Les Misérables: Part First: Fantine

Víctor Hugo

Jan 1887 · Little, Brown,

Ratings and reviews

This rating was not given lightly. I was skeptical of the book's legendary quality, but upon reading it, I was truly moved. The subjugation of the human soul by society through poverty is man's making, and not how God intends us to behave. The distance between holiness in your soul, and in your wallet, or in the eyes of the law, is never described so poetically as in this book. It is a collection of awful stories everyone should hear.

I have read this book, four times, and I keep discovering new corners. It is on my the top 10 list of classic books. I has historical context, drama, comedy, philosophy, action, it has everything! It can easily be broken into 4 or 5 different stories. Then after reading it, go see the Broadway play and find out how much is missing.

This book is long, yes, and it is a rather sad book. This is only the first volume, as it is said in the title. I was first exposed to Les Miserables when I saw a performance of it on stage. The actors did a wonderful job of portraying the characters from the book. I honestly loved the show. The struggles of the main character to fit in after living on a chain gang are incredibly well portrayed. The book did an even better job of communicating Jean's struggles throughout his life. I would recommend this book to anyone that has the time and the patience to read such a book.