Les Misérables: Translated by Julie Rose

By: Victor Hugo, Julie Rose - translator

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 60 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

One of the great classics of world literature and the inspiration for the most beloved stage musical of all time, Les Misérables is legendary author Victor Hugo’s masterpiece. This extraordinary English version by renowned translator Julie Rose captures all the majesty and brilliance of Hugo’s work. Here is the timeless story of the quintessential hunted man—Jean Valjean—and the injustices, violence, and social inequalities that torment him.

©2008 Random House (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

“Rich and gorgeous. This is the [translation] to read.” ( Times (London))

Amazing.

The combination of Victor Hugo, Julie Rose, and George Guidall (Audiobook Narrator) is pure magic.

Staggeringly good

Most audio versions of Les Miserables use the classic 19th century translations — the ones that have the advantage of being in the public domain. Having been made close to the time of the novel’s publication, they retain the more formal English style of the period, and they usually retain the euphemisms and bowdlerizations of the time as well.

You won’t find many euphemisms in this one. Only a translator possessed of genuine heroism would tackle a project like this, so hats off to Julie Rose for pulling it off: it’s a fluid translation that retains Hugo’s narrative dignity but still brings alive his colloquial dialogue. The audiobook is read by George Guidall, one of the few narrators with the range and gravitas to inhabit the story from the inside.

There are plenty of surprises in the book, but most of them depend on carefully-prepared coincidences. Some of these will be especially surprising if your familiarity with the story comes mostly from the musical: as magnificent as that musical is — and I’m a tremendous fan of it, both as an adaptation and as a work in its own right — it does skirt over the complexity of some of the relationships in the book. (How could it not? The book, as read here, is 60 hours long.)

Hugo works on a huge, sprawling, tragic canvas, but there are moments of glee (many of them courtesy of Gavroche) and moments of melodrama and bathos (courtesy of Eponine and Cosette). Through it all broods the figure of Jean Valjean, the man who remade himself, who constantly scanned his soul for tendencies he abhorred — any trace of jealousy, hatred, or vindictiveness— and who put himself repeatedly in harm’s way to reform them. He is a rock on which the soul of Javert, unable to accept that such a being exists, crashes and is destroyed.

To listen to the book in its entirety is to visit another time and place and live another life. I mean that. I honestly feel as if I’ve lived Jean Valjean’s life from first to last. I don’t even remember when I started; it seems like ages ago. At this point I’m not sure I can separate his memories from my own. Jean Valjean’s Paris feels as real to me as my own hometown.

I admit that I skimmed through the afterword by Adam Gopnik. I rarely find anything he has to say interesting.

The unabridged Les Miserables is not for everyone. Hugo included many chapters providing background on peripheral subjects: the battle of Waterloo, the history of Paris convents, the history of the Paris sewer system, the whole career of Monsignor Bienvenu. I love those chapters, but they amount to about a third of the book, and they add to the challenge for a first-time reader. Hugo can’t help himself: in the middle of the war at the barricades, when the students realize a cannon is being pointed at them, they stop for a page or two to discuss the merits of various materials for making cannon and the advantages and disadvantages of rifling the bore.

Unfortunately the only abridged versions available remove not only these chapters but gut much of the core narrative as well. Some of them render the story itself incomprehensible. My heretical recommendation would be to start with the unabridged version, but listen carefully and do some judicious skipping, being willing to backtrack if you find that you skipped too much and find the characters in an unexpected place.

Beware, though. If you skip the side roads, you’ll miss fascinating observations like Hugo’s proposal for managing Paris sewage. Human waste, he says, is the best fertilizer in existence; we could solve two problems with one looping pipeline — take the human waste out of Paris, and instead of dumping it into the ocean, pump it into the surrounding farmland.

In fact the one question he never answers is about the sewer system. It’s not a set of abandoned tunnels; it’s in active use when Jean Valjean makes his way through the darkness. At times he has to step off the work paths and wade directly into the sewage, usually waist deep but sometimes up to his chin. So.... how many years did it take before he got rid of the smell?

one of the greatest books of all time

I loved the movie but hated the play. I was nervous about listening to a 60 hour book. What if it was more like the play and I hated it? But I really had nothing to worry about. This book is like neither the movie, nor the play. It is rich in history and emotion. It meanders off for hours at a time, then comes neatly back to pick up exactly where it left off without losing any steam or momentum. Not only is it a captivating and heartbreaking story, it is a first hand look into French history.

