EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club discussion

This begins a group discussion of our Classic book selection, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo, nominated by Theresa.
Here you can comment, without spoilers, on any aspects of the book, either before, during, or after reading it.

I've made it through part of the book. This author, in general, makes me crazy with all his name dropping (not sure if these were contemporary real people or all made up). I am not so sure that I can continue with how laborious this is!

My edition had all the name drops explained (as well as some details Hugo had gotten wrong).

What I'm half-struggling with, half-laughing at is how much more detailed are descriptions of architecture than people--at least in the first 50 pages, but knowing Hugo, high chances it will continue.

Didn’t Hugo explicitly say that the point of the novel was to celebrate the architecture of Paris? It’s one of the reasons I’m so bothered by the utter mis-translation of the title. The French title is simply Notre-Dame de Paris—no mention whatsoever of Quasimodo; fully focused on the building. It seems a much more appropriate title to me, for this reason and for others (don’t want to get into spoilers here, though).

Yes, I heard that as well - that this was more a celebration of architecture. Perhaps I should find an abridged copy? :)