We have all heard the songs, met the characters, and watched the story play out. Some would say they have a favorite character from the 2012 "Les Miserables," or maybe you prefer a musical performance you saw in your local theatre. While the musical is certainly a timeless masterpiece, it can only condense years of characters’ lives into so many scenes and lines. What the musical omits for the sake of actors’ human limitations in a three-hour time period, the book is full of to the very brim. It will not leave you disappointed.
1. They always say that the book is better than the movie.
This book is the epitome of that statement.
2. Following this last reason, you will get to know the characters much better.
For example, I liked Eponine more in the movie, but she really wasn’t as interesting to me in the book. You should read it and see what I mean.
3. It is long.
It will challenge you!
4. It is a historical fiction.
Victor Hugo’s imagery gives you a vivid picture of rural and urban France during the 19th century.
5. You will find the best quotes for captioning a photo, or just trying to make yourself look smart.
Below are some of the more extensive quotes I found for different categories of people.
Religious: “The pupil dilates in the night, and at last finds day in it, even as the soul dilates in the misfortune, and at last finds God in it.”
Historians: “For in revolutions the revolted party is not the people, it is the king…A revolution is a return from the factitious to the real. It is, because it must be.”
Cynics: “The customs of society are such that you can enter a drawing room filthy all over except for your shoes. A warm welcome requires one irreproachable feature: your conscience? No, your boots.”
Philosophers: “One may be more than man and less than man. The immense incomplete exists in nature. Who knows that the sun is not blind?"
6. This book is so long and tedious at points that it just makes you a better reader.
Your reading speed and your capacity to hold small details will increase. How? Well, you read quickly because you just want to finish that darned novel and start something new, and you read with more attention to the text because this plot spans a handful of years. If you do not pay attention, you will be wondering why J- or E- are not in the text anymore. (Hint: They died, but you zoned out 150 pages ago, skimming over that not-so-minor detail.)
7. You learn about forgiveness.
You just cannot read this novel without being challenged to forgive more. Forgiveness can be the cure to a variety of human feelings: guilt, anger, fear, and pride, to name a few. We could all learn to forgive more, so this novel certainly presents that concept with power and conviction.
8. It has tons of French dispersed throughout the text.
You could be fluent by the time you finish this novel! Just kidding. You should still read it, though.Those of you who have read this novel or seen the movie could probably think of a list much longer than this one. For time’s sake, this list is my go-to. If school, work, or family keep you from completing the whole book or maybe it’s just really daunting, try the abridged version. This version still covers the basic ideas (I know -- I read 200 pages into an abridged book before finding out that it was not the complete "Les Mis"). Another suggestion for those who dare to take on the tome: Read it with a friend. Choose somebody who will push you to keep reading, and maybe even set a goal for yourselves to read it by a certain date.
Even if it takes you two years to read it, you have gained a valuable experience. You honestly cannot lose out on this one. Good luck with your decision-making!
