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/lit/ - Literature

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1946741 No.1946741 [Reply] [Original]

40% done with this
I'm just about ready to quit
Victor hugo, you're actually a good storyteller. Just keep telling the fucking story. This book is only so long because he pads it the fuck out with random bullcrap about the battle of waterloo and the religious monastaries of europe and the small children of france

so, what does /lit/ think

>> No.1946792

bump

>> No.1946795

Realism, isn't it? Fuck that noise.

>> No.1946805

>>1946795
I wouldn't consider it realism when the most absurdly lucky things keep happening

>Protagonist knows of a small child who he wants to help
>all he knows is her name and that she lives in france with abusive caretakers
>While travelling, he randomly finds her in the woods

wat

>> No.1946823

>>1946805

No, that's realism alright. Realism is nothing to do with accuracy - it's a mixture of rubbing people's nose in shit and good old-fashioned schmaltz. Ludicrous coincidence is par for the course.

>> No.1947839

No! You've got to keep going. Trust me, when you finish it, you'll look back and think, "I can't believe I ate the whole thing." It'll feel good, man.

>> No.1947845

ADD FAG DETECTED

QUICK, BEFORE I GO, WHAT'S SOME OTHER WORKS THAT ONE WOULD ENJOY HAVING READ AND LIKED THIS?

>> No.1947863

if you enjoy the tangential essays, Anna Karenina goes off the rails to good effect a few times.

>> No.1947867

>>1947863
YEAH, READ THAT, RESURRECTION AND WAR AND PEACE TOO :(

>> No.1947869

I would suggest the complete 1001 Arabian Nights. The entire text is one giant digression.

>> No.1947892

/TG/ HERE

READ A GOOD ABRIDGEMENT.

IS THIS HERESY ON /LIT/ OR SOMETHING?

>> No.1947894

just skip the history parts if you;re a fucking pussy

>> No.1947949 [DELETED] 
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1947949

>2011
>not enjoying the history sections of Les Miserables
I seriously hope you guys don't do this.

>> No.1947955

>>1947892
Might as well just read the wikipedia entry at that point.

>> No.1947960

The part about the children of paris was one of the best parts! The story of Warterloo was totally unnecessary and inaccurate. I still enjoyed it though--it was exciting.

>> No.1947990

KEEP GOING, IT'S WORTH IT.

I've got ADHD, which usually keeps me away from longer works, but I powered through Les Misérables, and it was more than worth it. Hugo is a fecking genius.

>> No.1948010
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1948010

>doesn't care about history parts

>> No.1948034
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1948034

I haven't seen any of you showing all that much interest in history.

I may just pick this book up at the Borders sales... Though its probably got a fifty cent copy online...

...I'll miss hanging out there so much ;_;

>> No.1948065
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1948065

>summer break
>need to read non-abridged version of the book for highschool
>also need to write an essay about it
>start reading it 3 days before school started
>mfw

>> No.1950773
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1950773

>>1946795
> Victor Hugo
> Realism

That's romanticism, you retard

>> No.1950780

I just finished it last week. I am definitely going to reread it eventually, I found myself skimming the history bits because I wanted to know what happened in to the characters. Now that I know I want to go back and enjoy those bits for what depth they add to the story.

>> No.1950784

>>1950773
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romantic_realism

YOU CAN BE BOTH BRO.

>> No.1950786

>>1946741

Motherfucking Victor Hugo. It's the same problem he had in The Hunchback of Notre Dame... A fantastic story muddied down by useless historic crap that only half-pertains to the storyline.

>> No.1950793

>>1950786
I ENJOYED THAT USELESS CRAP THANK YOU VERY MUCH

>> No.1950795

>>1950786
AND IN THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME IT WASN'T EVEN THAT LONG.

>> No.1951541
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1951541

>>1950784
And that was clearly not the case for Victor Hugo, he had nothing to with the realism movement.

As far as I know, Hugo's novels always include some historical parts and political views.
If you enjoyed Les Misérales or The Hunchback of Notre Dame, I would recommend "The Man Who Laughs".

This lesser known novel is his last work, and takes place in England, in the begining of the XVIIIth century. Very instructive.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Laughs

>> No.1951561

>>1946805
Valjean was heading to the town already; he knew where the Thenardiers lived.

I don't recall but didn't Cosette stop in the woods for a bit from fear/exhaustion?

>> No.1951567

>>1951541
READ THAT ONE TOO, EVEN THOUGH WHEN I SAID I WAS GOING TO READ IT SOME ANON SPOILED IT FOR ME!

>> No.1951577

I'm french and for good french naturalism there is Emile Zola, my favorite writer. But I don't know if it's worth it to read an english traduction, I wouldn't bother.
Also, not a big fan of Hugo personally.

>> No.1951578

JUST WATCH THE MUSICAL

ITS BETTER IN EVERY CONCIEVABLE WAY.

>> No.1952585

>>1950786
I love Hunchback of Notre Dame

However I could only get about 1/4 through Les Miserables