Les Miserables

Originally published in 1862, Les Miserables is a novel in five volumes that relates the experiences of Jean Valjean over the course of 15 years during his time in prison for stealing a loaf of bread, his release and slow redemption. Hugo also recounts the stories of Valjean's nemesis, Javert, Fantine and her daughter Cosette as well as a host of other characters, major and minor. By pitting a downcast set of individuals against an over-bearing state, Hugo manages to combine his Romantic viewpoint with a political perspective. Although the novel was panned by critics at the time, it proved immensely popular with readers both in France and outside it in translation. In the modern era it has spawned an extremely successful musical stage version and a recent film version that relies more on the musical than strictly on the book.