From the Bookshelf of Should have read classics…

Les Misérables

Victor Hugo

Start date: December 1, 2012

Finish date: January 31, 2013

Discussion: Buddy Reads-Current

Why we're reading this: This is the group read for December and January. We will now change it to a buddy read for the remaining …more
[close] This is the group read for December and January. We will now change it to a buddy read for the remaining time.

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What Members Thought

Jul 24, 2012 Kelly Kellett rated it it was amazing

This was a very good book. I learned more than I ever know I wanted to know about Waterloo and the Parisian sewers. I can just see Hugo researching all this for the story and then not wanting to lose it, so he stuck it in. No page limits back then, huh.

(spoiler)

I was disappointed in the ending especially the shallow life-course ValJean urges Cosette toward. I'd like to think she continued the legacy of goodness of Monsignor Bienvenu and ValJean. ...more

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Jun 20, 2018 Dish Wanderer rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: human-relationships, victorian-lit, romanticism, french-lit

Les Miserable – Victor Hugo
*Spoilers ahead—avoid reading if you hate them!*
If you have been following my reviews, you should know by now that I tend to not like (much) the very popular books. This book is (surprise!) yet another example of the same! I am giving it three stars. The reason I read it was because a friend of mine was moving and giving away books and so I took this one as it has been on my vague to-read pile since forever because this is a book which is on all the lists and is much Les Miserable – Victor Hugo
*Spoilers ahead—avoid reading if you hate them!*
If you have been following my reviews, you should know by now that I tend to not like (much) the very popular books. This book is (surprise!) yet another example of the same! I am giving it three stars. The reason I read it was because a friend of mine was moving and giving away books and so I took this one as it has been on my vague to-read pile since forever because this is a book which is on all the lists and is much loved by the general populace. However, I was a tad irritated with myself because the version that I read was an abridged one and it was only for 400 pages! Whereas, as I now know the original is more than a 1000. Jeez! I only realized that I was reading the abridged version when I read some of the Goodreads review. Gah! I hate reading abridged versions of things; I am not ten years old! Anyhow, I shall be reading the unabridged version hopefully sometime in a few years.

19th century European novels tend to be about society and the various ills that plague said societies. This one is also about the various plagues like poverty, ignorance, war, lack of compassion and empathy; you get the picture. Hugo in his Author’s Preface wrote that “[…so long as ignorance and misery remain on earth, books like this cannot be useless.” And herein lies the appeal of the novel; ignorance, misery and poverty are still a huge part of the human condition in 2018 as it was in 1862. Here the novel scores; as a social document of how penury was driving people to do either good (Valjean) or bad (Thenardier) in 19th century France. The accounts of how Fantine is driven to give up her daughter; Valjean trying to escape his galley slave past, the Thenardiers using treachery to eke out their living, Marius only eating penny rolls in abject poverty strike you and make you think about your own privilege.
There are some very striking episodes in the novel which grip you and stay with you long after you have read them like when Valjean crosses the Paris sewers, the revolution, his encounter with Javert and the Thenardiers and many more. However, it does read very melodramatic most of the times, what with the chance escapes and misunderstandings, the non-recognitions et al. It honestly reads like a Bollywood film. Sorry but not really; it does read like that with all its melodrama.
Another word on characterization. The characters are not that well fleshed out and their inner life is not as deftly explored as you would get in some other French novels like Nana, Therese Racquin or even Madame Bovary. Jean Valjean is the best fleshed out character in the novel and the most memorable. I wish the other characters also had an in-depth characterization as his character. However, I did read the abridged version so maybe I missed a lot of that? Also, I didn’t know Fantine was a prostitute until I read goodreads review; that part is completely glossed out in the abridged version. Argh!
The female characters leave much to be desired. They are either angels (Cossette) or “whores” (Eponine). I had a lot of expectations from Cossette as a character but she is really dull and uninteresting. The last part of the novel really drove me mad. When Valjean stops coming to see Cossette why doesn’t she go and see him instead? I mean wouldn’t you go see your father if he stops coming to see you suddenly?
The best part about the book for me has to do with privilege and how Maruis realizes not only his socio-economic but male privilege –“For five years Maruis had lived in poverty, in privation, in distress even, but he perceived that he never known real misery. Real misery he had just seen. In fact, he who has seen the misery of man only has seen nothing, he must see the misery of woman; he who has seen the misery of woman only has seen nothing, he must see the misery of childhood.” (pg. 205) Voila! Finally a male character who realizes his privilege! This was the singular most amazing and wonderful moment for me in the novel.
A word about Paris which is as much a character in the novel as Valjean. I really enjoyed reading about Paris; the beautiful parts but also the dirty, smelly ones. The city is an important character unfolding the plot for the readers. Paris is my favorite! Would like to take a Les Miserables tour of the city!
All in all, the novel has its moments and is a good read on 19th century Parisian society. Maybe I can write a better review or will like it more once I read the unabridged version sooner rather than later.

