Student Book Review:
Les Miserables
- classic
by: Victor Hugo
Review done by:
Jenny Wang
Grade 7
Van Antwerp Middle School
Niskayuna, NY
The book, Les Miserables
is about the miserable lives of five different people. These people are Jean Valjean,
Javert, Fantine, Cosette, and Marius. These people live in the period of the French
Revolution. Their unhappy lives tell a tail of love, misery, hope, and hate. Each
of these people live lives that could have really been lived by someone in that time
period.
Jean Valjean is the most important character. He is a boy who steals one piece of
bread to feed his sister's starving children. He is then labeled as a "thief" for
the rest of his life. He is sentenced to jail and tries to escape. Each attempt
adds up to more years in jail. When he is finally out, he comes to the town of D__. The
people already know of him and do not give him a place to rest. They heard that he
was a vicious man who would kill for things (which is not entirely true). Jean finally
goes to the Bishop of D__'s house. The bishop was a very generous man. He lived in
a small house even though he had a palace. When Jean knocked on the bishop's door,
he was welcomed in. Jean was set a place at the wooden table and served with the
only silverware at the bishops house. After a good night's sleep, Jean takes the silver candlestick
and tries to run out of town. Two men find him and return him to the bishop's house.
The bishop pretends that he gave Jean the candlestick to start a new life. Jean takes his advice and starts a new life. He starts popping up all around using
fake names. Whenever he is suspected of being Jean the convict, he moves to a new
place and uses a new name. Jeans is now devoted to help the common folk and innocent
people in trouble.
Javert is as police officer. He did not have a great childhood so he is very tough.
His life goal is to put Jean Valjean in prison permanently. He searches everywhere
for Jean. Then, near the end of the book, something happens. Jean proves how kind
hearted he really is to Javert.
Fantine is the mother of Euphraise, also known as Cosette. She lives a hard life
and gives himself to M. Felix Tholomyes. He is a common man who just got lucky.
Fantine is about to give birth to Tholomyes' child when he goes on an adventure
trip with his friends. Felix never returns and Fantine gives birth to the child in harsh conditions.
She roams near and far to earn money. Then, she meats Madam Thernarder. M. Thernarder
has two children about Cosettes age. Fantine gives Cosette to M. Thernarder and promises to pay her and her husband a lot of money. Then Faintine looks around
for a job. The Thernarders hardly take care of Cosette. She is known their slave.
Every time Fantine writes a letter to the Thernarders asking if Cosette is well,
they look for a way to bribe more money out of her. Soon, Fantine starts to sell her personal
possessions. Things become worse and worse for poor Fantine.
Cosette lives a hard childhood at the Thernarders. In the middle of the book, Jean
Valjean sees her caring a bucket full of water through the woods. He offers to help
her. On the way back to the Thernarders' inn, Cosette tells Jean Valjean about herself. Jean Valjean asks her what she wants for Christmas and she shows him a doll in
a store window. Jean spends the night at the Thernarders' inn. In the morning,
he goes to the store with his honestly earned money and buys the doll for Cosette.
Later, he offers the Thernarders money for Cosette. They agree after a lot of bargaining.
Then, Jean Valjean leads Cosette into a life of love and hate.
The last important character, Marius Potmercy, ties the book together. He lives a
good life but never meets his father. His grandfather, M. Gillenormand, detests
everything his son-in-law (Marius' father) is. Marius runs out of his grandfather's
house after he says something bad about Marius' father. He stars to live his own life.
After awhile, Marius falls in love with a mysterious woman. This woman is very special,
as you will find out if you read this book. The lady's "father" does not like Marius and does all he can to keep them apart.
Victor Hugo is a great author who wrote terrific classic books. I was on the edge
of my seat when I read this book. The lives of these people are very real. I could
relate each to a friend I have. As you see, I enjoyed this book and hope you will
read this difficult classic.
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