Les Miserables -- The Musical!

Someone I know from nursing school posted on Facebook that he was sick of hearing about Les Miserables. I am assuming that pertains to the movie, not all the Les Mis action on this blog. There has been a lot of it lately, but it has been dominating a lot of my reading time, so I apologize if it is driving you crazy. I give you liberty to skip this post and move on.

But... my husband and I had our two-year anniversary on August 17th. While we were busy on that exact date at a wedding open house for my sister, we decided to celebrate the next week by visiting San Francisco, the place we got engaged, because we were in the area. I knew we were going to San Francisco to celebrate, but my husband surprised me with the main activity that we were doing there -- going to see a performance of Les Miserables!

I have been into musical theater for a long time. I remember my grandma taking me to Phantom of the Opera when I was eight years old and being completely spellbound. In addition, I spent so much time on music in high school and the beginning of college that musical theater tunes were just part of my life. However, Les Miserables was one musical I had just never had the opportunity to see. I had told my husband that I hoped it would come to Los Angeles during the four years we will be here, but I never imagined that I would get the opportunity to see the musical so soon!

This adaptation was a little different from the film recordings of the musical that I have seen. First of all, it used props and scenery, which I thought was very effective. It also seemed to correlate much better with the book than the other videos I had seen. While the music was essentially the same, there were little changes in the words or little verses added to the songs that seemed to tie everything back to the book so much better. I'm not sure if it is a change in the parts the director chose to include, if they were additions to this tour, or if I simply never noticed the changes before, having not read the book recently. However, I found them to be extremely helpful. It was clear the director was very familiar with the book and was striving to be faithful to it.

And of course, the music and story itself were absolutely phenomenal. Les Miserables is so intensely moving, I don't think it will ever become hackneyed for me (although I do have a few qualms about the upcoming movie version). The vocalists were all phenomenal, except for possibly Fantine, who had a lovely voice but who didn't quite deliver for me. Favorites for me included Marius, who was really solid, and Cosette, whose voice was perfect for the role, in my opinion.

It was an amazing performance and made so much more meaningful by the fact that I had just finished the colossus of the novel. The day was made even better as we repeated several of the activities we did on the day we got engaged, including visiting Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli Square. We finished the day with killer authentic Italian food at a restaurant called Specchio. I've been to so many good restaurants lately I'm tempted to start a foodie blog on the side, but with this baby coming I guess I should probably stick to my current projects. Anyway, it was an amazing day and I'm so happy I had the opportunity to see Les Miserables live at last!

We asked an elderly man to take a picture of us in front of the poster but he didn't seem to understand so...

We took one ourselves, but it didn't turn out well. Oh well. 

Have you been to a performance of Les Miserables? Tell me about it in the comments!

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

Title: Les Miserables
Author: Victor Hugo
Translator: Julie Rose
Genre: Classic
Publisher: Modern Library, 2008 (Original publication date: 1862)
Source: Gift from my husband
Read for: Back to the Classics Challenge, Chunkster Challenge, A Classics Challenge

I know that I've been posting extensively about Les Miserables, but for those of you who haven't been following along with the in-depth posts about each individual section of Les Miserables, I thought this book deserved a few words as an intro.

Les Miserables is the story of Jean Valjean, a convict who reforms after a saintly bishop rewards his thieving behavior with an unbelievable gift and forgiveness. Trying to escape his past while building a worthwhile future, Valjean saves a town, rescues a young girl from poverty, and plays a heroic part in the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris. Woven into his story are the very heights and depths of the human character, from the most beautiful romance and stirring heroism to the lowest levels of despicableness.

There is so much to say about Les Miserables (and I know I've had a lot to say already) that I hardly know where to begin, so I'll just start with the translation. I was extremely impressed with Julie Rose's rendering of Les Miserables. I don't speak French well enough to judge how accurate or idiomatic it was, but I do know that I read an earlier translation several years ago and found the  book extremely difficult. While the Julie Rose translation was by no means an easy read (wade through those Waterloo chapters and see how you feel afterwards), I found it much clearer. In addition, the imagery was beautiful.

