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Title: Notre-Dame of Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) by Victor Hugo, John Surrock, John Sturrock ISBN: 0-14-044353-3 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: December, 1978 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $11.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (7 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Great!
Comment: This is one of the best books I have ever read. Quasimodo is one of the most tragic figures of all time. Hugo gains our sympathy for him at the start when a band of gypsies steal a baby and leave the deformed Quasimodo in his place. The shocked family abandon the "hideous monster." The baby ends up in the church of Notre Dame where he is raised by the priests.
He later ends up saving the gypsy Esmeralda (who ironically turns out to the baby he was switched for) from the hangman in one of the most dramatic rescue sequences in literary history. He and Esmeralda seem to have their lives intertwined throughout the book.
Rating: 5
Summary: Beautiful writing, interesting but overrated story
Comment: This novel is so well-written that I'm giving it five stars despite the fact that I wasn't greatly impressed with the plot. Hugo's penchant for digressing from the story and thoroughly engaging the reader in various discourses is perhaps the most brilliant aspect of his style. In Notre-Dame the educated layman gets convincing arguments in several subjects: philosophy, religion, science, human temperaments, architecture, justice, and others. On top of all that you get a good deal of humor. Quasimodo's trial before the deaf judge had me rolling on the floor.
You may have seen a play or the Disney movie based on this novel. These productions are by necessity abridged down to the bare plot. Unfortunately, the plot is really not what earns this title entry into the annals of the classics. On its own merits, the story is rather absorbing (and tragic) but replete with random coincidences that are often crucial to the progress of the tale but detract from its believability and by extension the likelihood of total immersion. For example, Phoebus's appearance near the end of the chapter "The Little Shoe" is a contrived coincidence. Events like these make the plot itself more suitable for teens than for adults. Thirty-one years later Hugo would use similar plot devices in the otherwise wonderful Les Miserables.
There's really not much else to say. Notre-Dame is one of the finest classics ever written. You're surely missing out if you haven't read it!
Rating: 5
Summary: Fabulous French Fiction
Comment: Having little knowlegde of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, I failed to realize how drastically different the Disney version was from reality. The story does not focus on a loveable hunchback who finds happiness in the end, rather it is about the cathedral itself. The action and characters all feed off of Notre Dame and represent its values, but they are merely secondary aspects of the book. It is also a violent, depressing, and sometimes even erotic book, none of which of course comes through in a Disney movie.
Many things make this book an incredible read. The most obvious is the incredible prose. Hugo was a beautiful writer and his writing flows so smoothly. He also described with incredible detail the Paris of the late 15th century--the city's skyline, its culture, some of the notable people, and the issues of the day. He spent three years researching the book and he turned his noted into an historical epic. Finally, the action and characters of the book are well developed, exciting, and unique while still representing the values and controversies Hugo wanted to explore.
I originally picked this book up when I was in the 7th grade and was unable to make it more than 20 pages without giving up in frustration, but having more knowlegde of European history, a greater appreciation for literature, and more patience with a book that admittedly starts slowly, I am very glad I came back to it. I don't think this is a book that a young reader will find interesting--though the story itself is great so an abridged version would keep them reading--but any fan of great literature, beautiful prose, French history, architecture, or Victor Hugo will love this book if they give it a chance and do sit patiently while it revs up for 30-40 pages. I highly recommend it.
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Title: Les Miserables a New Unabridged Translation (Signet Classics) by Victor Hugo, Lee Fahnestock, Norman MacAfee ISBN: 0451525264 Publisher: New American Library Pub. Date: March, 1987 List Price(USD): $7.95 |
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Title: The Toilers of the Sea by Victor Hugo, Isabel F. Hapgood ISBN: 0451527720 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: 07 November, 2000 List Price(USD): $6.95 |
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Title: Ninety-Three by Victor Hugo, Ayn Rand ISBN: 1889439312 Publisher: Paper Tiger Pub. Date: May, 2002 List Price(USD): $39.95 |
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Title: The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo ISBN: 0812563123 Publisher: Tor Classics Pub. Date: 15 June, 1996 List Price(USD): $4.99 |
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Title: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Constance Garnett ISBN: 0553211757 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 June, 1984 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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