك من يفرضونه و هناك من يعيشونه
هذه الملحمة السياسية الفلسفية التاريخية الانسانية هى احدى اطول الملاحم الادبية فصولها بعدد ايام السنة 365 و تم نشرها في 48 جزء عند صدورها في 1862 صفحاتها بالفرنسية تقارب الالفين ..و الجميل اننا زمان لم نكن نعرف اننا نقراها ملخصة..بل عندما نجد اننا قرأنا 400صفحة نعتقد ان انجازنا باهراَ ..و لكنها ستظل عن جدارة احدى اهم عشر كلاسيكيات عالمية التي تعدك بدموع غزيرة
فكتور هوجو: كنت عبقريا في اعتراضك على جمود القانون الفرنسي بشكل لا ينسى
بؤساءك بثوا بعض الامل في النفوس
نلت في النهاية تكريمك اللائق بعدطول نفي
لكن حتى عمرى هذا للاسف مازلت في مرحلة:"خيرا تعمل شر تلقى" ما زلت ألقى من يصنعون لي جحيما على الارض
و الزمن يؤكد لي انا وجان فالجان أن: كثيرون على قيد الحياة ..قليلون علي قيد الانسانية
ملحوظة لامناء المكتبة بالجوودريدز
البؤساء بالعربي لها نحو عشرين نسخة منفصلة بلا مبالغة
وضعت في احدها الريفيو الرئيسي
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
و الاخر ريفيو انجليزي
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
و ها هي ثالث مراجعة..لنسخة رئيسية مزدحمة
في كل انواع"السجن"التي نرتمي وراء قضبانها"باختيارنا"سيزداد ظلام ارواحنا
فما بالك لو سجنت 19سنة لسرقتك رغيف خبز؟
☆خير تعمل شر تلقى☆
حسنا هذه احدى الكلاسيكيات العتيدة التي احقد عليها لانها"بوظت دماغي"..عندما تقرأ عيون الادب العالمي قبل العشرين "ستربيك"حرفيا..ستشكل مبادءك مهما تهربت ..ستصدقها للاسف
*في حياتنا. .سنتبادل الادوار..دوما☆
جان فالجان شاب بريء سوى يتحول الى مجرم آثم محروم من تعاطف القضاة فيسجن لتسعة عشر عام لسرقته رغيف خبز.. يخرج للدنيا محطما ليلاقي الهوان من اهل بلدته . .عدا القس ميريل الذي يحسن اليه و لكن مرارة فالجان تطفح و يرد الاحسان بالاساءة و يسرق منه شمعدانات فضية و يتم القبض عليه
لكن القس يتعاطف معه؛و يدعي انه اعطاه الفضيات هدية
و هنا يذهل فالجان و يتحول تماما بعد "ثاني" بادرة عطف يتلقاها
و الفضة ترمز لطبيعة معدن فالجان
حسنا ؛ محظوظ انت يا ميريل
في حياتنا سنكون احيانا ميريل و احيانا فالجان؛ حسب اقدارنا احيانا ستكون عادلا واحيانا مظلوما"الظالمون لا يقراون البؤساء ابدا"..لكن كلنا سنلتقي من يعلمنا كل حرف من جملة "اتقي شر من احسنت اليه"ا
او سنعمل الخير و نرميه في البحر
و في رحلة تحول فالجان: لماديلاين سيتحول فعل الخير لعدوى سنقابل كوزيت و فانتاين و جافير. .رجال سلطة وعمال و بنات ليل و عشرات الشخصيات بلا مبالغة لا يجمع بينها سوى :البؤس هناك من يفرضونه و هناك من يعيشونه
هذه الملحمة السياسية الفلسفية التاريخية الانسانية هى احدى اطول الملاحم الادبية فصولها بعدد ايام السنة 365 و تم نشرها في 48 جزء عند صدورها في 1862 صفحاتها بالفرنسية تقارب الالفين ..و الجميل اننا زمان لم نكن نعرف اننا نقراها ملخصة..بل عندما نجد اننا قرأنا 400صفحة نعتقد ان انجازنا باهراَ ..و لكنها ستظل عن جدارة احدى اهم عشر كلاسيكيات عالمية التي تعدك بدموع غزيرة
فكتور هوجو: كنت عبقريا في اعتراضك على جمود القانون الفرنسي بشكل لا ينسى
بؤساءك بثوا بعض الامل في النفوس
نلت في النهاية تكريمك اللائق بعدطول نفي
لكن حتى عمرى هذا للاسف مازلت في مرحلة:"خيرا تعمل شر تلقى" ما زلت ألقى من يصنعون لي جحيما على الارض
و الزمن يؤكد لي انا وجان فالجان أن: كثيرون على قيد الحياة ..قليلون علي قيد الانسانية
ملحوظة لامناء المكتبة بالجوودريدز
البؤساء بالعربي لها نحو عشرين نسخة منفصلة بلا مبالغة
وضعت في احدها الريفيو الرئيسي
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
و الاخر ريفيو انجليزي
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
و ها هي ثالث مراجعة..لنسخة رئيسية مزدحمة
February 18, 2019
This review is for the three volumes, not just this first one.
I have been reading this great work for so long (six months) that I need to go through the cathartic experience of reviewing it just to resolve it in my mind. It was a re-reading, in French, so I can’t tell anyone what the translation into English is like. I do wonder how a translator copes with linguistic puns, which Hugo is fond of, and an entire section on “argot” (I hesitate to use the word ‘slang’ of such a highly developed form of language - the nearest equivalent may have been Cockney English in its heyday). There are several of these historical or discursive sections, as we meet their context in the narrative, which to the modern reader can have the effect of slowing down the tale. Personally I find the story so powerful that I can only read it in small sections at a time anyway; but even I, who love language and history, chafed a bit at the start of Volume 3 (in my edition) as the entirely separate thesis on ‘l’argot’ that Hugo had inserted was followed by lengthy discourses on the differences between uprisings, rebellions and revolution. Perhaps this was a deliberate intention, as there were periods of long waiting for Hugo’s young men on the barricades!
Most people will be aware that the word “misérables” refers to those who live and suffer in misery, or a combination of poverty and suffering, exacerbated in the novel by the harsh judicial system that Hugo tried all his life to reform. For me he is the ultimate figure of humanity, a reformist driven by a superlative compassion. I found it interesting that he doesn’t appear to rate philosophy much, particularly Hegel’s, or Fichte’s, ideas on thesis, antithesis and synthesis in human nature. Hugo is more of a pragmatist, and at the same time a visionary.
In the best of the tradition of the second half of the nineteenth century, there are coincidences and nicely-timed encounters on which much of the plot of “Les Misérables” hinges; Hugo elevates these to the workings of Fate, which appears to be synonymous in this novel with God. When I first joined Goodreads and requested a GR friend (who writes stunning reviews), the test question was “Who is your favourite character in literature?” It has to be Jean Valjean, the central figure of this towering narrative. I’d like to write more about Jean Valjean, but I don’t want to spoil the story for anyone who isn’t familiar with it. I think I can say this much, though, that over and over again, we see him afflicted and suffering, and that how he overcomes this is the strength of the novel. Let me just make the observation that there is an important figure at the beginning of the story whom Jean Valjean, against all the odds, almost becomes! I find the end of the book almost unutterably moving, and the very last section epitomises all that the novel encompasses.
