Les Miserables: Part 1 Book 8 and Part 2 Book 1

[Trisha]

Post you comments for this section here. Glad to see that so many people are reading and more are joining in!

[Alexander]

Wow, I have to say the whole description of the battle scene really had me gripped from start to finish! Fantastic how Hugo captured not only the tragedy and mess of war but the heroics of the individual soldiers, rather than the generals.

I'm starting to see a common theme in this book where Hugo is standing up for the little man. Seems quite unusual as all other books I've read from this period are about the rich and powerful.

[Jenn]

Alexander wrote: "Wow, I have to say the whole description of the battle scene really had me gripped from start to finish! Fantastic how Hugo captured not only the tragedy and mess of war but the heroics of the indi..."

I feel the opposite. This is actually the first part of the book so far that I have been struggling with. I have completely fallen in love with the book so far, but these historical accounts of Waterloo have been really difficult for me to work through. I am tempted to skip it but I don't want to miss something crucial to the story.

[Mo]

Ditto what Jenn said. I've already finished the book and thoroughly enjoyed it, but I still am not sure why Hugo felt compelled to describe the battle scenes in such detail. Personally, I didn't feel it added much to his story, but I did appreciate the history I learned from his account.

[Emma]

I think his reasons for including these drawn out descriptions of the battles probably goes back to the time in which he was writing, when the evolution of the "novel" was still underway. It seems to me that he may have included these in order to liken the book to history books and other more "legitimate" forms of reading.

[Janet]

It was written as a serial for the French of his day. They would have been, perhaps, more interested in the long digressions.

[Janet]

Alexander wrote: "Wow, I have to say the whole description of the battle scene really had me gripped from start to finish! Fantastic how Hugo captured not only the tragedy and mess of war but the heroics of the indi..."

I think politicians should have to read this together for book group. Maybe the "supercongress."

[Brenda]

Janet wrote: "Alexander wrote: "Wow, I have to say the whole description of the battle scene really had me gripped from start to finish! Fantastic how Hugo captured not only the tragedy and mess of war but the h..."

Janet - I agree - there are plenty of lessons that politicians could learn by reading this book.

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

I missed the point of the chapter "Waterloo." I struggled through it waiting for the tie into the rest of the story with Val-jean or Cosette -- I must of slept though it though. I am not sure how this chapter was supposed to help the story along. I would love your thoughts. I haven't given up on the book, but I am way behind the reading schedule. My interest comes and goes -- I guess it depends on what is happening in the section that I am reading. Some are interesting -- others are written well, but I seem to miss the point.

[Barbara]

Kathy wrote: "I missed the point of the chapter "Waterloo." I struggled through it waiting for the tie into the rest of the story with Val-jean or Cosette -- I must of slept though it though. I am not sure how t..."

I think there's a link right at the end isn't there? It's a while since I read this chapter (I stalled temporarily shortly after while I studied for and took an exam) but wasn't there a link to Thenardier who, when robbing the bodies after Waterloo, was credited by one officer for rescuing him and therefore had an "honourable" link to the battle which he exploited later on?

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Yes, the last couple of paragraphs of the many pages of digression on the battles begins the link of Thenardier and Marius. But that is it as far as I could tell, so the other many pages were . . . exciting history?

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Kathy wrote: "Yes, the last couple of paragraphs of the many pages of digression on the battles begins the link of Thenardier and Marius. But that is it as far as I could tell, so the other many pages were . . ...."

That's what I got 50 plus pages of history to introduce two new characters. One is minor and the other is with us till the end.

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

And that minor character does cause grief throughout the book.

[Christine]

Just finished Book 1 of Part 2. The description of Waterloo did seem like an unnecessarily lengthy digression from the story to introduce new characters, but Hugo's discussion of the battle seems to have themes that tie into the themes of the story itself. I found the history interesting, at any rate! I suppose the political commentary might've seemed more pertinent to his contemporary readers.

[siriusedward]

Well .Sister Simplice lied for Jean Valjean.It goes to show that some people are loyal and good.people who benefited from him abandoned him.Javerts triumph horrible to watch.

Only four people out of all remained loyal.
How awful.how sad.

[Brina]

I couldn't agree more with last comment. You would think that Javert would just give it up based on all the good M Madeleine has done. It is an obsession for him to catch Valjean whether he can committed a crime or not.

[Brina]

Cosette book 1 looks more tedious because of the historical background but necessary for the events later on.

[siriusedward]

Alexander wrote: "Wow, I have to say the whole description of the battle scene really had me gripped from start to finish! Fantastic how Hugo captured not only the tragedy and mess of war but the heroics of the indi..."

True.I loved this book too.The desciption and the emphasis on soldiers . Its so beautifully written.

[siriusedward]

On reading this I am reminded of The Devil On Horseback by Victoria Holt(for the revolution) and An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer (for the battle).

[siriusedward]

This I liked

Mont-Saint-Jean was cannonaded, Hougomont was burned, La Haie-Sainte was taken by assault, Papelotte was burned, Plancenoit was burned, La Belle-Alliance beheld the embrace of the two conquerors; these names are hardly known, and Waterloo, which worked not in the battle, bears off all the honor.

[siriusedward]

Maybe the whole book is to show how vile this Thenardier is.