Les Miserables: Victor Hugo (5 VOLUMES) (Classics, World Literature) [Annotated]

by Victor Hugo

Les Misérables is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, and is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. Introducing one of the most famous characters in literature, Jean Valjean - the noble peasant imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread. Victor Hugo takes readers deep into the Parisian underworld, immerses them in a battle between good and evil, and carries them onto the barricades during the uprising of 1832.

Kindle Edition

Published May 7, 2021

About the author

After 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.

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this and it's all sinking in. It was so very good. The detailed tangents were so hard sometimes, (ahem, for one example the 100+ page tangent of the history and battle of Waterloo) but on the whole it still gets 5 stars. Hugo is an incredible story teller that has you turning pages and then stopping to think on themes. There is suffering, self-sacrifice, communication (or lack thereof), serving, unselfishness, lying, stealing, truthfulness, forgiveness, mercy, etc.

*This does contain some spoilers. You're fine to keep reading if you know the Broadway or have seen a movie adaptation.

Here are just some parts that stood out to me.

The suffering was so great and at some point unnecessary. Near the end I felt that Valjean needed the mercy and grace that only comes from Christ. He was always trying to be better but never thought he was good enough, as though he could never forgive himself. What a sad end. His character was also a type of Christ.

Enjolras' moving speech in the barricade about women, moms, sisters, girls and young innocent children and doing the harder thing to go and live was just beautiful. I highlighted almost three pages and got teary eyed. I could tell Hugo really loved and respected females.

Hugo hits on truth. One example is the wedding. How two chased, and virtuous people can be so sublime in love. How the marriage night nuptials were between God, the husband and the wife and that angels were pleased at the event. It was beautiful. Isn't it worth being a virtuous person, to have a joint relationship in marriage with God?

The lack of real communication between the grandpa and Marius bothered me! I guess the story wouldn't have been able to be all tied up with a bow if there was good communication, but it was sad the amount of suffering and pain it caused. A good principle from this book is to speak openly and truthfully with family members. Also, that Grandpa is sometimes fairly crusty, in more ways than one, from what he relates to in his younger years.

The glaring opposite of Valjean and Thenardiers finally hit me near the end. See it was worth making it through! Thenardiers was pickpocketing an almost dead colonel. Then the colonel thought he was being saved by him. Thenardiers then told it to the rooftops his entire life about how he saved a 'general' at Waterloo. He even painted an art piece of his grand act and tried to sell it to Valjean! On the other hand Valjean saved many people's lives and told none. He served not for the accolades of men. He saved and helped all regardless of their person, and at the risk of his own safety, comfort, livelihood, or ruining himself. He only tells Marius that he did a service for a man and the man allowed him to have his name. Valjean had saved him at great risk when no one else would dare and he called it an 'act of service.'

However, if he was fully truthful in telling his entire story he could've had a happy and longer life with Cosette and Marius. Valjean said he told him all the important parts, but it wasn't enough.

So should we always hide our good deeds? That is a dilemma question. I look forward to discussing the book further with my book club this week. I feel like we could for a whole week and still miss things.

[Ане́чка · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Grand Epic About People, Fairness, and Revival

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo is a towering example of literary art that probes suffering human nature, kindness, and moral strength. The story, which takes place in the France of the 19th century, depicts the lives of characters like Jean Valjean, Javert, Fantine, and Cosette, intertwining their destinies and showing themes of love, injustice, sacrifice, and the search for salvation.

Hugo’s prose is complex, moving, and caring of the human kind. His treatment of social discrimination, poverty, and the issues of the downtrodden is engaging and of all times, while his portrayal of empowerment and moral bravery is a source of unlimited inspiration. Besides stunning storytelling, the book also offers philosophical and ethical reflections, thus it can be considered a thought-provoking work of art as well.

Les Misérables, in fact, is a very ambitious piece of work with a vast breadth that is what makes it almost impossible to set down once started. Besides presenting the characters' personal stories, Hugo also portrays the characters’ world along with the socio-political and historical forces behind it. The novel's themes of justice, mercy, love, and resilience are still attracting audiences and readers everywhere.

Being a grand, heartfelt, and forever relevant literary jewel, Les Misérables is a must for those who want to dive deep into human nature, morality, and the unending fight for dignity and justice.

[Esther]

A masterpiece of a story. I loved watching the movie or different series based on the book but as always the book trumps them all. Very deep and beautifully written sequences on other topics enrich the plot. At the same time, however, they can be quite distracting or too extensive. Sometimes it tested my patience. Nevertheless a great piece of literature I have finally been able to master.

[Rona Astel Shacham · Rating 5 out of 5]

200 hundred years yet almost nothing has changed.

[Kevin Franz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book in depth details nothing like the musical or film, great read all round

[Brandy Valdez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libro tan más increíble 🙌