Victor Hugo, Laurence M. Porter, Norman Denny, Monica Kulling, Ben Cross - Les Miserables

Pros: Colourful tale of a larger than life character. Abridged copy is easy to follow.

Cons: None

The Bottom Line: This is a moving story of the power of love and perseverance.

Review: About twenty five years ago my wife and I were staying at a bed and breakfast on an Island off Rhode Island. In our room, that was full of antiques, was a small library of books. In it was a copy of Les Miserables that was printed before the turn of the ...

Pros: Prose. Poignancy.

Cons: Argot and plumbing.

The Bottom Line: is a happy fella. And kinda pedantic.

Review: Victor Hugo was so ingenious that even Ayn Rand sympathized with him. Yes, Ayn "Judge and Prepare to be Judged" Rand. Les Misérables accentuates and explores its kaleidoscope of characters magnanimously---------some are largely symbolic and ideal ...

Pros: Unforgettable, epic, massive...this is REQUIRED READING for a reason.

Cons: Digressions...could have easily been two hundred pages shorter without even affecting the plot.

The Bottom Line: Any lover of literature has to read this novel at some point. It may be a one-time read for many, but moments of it will stay with you forever.

Review: Where to begin with this monster of a read? Les Miserables is one of the most famous stories of all time. Even people unfamiliar with the plot will probably recognize the name Jean Valjean. And thanks to movie adaptations, and the ubiquitous musical ...

Pros: beautiful message, great characters

Cons: somewhat cheesy toward end, but is quickly rectified with appropriate conclusion

Review: “Yes, as much as it is permitted man to will, I come to destroy human fate, I condemn slavery, I drive away poverty, I teach ignorance, I treat sickness, I light up the night, I hate hatred. That is what I am, and that is why I wrote Les...

Pros: This is one of the greatest works of literature EVER.

Cons: It's about the only war France has ever won. The French Rev.

The Bottom Line: Victor Hugo creatively used the characters of Les Miserables as a forum to express his view: that man should not treat each other inhumane.

Review: Many of the greatest works of literature ever written tend to vibrate to a single chord of influence- that chord being, namely, the social issues of that particular era. Such meaning can be found to dominate novels such as Les
Miserables by...

Pros: Brings 19th century Paris too life; Beautiful use of language

Cons: Extremely long - too long for some people

The Bottom Line: Hugo has created 19th century Paris for all time with this novel, a song of redemption for Valjean. Long, but every word is a joy

Review: Les Misérables is less a novel of Jean Valjean's life and death than it is a swan-song for 19th century France, an unflinching look at the underworld of Paris, and a vast, epic monument to man. Spanning a little over 1,400 pages, this book does not shied ...

Pros: For everyone that wants to be motivated to live and be a better person

Cons: none

Review: Purity derives its lifeblood from God. It comes mainly through acts of service and compassion toward our fellowmen. And, as we serve others, we forget about ourselves and become more involved in what God would have us do.

You may have read...

Pros: Dramatic and descriptive, it really draws you into the tale emotionally.

Cons: A bit long, it doesn't really have any breaks in it.

Review: When I first saw the size of this book I thought I would never finish reading it, but once I started reading it my mind wandered through it like listening to a story told of a close friend. Whenever I would put the book down I always looked forward to...

Pros: One of the greatest literary works of all time. Only the Bible compares..

Cons: In our modern american world, descriptions of paris streets and frenchmen are difficult to understand.

The Bottom Line: The perfect story. Love, War, Politics, Religion, Social misery. All is in this book. It is an epic for the heart that has the ability to change your life.

Review: Of all the books I have ever read, of all the poems I have admired, of all the movies which dazzled me, of every single story ever told in any format to me, I have found nothing that compares in the least to the absolutely brilliant epic Les Misérables....

Pros: brilliantly written, accurate portrayal of humanity

Cons: Napolean was NOT a good guy...

Review: Far from being the dark discourse on humanity that was Notre Dame de Paris, Les Miserables shows a much more even portrayal of the human spirit. It is a discourse not on the darkness of humanity but on humanity's capacity to learn from, and overcome the...