Speaking of the imagery, while I'm sure some of it was related to Julie Rose's skill as translator, it is clear that the majority is Victor Hugo's exquisite skill as a writer. He has a way of taking a simple emotion or experience and translating it into sheer poetry. I was constantly awed by the power and loveliness of the images conveyed in the words.

The characters were also extremely powerful, going through the entire range of human emotion and capability. I won't go into details here, because they are available in all the other posts I've written about this book, but I found so much to love and respect in so many of the characters (and so much to despise in others). I feel attached to these characters as if they are living beings -- in those 1200+ pages there is quite a bit of time to get to know them.

The plot of Les Miserables is difficult at times because the action is interspersed with pages of historical and political commentary. It is rendered skillfully and interestingly, but it can get a little dense. I think these sections are the biggest reason Les Miserables is a challenge to readers. However, the more plot-driven sections move very quickly. I tried to learn a lot from the historical sections, but I will confess at times they still went over my head. However, I think they are worth the effort in order to enjoy the book as a whole.

Les Miserables is a masterpiece, and I don't really feel up to the task of finding appropriate words to truly express that. I think anyone who takes the time and effort to read it will be duly rewarded.

5 stars

Warnings: Violence, some language, prostitution

Les Miserables Book 5: Jean Valjean

The last epic section in a book of epic sections, culminating with the pivotal character in the whole cast of dynamic characters. This write-up will have spoilers and will be an analysis and then next week I will write a final review. Book 5 begins where Book 4 leaves off, in the midst of the drama among the barricades. Jean Valjean joins the students as they pit their last defenses against the National Guard and go down in a blaze of glory and martyrdom. This occurs after discovering that Cosette is in love and, to his singularly loving mind, losing her. He decides to save the wounded Marius and transports him through a complicated web of sewers, saving Javert's life and running into Thernardier in the process. Marius is reunited with his grandfather, who, once Marius is healed, permits him to marry Cosette. Jean Valjean is also invited to live in the house, but shamed at his status as ex-convict, he confesses his past to Marius and visits Cosette each evening, slowly decreasing the visits. Near his death, Thenardier reveals the truth of Valjean's saintly actions to Marius. As a result, Cosette visits him, learns the truth of who he is, and Jean Valjean dies.

So, in effect, a very action-packed last section of the book. Jean Valjean is the only character that stays with us throughout the entire book, and is a metaphor for how the human spirit can rise above misery and triumph. He is a Christ-figure, despised by the man who owes him most, but never acting in selfishness after he is redeemed by the love of the bishop of Digne. Jean Valjean's final trials are the hardest to read about because his confessions lead Marius to believe the worst of him. True to his nature, Jean Valjean only reveals the dark parts of his past with none of the redeeming qualities. While Cosette knows nothing of her father's past and is puzzled by his growing distance from her, she is so blinded by her happiness at being married to Marius that she doesn't think much of it. Meanwhile, Marius is distrusting of Jean Valjean and makes him as unwelcome as possible, not lighting the fire and removing the armchairs from the room in which they sit. Once Marius finally learns the truth about Jean Valjean, he is absolutely mortified and crestfallen at how he treated his savior.

The other part of this section that was especially poignant for me was the wedding scene between Marius and Cosette. Their happiness was described as being the most transcendent possible because of the purity with which Marius and Cosette had treated their relationship and their absolute commitment to each other. The description of their joy was so gorgeously written and moving that it brought me to tears. I don't think their relationship was idealized because of the era -- I think it was just treated with care that we seldom see in modern-day relationships. It was inspiring and beautiful.

The last section of Les Miserables is a beautiful ending to a stunning book. I'll post my full review next week.

Les Miserables Book 4: The Idyll of the Rue Plumet and the Epic of the Rue Saint-Denis

Book 4 of Les Miserables, The Idyll of the Rue Plumet and the Epic of the Rue Saint-Denis, is the only book that is not named after a main character. Instead of exploring one particular character, everything comes together. First, Marius and Cosette, after weeks and months of batting their eyes at each other, finally meet and fall in love, and second, the barricades rise and the epic battle that is the climax of Les Miserables begins.

