() Les Misérables (Volumes 1 and 2)

Author: (French) Victor Hugo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Victor Hugo (1802–1885), a renowned French novelist and poet. Les Misérables is one of his major novels. The protagonist, Jean Valjean, steals a loaf of bread to support his sister's seven children and is sentenced to five years of hard labor. He attempts to escape four times but fails, and is released after nineteen years. Later, he is moved by Bishop Myriel and reforms himself, changing his name to Madeleine, opening a factory, and becoming a wealthy businessman. He even becomes the mayor. He takes Cosette, the illegitimate daughter of Fantine, who was left at the Thénardiers' inn, and raises her. When Cosette grows up, she meets the Republican young man Marius in the park and falls in love at first sight. At this time, a Republican uprising breaks out. Jean Valjean rescues Marius, who is injured in the barricade battle, and helps the two young people get married. However, he is misunderstood, becomes depressed, and eventually passes away in the arms of Cosette and Marius.