I was looking forward to the television adaptation of the book but I can’t watch it (yet) after reading this incomparable novel. The last time I read the book I found I could express something of what I wanted to say in a poem (I’ll include the translation but apologise for its quality).
Read the book, but be prepared to live with it for the rest of your life.
C’est l’homme qui a le plus pleuré
Et qui mérite le plus l’orgueil
De la brave chanson humaine.
C’est lui qui avant tout possède
La compassion pour l’abruti,
Le flair de disculper son mal.
C’est l’homme qui sait le tas des choses,
Qui voit en bâtiments la poésie
Qui avec milliard petits soins,
Touche droitement au cœur,
Qui dans la face d’une rue publique
Sonde une grandeur.
Dans ses mains fortes et serrées,
La vie marche aux petits pas,
Pour jouir d’une délice sans bornes
De respirer le même air d’un autre,
D’être privilégié de l’admettre
Et de marcher à son côté.
Il y a dans Hugo le grand pouvoir
D’établir un monde de peine
Où chaque note de plainte se figure
Nettement dans le premier jour
Du bel éveil de l’âme tourné
Vers Dieu et tout être humain.
Translation
He it was who wept the most,
And best deserved the pride
Of the noble human song,
Who more than all encompasses
Compassion for the beaten man,
The skill to vindicate his wrong.
He it is who knows the sum of things,
Who sees a poem in a city wall,
Who in countless little ways
Reaches justly to the heart,
Who in the public thoroughfare
Finds greatness there.
Held tightly in his steady grip,
Life treads with tiny steps,
Towards a limitless delight,
To breathe a common human air,
Privileged to know this much
And to walk by another’s side.
In Hugo is the mighty power
To establish a stricken world
Where each note of hardship
Sounds clear, in the first day
Of the soul whose waking turns
To God and all humanity.
I have been reading this great work for so long (six months) that I need to go through the cathartic experience of reviewing it just to resolve it in my mind. It was a re-reading, in French, so I can’t tell anyone what the translation into English is like. I do wonder how a translator copes with linguistic puns, which Hugo is fond of, and an entire section on “argot” (I hesitate to use the word ‘slang’ of such a highly developed form of language - the nearest equivalent may have been Cockney English in its heyday). There are several of these historical or discursive sections, as we meet their context in the narrative, which to the modern reader can have the effect of slowing down the tale. Personally I find the story so powerful that I can only read it in small sections at a time anyway; but even I, who love language and history, chafed a bit at the start of Volume 3 (in my edition) as the entirely separate thesis on ‘l’argot’ that Hugo had inserted was followed by lengthy discourses on the differences between uprisings, rebellions and revolution. Perhaps this was a deliberate intention, as there were periods of long waiting for Hugo’s young men on the barricades!
Most people will be aware that the word “misérables” refers to those who live and suffer in misery, or a combination of poverty and suffering, exacerbated in the novel by the harsh judicial system that Hugo tried all his life to reform. For me he is the ultimate figure of humanity, a reformist driven by a superlative compassion. I found it interesting that he doesn’t appear to rate philosophy much, particularly Hegel’s, or Fichte’s, ideas on thesis, antithesis and synthesis in human nature. Hugo is more of a pragmatist, and at the same time a visionary.
In the best of the tradition of the second half of the nineteenth century, there are coincidences and nicely-timed encounters on which much of the plot of “Les Misérables” hinges; Hugo elevates these to the workings of Fate, which appears to be synonymous in this novel with God. When I first joined Goodreads and requested a GR friend (who writes stunning reviews), the test question was “Who is your favourite character in literature?” It has to be Jean Valjean, the central figure of this towering narrative. I’d like to write more about Jean Valjean, but I don’t want to spoil the story for anyone who isn’t familiar with it. I think I can say this much, though, that over and over again, we see him afflicted and suffering, and that how he overcomes this is the strength of the novel. Let me just make the observation that there is an important figure at the beginning of the story whom Jean Valjean, against all the odds, almost becomes! I find the end of the book almost unutterably moving, and the very last section epitomises all that the novel encompasses.
I was looking forward to the television adaptation of the book but I can’t watch it (yet) after reading this incomparable novel. The last time I read the book I found I could express something of what I wanted to say in a poem (I’ll include the translation but apologise for its quality).
Read the book, but be prepared to live with it for the rest of your life.
C’est l’homme qui a le plus pleuré
Et qui mérite le plus l’orgueil
De la brave chanson humaine.
C’est lui qui avant tout possède
La compassion pour l’abruti,
Le flair de disculper son mal.
C’est l’homme qui sait le tas des choses,
Qui voit en bâtiments la poésie
Qui avec milliard petits soins,
Touche droitement au cœur,
Qui dans la face d’une rue publique
Sonde une grandeur.
Dans ses mains fortes et serrées,
La vie marche aux petits pas,
Pour jouir d’une délice sans bornes
De respirer le même air d’un autre,
D’être privilégié de l’admettre
Et de marcher à son côté.
Il y a dans Hugo le grand pouvoir
D’établir un monde de peine
Où chaque note de plainte se figure
Nettement dans le premier jour
Du bel éveil de l’âme tourné
Vers Dieu et tout être humain.
Translation
He it was who wept the most,
And best deserved the pride
Of the noble human song,
Who more than all encompasses
Compassion for the beaten man,
The skill to vindicate his wrong.
He it is who knows the sum of things,
Who sees a poem in a city wall,
Who in countless little ways
Reaches justly to the heart,
Who in the public thoroughfare
Finds greatness there.
Held tightly in his steady grip,
Life treads with tiny steps,
Towards a limitless delight,
To breathe a common human air,
Privileged to know this much
And to walk by another’s side.
In Hugo is the mighty power
To establish a stricken world
Where each note of hardship
Sounds clear, in the first day
Of the soul whose waking turns
To God and all humanity.
September 27, 2024
This first volume took me forever to finish, but I really enjoyed it.
Granted, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much if I hadn’t watched the musical first because of Victor Hugo’s writing style, though I did come to appreciate it over time.
It’s at times tediously descriptive and goes on many rabbit holes, but the peppered in humor and the story are fantastic. Looking forward to tackling the second volume.
Granted, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much if I hadn’t watched the musical first because of Victor Hugo’s writing style, though I did come to appreciate it over time.
It’s at times tediously descriptive and goes on many rabbit holes, but the peppered in humor and the story are fantastic. Looking forward to tackling the second volume.
March 18, 2011
i wish there was more than 5 stars..all authors usually focus on events but i never saw any authour who went deeply inside human's heart and mind and analysed it that great..the book is full of wisdom that it can be taken as one of the spiritual books in life..
this is the greatest book i ever did and ever will read..
Hugo was a messenger of truth
this is the greatest book i ever did and ever will read..
