The Novel of the Century

Starred review from December 15, 2016
A renowned French translator explores the life and legacy of Les Miserables. The best translators must find just the right meaning, and Bellos (French and Comparative Literature/Princeton Univ.; Is that a Fish in Your Ear?: Translation and the Meaning of Everything, 2011, etc.) certainly understands that; he is also a crisp stylist capable of seizing the readers' attention and holding it effortlessly. The story of Victor Hugo's masterpiece is much more than an account of creativity. His work began as Les Miseres, indicating the poor, but the story goes far beyond just those in financial poverty, encompassing the poor in spirit, the wicked, those in distress, and the mauvais pauvre, aka the "bad poor," who were full of resentment and contempt. The novel is an indictment of three of the biggest problems of the 19th century: limited civil rights, the debasement of women, and a lack of education for children. The story itself and especially its characters grew and developed as names and dates changed, but the character of Marius always reflected Hugo's life. Bellos opens our eyes to many fascinating elements of the book and its milieu: the depth and complexity of all aspects of French life; the differences between the rich and poor, even down to different terms for money; and Jean Valjean's embodiment of "the potential that the poorest and most wretched have to become worthy citizens...[that] moral progress is possible for all, in every social sphere." Particularly astute is the author's observation that Les Miserables "is not a reassuring tale of the triumph of good over evil, but a demonstration of how hard it is to be good." With the arrival of Louis Napoleon's Second Empire, Hugo was banished, first to Brussels and eventually, in 1855, to Guernsey in the Channel Islands. It was there that he finished the 1,500-page masterpiece we know today. Anyone who loves Hugo, France, and the French language will revel in this delightful book that explains all the intimacies of 19th-century French life.

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November 1, 2016

Prolific translator and Princeton professor Bellos discusses not just the writing and publication of Victor Hugo's 1862 Les Miserables but its effective summation of the tumultuous 19th century and continued social and ethical relevance today. Then there's its happy life on stage and screen.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2017

To many individuals, Victor Hugo's Les Miserables evokes the Broadway musical or movie. Bellos (French & comparative literature, Princeton Univ.; Is That a Fish in Your Ear?) acknowledges these adaptations; however, his book elevates this great novel to its rightful place in the literary canon and pays it homage by providing details on how it came to life over the course of many decades--for 12 years, the Romantic French writer did not even work on the manuscript. Like the novel it describes, this "biography" is divided into five parts that address Hugo's life, significant political/historical events of the period, the story's character development, initial reception, and continued popularity. Interesting features include a discussion on "invisible history"--details of everyday life described by Hugo (such as the significance of wearing particular colors) that may not make sense to contemporary readers since these details have been overtaken by time. Also noteworthy is Bello's examination of language, including Hugo's use of Latin, the naming of characters, and the multiple meanings of the title. VERDICT This delightful narrative about a literary masterpiece will be particularly intriguing to readers of French literature and those individuals curious about the true origins of "Les Mis." [See Prepub Alert, 10/3/16.]--Erica Swenson Danowitz, Delaware Cty. Community Coll. Lib., Media, PA

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.