After awhile you may start to feel that you aren't getting anywhere in the story because of all the side stories. But don't despair. It is all there for a reason and it is well worth sticking to it.

Very good, but not great.

The characters are so well developed you feel like you know them. There are some great moral players here, starting with the bishop and, eventually, Jean Valjean.

My biggest problem is that Hugo tends to go off on side topics and not come back for awhile. I swear he spent 1 1/2 hours on the sewers of Paris. And while Waterloo is interesting, it's not two hours interesting--especially when it doesn't add that much to the story. There are 1/2 dozen topics that he just goes on and on about without really adding to the story. This added hours and hours to an already long book. George Guidall is one of my favorite readers, but I wonder if the abridged version wouldn't work a little better.

Also, I thought the ending was a bit too much. Almost felt like a Hallmark classic...

Wonderful!!!! Just power through the wordy parts!

Would you listen to Les Misérables: Translated by Julie Rose again? Why?

This is a wonderful recording of a wonderful story. You will cry at the end if not before. A story of duty and the happiness found in serving others above yourself. Exquisite!

From high school to now!

I first read this book in high school English for extra credit. I was not a "reader" at all like my parents were and when I picked it up to read it a second time-they were shocked. I have continued to like the story line and have seen the musical 7 times. I mention this so you realize that I am partial and would love hearing this book read to me since you already have my "attention". Grin. That being said, I love the voice of the reader and by listening to the book, I have remembered more parts that were not in the musical and appreciated what a huge and successful undertaking it was to make this book into that awesome musical.

I just saw the movie last night and will keep this book downloaded so I can go back to it when I choose.

A classic all should listen to for so many ways I am not equipped to express in fairness.

Whew! Wow!

Whew! Wow! What an amazing, incredible story! 60+ hours of listening and totally worth it! I am sooooo impressed. I've loved the play/musical since I first saw it with my mom as a teenager and I'm even more in awe of the play after marveling how it was adapted from Hugo's epic story! This book is amazing for so many reasons! Wow - the characters! - So vivid and real and complicated and personal.... also, all the random, beautiful, exhaustive birdwalks into 1800-French sewers, politics, prostitution, Waterloo... AND the incredible translation! - Ms. Rose made it sound as if it was written today! I'm a better person for having read this! #EpicStory #BucketList #WorthTheTime #tagsgiving #sweepstakes

Can be a drag but worth it.

I won't lie, this book was a struggle sometimes. But the writing and the translation is very very good. The story is immense and powerful. Worth it.

Rêve, Je Rêvais

The story is Epic (with a capital "E"), entertaining and evocative. Redemption of a petty criminal, constant conflicts, cat and mouse, a father's love, a daughter's blooming love and the expiation of her poor late mother, in a monumental setting of post-Revolutionary France.

I must forewarn you though (having read along with audio): Hugo inserted two 75-90 pg. discussions of historical matters that, in hindsight, don't appear that crucial to the storyline. Reading either will have you feeling like you just ran the gauntlet - early in the book is a wooden discussion of, if my memory's correct, the history/politics of Roman Catholicism in France, and the other a plodding description of Waterloo. If you're a history buff or religion scholar, they repeat what you already know; if you're not so inclined, you may pull out all your hair. This, in a 60 1/2 hour audiobook, a 1500+ page novel. This proviso aside, I highly recommend this novel.

Guidall does great with narrating this doorstop, including the innumerable French pronunciations, and I can tell the Julie Rose translation is a much easier read.

Well worth the time

I have put off reading this for 50 years. Now I am so sorry. The narrator was wonderful, phrasing, foreign language facility, emphasis were the best so far. The story had it all politics, intrigue and fraternal, familial and young love. Ok I will admit the 19th century use of every word possible was not my favorite... But I did have to look some up and was pleased to add several to my vocabulary. I am sure seeing any of the movies would be a wonderful addition, Be sure to read before you go.