Les Miserables discussion
Les Mis: A book
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Have you read it?
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message 51:
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Anna
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Jun 14, 2011 01:58PM
Nope farther than that. Much more in the book.
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Oh, well the Bishop was boring, but I got past it...i'm only in the Cosette book though...
That's okay. You just keep on plodding through!
Ughie.....I get distracted easily, so Im reading another book while I read this, also to keep my goal up this year....ughie....Buts its JUST SOOOOOO GOOOD!!!!
I know. I have TRIED to read Les Mis but Princess Diaries makes me want to it read it all in one sitting which I can't but I sometimes wish I could. So when I decide "I AM GOING TO READ LES MIZ" I read Princess Diaries instead.
It's so funny...but Anne Hathaway does such a great Mia...I can't help but watch trailers of princess diaries.
Sorry to bring up this old thread...I'm thinking of rereading it. Was wondering if anyone knew if a guide book existed. I used Cliffs Notes and if I remember correctly it summarized, but didn't explain.
Also anyone have opinions of which version to read. I have the Signet, but may try Penguin.
Mod
Now, I thought that that was a made-up name. Well guess what. It isn't. I have customers here in Miami at Macy's. A charming old couple. Their last name is Zenobia. Last time I was working with them I chuckled that Disney had made a movie about a princess with their last name. They smiled, and then told me their family story...they are Italian (of course). Well, King Victor Emmanuel had a daughter, who, around 1919 or so, became pregnant out-of-wedlock, something which, in those times, and in royal families, simply was "NOT DONE." The father was also royalty but of another line. My customer is the child. He was conceived in Italy and born in the USA and is Count Zenobia. To this day, when they go to Italy on vacation, Italians of all ages, recognize him and his wife immediately, "click their heels" together, greet him with, "Good Day, Count Zenobia!!", and give him and his wife free hotel rooms and free meals, free taxi rides, you name it. Now, he grew up here, worked for Macy's at Herald Square/NYC for 25 years or so, as the manager of packing (2 floors of subordinate workers), and retired just like any regular guy (with a nice hard-worked-for stash for retirement), only he IS royalty. He doesn't think so highly of himself, but every time he and his wife visit Italy, like I said, they literally get "the royal treatment." Their story charmed my socks off, and even though they are regular shoppers at my store, I took them around introducing them to my co-workers and managers as Count Zenobia. Everyone was stunned, and charmed, as they told their story to our associates at Macy's. This dear couple, whom we all already know and love, now gets an extra dose of "royal treatment" from everybody at Macy's too. And he and the wife are such SWEET and humble people, too. Just thought I would share that, for mentioning THE PRINCESS DIARIES to them, is how I learned their adorable story.
Mod
Wow, that's quite the story, Donald. It's rather adorable. Brought a little grin to my face. As to Les Miserables, I must admit that I have never heard of that reaction to the novel before. I've heard people say that the love the story, but can't read through the book. I've heard them say that he adds too many parts that aren't necessary (I would agree in the case of A: Waterloo and B: The Sewers.) But never have I heard anyone say that the writing overwhelms them so. I'm a little shocked, though I find your description of his writing pleasing. He truly was a gifted author, though perhaps a tad over the top in some cases, but truly remarkable nonetheless.
I admit, I have never been so overcome by Les Miserables. Oh, I've cried while reading it all right (though are so many instances when it is just too painful to bear, but like you said, beautiful."
Perhaps a rereading is in order.
I have decided because I am such a huge fan of the musical I have to read the book (I also still need to see the movie, but that's another discussion it seems! ;) ) I plodded through the beginning of the bishop and Jean Val Jean finally made an appearance and then I got busy and had to put it down...very good book but definitely a little hard to get through! I like someone else's idea about a cliff notes or spark notes, anyone else use these and have some success?
