The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

For discussing the last book in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" as well as dicuss the book as a whole.

Book 11

BOOK ELEVENTH.
1. THE LITTLE SHOE.
2. THE BEAUTIFUL CREATURE CLAD IN WHITE. (Dante.)
3. THE MARRIAGE OF PHOEBUS.
4. THE MARRIAGE OF QUASIMODO.

What an amazing book! The ending was really sad, though. The only character who ended up in a good place was the goat.

I'm now very curious how this book ever got made into a kid's movie (I've never seen it). The story is full of jealousy, betrayal, violence, and lust. They must have really changed the story because I can't imagine Disney left in prostitution, attempted rape, murder, torture, hangings, etc.

Anne wrote: "What an amazing book! The ending was really sad, though. The only character who ended up in a good place was the goat.

I'm now very curious how this book ever got made into a kid's movie (I've n..."

Though it has been a while since I had seen the movie and cannot recall all the details of it. I do remember thinking that it was one of the darkest movies they have made, and that its appropriateness for young children I thought was questionable.

Anne wrote: "What an amazing book! The ending was really sad, though. The only character who ended up in a good place was the goat.

I'm now very curious how this book ever got made into a kid's movie (I've n..."

I agree Anne. It was an amazing book. Before reading Hunchback, I knew nothing about the book other than the main characters were a hunchback, a priest and a gypsy. I was shocked by the death of Esmeralda, I really thought that she would be saved in the end. It most definitely did not have a fairy tale ending.

Silver, did you enjoy the book?

I admit that I did find some of the detailed descriptions of the buildings, and physcial landscape which came particuarly around the beginning of the book to be a bit tedious to read at moments, but on the whole I did enjoy the book.

I agree about being surprised by the dead of Esmeralda in the end, as to kept exepcting that something would save her, and never thought she would truly be finally hung in the end.

I've never seen any of the live actor movies of HND. The novel's end was a total surprise. I had peeked a look at the chapter names and because of the last two chapter names, I looked forward to a happy ending. I'm ready to catch up on Pickwick now--need some lite reading after this.

Also, not sure why there was highlight on the Flemish and Jacques Coppenole in particular. I felt this way after I read Hunt for Red October. It is disappointing to digest so many details and find out in the end that they don't have any relevance to the work.

I found the ending of the book both enthralling and moving. It was only in that last section that I felt some real interest in the fate of the main characters. Until then I saw them much more as symbols than as living, breathing people. Overall, I loved the language and the ideas of the novel, but HND confirms me in my view that I prefer fiction which is somewhat more character driven.

I'm going through an early patch of SAD at the moment and can't cope with the ending - have gone on to some lighter reading. Not sure I can cope with Ivan Ilych either. Sudden change in the weather, darker nights etc. Sorry folks.

MadgeUK wrote: "I'm going through an early patch of SAD at the moment and can't cope with the ending - have gone on to some lighter reading. Not sure I can cope with Ivan Ilych either. Sudden change in the weathe..."

Will miss your comments. Hang in there.

MadgeUK wrote: "I'm going through an early patch of SAD at the moment and can't cope with the ending - have gone on to some lighter reading. Not sure I can cope with Ivan Ilych either. Sudden change in the weathe..."

Poor you, Madge. I hope you feel much better soon.

Hope you feel better by now Madge! Come to Tokyo. It's still summer here. Sunny and 31 C today!

I confess, by the end of the book I was thoroughly annoyed with all the characters except Gringoire and Djali. Esmeralda...sheesh, if they hadn't hanged her I was ready to throttle her myself for jumping up and shouting for Phoebus when the soldiers came looking for her!
I loved how they wrapped up Phoebus' story by the way.
"He met a tragical fate. He married."

Truly, I was glad to see that Gringoire chose to save the goat.

Gaijinmama wrote: "I was ready to throttle her myself for jumping up and shouting for Phoebus when the soldiers came looking for her!..."

Esmeralda was a goose, wasn't she? I was ready to slap her at that point!

Les Misérables moved me to tears, but this one just didn't grab me in the same way.
Just like Notre Dame, Les Miserables was horribly violent and unfair, but the characters caught and kept my attention. I really did not connect with anyone in Notre Dame except Gringoire and Jehan (the comic relief).
And the goat, of course.

I would love to visit Notre Dame , though. Hugo's description was so vivid and detailed. I've been in Salisbury Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, and the Dom in Cologne, so I have some idea of the power of these sacred places.