Hugo was a messenger of truth
June 25, 2019
Victor Hugo, I loved your book and it bored me. If only you didn't digress too much. Why do I need to know so much about Waterloo and how Napoleon was defeated when your book is about the small people not the heroic ones? Why do you tell so much about the history of the covenant? I am in love with Jean Valjean, with every character he meets, with everything he does, with his background. Only for my favourite hero, Jean Valjean you get a complete 5 stars. But since this book is concerned with other descriptions that have given me tremendous pain while reading, the book gets 4 stars. Cant wait to see how volume two goes.
January 1, 2026
Mbylla librin e pare te Hygo
Lash pas historine e Fantines te nje nene qe varferia e theu me dysh, ku ju desh te sakrifikonte edhe dhembet qe vajzes se saj te mos i mungonte asgje! A kerkoi ajo meshire posi jo, a u kujtua kush per te, vone por po,Zhan Valzhani❤️ mori zemren time por indifernca e te tjerve mori urrejtjen time. Ka nisur nje kalvar i gjate mjerimi se vazdhoj me historine e Kozetes te njohur nga mua qe femije por me nota me te buta. Kam nisur nje veper jo te lehte, nje kryeveper qe me beri te kuptoj sa keq kam lexuar keto kohe, sa mesazhe te kota kam kujtuar se kam lexuar per ca vepra qe i dine te paktet.
Te mjeret jane njerzit e varfer dhe te pafuqishem a thua? Kush i ben njerzit te mjere? Shoqeria?Ligjet e padrejte te pabarazise?Mungesa e meshires dhe miresise ndaj tjetrit? Per ke kohe po flas per Fancen e shekullit XIX apo per sot?
Lash pas historine e Fantines te nje nene qe varferia e theu me dysh, ku ju desh te sakrifikonte edhe dhembet qe vajzes se saj te mos i mungonte asgje! A kerkoi ajo meshire posi jo, a u kujtua kush per te, vone por po,Zhan Valzhani❤️ mori zemren time por indifernca e te tjerve mori urrejtjen time. Ka nisur nje kalvar i gjate mjerimi se vazdhoj me historine e Kozetes te njohur nga mua qe femije por me nota me te buta. Kam nisur nje veper jo te lehte, nje kryeveper qe me beri te kuptoj sa keq kam lexuar keto kohe, sa mesazhe te kota kam kujtuar se kam lexuar per ca vepra qe i dine te paktet.
Te mjeret jane njerzit e varfer dhe te pafuqishem a thua? Kush i ben njerzit te mjere? Shoqeria?Ligjet e padrejte te pabarazise?Mungesa e meshires dhe miresise ndaj tjetrit? Per ke kohe po flas per Fancen e shekullit XIX apo per sot?
September 8, 2025
J'avais lu les Misérables (pas tout à fait en entier je crois) il y a 25 ans et depuis je n'avais lu que des adaptations pour la jeunesse qui condensent énormément le texte en ne retenant que l'essentiel des actions. Je ne me souvenais pas à quel point c'était une œuvre psychologique, philosophique, avec une critique directe de la société et de ce qu'elle fait des personnes qu'elle n'instruit pas ou qu'elle n'aide pas. Une critique de ses lois et de son mépris pour les pauvres gens. C'est en même temps un vrai récit plein de ressorts dramatiques avec un grand sens du suspense. En le lisant, on comprend comment ses personnages sont devenus des symboles.
February 26, 2016
من أوائل الروايات التي قرأتها بغرض تعلم اللغة الإنجليزية تقريباً في أواخر عام 2000..قرأت النسخة العربية والإنجليزية من دار البحار التي وضعت في ثلاثة أجزاء...هذه الروايه العالميه هي افضل رواية قرأتها بلا منازع!!!
ابدع فيها الكاتب الفرنسي العظيم فيكتور هيغو و جعلني شغوف بكل عمل مسرحي او سينمائي مبني على احداث هذه الرواية الرائعة..
تأثرت بالشخصيات والحبكة الدرامية للقصة و استمتعت كثيراً بقراءة الرواية اكثر من مشاهدة الأفلام لأن اسلوب الكاتب البليغ في الوصف والتعبير الأدبي ساحر بكل ماتعنيه هذه الكلمه من معاني،
حتى اني قرأت كل الكتب المتاحه في السوق لهذا الكاتب الروائي الرائع مثل
"أحدب نوتردام" و "عمال البحر" و "الضاحك الباكي".
هناك وصف و تعبير لا أنساه في هذه القصه له وقع في قلبي و دائماً اتذكره:
"و كَبُرَتْ فانتين 20 عاماً في لحظات"
ابدع فيها الكاتب الفرنسي العظيم فيكتور هيغو و جعلني شغوف بكل عمل مسرحي او سينمائي مبني على احداث هذه الرواية الرائعة..
تأثرت بالشخصيات والحبكة الدرامية للقصة و استمتعت كثيراً بقراءة الرواية اكثر من مشاهدة الأفلام لأن اسلوب الكاتب البليغ في الوصف والتعبير الأدبي ساحر بكل ماتعنيه هذه الكلمه من معاني،
حتى اني قرأت كل الكتب المتاحه في السوق لهذا الكاتب الروائي الرائع مثل
"أحدب نوتردام" و "عمال البحر" و "الضاحك الباكي".
هناك وصف و تعبير لا أنساه في هذه القصه له وقع في قلبي و دائماً اتذكره:
"و كَبُرَتْ فانتين 20 عاماً في لحظات"
July 17, 2008
I realized today that I have this listed as a favorite book in my profile, but it wasn't on my read list. It is another that I read in high school. Some parts are pretty simplistic and conventional, but it all comes together so romantically. Did you know it's said that Victor Hugo always wrote standing up? If you've seen the unabridged version of this book, he must've gotten tired! Anyway, I just really like Jean Valjean, including saying his name.
Wow, J'ai choisi la version Française! Regardez la description.
Wow, J'ai choisi la version Française! Regardez la description.
September 2, 2011
One of the all-time great stories. The story is inspired. Grace vs. Law. And Grace wins!
This is not, however, for the timid reader. Hugo writes entire chapters (over and over again) of historical and political and French social information that has almost nothing to do with the story itself but serves only to set a mood or set up a scene. If you aren't into historical trivia, read the abridged version.
Although movies always leave out important scenes -especially when the book is this long, the movie starring Liam Neeson captures the heart of the book well.
This is not, however, for the timid reader. Hugo writes entire chapters (over and over again) of historical and political and French social information that has almost nothing to do with the story itself but serves only to set a mood or set up a scene. If you aren't into historical trivia, read the abridged version.
Although movies always leave out important scenes -especially when the book is this long, the movie starring Liam Neeson captures the heart of the book well.
March 16, 2026
*Note: The version I read I could not find on goodreads.
