Long winded at times, this tome is a true classic. The iconic suffering of its characters never seem dated or overly dramatic. ( )

I read 'War and Peace' partly because I felt I should, and partly because I had no idea about the story; likewise with 'Les Miserables', although in the case of the French epic I was at least partly familiar with the characters, particularly Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert.

So, what can be said about this book that hasn't been said before? It is a classic of world literature, though I don't recommend reading it as quickly as I did (I went on holiday for a week pretty much for the purpose of reading it). It overwhelms. The story, often so sad and dramatic, is peppered with philosophical insights, many expressed ten different ways in the same chapter by Victor Hugo, a man in love with his own ideas if ever there was one.

The story itself is immense, and will stay with me always - perhaps more than any other classic. I fell in love with Gavroche, and wish that Hugo had written a book just for him. ( )

God, this book is depressing. ( )

This book, read at 13, had an enormous impact on my awakening social and literary consciousness. Great luck to have come across it when I did. ( )

1325. Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo (13 Apr 1975) One cannot help but be overwhelmed by a day devoted to reading this book. Outrageous coincidences, overwhelming bathos, and yet powerful. Very easy to read. (I will spare you three climatic paragraphs dealing with Jauvert's death which I copied into my post-reading note.) ( )