Rating: 
Summary: WOW!!!
Review: I was first hooked on Les Mis by my sister-in-law, who introduced me to the musical. I cried my eyes out, and she said, "You have to read the book!" So I did, and it was even better than the musical. The characters in Les Mis and Hugo's descriptive style are what make this book so compelling. He writes so descriptively that you can imagine the scenes in your mind. The only other authors I know who can do this are Stephen Lawhead, C.S. Lewis, and Lew Wallace. The book appeals to you emotions in a way that few others can. You really start to know the characters, and become very attatched to them, from the reformed Jean Valjean, to Enjolras, to even Javert. My favorite character is Marius' grandfather, who struggles with his grandson's independence, but tries so hard to understand. This book is definitely worth reading, and if you don't feel most emotions while reading it, then maybe you should go have some therapy!
Rating: 
Summary: does not live up to the original
Review: After reading the unabridged edition that was loaned to me, I decided to purchase this edition. If you have never read this story before, you owe it to yourself to plunge into the original text. This abridged edition leaves out important character-related text, and just skims the surface of what is a beautiful story. This version does not leave you feeling much for the characters. I will take more time choosing the next Les Mis book and make sure it tells the whole story. This book seems to have been written with the movie in mind, and just doesn't do Victor Hugo's work justice. The original story is perhaps the greatest novel ever written. Shame on Charles Wilbour for dissecting Hugo's work like this!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: One of the Greatest
Review: What is there to say but to agree with most of the reviews below. This is a book that you'll never forget. It is truly one of the greatest! To the main criticism of its many unlikely coincidences I have to say this: I LIKE a book with lots of coincidences. If I want a normal of amount of realistic coincidences I'll read the newspaper.
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Summary: My heart filled with tears as I rolled through this novel.
Review: READ THIS BOOK AND LEARN A VALUABLE LESSON OF CHANGE AND LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: The Best Book I Have Never Read
Review: I started reading this work of Mr. Hugo's many a year ago, and after page one, made a solemn oath that I would never say finish it. So I began reading, one page a week, ten pages a month, sometimes more, sometimes less, fearful to read too much, afraid to see its end. Now here I am, some several years later, with one page left. I will never read it. After all, if you do not finish a book, a book cannot be finished. If a book is not finished, you never have to say goodbye. I believe all of us should carpe diem, but for God's sake, take your time with Les Misreables; if you live a thousand years times a thousand years, you will never experience such a profound piece of literature as this.
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Summary: Les Miserables is the most enthralling book I have ever read
Review: This book is fantastic. After discovering the musical, I decided to read the book and am very glad I did. Marius, Cosette, and Eponine are involved in a heart-wrenching love triangle. I was happy for Marius and Cosette, (how can you not be?) but I felt so close to Eponine. She was so brave, being in love and knowing she was not getting Marius's love in return, yet she gives him the ultimate sacrifice. I think she displays the true meaning of love. The first time Marius and Cosette kiss is the most emotional scene I have ever read, and I read a lot. Eponine is definitely my favorite character, because she makes the most of what she has, and tries to improve herself while being held down by her family and poverty. I also thought it was ironic, the way Cosette begins as a poor orphan while Eponine has everything, then the tables are turned. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a bit of history and an emotional roller coaster.
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Summary: Best Book Ever Written
Review: Victor Hugo's heart moving novel Les Miserables changed me a lot. Even though I am only 13, I was able to understand it. If anyone asks me to recomend them a historical novel, this would be my first to recomend.
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Summary: THE GREATEST WORK OF FICTION KNOWN TO MAN. PERIOD.
Review: This book is absolutely, hands down, the best book that I have ever read, and I assume that I ever will read. It has the most detailed character development that I have encountered, so much so that I literally had to put the book down at times because I would be bawling over a tragedy that had just occurred to one of the characters. On top of the character development though, the extrememly meaningful spiritual, philosophical, and political overtones to the book lend a sense of grandeur to it, and truly add a solid backbone to the wonderfully mastered storyline. There are times where the book seems to drag (e.g., battle of waterloo history) but if you dig down deep and plow through it, you realize that it all completely integrates into one, solid beautiful work of art. This is the first book I would recommend giving to someone if they are needing something to read. Long as it is, they won't be able to put it down.