This is an odd book. I didn't take the time to do historical research so I experienced it with a lot of ignorance but also a lot of curiosity. It's refreshingly nothing like modern books, a great palate cleanser. The historical period, with all its events, politics and philosophies are largely unknown to me. This made some parts seem esoteric, but again created lots of curiosity. The constant waxing philosophical about the nature of humans, particular cultural or ethnic groups, age groups, genders, classes etc. would have been insufferable if it had been written by a contemporary author. Likewise had I existed at the time, I might have hated the book for just that reason. But with distance, these strong ideas become interesting historical facts and interesting character building for the 'Author'.
At no point in the entire 667 pages did I know where the story was going or what the aim of the story was. This is a very rare thing, another departure from contemporary literature, and a very enjoyable novelty. I have no idea what the second half will bring, or how the book will conclude.
The partitioning of this book is very odd, no idea whether standard at the time or idiosyncratic. The whole volume is half the total story. Then there are three 'parts' each with character name; Fantine; Cosette; and Marius. Each part has books, and each book has titled chapters, which are very short, sometimes a page long. This allows Victor to do lots of perspective jumping, jump around in time and place and in general allows for many sections to read as anthologies. The names of the 'parts' themselves are very odd. As in Fantine's 'part' we are following Jean Valjean for the majority, and in Cosette's part we are also following him in fact entirely, Cosette is rarely featured as a character with desires and aims. Whereas in the Marius section, we follow a few characters and settle on Marius, who is deserving of the part name. No idea what this naming convention means, I can't see how it reflects the themes of the story, perhaps it will all be revealed in volume two.
Fantine's part starts with an anthology-like collection of stories about a priest. Victor has so many ideas and perspectives and messages he wants to share that he makes an anthology of short stories. The structure of them often reads as if they could have been the first 'chapter', so there's lots of repetition. The whole time I had no idea where it was going but it was plenty enjoyable, fun world building, and an interesting character in the priest. A lot of his messaging is very ham-fisted, something that I would belittle a modern author if they did, but given the historical distance, I experience it as whimsical fun, and an exercise in perspective taking.
Jean Valjean is folded into the story. Very enjoyable watching his plight, being cast out again and again. I enjoyed how the character was developed. Wasn't a big fan of the final scene with Petit Gervais, It's meant to be a pivotal character turning point, but something just felt too mundane about it, lacking a memorable setup.
'Double Quatour' is the name of the chapter where Fantine is introduced. But the focus is not on her, it's third person, and spreads its focus on all of its characters. This one's a doozy. I remember thinking how odd it is to have a chapter with no conflict or tension whatsoever, just watching a group of people have a grand ol' time. Then the final reveal, it had been tragic, just the women, and the audience, didn't know it until the last possible moment. Fascinating writing choice, I will probably remember that chapter for decades to come. Fantine's story continues. It is clear early on that we're going to watch a miserable person be humiliated non-stop by social circumstances. The only question was whether she was going to have a 'happy ending'. Plenty enjoyable to read although gross at parts. The irony of Jean Valjean as the rich major being unaware of her circumstances too late was an interesting choice. I don't think it adds tragedy, it's just story shenanigans, thematically pointless, though practically necessary so that Fantine suffers sufficiently for her story, and I guess Jean can suffer regret later on.
Jean Valjean's transformation from galley-slave to millionaire and major is thematically odd. Jean Valjean, after living with the priest, has now dedicated his life to god and virtue, and indeed all evidence points to him doing so incredibly successfully. In this sense his character arc is complete at this moment. His charity and empathy however will always pull him into suffering and further goals of helping those around him, so in that sense his 'story' will continue lively and full of meaning and conflict, until the day he dies, he has set himself up to never be at rest. The fact that he becomes rich and powerful is a hilarious accident, which has very little to do with his values. Apparently he just invented an extremely profitable manufacturing method. This is really bizarre. Why did he have to become rich? It had no impact on his character, on his life, he could have been poor or middle class and lived his values and had an interesting story either way.
Javert is an interesting one. They're all interesting ones! So many paragraphs are spent describing Javert, his way of seeing the world, his existence. Victor uses his most powerful adjectives for this man, he wants us to do this wild combination of extreme traits. He's got this fanatical obsession with crime, which has a brief justification in his past. But this is combined with a personal ethic whose rigidity and specificity rival Jean Valjean. He's a mirror. The two men are also wildly capable. But that doesn't really affect the drama. Because at any given moment, either the ending to the sequence is inevitable, or it's explained after the fact, either way there's absolutely no tension in their game of cat and mouse. Putting that aside, I'm not sure what their parallel is even for, thematically? What's the messaging? That Jean Valjean could have taken Javert's path? No, he couldn't have, nor is he at risk of doing so in the future. That rigid personal ethics need to be tied to a broader socially good ethics? Sure, but that's pretty shallow given how heavily Javert is featured.
Then Fantine dies, her final hours in a delusory bliss by being told that her daughter would be reunited with her soon. Then her final moments despair, as that lie is revealed to her. It's a brutal ending, Fantine gets nothing, no future to cover over the horrors of the past, no final moments with Cosette, the only motivation for bare survival the past years. The lack of meeting also led to her daughter barely remembering her. Fantine's steady desire is for her daughter's wellbeing and success in life, and Jean Valjean takes up this parental responsibility.
The trial. This is an odd sequence. Victor really plays up that Jean Valjean might just let this innocent man go to jail in his place when we know he won't. Then the sequence itself is not that interesting.
The Waterloo section. This was the most challenging part, really humbled me as someone confident in reading. Victor loves cold opens, loves changing place and time and writing style. This is typically done without any explanation of how this ties into the story. Often this is quite enjoyable and builds lots of curiosity. With the Waterloo section I was flumaxed. I had zero faith that this was going to tie into the story, and there were no parallels from what had come so far. Moreover it is written in a dull, shapeless way, where Victor just jumps about the battle, not with any dramatic arc, no character arc, not even following a particular POV. Just giving paragraphs of thoughts as they occur to him. My ignorance of warfare of that period, the political and social context, historical context, made this section really challenging to read on a line by line level. So many parts I could not follow. The final section with the guy dying and this being this moment with immense meaning, totally lost on me. Victor loves myth making, he would be a supreme propagandist.
The Thernadiers. The guy who stole from the corpse being the Thenardier husband makes no difference, it feels like it should, but dramatically and thematically it's totally irrelevant. The Thenardiers are a source of Victor's occasional ethnicity/class phenotype analysis. This is pretty gross by today's standards as he's making all these claims about their character based on their class/ethnicity. Otherwise they're okay as characters. Really ham fisted with the abusive household and Cosette in utter misery. She gets a small section from her POV where we build some character. However after this point, once she leaves with Jean Valjean she will go back to being an object which Jean carries around like he's stash of money. Entirely without character, without perspective, with motivations, agency and so on. This is a massive writing fault that has no defence. Perhaps in part two we will have her POV again, but it will be much poorer because of her treatment as mostly object in part one.
Jean Valjean's stay with the Thernadiers is a neat sub-story. It structured as if it could be its own short story on the folk tale tradition. Very enjoyable, though lacking resonance with the rest of the story.
