Goodreads synopsis
Les Misérables (1862) ranks among the greatest novels of all time. In it Victor Hugo takes readers deep into the Parisian underworld, immerses them in a battle between good and evil, and carries them onto the barricades during the uprising of 1832 with a breathtaking realism that is unsurpassed in modern prose. Les Misérables gave Victor Hugo a canvas upon which he portrayed his criticism of the French political and judicial systems, but the portrait which resulted is larger than life, epic in scope - an extravagant spectacle that dazzles the senses even as it touches the heart.
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| Les Miserables Author: Victor Hugo Published: 1862 |
It is common knowledge among those who know me that Classics scare me. So when I picked up a copy from my local library (the newly built Dorchester County Library, in case any of you are curious) the sheer size (and weight) of Les Miserables combined with the beautiful but intimidating black, penguin classics cover left me with little expectation of finishing it. Oh, how wrong my expectations were!
Apart from a few chapters here and there that were purely historical fact rather than a continuation of the story, it never once dragged or felt overly heavy - no small feat considering the time and place setting. Each of the characters brought something new to the story-line and provided an alternative view on life in France during the period and the way that they were all intertwined was masterful. There were many characters each with their own background, development, past and perspective and yet the way in which they were introduced to the reader meant that there was never any confusion over who was involved and what was happening - a problem that I find is rife in classical fiction; have you ever attempted to read Anna Karenina? - In fact every character appeared, for the majority, to have their own section of the story, that were then all bought together in a wonderful way for an exciting and climatic ending.
The novel itself was a brilliant collaboration of history, love, loss, friendship, religion, politics the list could go on and on. Hugo's interest in language, Sociology and Politics is evident throughout in an accessible and extremely exciting way - obviously it helps if you are already interested in those same subjects but this is a novel, and a narrative of that time, that really contains something for everyone. There's Eponine; the epitome of the friend-zone, Jean valjean; a man who leaves his old life to make a new start and attempts to become a better person. He is a man chased by his demons until the very end and yet manages to still see the good, and help others. and among a myriad of others including M. Myrial, the kindly clergyman who refreshingly doesn't shy away from those wishing to debate the existence of god, there's Fantine; the determined girl who unfortunately just makes some wrong decisions and becomes blocked by the society in which she lives.
This truly is a work of literary art.
Rating: 5/5
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