Les Misérables question

not simply appropriate, this book should be required reading if only for the lessons on humanity and forgiveness and honor (in the truest sense) - some of the characters we meet in this book and in life who occupy positions of authority and trust are possessed of neither integrity or trust, while others of the meanest and most humble aspect are people of the highest honor - then there are the filler people, those who are motivated by situation and/or greed (good when it is convenient, evil when they feel they won't get caught or if it is worth the risk) - a book full of lectures taught in simple prose and a manner that will imprint itself upon the eager mind - and then there is the play... Mon Dieu!

I have personally finished an abridged version and right now in the middle of the unbridged version and have found it to be a profound masterpiece except for some very long passages going on and on about houses and what they look like. As for appropriation: it's clean except for that Fantine nearly becomes a hussy, has a child out wed-lock, and there's a romance between Marius, Cosette and Eponine, it's a mild sort. The musical has more to offer than the book ever has but there's a musical number called Lovely Ladies where Fantine becomes a hussy (unlike the book) and there are several suggestive lyrics then comes Master of House has a few suggestive lyrics as well. Don't let that make you not watch it because of them, go ahead and buy either the 25th anniversary cast or the dream concert, you'll be thrilled that you did.

I read the abridged version and said "that's it?" and realized I had grabbed the abridged version in error. I set out to read the unabridged version and put it aside somewhere in the middle of the battle of Waterloo. That was several years ago. Some day, when I find my copy (I've moved a couple of times) I'll pick it up again.

Honestly, I would not recommend LM at all for your average teenager. For a bright teenager, who likes classics, I would recommend the abridged version. Only for a teenager who loves classics and who's a complete bookworm would I recommend the unabridged version. I read LM when I was in the 9th grade--it was the abridged Wilbour version, and it was difficult reading. If I'd had the unabridged version, I probably would've just given up and never finished the book.

its a must read for everyone.. once you are through, you will find yourself completely changed. it just doesnt preach about the humanity, honor, love, care, hatred,... it gives u an example to follow.

It requires a huge amount of commitment, but it is beyond worth it. I'm17 and no other novel has influenced me as much as it has. I read it in French, but I couldn't find it on here to add it. There were times when I wanted to throw it at a wall, but I thought of it as something to accomplish, not just something to read. That and I had a lot of motivation. Some people told me that I wouldn't be able to do it, others said that I was brave for trying it. Also, skipping chapters is allowed.

This was required reading when I was in grade 8 so most everyone the province who's my age read it at that time. I remember liking it.

I read it in my teen years, I loved it very much

This is a pretty old thread, but I just now saw it -- and since Les Mis is one of my all-time favorite books, I decided to add my 2 cents. As a home school mom, Les Mis (the unabridged version) is required reading. My 4 oldest all read it, and my 13 year old will read it before she graduates (she'll probably read it during her senior year). It's a wonderful book, and the lessons about honor and humility and forgiveness and integrity are the depth of this book, which so many books today are lacking.

Maggie wrote: "Hi. I'm a teen and I was wondering whether this book was appropiate and interesting enough for teenagers or not."

I devoured this book either my sophomore or junior year of high school. It is a fabulous read for YA and Adult readers alike.

A thrilling read, wish I'd found it as a teenager, when the theme of a good man wronged would have appealed to me in a very powerful way.
I'll re-read it sometime and see if my moral compass is still as true as it was.

Any teenager with the attention span and concentration to read this book certainly should; it's very much worthwhile. There's a lot of violence, including violence against children, and there is a part of the story that deals with prostitution, but I don't remember any of it being particularly graphic. I was in my late teens when I first read it, and it remains one of my favorite stories.

Read it. Try not to skip through the super long parts (like I did). There's actually valuable info in there. But don't be frustrated if you don't understand it the first time through.

Believe it or not, my 2nd grade teacher read the abridged version to us. She also did Ben Hur. I loved the story, but was about 30 when I read the unnabridged version. It took me an entire summer and I loved the history sidenotes (hundreds of pages worth).
I have never been so moved as I was by the final chapter of this book. I would recommend it to anyone, but it would take a very serious teenager to make it through, I think.

I was 19 when I first read this in French and to this day I think it is one of the best novels I have ever read. I was hooked on it for the whole summer I spent au-pairing in La Baule in France.

I was a teenager when I read the unabridged version, and- while I loved it- I skipped over a lot of sections in my impatience to find out what happened to the characters...I later read the whole thing several times, but for that first time, as a teen- I think an abridged version would have been better. but, either way- it's a wonderful book and you should definitely read it!

I read the unabridged version as a teenager, enjoying it over vacation when I didn't have a lot of other responsibilities. I honestly think that was the perfect way to read it, not rushed, but able to just get lost in the time period and the language of the book. While I have nothing against abridged versions, I tend to think that one should always try the original version first just so that you can get a true taste of the book as it was written. I found it well worth the read, and it's still one of my favorite books!

I fell in love with this book when I was a teenager. I read the unabridged version.

sure it's very interesting and deep :)

I think it's appropiate, after all I can't think about some incriminating things in this book. The problem is more that it's lengthy and some teenagers might find it to long as it's very describing in places. Try and read it yourself before setting it as an assignment.