Cosette and Jean Valjean at the house. As mentioned before, the lack of Cosette portrayed as a subject really hurts this section. That along with the lack of scene between them. Please Victor, show us Jean teaching Cosette reading and writing, show us Jean watching her play, wanting to join in but not wanting to disturb her. Show us them! This is a trope in many books. I particularly notice it in the Harry Potter series. The trope is skipping past the happy parts to get back to the main conflict, and the character in negative emotional states. This is a really poor writing decision.
Then after a fun chase sequence that was made much worse by hearing an exhaustive retelling of it from Javier's perspective we arrive at the nunnery. This is peak Victor shenanigans, even more than the Waterloo section, because at least that's highly relevant and thematic to the time period and relates to later characters, namely Marius. The stay at the nunnery is such an odd detour, so much time is spent describing the place itself, its inhabitants, then several small essays and penned back to back by Victor philosophising about the nature of religions monasticism with intense fervour. All of this has so little to do with our characters. It has very little to do with Jean Valjean, and like mentioned Cosette is consigned to the status of an object of Jean, or at best a pet, having no agency or wants or dreams. We cannot forget the hilarious and convoluted plan to escape Jean from the very walled institution. This is made comically pointless by the fact that there is a side door which the groundkeeper frequently uses, and which Jean could have easily been escorted out of on a wheel barrow with a cloth over it. That aside the nunnery is a fascinating setting, rich in detail and possibility, but not explored dramatically because it indeed has little to do with the story.
Marius section. The final section in part one of the book, using the formatting of the version I read. We bounce around POV a little, first we think we're going to focus on a time and place specific version of a street child. Then it switched to Marius. Marius is a random addition to the roster, perhaps it will all come together magnificently in the end. Sometime around this point Victor Hugo drops a line explicitly stating the purpose of the book. He says something like, it's an exploration of the kinds of people who exemplified the ideas and themes of that period of French history. That's a very satisfactory summary of the book, and really the only way of grouping all these disparate elements together at this point.
The ending... It's a random place to end the story, there's no dramatic meaning in dividing the book I realise upon finishing, it's just a practicality for comfort and travel to have the slimmer size. I'm looking forward to how the second half goes on various shenanigans and probably ends super anticlimatically, failing to explore all the disparate threads that were set up for all its characters. The end, for now.
This is an odd book. I didn't take the time to do historical research so I experienced it with a lot of ignorance but also a lot of curiosity. It's refreshingly nothing like modern books, a great palate cleanser. The historical period, with all its events, politics and philosophies are largely unknown to me. This made some parts seem esoteric, but again created lots of curiosity. The constant waxing philosophical about the nature of humans, particular cultural or ethnic groups, age groups, genders, classes etc. would have been insufferable if it had been written by a contemporary author. Likewise had I existed at the time, I might have hated the book for just that reason. But with distance, these strong ideas become interesting historical facts and interesting character building for the 'Author'.
At no point in the entire 667 pages did I know where the story was going or what the aim of the story was. This is a very rare thing, another departure from contemporary literature, and a very enjoyable novelty. I have no idea what the second half will bring, or how the book will conclude.
The partitioning of this book is very odd, no idea whether standard at the time or idiosyncratic. The whole volume is half the total story. Then there are three 'parts' each with character name; Fantine; Cosette; and Marius. Each part has books, and each book has titled chapters, which are very short, sometimes a page long. This allows Victor to do lots of perspective jumping, jump around in time and place and in general allows for many sections to read as anthologies. The names of the 'parts' themselves are very odd. As in Fantine's 'part' we are following Jean Valjean for the majority, and in Cosette's part we are also following him in fact entirely, Cosette is rarely featured as a character with desires and aims. Whereas in the Marius section, we follow a few characters and settle on Marius, who is deserving of the part name. No idea what this naming convention means, I can't see how it reflects the themes of the story, perhaps it will all be revealed in volume two.
Fantine's part starts with an anthology-like collection of stories about a priest. Victor has so many ideas and perspectives and messages he wants to share that he makes an anthology of short stories. The structure of them often reads as if they could have been the first 'chapter', so there's lots of repetition. The whole time I had no idea where it was going but it was plenty enjoyable, fun world building, and an interesting character in the priest. A lot of his messaging is very ham-fisted, something that I would belittle a modern author if they did, but given the historical distance, I experience it as whimsical fun, and an exercise in perspective taking.
Jean Valjean is folded into the story. Very enjoyable watching his plight, being cast out again and again. I enjoyed how the character was developed. Wasn't a big fan of the final scene with Petit Gervais, It's meant to be a pivotal character turning point, but something just felt too mundane about it, lacking a memorable setup.
'Double Quatour' is the name of the chapter where Fantine is introduced. But the focus is not on her, it's third person, and spreads its focus on all of its characters. This one's a doozy. I remember thinking how odd it is to have a chapter with no conflict or tension whatsoever, just watching a group of people have a grand ol' time. Then the final reveal, it had been tragic, just the women, and the audience, didn't know it until the last possible moment. Fascinating writing choice, I will probably remember that chapter for decades to come. Fantine's story continues. It is clear early on that we're going to watch a miserable person be humiliated non-stop by social circumstances. The only question was whether she was going to have a 'happy ending'. Plenty enjoyable to read although gross at parts. The irony of Jean Valjean as the rich major being unaware of her circumstances too late was an interesting choice. I don't think it adds tragedy, it's just story shenanigans, thematically pointless, though practically necessary so that Fantine suffers sufficiently for her story, and I guess Jean can suffer regret later on.
Jean Valjean's transformation from galley-slave to millionaire and major is thematically odd. Jean Valjean, after living with the priest, has now dedicated his life to god and virtue, and indeed all evidence points to him doing so incredibly successfully. In this sense his character arc is complete at this moment. His charity and empathy however will always pull him into suffering and further goals of helping those around him, so in that sense his 'story' will continue lively and full of meaning and conflict, until the day he dies, he has set himself up to never be at rest. The fact that he becomes rich and powerful is a hilarious accident, which has very little to do with his values. Apparently he just invented an extremely profitable manufacturing method. This is really bizarre. Why did he have to become rich? It had no impact on his character, on his life, he could have been poor or middle class and lived his values and had an interesting story either way.
Javert is an interesting one. They're all interesting ones! So many paragraphs are spent describing Javert, his way of seeing the world, his existence. Victor uses his most powerful adjectives for this man, he wants us to do this wild combination of extreme traits. He's got this fanatical obsession with crime, which has a brief justification in his past. But this is combined with a personal ethic whose rigidity and specificity rival Jean Valjean. He's a mirror. The two men are also wildly capable. But that doesn't really affect the drama. Because at any given moment, either the ending to the sequence is inevitable, or it's explained after the fact, either way there's absolutely no tension in their game of cat and mouse. Putting that aside, I'm not sure what their parallel is even for, thematically? What's the messaging? That Jean Valjean could have taken Javert's path? No, he couldn't have, nor is he at risk of doing so in the future. That rigid personal ethics need to be tied to a broader socially good ethics? Sure, but that's pretty shallow given how heavily Javert is featured.