Being more familiar with the musical rather than the novel, I was always fairly annoyed with Marius and Cosette's relationship -- they simply bump into each other on a crowded street and fall into insta-love. The story is infinitely better in the book. I had forgotten how lovely Hugo can make a romance. So much of the book is history, and no matter how well that history is written, it can get a little dry after a few hundred pages. The romance is the perfect dessert after a vigorously healthy, multi-course meal. While Marius and Cosette are attracted to each other from a distance for a long time, once they get to know each other, their relationship is sweet and endearing. I loved the description of their first long talk --

"These two hearts poured themselves out to each other and into each other, so that at the end of an hour, the young man had the soul of the young girl and the young girl had the soul of the young man. They entered each other, enchanted each other, dazzled each other."

I also absolutely melted at the letter that Marius wrote to Cosette before their first meeting. If you love a good romantic story, it is worth wading through the history just for this moment alone.

So much for the Idyll of the Rue Plumet. The Epic of the Rue Saint-Denis brings us to the death of General Lamarque and the riots that erupt across Paris as a result. Heading it off, of course, is Enjolras, the man whose only love is France herself. I absolutely love the Friends of the ABC and their various personalities and different ways of relating to the cause. Book 4 generally just builds the tension to a head, bringing in all the main characters -- Eponine, Javert, Jean Valjean, Gavroche, Marius. For the most part the heroic sacrifices are saved for the final book, but we do see Father Mabeuf, old friend of Marius' father, give up his life on the barricade. This second part of Book 4 pales in comparison with the beginning of Book 5, but of course, to have a Book 5 we need a set up.

I've finished the book so I am excited to wrap up my thoughts with my review of book 5 next week and the complete review the week after that. Reading Les Miserables has been an amazing experience!

A Classic's Challenge -- August Post

The prompt for this month's classics challenge, hosted by November's Autumn, is to share a quote from the classic you are currently reading, which is -- guess! -- still Les Miserables. I have been highlighting this book to death (yes, I'm one of those) so I am excited for the opportunity to share a quote (or three) from this beautiful novel with you.

Algebra applies to the clouds;

the radiance of the star benefits the rose. 

No thinker worth his salt would dare claim that the scent of the hawthorn is useless

to the constellations.

Who can calculate the trajectory of a molecule?

How do we know the creation of worlds

is not determined

by the falling of grains of sand?

Who, after all, knows the reciprocal ebb and flow

of the infinitely small,

the reverberation of causes in the chasms of a being,

the avalanches of creation?

And also...

I met in the street

a very poor young man

who loved.

His hat was old,

his coat was worn; 

there were holes at his elbows;

the water got into his shoes

and the stars

got into his soul.

And finally...

When you learn finally to know

and when you learn finally to love

you will suffer still.

The day begins in tears.

Those filled with light weep,

if only over those

filled with darkness.

See why I love this book!?

A Classics Challenge -- July Post (Lasting Impression)

This month's Classics Challenge, hosted by November's Autumn, focuses on a memorable moment from a classic. Because I am still reading Les Miserables (how many months has it been now?) I am going to talk about Jean Valjean.

While not everyone has read the massive tome that is Les Miserables, there are several people that are familiar with the musical and the story, and Jean Valjean has become a cultural symbol of redemption and the ability to change. I love that he starts out desperate, albeit innocent, and then is transformed to the type of person that bites the hand that feeds him. However, he finally has an experience that transforms him into the kindest, most giving man imaginable. I think Jean Valjean's life and the changes he goes through show that any person is capable of redemption. We all have the depths of hell and the heights of heaven within us.

Quotables: Victor Hugo on reading

{Image Source}

To learn to read

is to light a fire;

every syllable spelled out

sparkles.

