Friday, March 25, 2011

Les Miserables

This winter, I read - all 1200 pages of - Les Miserables.


It was Horrendous. Awe-Inspiring. Terrific. Depressing. Invigorating. It was a book that I will never forget.


How do you even tell the story of Les Miserables? There is no single plot, no single story. It's all interwoven together, in one tale of humanity - humanity at it's worst, and it's best.

It is a story of Mankind's misery, and of glorious redemption.






There are plenty of faults in the story. There are plenty of chapters where I realize that, although the book is written by a believer in God, he is not a Christian. That he is a faulty man, like all of us.

But still...

Read the book once, and you will never forget it. Never forget the glorious characters of Jean Valjean, Cosette, Marius, Eponine, Enjolras...


Even Javert. I happen to like Javert. Because, even though he does cause Jean Valjean every bit of trouble he possibly can...


... he believes what he is doing is right. He believes in duty, and he's a 'Miserable', just as Valjean is. Just something for thought.


So yes. I am a 'Miz" fan. Is it a perfect book? No. Is it a work of art. Beyond a doubt -
yes.
"An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come."
~Victor Hugo

6 comments:

Jennifer said...

This post is inspiring!! I just started reading Les Miserables for the first time last week. I am really enjoying it so far. :)

Lexi Walker said...

I finished this book last week, and I liked. I went and saw the play. OMG, it was AMAZING.

BobbyGirl said...

Have you ever seen the play? I have the book but haven't got around to reading it yet but quite a few of my siblings have and I listen to the sound track from the play quite a bit, it really is amazing!

Abigail

Anna Olivia said...

The stage musical FTW. ;)

lauren said...

gotta love inspecter javert. "javert killed Javert. haven't you been listening?"

Anna Olivia said...

Lexi~ another fan of the play here!! YES! ;) I am seeing it live for the first time in a little less than two weeks. I've dreamed the dream, and it's come true. <3 My sister and I call ourselves "stalkers of the musical". ;)

Abigail.... the play is epic, isn't it??