Then Fantine dies, her final hours in a delusory bliss by being told that her daughter would be reunited with her soon. Then her final moments despair, as that lie is revealed to her. It's a brutal ending, Fantine gets nothing, no future to cover over the horrors of the past, no final moments with Cosette, the only motivation for bare survival the past years. The lack of meeting also led to her daughter barely remembering her. Fantine's steady desire is for her daughter's wellbeing and success in life, and Jean Valjean takes up this parental responsibility.
The trial. This is an odd sequence. Victor really plays up that Jean Valjean might just let this innocent man go to jail in his place when we know he won't. Then the sequence itself is not that interesting.
The Waterloo section. This was the most challenging part, really humbled me as someone confident in reading. Victor loves cold opens, loves changing place and time and writing style. This is typically done without any explanation of how this ties into the story. Often this is quite enjoyable and builds lots of curiosity. With the Waterloo section I was flumaxed. I had zero faith that this was going to tie into the story, and there were no parallels from what had come so far. Moreover it is written in a dull, shapeless way, where Victor just jumps about the battle, not with any dramatic arc, no character arc, not even following a particular POV. Just giving paragraphs of thoughts as they occur to him. My ignorance of warfare of that period, the political and social context, historical context, made this section really challenging to read on a line by line level. So many parts I could not follow. The final section with the guy dying and this being this moment with immense meaning, totally lost on me. Victor loves myth making, he would be a supreme propagandist.
The Thernadiers. The guy who stole from the corpse being the Thenardier husband makes no difference, it feels like it should, but dramatically and thematically it's totally irrelevant. The Thenardiers are a source of Victor's occasional ethnicity/class phenotype analysis. This is pretty gross by today's standards as he's making all these claims about their character based on their class/ethnicity. Otherwise they're okay as characters. Really ham fisted with the abusive household and Cosette in utter misery. She gets a small section from her POV where we build some character. However after this point, once she leaves with Jean Valjean she will go back to being an object which Jean carries around like he's stash of money. Entirely without character, without perspective, with motivations, agency and so on. This is a massive writing fault that has no defence. Perhaps in part two we will have her POV again, but it will be much poorer because of her treatment as mostly object in part one.
Jean Valjean's stay with the Thernadiers is a neat sub-story. It structured as if it could be its own short story on the folk tale tradition. Very enjoyable, though lacking resonance with the rest of the story.
Cosette and Jean Valjean at the house. As mentioned before, the lack of Cosette portrayed as a subject really hurts this section. That along with the lack of scene between them. Please Victor, show us Jean teaching Cosette reading and writing, show us Jean watching her play, wanting to join in but not wanting to disturb her. Show us them! This is a trope in many books. I particularly notice it in the Harry Potter series. The trope is skipping past the happy parts to get back to the main conflict, and the character in negative emotional states. This is a really poor writing decision.
Then after a fun chase sequence that was made much worse by hearing an exhaustive retelling of it from Javier's perspective we arrive at the nunnery. This is peak Victor shenanigans, even more than the Waterloo section, because at least that's highly relevant and thematic to the time period and relates to later characters, namely Marius. The stay at the nunnery is such an odd detour, so much time is spent describing the place itself, its inhabitants, then several small essays and penned back to back by Victor philosophising about the nature of religions monasticism with intense fervour. All of this has so little to do with our characters. It has very little to do with Jean Valjean, and like mentioned Cosette is consigned to the status of an object of Jean, or at best a pet, having no agency or wants or dreams. We cannot forget the hilarious and convoluted plan to escape Jean from the very walled institution. This is made comically pointless by the fact that there is a side door which the groundkeeper frequently uses, and which Jean could have easily been escorted out of on a wheel barrow with a cloth over it. That aside the nunnery is a fascinating setting, rich in detail and possibility, but not explored dramatically because it indeed has little to do with the story.
Marius section. The final section in part one of the book, using the formatting of the version I read. We bounce around POV a little, first we think we're going to focus on a time and place specific version of a street child. Then it switched to Marius. Marius is a random addition to the roster, perhaps it will all come together magnificently in the end. Sometime around this point Victor Hugo drops a line explicitly stating the purpose of the book. He says something like, it's an exploration of the kinds of people who exemplified the ideas and themes of that period of French history. That's a very satisfactory summary of the book, and really the only way of grouping all these disparate elements together at this point.
The ending... It's a random place to end the story, there's no dramatic meaning in dividing the book I realise upon finishing, it's just a practicality for comfort and travel to have the slimmer size. I'm looking forward to how the second half goes on various shenanigans and probably ends super anticlimatically, failing to explore all the disparate threads that were set up for all its characters. The end, for now.
March 8, 2026
Vasco Varoujean nous l’a dit : « L'histoire de l'homme n'est pas à écrire, mais à vivre. Et c'est justement cela qui fait la force de l'homme. »
On ne comprend jamais mieux l’Histoire qu’à travers le prisme du roman. Chez Hugo, c'est flagrant : on ne lit pas la France du XIXe siècle, on la vit à travers des personnages qui subissent de plein fouet les soubresauts d'une société en quête de justice.
Victor Hugo endosse ici le double rôle d'écrivain et d'historien de l'âme humaine. Des conséquences dramatiques de la cherté du pain aux barricades de 1832, il nous plonge dans la réalité brute des "misérables". Poignant et intemporel, ce livre n’est pas seulement un classique, c’est une expérience absolument nécessaire.
On ne comprend jamais mieux l’Histoire qu’à travers le prisme du roman. Chez Hugo, c'est flagrant : on ne lit pas la France du XIXe siècle, on la vit à travers des personnages qui subissent de plein fouet les soubresauts d'une société en quête de justice.
Victor Hugo endosse ici le double rôle d'écrivain et d'historien de l'âme humaine. Des conséquences dramatiques de la cherté du pain aux barricades de 1832, il nous plonge dans la réalité brute des "misérables". Poignant et intemporel, ce livre n’est pas seulement un classique, c’est une expérience absolument nécessaire.
September 20, 2025
Jean-Jean's bizarre adventure partie 1 : Run to the Hills
"Dieu donne l’air aux hommes, la loi le leur vend."
"Jean Valjean était entré au bagne sanglotant et frémissant ; il en sortit impassible. Il y était entré désespéré ; il en sortit sombre."
"Ce fut là son dernier effort ; ses jarrets fléchirent brusquement sous lui comme si une puissance invisible l’accablait tout à coup du poids de sa mauvaise conscience ; il tomba épuisé sur une grosse pierre, les poings dans ses cheveux et le visage dans ses genoux, et il cria : « Je suis un misérable ! »"
"Une jolie femme est un casus belli ; une jolie femme est un flagrant délit."
"Dieu donne l’air aux hommes, la loi le leur vend."
"Jean Valjean était entré au bagne sanglotant et frémissant ; il en sortit impassible. Il y était entré désespéré ; il en sortit sombre."
