Victor Hugo's epic opens with a convict, Jean Valjean, freed after nineteen years of labor. A bishop in Digne shows him unexpected kindness, and he vows to start again. As a prosperous mayor he adopts Cosette, the daughter of the destitute Fantine, but the policeman Javert, bound to the letter of the law, hunts him across Paris. Their chase connects to the Thénardiers, to the young revolutionary Marius, and to the June 1832 barricades. Hugo writes essays on Waterloo, convents, and the city's sewers alongside the action.
Readers who enjoy big, richly populated classics will appreciate its scale. It is a long commitment, but the story of mercy against law gives it a clear center.
Deep, contemplative and thought-provoking; a demanding read.
Best for readers like The Deep Diver. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1994
- Publisher
- Mondadori
- ISBN
- 9788804433682
- Language
- IT
