Les Miserables

Works Of Hugo

Victor Hugo

Recommended By

Book Reviews

One of Austen Allred's top five all-time recommended books.

Book Synopsis

In "Les Misérables" by Victor Hugo, the lives of multiple characters intertwine against the backdrop of early 19th-century France. The story delves into themes of love, redemption, and the human struggle for justice.

Jean Valjean, an ex-convict, is haunted by his past and seeks redemption. As he transforms his life, he becomes a respected mayor and factory owner, but his past catches up with him when he meets Inspector Javert, who is determined to bring him back to prison.

Fantine, a single mother, falls into poverty and desperation to support her daughter, Cosette. She sacrifices everything for her child, including her own health and well-being. Valjean becomes her last hope for protecting Cosette.

Cosette, forced to work as a servant, escapes her abusive upbringing when Valjean rescues her from the clutches of the Thénardiers, a deceitful couple running a scheming inn. Valjean becomes her surrogate father and devotes himself to providing a better life for her.

As the rebellion of 1832 erupts in Paris, Marius, a young revolutionary, unknowingly falls in love with Cosette. His devotion to the cause is tested when he discovers that Cosette is his priority over the revolution. Their love story and its complex twists and turns become a central focus of the narrative.

Through strongly developed supporting characters, such as Eponine, the Thénardiers, and the Bishop of Digne, Hugo masterfully portrays the struggles of the poor and the injustices of society. He explores themes of inequality, social unrest, and the power of compassion.

"Les Misérables" is an epic tale that spans several decades, providing a comprehensive exploration of the human condition. Hugo's intricate storytelling, vibrant descriptions, and deep insights into human emotions captivate readers and leave a lasting impact on their hearts and minds.

Explore More Books

See All
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
How Will You Measure Your Life?
In-N-Out Burger
The Hot Hand
The American Story
A Peace to End All Peace
The Infidel and the Professor
The British Are Coming
How to Read a Book
Happy Money
Beat the Wealth Management Hustle
Search Inside Yourself
More Than You Know
A Hall of Mirrors
The Great Book of Amber
Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero
Talent
Believe Me
Superforecasting
100 Deadly Skills
Billion Dollar Whale
A History of Rome
The Art of Possibility
The Neverending Story
The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Whiskey Know-It-All
The Aspirational Investor
101 Things I Learned in Engineering School
The Net & The Butterfly
Endure
The Story of Civilization: The Age of Louis XIV
The Psychology of Intelligence Analysis
Something Incredibly Wonderful Happens
Oranges
The Constitutional Convention
Trillion Dollar Triage
The Book of Why
The Skeptical Environmentalist
Scaling People
The Little Book of Bull Moves
The Box
Einstein
Prof. Arnold Ehret's Mucusless Diet Healing System
The Surrender Experiment
The Best We Could Do
Double your Profits
The Clash of the Cultures
Hidden Repression
Blue Ocean Strategy
Tales of the Unexpected
Mohandas K. Ghandi
Making The Modern World
Power Failure
Homo Deus
The Fear Book
Viral
Technopoly
Q.E.D.
The Airbnb Story
Army Of None
Natural Capitalism
The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross
No Bullshit Guide to Math and Physics
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Barbarians At The Gate
Paradigms
Matthew Barney & Elizabeth Peyton
An Autobiography of Anthony Trollope
The True Believer
Modern Man in Search of a Soul
Rubicon
Nonviolent Communication
The Hate U Give
The Science of Success
A Mathematician's Apology
Chasing Hillary
Maps of Meaning
Golden Gates
A History of the Mind
Not The End of the World
The Talent Code
Margin of Safety
Stretching the School Dollar
My Forty Years with Ford
The Inner Lives of Markets
Confidence Game
A Year with Rumi
Dream Big
Originals
Endurance
The Man Who Fed The World
You Can Be a Stock Market Genius
Freakonomics
The Story of Civilization: The Reformation
Every Life Is On Fire
Measure What Matters
Black Edge
Traction
The Happiness Hypothesis
The Weather Makers
Night Sky with Exit Wounds