"Ce fut là son dernier effort ; ses jarrets fléchirent brusquement sous lui comme si une puissance invisible l’accablait tout à coup du poids de sa mauvaise conscience ; il tomba épuisé sur une grosse pierre, les poings dans ses cheveux et le visage dans ses genoux, et il cria : « Je suis un misérable ! »"
"Une jolie femme est un casus belli ; une jolie femme est un flagrant délit."
February 13, 2025
C’est une merveille. Je n’ai fini que le premier tome jusque maintenant mais ça se voit déjà pourquoi Hugo est tant célébré. Il nous prends dans une journée où nous n’avons aucune idée jamais où nous allons mais nous ne sommes jamais perdus. Hugo nous dirige pendant des années qui se coulent et tout le monde est content car il nous surprend toujours avec l’histoire.
Il s’agit de l’amour, l’aventure, la souffrance, et la sagesse à la fois. Je hâte de découvrir la suite.
Il s’agit de l’amour, l’aventure, la souffrance, et la sagesse à la fois. Je hâte de découvrir la suite.
May 24, 2026
Incroyable. Maîtresse incontestable de la langue française. On profiterait de connaître un peu les débats sociaux de l’époque pour mieux entrevoir les fondements thématiques, mais ce n’est pas entièrement requis. Parfois à la cadence tranquille, caractéristique de la littérature du siècle.
July 2, 2026
Great book. There is some long passages which was a bit hard to get through, e.g. the Waterloo battle and the section around monasteries. Really liked some of the descriptions of the characters. Read in Danish
April 25, 2025
Until pg. 461 for school. Want to watch the movie now.
February 28, 2021
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
April 2, 2012
Wow... where to start with this review?
I want to say this - reading Les Miserables unabridged is A LOT harder than I though it would be. My advice is honestly this... if you want to read it, read the abridged unless you are up for a HUGE challenge. I can't say I know how much the abridged cuts out, but for me I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read it abridged.
What I didn't like about the book was the tangents (I know he had a reason for every single one). The 40 pages detailing convents, the 60 pages on the battle of Waterloo, or the 30 pages of politics. (By the way, the 15 pages about the sewers was NOT bad at all. I thought it was more interesting than Waterloo - why does everyone talk about the sewer section like it's the most boring?) It was hard for me to be SO into the story and then have it abruptly stopped so Hugo could direct my attention somewhere else... away from the storyline. I would be clicking along just fine and enjoying the storyline... but then when one of his "intercalary" sections (for lack of a better term - help me out English majors) came along, I had to force myself to pick the book up. The language was HARD to read as well. I found myself in the dictionary many times (which isn't a bad thing at all). But, I LOVED the way he weaved words - it just got dry when he was not on the storyline. With that being said, I am really glad I read the unabridged version. I know that I would have been disappointed in myself had I read the abridged only.
Now, what was amazing about it? The characters. The characters. The characters. So deep. I've never read a book that had such deep character development. I sobbed for Fantine. I knew her story was sad, but reading it in the novel made my heart ache. I watched Marius vacillate between many things and eventually find himself. I despised Thenardier and beheld him never change. I marveled at Javier and his callous nature that was untouched until the end. Mostly, I sat back and soaked in Jean Valjean.
I also did love the language. The way he talked and asked the reader questions. The way he wove his sentences. It was difficult at times to appreciate, but when I took the time I was mightily impressed.
The story was so good too. To take the life of a man and watch him grown and change like that is something marvelous. There were so many things that I didn't know. So many parts of the story that I didn't understand since my experience was all with the musical. What an intricate plot! You better believe I was crying my eyes out at the end of the novel. Very poignant. Very well done.
But - I'm relieved that it's over. SIGH.
I want to say this - reading Les Miserables unabridged is A LOT harder than I though it would be. My advice is honestly this... if you want to read it, read the abridged unless you are up for a HUGE challenge. I can't say I know how much the abridged cuts out, but for me I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read it abridged.
What I didn't like about the book was the tangents (I know he had a reason for every single one). The 40 pages detailing convents, the 60 pages on the battle of Waterloo, or the 30 pages of politics. (By the way, the 15 pages about the sewers was NOT bad at all. I thought it was more interesting than Waterloo - why does everyone talk about the sewer section like it's the most boring?) It was hard for me to be SO into the story and then have it abruptly stopped so Hugo could direct my attention somewhere else... away from the storyline. I would be clicking along just fine and enjoying the storyline... but then when one of his "intercalary" sections (for lack of a better term - help me out English majors) came along, I had to force myself to pick the book up. The language was HARD to read as well. I found myself in the dictionary many times (which isn't a bad thing at all). But, I LOVED the way he weaved words - it just got dry when he was not on the storyline. With that being said, I am really glad I read the unabridged version. I know that I would have been disappointed in myself had I read the abridged only.
Now, what was amazing about it? The characters. The characters. The characters. So deep. I've never read a book that had such deep character development. I sobbed for Fantine. I knew her story was sad, but reading it in the novel made my heart ache. I watched Marius vacillate between many things and eventually find himself. I despised Thenardier and beheld him never change. I marveled at Javier and his callous nature that was untouched until the end. Mostly, I sat back and soaked in Jean Valjean.
I also did love the language. The way he talked and asked the reader questions. The way he wove his sentences. It was difficult at times to appreciate, but when I took the time I was mightily impressed.
The story was so good too. To take the life of a man and watch him grown and change like that is something marvelous. There were so many things that I didn't know. So many parts of the story that I didn't understand since my experience was all with the musical. What an intricate plot! You better believe I was crying my eyes out at the end of the novel. Very poignant. Very well done.
But - I'm relieved that it's over. SIGH.
February 8, 2011
Victor Hugo is an amazing author. His descriptions go on for pages and I don't know how he can even think of the things that he does to make the places and characters come so alive. This is the second time I've read this unabridged version. I think that I enjoyed it more the first time through because I wasn't on a deadline. I liked collecting quotes, and thinking about why the book was famous. I know that the title is The miserable, but I don't think that is why the book has a following. I believe that the reason we all like this book is because it tells what people do with their lot in life. It gives us hope to carry on. The reason I read it the first time is because I was in love with the music. I wanted to know the story behind the musical. When I went to the play and realized that it was a modern opera, (no words, just singing) I knew that I had to read to book to find out about the whole story of the characters. What amazes me is the the songs really do tell the story, in such a short time. After reading certain sections of the book I would listen to the song that correlated and I would get teary; the music brings the emotions of pages and pages of writing. I have talked to some people who have read the abridged and they say that they didn't get some of the things, so my advice is to read the unabridged and then just skip the wars and other parts as you want to. That way you don't miss interesting facts about the Paris sewer system and how nuns make so many sacrifices. It is a book that will teach you much, and make you think about life and how good you really have it.
January 21, 2019
This three-volume, unabridged French paperback is my favorite book of all time, but for the Bible. And like the Bible, it is about many things, chief of which is love, especially love expressed through forgiveness. I think the book should be subtitled: "The Gospel According to Victor Hugo," for that is what the book is, beginning with the purchase of Valjean's soul by a Bishop, giving this criminal the family silver set, by which he rebuilds his life.
