Les Misérables emphasizes the three major predicaments of the 19th century, each symbolized by a major character: Jean Valjean represents the degradation of man in the proletariat, Fantine represents the subjection of women through hunger, and Cosette represents the atrophy of the child by darkness.
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"Hugo's genius was for the creation of simple and recognisable myth. The huge success of Les Miserables as a didactic work on behalf of the poor and oppressed is due to its poetic and myth-enlarged view of human nature....Hugo himself called this novel 'a religious work', and it has indeed the necessary air of having been written by God in one of his more accessible and saleable moods." (V.S. Pritchett)
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"Great Story!"
Top 5
Jean Valjean because he was extraordinary in physical and spiritual strength as well as integrity.
The emotions of Jean Valjean.
No!
"Delightful listen of Victor Hugo"
I have listened to it twice and will again.
Tenerdea (sp?) since he was such a good police detective.
No.
"Better than the movie"
Oh! Yes! Hugo does us all a service in preserving for us a grand look at the social atmosphere of 19th century France. Also, he captures the essence of Christianity in telling of the redemption, reclamation and reformation of Jean Valjean because a Priest saw Jean Valjean as he really was, not as society had molded him. Because he was regarded by the Priest as one worthy of Grace and trust, Jean Valjean underwent an amazing transformation of character, becoming a man beloved by all due to his philanthropological endeavors, undertaken, in part, to amend for past wrongs. Jean Valjean became for others what the Priest had been for Jean Valjean, a type of a Savior through his charity and selfless acts of love and kindness. An amazing book that I will want to read, over and again!
"je suis d?sol?.... I am sorry, but...."
At the risk of offending generations of proud French readers, I have to say that I did not enjoy Les Miserable. I have been an avid Dickens reader/listener for years, and while I did not expect Hugo to be quite as good as Dickens, I was excited for at least something comparable. Les Miserable is not comparable. I found it drab, predictable, and not well developed (surprising considering the length). The interactions between characters and the way their paths cross is often so ridiculously coincidental that it at times it just seems silly. Even in the Abridged version, the story line crawls along at an unbearably slow pace.
I am sorry to all those hugo fans out there, but as a lover of 19th century European writers I can say that I do not understand how Les Miserable has emerged as a 'classic'.
I admit that something could be drastically lacking in this 12 hour Abridged version that is better presented in the full version, but if that is the case, then I still could not recommend this abridged version. One way or the other, it was very disappointing.
On the bright side, David Case does a a great job narrating this book.