-- Victor Hugo

Les Miserables Book 3: Marius

Ahh, Marius! This has been my favorite section of Les Miserables this time around for so many reasons. One of them: The fact that yes, this section is a lot more plot-based rather than didactic, which is always a winning feature in these big chunksters. (As an aside, do you think big didactic sections would fly in today's writing? I don't think a book would get published these days if it had a Waterloo section. I'm not sure if I think that's a good thing, even though the Waterloo section was killer -- does it mean our society has such a short attention span that we don't have time to learn things? End of brief aside). 

Another thing I love is Marius. I think his character is so wonderful. He is a perfect mix of naivete and passion, first devoting his energies and admiration to his father, a soldier at Waterloo who is estranged from him because Marius's grandfather thinks he is below their family, and later to "his Ursula," a mysterious and beautiful woman he sees every day in Luxembourg Gardens who turns out to be, of course, Cosette. Marius is painted in such realistic colors, but he is never stodgy or boring. He is passionate youth, devoting himself wholeheartedly to every whisper of his heart, paying the rent of his destitute neighbors despite the fact that it only leaves him enough to pay for the next day's dinner, sneaking away from home to weep at his father's grave, following a beautiful girl home without considering how her overly protective father might react to it. Everything about him is fresh and endearing. 

With Marius comes a whole troupe of similarly fresh and endearing young men, idealists that love France and are eager for change. One of my favorite parts of Book 3 was reading the descriptions of each of the young men -- it was absolutely delightful. Of course, the one that stands out in my mind the most is Enjolras, the impassioned young patriot who cares for nothing but his country; his only lover is France. Courfeyrac is another that is particularly significant because it is he that first befriends Marius and introduces him to the others; Courfeyrac is witty and gallant, able to recover from any blow life gives him and abounding in romances. He is an interesting foil to Marius but proves to be one of his best friends.

Action really becomes heated toward the end of Book 3, when Marius discovers several things: First of all, that his neighbors are connected to his father; secondly, that they are also connected to "his Ursula" and her father, and thirdly, that all the parties involved have some serious secrets. I love the way everyone's lives come together again; I don't know if the connectedness is realistic, but it is fascinating.

Today I began Book 4 of Les Miserables, which I think will prove to be climactic for most of the characters despite the fact that one book remains after it. I am looking forward to the adventures -- and Marius and Cosette finally meeting face to face.

A Classics Challenge May Prompt -- Literary Movement

I'll be honest -- I don't know much about literary movements. In general, I just read books that sound good and either enjoy them or don't. Thus, I have no idea as I type this which movement Les Miserables is a piece of. Actually that's a lie -- I have a vague idea that it is a Romantic novel from skimming the footnotes of the book. Sparknotes will provide the answer! (Drumroll...) Ah yes. Sparknotes kindly reveals that Hugo is a leader of the Romantic literary movement. On to the questions, which I will answer to the best of my (ever limited) ability.

Level 1
What literary movement is the prose or poetry you're reading from? What are the values or ideals of the movement? Name other writers of the movement.

Ooh, I just noticed that November's Autumn kindly provided a reference list of websites!! *Brings November's Autumn virtual cookies in gratitude.* As aforementioned, Les Miserables is a Romantic literary work. According to Sparknotes (once again), Romanticism is characterized by a celebration of "spontaneity, imagination, subjectivity, and the purity of nature." Other authors of this genre that I personally enjoy include Edgar Allan Poe, Jane Austen, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Another well-known and stereotypical Romantic author (whom I have never read) is Lord Byron. From personal experience, now that I am slightly more aware of what Romanticism is, I would say that like Romantic classical music (with which I am infinitely more familiar), Romantic literature is not afraid of excess. Passion, drama, and above all, being ruled by your heart, whether that is in affairs of love or ambition, seem to rule Romantic works. 

Level 2
How has the story reflected the ideals of the movement? Are you encouraged to read more works within the movement or move away from it?


I would say Les Miserables is reflective of the movement, even in the more didactic sections. Hugo writes with great passion and energy about the different political divisions in the France of his era, the loves and hates of his characters, and (in true Romantic character) the scenery of his tale, although much of it takes place in the city. 


I am encouraged to read more works in this movement. I must admit at times I tend to excess of emotions and drama myself, so I am enjoying this movement quite a bit. 

