Les Misérables, by Victor Hugo
This book is probably one of the classics I've heard the most about in my life. It took me a month to read, and while it's not consistently a thrilling read, I have absolutely no regrets.
Summary
Jean Valjean, aged 26, steals a loaf of bread from the baker. The reason for his theft: grinding poverty. He has seven children in his care, it's winter and he's penniless. Unfortunately, he's caught and sentenced to five years in prison.
These five years become, after several failed escape attempts, 19 years. He leaves the penal colony in his forties, with rage in his heart. Rejected by everyone because of his status as a former convict, only one person opens his arms to offer him shelter: Monseigneur Bienvenu, the most generous person with the best and purest soul you can imagine. When Jean Valjean tries to rob him, the Monseigneur, rather than condemning him, offers him even more. Shaken to the depths of his soul, Jean Valjean aspires to do good wherever he goes. But he'll have to fight for it, because for the rest of his life, he'll never be able to make people forget the bread he stole.
Impressions
Never before have I read a book that is so obviously a classic. It's as if Victor Hugo knew, when he wrote it, that his text would last. It's certainly a little pompous, but very enjoyable to read, and it's probably the most eloquent text of its time explaining how misery can only breed more misery. It must have made a lot of people think.
This book will probably bring a tear to your eye, so prepare yourself. It's appallingly sad and frustrating, highlighting the filth of humanity while repeatedly showing innocent people suffering and having absolutely no way of improving their situation. When I was reading it, Jean Valjean was for me the kindest person on earth, and every new obstacle he encountered (there are a lot) broke my heart.
On the other hand, I mentioned earlier that this is not a thrilling read all the time, and I wasn't just saying that to put a little water in my wine. You'll come across dozens and dozens of pages detailing events and historical facts that are apparently completely unrelated to the story we're following, and you'll burn with the urge to skip them. For example, there's a detailed description of the Battle of Waterloo, and a detailed history of the Paris sewers. In the end, you'll get a taste for it, but it's worth remembering that without all these passages, you'd probably go from three volumes to just one.
Knowing Greek mythology (and tons of other things that are so foreign to me that I don't even know which field of knowledge they belong to) is certainly an asset. I must have understood one-sixth of the references in this novel. If I'd had the patience to visit Wikipedia in parallel, I'd be a lot more knowledgeable today.
That said, I certainly recommend reading Les Misérables. I feel that a hole in my literary culture has now been filled, and I've had a lot of fun in the process. Now I understand why I heard so much about it.
To buy this novel in a bookshop near you, go to leslibraires.ca.
