Since its publication in 1862, Victor Hugo's Les Misérables has been a perennial bestseller, inspiring multiple Hollywood film adaptations and the beloved Broadway musical. Its origins, argues translator and biographer David Bellos, are as compelling as the novel's story of revolution, love and redemption in 19th-century France. In The Novel of the Century, Bellos delves into Hugo's inspiration, his approach to writing and the physical production of Les Mis, while exploring the novel's enduring appeal. As Bellos notes in his introduction, "Most plans to conquer the whole world with a story go awry. Les Misérables is a wonderful exception."
Bellos (Is That a Fish in Your Ear?) divides his book (like Les Mis itself) into five parts, which cover a swath of topics related to the novel: Hugo's personal life; his politics; the historical events that shaped the novel and appear in it (notably the Battle of Waterloo and the uprising of 1832); the novel's evolution over time; and Hugo's monumental effort to get it in shape for publication. Each section ends with an "interlude," a deeper dive into a smaller, quirkier motif: contemporary French systems of coinage and color, the novel's use of "high" and "low" language, even a rumination on the enigmatic inner life of Jean Valjean. This is not a work of textual criticism, but it provides plenty of historical context and cultural insight for readers who love Hugo's story.
Accessible--even breezy--but well researched and informative, The Novel of the Century is a treat for fans of Hugo's masterwork. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams