/lit/ - Literature

It's become one of my favourite novels I've ever read. It's an emotional rollercoaster and I think everyone one of us should probably strive to be a little more like Jean Valjean.

Everything feels so satisfying in this book: when Marius discovers that it was Jean Valjean who saved his life from the barricade, finding out by sussing out Thenardier's lies or when Eponine dies expressing a love for Marius; when Marius' grandfather opens his doors again to Marius after all of their disputes; Faunchelevent as the convent groundskeeper; etc.

Dude you don't even know how much I love this book right now.

Which book took you the longest to read? Be honest, now.

This for me currently. 2 months and counting, only got 200 pages left but I underestimated how long it would take me. Previously I would've said Gravity's Rainbow which took me just about 2 months.

This is my 10/10, no doubt. It's so full of fantastically detailed characters - Jean Valjean is really a character we should all aspire to be like, always wanting to better himself - and quaint set-ups that gradually build into very satisfying pay-offs (everyone happens in the book for good reason and very little feels like padding).

Many of the chapters are just heartbreaking. I cried when Cosette is told to go and play with her new doll. It made me feel more appreciative of the things and freedom as a child I had. Cosette's death after never seeing Cosette again under false hopes that if she just stayed alive for a few more days then everything would be OK was another heartbreaking moment for me. The book also captures tension brilliantly too, for example. when Thernardier threatens to kidnap Cosette while he shackles up a supposedly-not-Jean Valjean. Any moment with Javert is exciting too, he's possibly one of my favourite antagonists: arrogant, cocky, a bit misanthropic due to his own poor upbringing, but he uses all that to serve justice by the law's standard.

I think I discovered my newest favourite book, a genuine solid 10/10. There's some interesting digressions the book takes through philosophy, history, politics (my favourite was the digression focusing on the importance of Paris and how every ancient cultural icon has a significant equivalent in 1800s Paris), etc. Even when new characters are introduced in the second half of the novel, they don't feel underwritten. Marius is a great character and it's fantastic to see him grow from his childhood, tough relationship with his grandfather, the group of outcast friends he falls in with, how he matures, etc.

It's a long book at 1400+ but you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't read it.

Long classic novels seem to really win me over.

This book has made me cry multiple times before I even reached halfway (books never make me cry but this really has managed to take the cake for me). The focus on poverty, plight, struggling underclasses, bad childhoods, redemption, overcoming these problems, etc. Plus, Jean Valjean is someone we should all strive to be like - we're not perfect and we've likely done some dreadful shit in the past, but we can improve and become better. The first time Jean Valjean meets little Cosette and tells her to go and play fucking destroyed me.

Les Miserables.

I'm 550 pages into the unabridged edition (I've got a while to go still, over 1400 pages and 550 took me three weeks to reach) but I'm loving it. I've nearly cried to it multiple times. I love the intricacies of each character, even if they're minor characters. The digressions from philosophical to non-fiction are fascinating and add context to later chapters. When Javert gets going after Jean Valjean it's really edge-of-your-seat reading.

I want more books like this, it could possibly be my favourite book I've read this year (I would say of all time but Don Quixote is a tough one to beat for me).

>>10011972
Les Miserables made me cry a few times. This shit is my cryptonite.

Don Quixote and The Iliad broke my heart as well. Didn't expect that Don Quixote would leave me feeling so upset though.

Dive straight in, Gerard

Does /lit/ like this book?

For such a lengthy tome, it's actually very easy to read through it. The length initially seemed daunting.