Les Miserables -- Book 2: Cosette

This is the my second post on my reading of Julie Rose's translation of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables. These posts on each of the five books in the volume will have some discussion points and potentially some spoilers. At the end of the book I will also write a more general review that will not have spoilers.

For me, Book 2 seemed to be divided into four parts. Two were plot-dominated and two were information-dominated. While the information sections were definitely relevant to the story, they made getting through this second part of Les Miserables tedious for me at times. However, the more plot-heavy sections more than made up for it.

The first section is the dreaded Waterloo section. I remember being completely daunted by this section when I was in high school -- I knew absolutely nothing about Napoleon and Waterloo and was completely confused. Now, after several years of French language and culture classes, I have a little more insight into it, although I definitely wouldn't be comfortable saying much more than that it was Napoleon's last and defeating battle. It was interesting to read for me this time around, but I struggled with all of Hugo's geographical descriptions. As far as spatial awareness goes, I actually have an IQ test result that is below average -- I have a really hard time visualizing places in my head. Even with maps, I usually get a headache just trying to follow them. All Hugo's talk of "this river" and "that mound" were tempting for me to skim over, although I managed to read the words even though my brain wasn't making much sense of them.

The second section (remember, these are just arbitrary sections that make sense in my mind) refers to Cosette's life with the Thenardiers and Jean Valjean's rescue of her. The musical, which is the version of Les Miserables I am least familiar with, neglects to mention that Eponine (as well as another girl, Azelma) are the Thenardiers' daughters. I think the most heartbreaking aspect of Cosette's life there is that the Thenardiers did treat their daughters well and with love. Not only did Cosette have to deal with the fact that she alone was rejected among the children in that house (I guess I should amend that to the girls -- Madame Thenardier doesn't really like her son, Gavroche, either), the girls never reach out to Cosette. Hugo excuses it as related to the fact that they just never learn to see her as a person because their parents don't treat her as a person, but I still think it is pretty depressing. While I really feel sorry for Eponine later in the story, in some ways I think she is getting a little bit of karma for not being kind to Cosette in their younger years. I also want to quickly mention that I love how Jean Valjean and Cosette's relationship develops. I love that they both were without someone to love for essentially their entire lives but they are able to instinctually latch on to each other and support each other. I think that is a very moving part of the story.

The third section is about convents. When Cosette and Valjean first leave the Thenardiers, they live in a little slum, but suspicion soon arises around Valjean because he lives and dresses like a poor man but clearly has money. Soon Javert is on their trail and they have to sneak away. The refuge that awaits them is a small, forgotten convent hidden by a high wall, which Jean Valjean naturally is able to climb due to his above-average strength. After they are safely hidden by a man who coincidentally works there and who owes Valjean a favor, Hugo launches into some of the history of convents and why he thinks they are on the decline in his era. It was an interesting discussion, although some of it was difficult for me to follow just because I am not as familiar with Catholic saints and historical figures (and was too lazy to look up all the footnotes -- there were hundreds!) but it was interesting.

The fourth section was my favorite. While Jean Valjean and Cosette are safe in the convent for the night, Fauchevelent knows they can't stay there -- he is the only man (the gardener) and must wear a bell so the pure, celibate women do not have to cross his path. He needs to get Cosette and Valjean out in order to have them legitimately in (by pretending that they are relatives and that the work is too much for Fauchelevent), but Valjean can't just leap back over the wall, because Javert is guarding it night and day. The series of unfortunate (and fortuitous) events that result in Valjean's escape and reentry were hilarious and brilliant. I won't go through the whole process because it is complex, and I don't want to give you the whole plot even though this post is fair game for spoilers. However, suffice it to say that I laughed out loud several times, while also experiencing some tense moments. It is definitely one of the more entertaining parts of the book so far.

I'm about halfway through Book 3: Marius, which is fantastic and not quite so information-heavy. I'll be posting on that one once I finish it.

