From the Bookshelf of Topeka & Shawnee Co. Public Library…

Les Misérables

Victor Hugo

Start date: February 12, 2012

Finish date: March 12, 2012

Why we're reading this: First published 150 years ago, this familiar story of redemption is one of the greatest novels of the nin…more
[close] First published 150 years ago, this familiar story of redemption is one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century as it follows several French characters over a seventeen year period from 1815 through 1832’s June Rebellion. A brief presentation on the cultural impact of this classic is followed by discussion. Read and discuss the book, or attend and listen to learn more about a classic novel.

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Feb 02, 2013 Chris Blocker rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Victor Hugo's classic Les Misérables is a good story bogged down by many digressions. It's probably what anyone should expect from the era. Authors of the time did frequently step away from the narrative and give their opinions about this matter or that, then tell you about the historical context (Hugo departed from his opinions occasionally to tell the story). More than once, Hugo wrote, “The following is an authentic incident which, although it has no bearing on our story...” “Although it has Victor Hugo's classic Les Misérables is a good story bogged down by many digressions. It's probably what anyone should expect from the era. Authors of the time did frequently step away from the narrative and give their opinions about this matter or that, then tell you about the historical context (Hugo departed from his opinions occasionally to tell the story). More than once, Hugo wrote, “The following is an authentic incident which, although it has no bearing on our story...” “Although it has no bearing on our story”--this is a problem. Half the book could be eliminated and you'd still have the same story. Fortunately, the tale that is the backbone of Les Misérables is memorable enough than the reader still recalls the story by the time Hugo finishes his thirty or forty page rant.

So I will say flat out that Hugo was not a great novelist as we think of it today. Not only did he try to lure the reader into a book of philosophy, political theory, and whatever other train of thought Hugo wanted to follow, but he tried (unsuccessfully, I believe) to trick the reader with moments of suspense. He played this game where he tried to suspend the revelation for several chapters. Maybe it's effective the first couple times, but it becomes clear too early that it is a gimmick. This man, the man you've been reading about for the past thirty pages, is really...

All that thrown to the streets and left to beg, Hugo was a wonderful storyteller. The tales of Valjean, Fantine, Cosette, Marius, et al are epic. They may only be loosely connected to one another, but their bulk is comprised of one theme. Parallels can certainly be made to the Bible when viewed as a work of literature. Both are filled with tragedy, history, love, and enough digressions to reinterpret and make a religion out of. But the stories that many people remember from the Bible—Cain and Abel, Joseph and his brothers, Moses and the exodus, the birth of Jesus, the prodigal son, Paul on the road to Damascus, et cetera—these stories carry much of the same love, jealousy, anger, and hope that the stories in Les Misérables impart on the reader. And when you take a step back, look at the story in its full context, try not to let your annoyances or biases get in the way, you'll find a story of redemption. That is the Bible. And that is Les Misérables. ...more

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May 29, 2012 Lissa rated it really liked it

Sometimes the experience of reading is as memorable as the book. I read/skimmed this (or what turned out to be an abridgement of this) book on the way back from Collinsville the weekend before the March 2012 book group and then watched my dad's PBS DVD of the musical, or parts of it, with a very sleep-resistant preschooler on my lap. And so began Kivrin's fearful obsession with vents (storm drains) after I told her the story of Jean valJean's escape through the storm drains to save the day and r ...more

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