Many are put off by all of the history that is included in the unabridged version. Not me - I majored in Modern European History and revel in the extensive account of the Battle of Waterloo and the multiple chapters on the History of the Sewers of Paris. All of this adds to and does not detract from the the telling of the story, in my opinion.
Too bad the book is in French, because Victor Hugo is the best storyteller of all. Americans never get to perceive this, given their expectation that the whole world should learn English. They miss a lot in requiring others to build bridges toward them, instead of building bridges outward toward others. Perhaps they are the true "Misérables," despite the wealth and privilege that would say otherwise.
Many are put off by all of the history that is included in the unabridged version. Not me - I majored in Modern European History and revel in the extensive account of the Battle of Waterloo and the multiple chapters on the History of the Sewers of Paris. All of this adds to and does not detract from the the telling of the story, in my opinion.
Too bad the book is in French, because Victor Hugo is the best storyteller of all. Americans never get to perceive this, given their expectation that the whole world should learn English. They miss a lot in requiring others to build bridges toward them, instead of building bridges outward toward others. Perhaps they are the true "Misérables," despite the wealth and privilege that would say otherwise.
April 4, 2015
Reading Challenge 2015: Book you were supposed to read for school.
Two months later I finally finished the first part of Les Misérables. I loved it. It was such an amazing and satisfying reading. I read it in French and Hugo's writing is truly something. The descriptions are long, that I will admit, and it can have a boring effect. The first part especially was confusing because it didn't seem to have anything to do with the story. But everything Hugo wrote had a meaning in the end. I was always surprised by how tiny details could be so important in the end.
This book is an incredible painting of what it was to live in France during the first part of the 19th century. And the story in itself is so interesting and the characters are all well written, perks of those long descriptions explaining who they are, how they think and what their motives are. Jean Valjean especially is fascinating and I can't wait to see Cosette growing up.
I loved it. I am going to read an unrelated book now, but be sure I will definitely read the two other ones soon.
Two months later I finally finished the first part of Les Misérables. I loved it. It was such an amazing and satisfying reading. I read it in French and Hugo's writing is truly something. The descriptions are long, that I will admit, and it can have a boring effect. The first part especially was confusing because it didn't seem to have anything to do with the story. But everything Hugo wrote had a meaning in the end. I was always surprised by how tiny details could be so important in the end.
This book is an incredible painting of what it was to live in France during the first part of the 19th century. And the story in itself is so interesting and the characters are all well written, perks of those long descriptions explaining who they are, how they think and what their motives are. Jean Valjean especially is fascinating and I can't wait to see Cosette growing up.
I loved it. I am going to read an unrelated book now, but be sure I will definitely read the two other ones soon.
May 22, 2012
Jean Valjean is a convict after stealing bread to feed his family. Once arrested he attempts to break out of prison which increases his sentance to 19 years. After, being realesed he starts his reformation to be a good person. His encounters with Javert keeps himself on the move. The revolution in France is approaching and Jean Valjean is seeking to fix his crimes.
The book was better than I expected however I still dislike the hard language and the strange tangents. The story was great if you can make it through. Not the hardest book on the classics list. I would recommend this book more to college kids for an classical yet easier read. The part I really enjoyed is when they made historical references because I am a huge history buff.
The book was better than I expected however I still dislike the hard language and the strange tangents. The story was great if you can make it through. Not the hardest book on the classics list. I would recommend this book more to college kids for an classical yet easier read. The part I really enjoyed is when they made historical references because I am a huge history buff.
November 22, 2008
sudah lama buku ini kubeli. dan baru beberapa bulan lalu sempat kubaca. dan baru saat ini sempat kutulis tentangnya. bagiku, novel ini sarat dengan pengorbanan sekaligus keberanian. pengorbanan dan terutama keberanian seorang Jean Valjean yang kerap dihadapkan pada pertimbangan-pertimbangan moral hati nuraninya sendiri. meski kegetiran yang menjadi konsekuensinya, meski kegentaran kadang menyambanginya. ia mampu konsisten di jalan nurani.
membacanya, serasa jiwa ini semakin kaya dengan arti hidup dan warna-warninya.
membuat hati sekali lagi bertanya, apakah manusia semata menjalani takdirnya...?
membacanya, serasa jiwa ini semakin kaya dengan arti hidup dan warna-warninya.
membuat hati sekali lagi bertanya, apakah manusia semata menjalani takdirnya...?
January 11, 2013
A great read! Thought-evoking, amazing character development, universal themes.
I found Hugo's interaction with God, through the Priest and Jean Valjean to be especially interesting.
The one thing that tempted me to take 1 star off is the very long description of the Priest at the beginning and the long description of the Battle of Waterloo around two-thirds of the way through. This is consistent with Charles Dickens, for example ''Hard Times,'' published eight years before ''Les Misérables.'' (1854 and 1862).
I have to admit to not understanding all the vocabulary in this book-Hugo had quite a large mental treasury to pick from!
I found Hugo's interaction with God, through the Priest and Jean Valjean to be especially interesting.
The one thing that tempted me to take 1 star off is the very long description of the Priest at the beginning and the long description of the Battle of Waterloo around two-thirds of the way through. This is consistent with Charles Dickens, for example ''Hard Times,'' published eight years before ''Les Misérables.'' (1854 and 1862).
I have to admit to not understanding all the vocabulary in this book-Hugo had quite a large mental treasury to pick from!
December 30, 2012
Au dos de la couverture il y a une citation de Rimbaud, « Hugo, top cabochard, a bien du VU dans les derniers volumes : Les Misérables sont un vrai poème. » Bien qu’il y ait des pages qui manquent de poésie, surtout quand il pontifie un peu trop, comme parfois dans les chapitres sur Waterloo, c’est vrai aussi de ses poèmes dévoués au politique quand il était encore jeune. En lisant « Les Misérables » pour la deuxième fois, je prends un grand plaisir en le lisant comme un long poème, qui manque de poésie parfois, mais qui contient souvent des bijoux estimables.
October 17, 2008
Read in High School (instead of reading what the teacher assigned me) I read the unabridged version-1,000 pages or so. The unabridged is just as good. Being areligious at that time, Jean Valjean molded my character. He is a "Christlike" figure in the book. I learned to turn the other cheek and to let the actions happen. Great character growth throughout the book. Check out the musical too. Great songs.
August 5, 2010
I gave Les Miserables a 4 instead of a 5 simply because the main character is dated--audiences and readers today no longer trust such simply good-natured protagonists. Considering when it was written, it deserves a five.
I read the abridged version and that was great. Didn't have time this summer to read all that history. I would recommend this for readers who love Charles Dickens, and for those who don't.
I read the abridged version and that was great. Didn't have time this summer to read all that history. I would recommend this for readers who love Charles Dickens, and for those who don't.
April 4, 2011
One of my top 5 reads ever! It's long - over 1000 pages (unabridged) and the sewer system section is a bit long and ardous to get through, but this book has changed my life. This novel is about love and forgiveness; forgiving one's self more than others; Finding the balance between mercy and justice; and really explores moral issues. I cried reading this novel - in front of 35 sophomores - without any shame.
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