Book 1 of Les Miserables: Fantine

I don't usually post multiple times on one book, but Les Miserables is such a beast that I feel like one concise little review just isn't going to do it. I've decided to have some discussion-type posts for each book and then I will do a more general review after I finish. Because the separate "Book X" posts are more of a discussion format, spoilers are fair game here, so if you want to avoid them, avoid these posts.

Book 1 begins with Bishop Myriel of Digne, an essentially perfect man whose one worldly weakness is a love for eating with silver cutlery. He switches his handsome parish home with the small parish hospital because he doesn't feel he needs as much room as the sick. Whenever he acquires wealth, he instantly spends it on the poor. He risks life and limb to minister to small, underserved village. He is, in essence, a saint, excepting his one tiny worldly flaw of loving his silver cutlery.

However, when a vagrant comes into his home, a convict despised and rejected by everyone else in Digne of whom he has sought shelter, Bishop Myriel takes him in, and his final vice is tested and refined. Jean Val-jean, a released convict who spent nineteen years in captivity due to the fact that he stole some bread to feed his sister's starving family and then attempted multiple times to escape, has molded into what others expect of him by stealing the bishop's silver and attempting to run away. Instead of turning him in and relegating him again to a life of captivity, the bishop treats Valjean as if he offered the silver to him in the first place, relinquishing his last worldly desire.

Thus begins the tale of Jean Valjean, a man of the lowest status who elevates himself to a level of kindness and goodness comparable to the bishop himself. I love the way these men are painted and the time spent on the development of their characters. Hugo is absolutely thorough. Reading Les Miserables isn't like being carried along by a thread of narrative -- it is total immersion in the world and lives of characters that are realized to the fullest extent.

Several years later, Valjean is a success. He has helped the town he came to by revolutionizing an industry and taking over the factory. He is nominated the mayor. With his exceptional strength, he has even saved a man's life -- at risk of revealing his previous identity to a suspicious inspector, Javert, who is one of the best and most complex villains I have ever read about.

In Valjean's factory works Fantine, a woman whose innocence and love betrayed her, who is now living at the edges of life trying to support her daughter Cosette, who lives with a voraciously greedy innkeeper and his wife. I am very familiar with the musical Les Miserables, and while I read the book about eight years ago in a different translation, I still felt I was learning something new about Fantine this time around. In Book 1 we are given the chance to see the relationship that leads to Cosette, and in some ways it is very disappointing. She was passionately in love, but the truth is that her lover, Tholomyes, is pretty despicable and unlovable. Still, to her he was everything, and I suppose that is the way that love is for many people -- we see only the traits that make that person attractive to us and miss the rest. Once alone, Fantine exhausts every possible avenue to keep Cosette alive, and eventually it is her downfall.

In the past in Les Miserables, Eponine was the character I sympathized with most. A lovesick girl stuck forever in the friend zone -- that is an experience that rang true for me in high school more than once. However, this time around, I've been sympathizing much more with Fantine, and I was very touched by her experiences and her death. While I'm lucky enough to not be abandoned by my lover, I can relate to Fantine's fierce love for her daughter and desire to sacrifice everything to keep her safe and healthy. I haven't actually given birth to a child yet, but let's just say I am much closer to the motherhood phase of my life rather than the rejected crush phase of my life. I'm curious to see if I will still relate to Eponine once I am further into the book. (I think I will, just because I related so much to her for so long).

Now I am stuck in the beginning of Book 2, the dreaded Waterloo section. Hopefully I'll power through that tonight so I can write my Book 2 post soon!

A Classics Challenge April Prompt: Cover Story

This month's prompt for A Classics Challenge (hosted by November's Autumn) focuses on covers.


Level 1
What are your first impressions as you look at the cover?
It kind of has the look of the more traditional Les Miserables covers except less stark and more... pretty.

Level 2
Does the book cover have an aspect that reflects the character, setting, or plot of the novel?
I think in some ways it does and in others does not. For example, I think the image is more appealing than the normal cover, but at the same time this little girl looks more well-off than the traditional Les Miserables little girl. The whole point of the story is to describe the underprivileged masses that rise up and fight -- I wouldn't expect them to have warm black coats and umbrellas. So in some ways, while this is still a little girl in a dreary setting, she doesn't look quite as "miserable" as the title would suggest. I've also always wondered who she is supposed to be. Is she Cosette? There seem to be so many other characters that are miserable, and Cosette is not young the entire book, so I'm not sure.

