The Perks Of Being A Book Addict discussion

Is this worth buying? I saw the movie and really want to read the book

Same here, my friend has it, but it's a pretty hefty book.
How is it?

I loved the book but I have a knack for old books. I have no problem translating old English or keeping up with wordy authors. I thought it was better than the play and way way better than the movie. On that note I pity people who saw the movie but didn't see the play on Broadway. The play had better singing

Well, I think this is the kind of the book that you need to dedicate a lot of time, read fast, so you'll be able to get really involved! Reading just a few pages each day will make the book boring...

Brittany wrote: "Definitely, I read a page in 30 seconds to one minute last time I checked so it was a horrible commitment for me. It depends on the type setting. And yes I am that big of a nerd."

I had started reading it, but didn't finish it. I really enjoyed the part I did read though. The only reason I didn't finish it was because the footnotes in my edition spoiled the ending about 100 pages in. Kind of hard to want to read another 1800 pages when the end was given away!

I will try to give you my opinion regarding the book but over all I want to give you my opinion concerning Victor Hugo. I reckon I might be able to bring you more information about Victor Hugo. Because, I think when you want to understand the work (all of them), you must understand the man behind.

Victor Hugo comes from my region, in France he's considerated like a King.They teach you Molière, Stendhal, Maupassant & Victor Hugo in High School. Later on, you study Chateaubriant.

Teachers make you understand that first of all it isn't a story! It's much more than a story. Victor Hugo wasn't just an author! He was involved in roman, poetry, theatre, politics (very active), journalism...

My advice is, when you read the book, don't try to get into the story. Try to understand why he had written that or thought a character! Each one is important, and if you search deeply, you'll find out that several characters are based on real-life characters.

=> When you read Cosette or Fantine, understand than he had a very difficult mourning after the death of his daughter.

=> When you read Javert or the acquisition and use of power by people, understand that he was a fervent opponent of the "coup d'état" (takeover) by Napoléon III.

=> When you read his love for France through Paris/the streets/etc..., understand that he was in exil for 20 years, he probably missed his country. Very good works were created while the exil, included "Les misérables".

That what you learn at school, to understand and read between the lines. Not only the story!

And by the way, Monseigneur Myriel is the reason why Valjean is Valjean!

Every - words - are - important :)

I read it a looong time ago, but I remember really loving it. It's a classic, so of course it's not an easy ready. Definitely worth the time.

I was 15 and grounded to my room for a week.... I don't remember the offence.... But a good long book was what was called for... I would have been glad for it to be 20 more chapters! .... Yes it is an extremely long.. Involved... Wordy book. But the characters ( once u get them straight) are amazing. Story meaty and alive. I think it is a must read.... And worth the time. :)

I definitely want to read this, but the length does seem daunting. I know several bookworms that started and never finished it. I think what I'll do to help is take a couple notes when a character is introduced so I can better keep track. :)

If it seems overwhelming try the audio version. And yes the book is far superior to the film and even the play. You learn so much more about the characters than in the film then watching it gives you so much more insight.

Victor Hugo really wants his readers to get a broad perspective towards the story so he tends to describe things in considerable length so we understand absolutely everything. I know some people might get really impatient, but it really pays off in the end. I, for one, really enjoyed this book. If you're used to fast paced action, then this book probably isn't for you.

To read Les Miserable you definitely have to find a good translation. I have amazon free copy which is translated By Isabel Hapgood (old old translation) and a copy translated by Norman Denny. The Norman Denny translation is much much better IMO.

it's my goal to read the whole book. I only got about 150 pages in or so and I loved it but it was too dense for my liking.

I will absolutely finish it one day though because the little I read about the preist and fontane I really really loved (the priest especially! ).

Classics are a must read for any book addict and Les Miserable is worth every word.

I don't mind if the pace is not fast-fast-fast, there are some pretty hefty books I just devoured. What can get on my nerves, though, is the 10 page long pointless landscape descriptions or longwinded descriptions about every little menial thing about for example occupations which doesn't interest most of the people, like jurisdiction or farming. I have not read Les Mis yet, but it's one of my goals for this year. I have seen the play, and it was so moving (and a really sweet classmate of mine at the university played Eponine), and I'm really intrigued by how the book differs from the musical. It seems pretty exciting, actually.

Personally, I adore this book and its backstories. It fills in all of the gaps that are left by the film/musical version -- for instance, explaining in detail why Fantine is a single mother and how she falls into despair and destitution. It does get a little tedious when Hugo goes on 50-page tangents about Napoleon or the sewers of Paris, but it's still worth reading.

N wrote: "The back story about Fantine is ok, it's her 3 friends and their boyfriends and the story and pages of that nonsense that is never touched upon again - you don't need that information to understand..."

Of course it's not necessary to understand the basic plot line, but it enhances the story and makes the character more rounded out. Isn't that the point?

Before criticizing any of the renowned classic novels published prior to the 20th. century, one must take into consideration that they were the primary source of entertainment for the literate masses at the time.

Television, radio, movies. recorded music and personal computers did not exist. Readers wanted their story to be as descriptive, lengthy and drawn-out as possible to provide as much entertainment for as long as possible to pass the time.

I think, for what it is worth, some people are so used to cr@p that is written with the movie in mind and the banal 'romance' and action thriller, that is trolled out by the bucket load, that they find detailed descriptions boring.

When I read Les Miserables I said 'only Hugo could give you a hundred pages to describe a man who had an amazing, life changing effect upon the hero of the piece. A lesser author would have said this good priest let him off the hook, and you, no doubt, would have been delighted.

Now it may be you had a poor translation but it may be that you get bored when people aren't talking in a book or something isn't happening.

If you do I would say classics of literature from all over the world are not for you. You understand story but you have little empathy with language and none whatever with the literary mind. Ten pages to describe a crisis of conscience? Eight pages to die? Must be way too much.

What a stupid question.

Couldn't be less interested *yawns*, carry on.....