Rating:
Summary: It's a story about us
Review: I read this book as a requirement for English Lit. And for the majority of the shelf life (pardon the pun) of Les Miserables, the analyses of the characters of Valjean and Javert have been consistent: Valjean - ideal, conscientious and spiritual (good); Javert - cruel, stone-hearted and unforgiving (evil). If we look at the bigger picture, Victor Hugo writes a background on a future theory by one Sigmund Freud. If you remember your Psych 101, Freud postulated that the human psyche is made up of three parts: The Id, the Ego and the Superego, none of which by themselves, is good or bad. It is the imbalance between the three that makes good money for psychoanalists and imaginative writers. I have never seen Javert to be "bad". Many have said that Javert is the "bad" or "evil" part of us. What is so evil about enforcing the law? What is so evil about adhering to the solemn mission to protect the citizenry from malcreants? What is so wrong about wanting, nay, needing to enforce what is right? But such is the character of the superego...unyeilding, unforgiving and strict. The superego does not bend to "situational ethics". But can you imagine a world of pure superego? Gee, boring. Thus enter the Ego. Perpetually bending the rules to also do what is right...at that time. Valjean did what was right. He provided food for his starving family. Although stealing was one way to do it, by doing so, the ego part of Valjean failed to realise that the consequences of stealing, especially for the superego, must be played out. And whether or not the absolute or relative right wins, the conflict between the two proves a human psychological dynamism that makes for intensly interesting characters. But we're forgetting about the Id. That part of us which makes decisions with the crudest, basest parts of instinct, the gut and the most sensitive part of the human body (the heart). Who embodies this? Marius. His decision to fight in the revolution did not c! ome about by his thinking that what he was doing is right, but more of completing an obligation to his comrades who might think less of him if he did not. The Id is very interesting. Many carnal and worldly manifestations are attributed to a highly animated Id, but sometimes it can masquerade as the ego or even the superego when the decision turns out to be "right". In playing out these three roles, the result is a turbulence that causes situations from mild anxieties to all-out neuroses. Between the three main men of Les Miserables, there is enough character to go around. We will fall in love with Marius, we will love Valjean, and we will hate Javert. But hopefully not because Marius is romantic, Valjean is ideal, and Javert is bad, but because Marius is childlike, Valjean is conscientious and Javert is intolerably self- righteous (but not evil). We can empathise with each of the characters when they exhibit the above but we also must realise that we can also turn a blind eye to their "weaknesses". Marius can be naive, Valjean can be unrealistically selfless, and Javert relenting. In the end, nothing and nobody changes. Marius (Id) carries on with his worldy life, Valjean (ego) as in the past, runs away, and Javert (superego) turns his self-righteous sense of law and justice upon himself. Freud's famous illustration of these three parts is in the form of an iceberg, where the ego and the superego break the water surface and the Id remains hidden underwater. And though physically, Hugo's Les Miserables is as big as an iceberg, he (Hugo) asks us and the readers during his time, which part of our iceberg do we show? How many times have we made decisions based on our emotions? How many times have we "broken the rules" to achieve a greater good? How many times have we imposed our "superegoness" towards subordinates and especially children by being unforgiving, intolerant and strict? How many times must a man......oops, wrong song. Victor Hugo, a! man light years ahead of his time, presents a story about us. He writes in a most moving, heart-wrenching, intellectual, but often verbose way. But it doesn't matter, does it? I was always taught that classics will withstand the tests of universality and time. The story applies then as it does now. Between the then and the now, many theories, postulates, schools of thought have flourished. Can we expect these to be just the tip of the iceberg?
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Summary: World's most loving, inspirational books ever written.
Review: Even for the novel-impaired, this most readable story of fearlessness, terror, and the greatest love of all time is an inspiration for humans. For the excitement junkie, this magnificient book also contains the most breathtaking, heartstopping "chase scene" in recorded history. If you do not read this book, your life may be a tiny bit less wonderous than if you had. john texas
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