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/lit/ - Literature

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7028732 No.7028732 [Reply] [Original]

> Reading this currently for the first time
> C E Wilbour
>Abridged
> good parts are very good
> most of the book is a chore
> St. Denis and Idyll of Rue Plumet
>too close to finishing to give up
>can't find initiative to finish

I'm certainly going to finish and I plan on reading the full unabridged version when I'm less busy with work. Who is the best translator? also general Les Miserables thread.

>> No.7028764

>>7028732
>Abridged

Absolutely disgusting.

>> No.7029074

>>7028732

I'm reading Norman Denny at the minute and it's really enjoyable. I find Hugos politics maybe override any chance of his characters coming to life, as they all seem to be sort of a wooden expression of a system of ideals. I recall that this was actually the main criticism at the time as well. Regardless, the book is incredibly caught up in Hugos ideals and the characters are less human for it, but I would argue Hugos ridiculous revolutionary idealism is what makes the book a worthy piece of art.

I agree with you on the meandering divergences though. You're reading the abridged version, so you probably didn't have the long ass section about the convent, but jesus christ if you read the unabridged don't worry about skipping that particular bit because it is the most boring irrelevant thing I have ever read, that has no thematic or plot relevance and is only there to fill space.

Overall fantastic book though.

>> No.7029443

>tfw noone wants to discuss Les Miserables

>> No.7029511

>>7029443
Fun fact: Victor Hugo was Ayn Rand's favorite author.

>> No.7029569

>>7029511

Odd thing too, considering how ridiculously socialist he was.

I suppose the idea he presents that once you take away the prejudices we're all equal and any man can become as successful as Jean Valjean would be in line with her thinking.

>> No.7029585

>>7029443

why would anyone want to discuss a book with someone reading the abridged version?

fucking die.

>> No.7029594

>>7029585

I'm not OP.

I'm this >>7029074 guy. OP has deserted the thread as far as I can tell.

>> No.7030995

>>7029594
k. but OP is a fag, yes?

>> No.7031231

>>7029074
>the long ass section about the convent

It was weird, people kept telling me it was the sewer section that was going to be unbearable but I mostly thought it was the convent and beginning about the priest and then about Cosette's mother that drove me a bit nuts. Like, I get that the backstory was necessary to explain as to why the priest and the convent were so helpful and it helps to sympathize with when you know what a rough deal Fantine got for being stupid girl in love, but jesus.

>> No.7031363

>Abridged version
>can't finish
Gay. I finished the book yesterday, and thought it was brilliant. There are a few tedious parts like the infamous description of the parisian sewers but they're still worth reading. I had no idea before starting Les Misérables that Hugo was such a strong believer, God is everywhere in these 1000+ pages. Some parts might feel a bit naive and cheesy to the modern reader but I respect Hugo's compassion, it was an interesting change from my reactionary readings. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it as much without my knowledge of French History and Literature though, there are tons of references to 17th and 18th century writers, and you need to have a grasp of what happened in France from 1789 to the Second Empire to really get what's happening.

I'd be curious to know the percentage of people who read the abridged version, somehow I can't imagine the retards who unironically enjoy the musical or the 2012 movie reading such a long book filled with digressions about Waterloo, French argot and Louis-Philippe.