The Hunchback of Notre Dame
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Product Description
Product Description
A tale peppered with humor, but fueled by the anguish that unfolds beneath the bells of the great cathedral of Paris, surrounding Quasimodo -- one of classic fiction's most vivid characters.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"...something has disappeared. That vast body is empty - it is like a skeleton - the spirit has quitted it - they see its place and that is all. It is like a skull, which still has holes for the eyes, but no longer sight."
The classics are classics for a reason - they have a place in our modern cultural consciousness - even if they've largely got there thanks to Disney. To read the originals is often a great, if tormenting pleasure, and Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame is no exception.
Tormenting for what would be called today authorial indulgence on a grand scale, and whilst I am a purist in terms of reading unabridged versions, I couldn't read beyond 5 pages of Book Three, Chapter Two: A Bird's Eye View of Paris. It recounts the layout of the city in excruciating detail, and whilst it ends with a beautifully descriptive paragraph about the city as a great symphony, it will bore all but the most dedicated of readers senseless. (I say this in a whisper: "It can be completely skipped!")
A great pleasure because the story itself is rich and compelling. A wonderful cast of characters fill the streets of Paris, and the gothic "character" of Notre Dame cathedral looms in the background. Quasimodo remains a favourite - and I would argue the only character whose love for Esmeralda, and his actions in general, are even remotely pure - which makes him the hero of the novel in my eyes. Claude Frollo, the dark and dangerous priest, is another of my favourite characters, to the point where I am frustrated by Hugo's overall neglect of his background and development.
As usual, the Wordsworth Classics version comes with a "jargon-free", though rather critical introduction, from Keith Wren, and is a very cheap way to enter the world of 15th Century Paris, replete with the enduring themes of literature: love, murder, fate, revenge and redemption.
The classics are classics for a reason - they have a place in our modern cultural consciousness - even if they've largely got there thanks to Disney. To read the originals is often a great, if tormenting pleasure, and Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame is no exception.
Tormenting for what would be called today authorial indulgence on a grand scale, and whilst I am a purist in terms of reading unabridged versions, I couldn't read beyond 5 pages of Book Three, Chapter Two: A Bird's Eye View of Paris. It recounts the layout of the city in excruciating detail, and whilst it ends with a beautifully descriptive paragraph about the city as a great symphony, it will bore all but the most dedicated of readers senseless. (I say this in a whisper: "It can be completely skipped!")
A great pleasure because the story itself is rich and compelling. A wonderful cast of characters fill the streets of Paris, and the gothic "character" of Notre Dame cathedral looms in the background. Quasimodo remains a favourite - and I would argue the only character whose love for Esmeralda, and his actions in general, are even remotely pure - which makes him the hero of the novel in my eyes. Claude Frollo, the dark and dangerous priest, is another of my favourite characters, to the point where I am frustrated by Hugo's overall neglect of his background and development.
As usual, the Wordsworth Classics version comes with a "jargon-free", though rather critical introduction, from Keith Wren, and is a very cheap way to enter the world of 15th Century Paris, replete with the enduring themes of literature: love, murder, fate, revenge and redemption.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
This is a terrible edition of this book; there are footnotes in random places, paragraph breaks in the middle of sentences, new chapters appear without warning. If you can, buy a different edition. I can bearly read this.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Set around the beautiful cathedral of Notre Dame the book illustrated to me the curse of both beauty and ugliness.
I loved this book, especially once I got over half-way through I couldn't put it down. However, I had to come back to it a few times at first. It's well worth persevering through the first few chapters.
I loved this book, especially once I got over half-way through I couldn't put it down. However, I had to come back to it a few times at first. It's well worth persevering through the first few chapters.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
great read
I love this product. It arrived fast, has great quality. Very much worth the money.. so all in all it was a good purchase. Regret nothing.
Published 5 months ago by janine
A real page turner
An excellent read once you get past the rather tedious architectural history and anti-royalism. Claude Frollo is portrayed superbly as a twisted pervert completely obsessed with... Read more
Published 6 months ago by S. J. B. Masud
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
One of the mosting touching stories you can ever read , it simply does not date . It is as relevant today as it was when it was written . Read more
Published 21 months ago by ANNIE
Study book
Purchased this book for my 17 year old daughter as she is studying A level English lit. She loves it and is using it for her independent study in comparison with another classic... Read more
Published 22 months ago by ali
Hunchback Of Notre Dame
Very good. A brilliantly written classic. Bought after a trip to see the Cathedral at Notre Dame. Wonderfully descriptive.
Published on 1 Aug 2009 by SB
Hard work but rewarding
Like many classic books, this one is quite hard work but definitely worth the effort. There are parts that I have to confess to skipping whole sale, overly long and verbose... Read more
Published on 29 Oct 2008 by G. Rufino
Nothing but excellent
The whole story seems to be a relentless flow of beautiful speech conveying words of one of the greatest stories ever written.
Published on 25 May 2004 by Jan F.
I Loved It!
This book stands as one of my favorites. Victor Hugo creates unforgettable and complex characters. This story provokes many strong emotions which make the book even more... Read more
Published on 29 April 1999
A Hard but rewarding read
This one took me to two attempts two read as my mental abilities were reduced by ill health and this at times can be a rather long winded book. Read more
Published on 10 April 1999
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