Level 3
If you could have designed the book cover what would you have chosen?
Honestly, I've always felt that Jean Valjean was the true star of Les Miserables, and I think he deserves to be on the cover, maybe during his galley slave days. Chained to a group of miserable convicts, performing hard labor -- this is his beginning and a past that shadows him his entire life, and he was consigned to it because he stole bread to feed his miserable family. Nothing against Cosette or whomever this nameless girl is, but I think Jean Valjean is more deserving of some face time. 

Bookish spots of Paris: Victor Hugo

Guess what? There are tons of bookish places in Paris related to Victor Hugo. In fact, I am sure there are many more than I had the opportunity to visit. After this last weekend in California with my husband's family (in which we watched the 25th anniversary Les Mis DVD 1.8 times, listened to the new CD recording 2.6 times, and quoted the songs 2,394 times) I have an even deeper love for Victor Hugo. The Disney version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame enchanted me in elementary school, I struggled through Les Miserables for the first time my sophomore year of high school, and I read The Hunchback of Notre Dame my first few weeks in Paris. I love this author. Here are just a few of the places paying homage to him.

This is a statue of Victor Hugo by Rodin. I loved Rodin's home and work and was very excited to see his tribute to Hugo.

I went to Victor Hugo's house while I was in Paris. None of these photographs are phenomenal because we weren't allowed to use flash, but I had to capture his writing desk. I also bought a book by Hugo in the museum shop - the only one I could afford (or hope to decipher in French) - a book of his poems, Les Contemplations. I planned to read one poem a day to keep up my French. This did not happen, but now that I'm thinking of it I want to try again at some point.

When I was in Paris I developed an obsession with chandeliers. So I took this picture of Victor Hugo's chandelier. Behold.

Hugo's house was full of art - pieces from his own collection (many of which were disturbing and featured Hell or Sodom and Gomorrah) and renditions of characters from his books. I took quite a few pictures but most of them didn't turn out very well. This is Esmerelda.

We of course also paid (many) visits to Notre Dame. Rather than favoring you with an awkwardly taken, squinty picture of a tiny me in front of Notre Dame, I thought I would just give you a few aspects of the cathedral other than the familiar structure. This is the big bell that Quasimodo loved and could feel even though he was deaf. Being so close to this huge bell was pretty awe-inspiring.

There were beautiful plaques as a tribute to Hugo throughout the cathedral. Once the city of Paris planned to tear down Notre Dame - it was decrepit and mostly abandoned. Hugo wrote The Hunchback of Notre Dame to save the cathedral. I can't decipher the whole plaque (should have transcribed it when the memory was fresh, not two years later) but the gist of what it says is this: he defended very expressively describing (something illegible) the walls, the sound of the bells, something about the towers, etc.

This is the most photographed gargoyle of the cathedral. Here is my picture of it. Hooray!

My favorite part of Notre Dame wasn't lighting a candle or attending mass (an interesting experience for me because I am not Catholic!). It was climbing the towers and looking down on all of Paris. My friends and I didn't want to come down and did all kinds of crazy things like ballroom dancing with brooms on the roof. Of course, now I am much too mature to behave in that manner (right...).

This is Victor Hugo's place in the Pantheon. (And Alexandre Dumas' as well, incidentally). It was awe-inspiring to know that I was in the same place as Hugo's body - I haven't spent much time in cemeteries and to think that on the other side of the stone was what remained of this heroic author is still unbelievable to me. Although his body lies in the Pantheon, his soul is immortal in his writing.

Literary Blog Hop: Arrrgh

No, it's not about pirates.

This week's literary blog hop, hosted by The Blue Bookcase, asks the question:

What is one of your literary pet peeves? Is there something that writers do that really sets your teeth on edge? Be specific, and give examples if you can

To be honest, I don't have a lot of literary pet peeves. There are stories that bother me, or thematic material that bothers me, but not usually literary devices that bother me, if that makes sense. Although if I see affect and effect misused, a vein in my forehead usually starts throbbing.