Mod
Lauren, YES, **please** see the movie. A warning is in order: if you are used to the voices of Colm Wilkinson or Alfie Boe as VALJEAN, then you are going to be shocked. Hugh Jackman ((who has a beautiful voice, so I don't understand this about his Les Miserables the film singing))-- but Hugh Jackman's singing voice is grating, especially at first. I was so startled by it that 10 minutes into the film, I was about to walk out. I AM **SO GLAD** THAT I DID NOT WALK OUT. Because the more I watched, despite the grating and a bit nasal quality of Jackman's voice, his performance as, and characterization of, Jean Valjean, is, to be frank, utterly MAGICAL. Even his voice started to grow on me, and in the end I absolutely CHERISH Jackman's Jean Valjean. And his voice is actually pretty on some of the songs. SUDDENLY, the new song for the film that Valjean sings right after he has adopted Cosette and she is sleeping with her head on his knee as they ride toward home in the horse-drawn carriage, this song is so tender and sweet it brings tears pouring down my face. Jackman, as Valjean, sings the song, and his rendition is nothing less than precious. The film is filled with wonderful performances, and stunning choreography and monumental cinematography. It is grand and gracious and loving in every sense of the word. I don't like that a couple of stanzas to some of my favorite songs/scenes, were cut out. (( "You would live a hundred years, if I could show you how" is gone from A LITTLE FALL OF RAIN. The first two verses of DRINK WITH ME, are gone. The recovering Marius's line: "Every day, I wonder everyday, who was it brought me here from the barricade??" is gone)). These are sad but minor flaws. The film is beautiful beyond describing. EDDIE REDMAYNE, Marius in the film, is the finest young actor that I have EVER seen in my ENTIRE LIFE. He is as sweet as a child, as goofy and charmingly melodramatic (in his "love at first sight" scenes) as a puppy-love- stricken teen, as passionate as a committed philosopher and as gentle, naive, trusting and INNOCENT as a little baby. I adore him and his performance like no other. When he sings EMPTY CHAIRS AT EMPTY TABLES, his stunning rendition is SO powerful that I had to be peeled up off of the floor. If this wonderful actor/singer does NOT win the OSCAR for Best Supporting Male Actor in a Musical, then there is no justice. And the finale, as always, is marvellous. All these souls who have died in the course of the show, and are now in heaven with God, reappear, all the pain is gone from their faces, they forgive everyone including those they fought at the barricades, everyone is joyous and smiling from ear to ear, storming the streets of old Paris jubilantly as they wave those gorgeous blue, red, and white flags and singing happily at the tops of their lungs. It is joyous and wonderful. And, as in every performance of LES MIS' (and we all know it), the last TWO WORDS of the Finale, their final outcry, will make your heart BURST.
This movie is glorious and wonderful.
Yes, you really must see it.
I already have. As of this writing (January 3, 2013),
I've seen it FOUR TIMES. And plan to see it again.
Kind of, sort of, almost part of it....it's so long!
From what I've read of it, she is!
Erica wrote: "well there is a line that she says in the book that every-time i read it, it makes me so mad:
" My child is no longer cold, i have clothed her with my hair.""
*crying....*
" My child is no longer cold, i have clothed her with my hair.""
*crying....*
Yes. When I was a teen and first discovered the musical.Savouring bits of it, as Donald put it so well.
And I started re-reading it again before the movie came out - and I'm still at it coz I'm reading other books too and turn to Les Miz when I'm in the mood.
Definitely recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it. It explains a lot that the musical/movie cannot capture in 2.5 to 3 hours.
I love the book! I read it when i first discovered the musical in 8th grade! I read it in 3 weeks because i was so captivated!
It's such an amazing book. Well, I guess one could say Victor Hugo can rant a lot, but it's all soso interesting. I'm ashamed to say that I read it after I saw the movie, but in a way, that was even better, because sometimes I feel like if I had read it before, I wouldn't have understood anything (it's a bit hard to understand). Lots of good historical background.
I never really thought I could cry at the end of a book, but, welll..... this really did the job for me. I have to say, I love how the last chapter is just Jean Valjean dying, and that's all you can really focus your mind on for the rest of the day (if that made any sense). The essence of Les Mis was still on me for a LONG time. I'm gonna miss reading that book. I have to read it again.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!
Loved it so much that I finished it in two days!!! I definitely do not think that the size should discourage people from reading it. Victor Hugo definitely likes getting off topic, but it is interesting if you think about what he is trying to convey. I'm really glad that I read it because now it's like I know the whole story. It changed my opinions on almost all the characters except for 2 or 3. My friends think I'm crazy for reading it 6 times and for working on my 7th time.
Can someone here let me borrow? or donate their Les miserables please! I really want to read it soo bad! I would be glad if you do so! message me and I'll send you my shipping address , I'm from philippines! Pleaseeee!
I've read it, though I frequently go back to it so I can reread the Montponine parts, and a good amount of Marisette parts, too. I probably have more feelings about Montponine, though.
I am rereading it currently. I read the unabridged version years ago...LOVED IT...my favorite book EVER! Recently I decided to make time for it again...this time I am listening to the unabridged audiobook. Still LOVE IT! So much that I created a new goodreads group called The Unabridged Les Miserables group to discuss this book specifically. Come join me to talk about this book!
I am rereading it currently. I read the unabridged version years ago...LOVED IT...my favorite book EVER! Recently I decided to make time for it again...this time I am listening to the unabridged audiobook. Still LOVE IT! So much that I created a new goodreads group called The Unabridged Les Miserables group to discuss this book specifically. Come join me to talk about this book!
