The Hunchback of Notre-Dame in Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

Apr 08, 2008 Rebecca rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, faves

Read in one day. Loved. Tis about fate. Plus physicality as both imprisonment and embodiment. I adored tragic Esmeralda. And have gotta emigrate to Gothic Paris.

*hails time machine*

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Aug 15, 2012 M rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, interlibrary-ownership

To be honest, the novel is highly unbalanced: some parts are amazing and some parts are either a chore to get through (I take my medieval architecture lectures only in brief chapters, please) or very mediocre. However, Hugo had a point to get across to his contemporary readers: he was trying to save what was left of medieval Paris and thought the best way to do it was by linking the buildings to a moving story. And he managed to be snarky even while writing verbose descriptions, so I think moder To be honest, the novel is highly unbalanced: some parts are amazing and some parts are either a chore to get through (I take my medieval architecture lectures only in brief chapters, please) or very mediocre. However, Hugo had a point to get across to his contemporary readers: he was trying to save what was left of medieval Paris and thought the best way to do it was by linking the buildings to a moving story. And he managed to be snarky even while writing verbose descriptions, so I think modern readers can forgive those long chapters. Moving on.

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Victor Hugo completely tricked me into a brilliant, moving tale of despair full of unforgettable and complex characters. There isn't a single character which can be designated as good-willed and compassionate, nor is there a completely evil villain. My unquestionable favorite is Dom Claude Frollo, which remembered me to Don Fermín de Pas (from La Regenta / The Regent's Wife). All of them suffer from impositions beyond their control, but with enough free will to be able to change their situation. Sadly, no one does. These are characters that truly act in character, if that makes sense. ...more

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