Probably the thing that has bothered me the most in the past is when a novel turns into a history lecture. You know, you're getting involved with the characters and the plot and loving every minute when you're suddenly thrust into an 80 page monologue about Napoleon. Which is nice, if you're wondering about Napoleon. But I'm usually not.

Don't get me wrong. I like history and I like context. I have noticed on others' posts on this topic that long descriptive passages are a common pet peeve of others. I am actually not this way - I love descriptions of settings and people and long detours into what they're thinking. But I don't like when the history goes on and on.

The two novels I've really experienced this with were Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. I really loved both of these books, so this pet peeve doesn't completely turn me off. I've even been thinking maybe I should reread those passages to increase my knowledge of history. BUT I don't think they belong right in the way of the narrative.

For some reason I can't get the blue highlighting out of the way from Christina's prompt. Oh well, consider it decorative.

Hop hop hop hop hop

Do you ever have those days where you are just absolutely, inexplicably exhausted? I am having one of those days. Probably because I stayed up til midnight watching Slumdog Millionaire with my sister... I am an early to bed, early to rise kind of girl usually. Which is why I am wearing a sweatshirt and blogging instead of making use of my free hour to study for my upcoming exams.

But anyway... It's time for the 2nd literary blog hop. :)
This week's question is:

What is the most difficult literary work you've ever read? What made it so difficult?

This is a difficult question for me to answer. I am not sure if I have just not read very many hard books, or if I am just prone to liking everything so I don't consider it "difficult," because to me "difficult" has a more negative connotation.

I would definitely say Les Miserables was one of the more difficult books I read for a few reasons. (1), it's length. (2), my age when I read it (I can't remember for sure but I think I was in middle school). And (3), the interminable chapters about Napoleon. I really feel as if I should go back and read the unabridged version again so that I can learn more about Napoleon, but part of me wonders if I would just do the exact same thing and shamelessly skim again.

But with that said, I loved the book. I would read it again, and probably will someday.

The most difficult book I never read is Tale of Two Cities. I do not even remember all the times I have tried to start that book, but I will relay just a few for you.

Encounter 1: I heard of it in a short story I read in American Girl magazine when I was 9 or 10 (did any of you read this magazine? It has such good childhood memories!). The book was described as "a bit difficult, but a lovely story" so I immediately assumed I should read it. I read about one page and then gave up.

Encounter 2: Remembering that I gave up when I was younger, in middle school I decided to try again. I checked it out from the library, along with several other books. When I was in middle school, my friends and I always met in the back corner of the library to hang out, so I was always noticing new books to read. I remember reading the first line and thinking, "This sounds really great. I should definitely try to read it again." But the other books (i.e. Tamora Pierce) were easier and I returned the book unread.

Encounter 3: I found a worn out copy in one of my family's sheds. (Note about my dad: He is a crazy outdoorsman and he has a new hobby every few months. This has led to many sheds full of many hobbies. Examples include making bows and killing bears with them, motorcycles, wood carving, etc. This variety of hobbies has also led my dad to be fairly well read. He reads books and then gives them away, or I find them in canoes or toolboxes, etc.). Anyway, I found this book in a tent or something and thought, I should definitely read this. If my dad read it, I can talk to him about it. But he gave it away or threw it away shortly thereafter, and I never got a hold of it.

Encounter 4: I thought for sure I would read it this time. I was going to France, so I decided I needed some things to read on the plane trip and in the parks (bien sur!!). I went to the classics bargain books section of the university bookstore and picked out The Scarlet Pimpernel and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Then Tale of Two Cities caught my eye and I thought, Why not? I'll try it again. I got through three pages.

Why is it I can't get through this book? Has anyone else had trouble with it? I was talking to my very intelligent friend Sam about it and he said, "Are you kidding me? That's the easy one!" Thanks, Samuel. I really hope someday to read this book. Maybe I'll be old enough for it in 20 years.