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Aug 09, 2013 Samantha rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own-it, classic-literature, french-history

How to review Les Miserables? This book in its unabridged format can be around 1500 pages long, so there is really no way to say the entire book is detestable or every page is amazing. What I can say is that if you have only been to the musical or watched the movie, you are missing out on the depth of the story and character development that takes place within this impressive tome.

**Some spoilers may follow**

I adored Hugo's beautiful style of writing and the way he weaves together the lives and How to review Les Miserables? This book in its unabridged format can be around 1500 pages long, so there is really no way to say the entire book is detestable or every page is amazing. What I can say is that if you have only been to the musical or watched the movie, you are missing out on the depth of the story and character development that takes place within this impressive tome.

**Some spoilers may follow**

I adored Hugo's beautiful style of writing and the way he weaves together the lives and personalities of his cast of characters. Sure, most people know that Fantine dies, Jean Valjean dedicates his life to Cosette, and loveable little Gavroche dies at the barricade along with many other idealistic young men. But the musical does not tell you the full reach of the Thenadiers' horrific deeds that they justify in the name of earning a few sous. Far from the fun-loving innkeepers who pick a few pockets, they are thieves, child abandoners, and quite possibly murderers. Reading the novel we learn of Marius' connection to the villainous innkeeper, estrangement from his grandfather, and complete selflessness. Even Javert had moments where he made me smile with his incredible confidence and belief in right triumphing over evil (as long as it was his version of 'right').

Unfortunately, the novel also includes chapters like "Ancient History of the Sewer," "The Quic Obscurum of Battles," and "To Wit, the Plan of Paris in 1727." Hugo includes pages and pages . . . . and a few more pages of tangents, unnecessary history, and love letters/songs/poetry. Some chapters kept me riveted to the page, others I skimmed, glassy-eyed.

I adored the beginning chapters describing Bishop Myriel, who purchases Jean Valjean's virtue at the cost of his remaining silver. He is portrayed as forgiving and kind in the musical. In the novel, he is more Christ-like a person than most of us will ever meet. He is selfless, loving, humble, and remarkable in his faith. Without him, the story of Jean Valjean could not happen. I read these opening chapters and was eager to carry on, but no other portion of the book pulled me in like this part did.

Would I recommend it? If you enjoy long rambling, classically written, history-heavy books, this book has themes in it that are touching and well worth the time it takes to get through it. If you are just curious about what else happens that's not in the movie, you'll probably never get through it. Try an abridged version. If you want more of the love story between Marius and Cosette, you should know that the two exchange few words. Les Miserables has it all - love, betrayal, sacrifice, revolution, oppression, faith, and social issues. Sometimes it even has a bit too much.

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Dec 21, 2011 Melanie rated it liked it

To be honest, I only read half of the book, and read the rest of the summary on Wikipedia. However, seeing how I painstakingly read half of the book, I would like credit for that. And since I cannot add that I only read it half way, my only option for getting credit is to say I read the book.

This book is a tough one for me. I feel like it has some of the best fictional characters, i.e. Jean Val Jean, and Bishop Myriel. This book also has fabulous themes: forgiveness, love, redemption, selfishnes ...more

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