I talk a lot about the UPF in this blog, which is pretty much the point, but I’d also like to talk a little bit about what I’m reading outside of work. Right now I’m in the middle of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. I had the opportunity recently to see the Broadway show with a friend and instantly fell in love. The book is kind of a beast though. I bought a copy for my Nook, which might be the greatest thing ever invented, and it’s over 1200 pages long. I decided to go with the unabridged version in part because I’m crazy and also because you get such a better glimpse into the author’s head when you read all of their original words. I’m also a bit wary of abridged versions after a copy I read of Jane Eyre altered the ending to where Mr. Rochester was only blinded in the fire and Thornfield was only minorly damaged. It was meant for kids, so I can see why they did it, but you can imagine my horror several years later when I read the unabridged version and Mr. Rochester was permanently disfigured and Thornfield was burnt to the ground. I haven’t read an abridged version of anything since.
For anyone who is not familiar with the story Jean Valjean is a convict who went to jail for stealing some bread to feed his sister’s starving child. He’s released from prison, but everyone still knows that he’s a convict and won’t take him in or give him work because they consider him a criminal. After a priest is kind to him, Valjean makes a vow to God that he will be better and do everything in his power to be a better man. He ends up changing his name, opening a factory and becoming mayor of a town that he almost single-handedly made prosperous. The problem though is that he broke his parole and is being hunted by a police inspector named Javert. He meets the once lovely Fantine and promises to take care of her child, Cosette, while Fantine is on her deathbed. He takes in Cosette and spends the rest of the book protecting her from his past while rebellion stirs in the heart of the impoverished people of France.
I love this story. It’s absolutely marvelous, and I’ve listened to the soundtrack for the musical almost non-stop for the last two or three weeks. I would make an excellent Eponine, if I do say so myself. When I sing along to “On My Own” in the car, the audience on the recording is always very enthusiastic. The one thing I’m having a hard time understanding in the book though is Hugo’s need for such long portions of historical context. I’m currently in the middle of an almost blow-by-blow account of the Battle of Waterloo. A friend told me what the reason behind it is supposed to be, but I’m still not entirely sure that I understand. I feel as though it was really unnecessary for the time the novel was written in. People probably would have already been familiar with the details of the Battle of Waterloo. Obviously the story is incredible as it has lasted for so long and had such commercial success, but I do wonder what the point of all of the historical accounts are. Don’t let that dissuade you from the book though. It’s actually not that difficult of a read when the plot is moving. Any one who loves classic literature is bound to fall in love with Valjean and all of the other colorful and exciting characters that Hugo has created. On a scale of 1 to 7, I give it a 5.
For any fellow Nook owners out there, here’s the link to the unabridged copy that I own from Barnes and Noble.
Confessions of a Publishing Intern 