Wretched The

Product Description

'They fought, hand to hand, for every inch of ground, using pistols, swords, fists, at a distance, at close quarters, from above, from below, from everywhere'

Les Misérables, or 'the wretched', is Victor Hugo's epic novel of redemption, sacrifice, love and suffering, set against the turbulent backdrop of early nineteenth-century France. It tells the story of ex-convict Jean Valjean, who has spent nineteen brutal years in chains after stealing a loaf of bread. Saved by an act of Christian charity, he is then offered a chance of happiness when he encounters the downtrodden Fantine and vows to rescue her daughter Cosette - but is constantly pursued by the implacable policeman Javert, who will not let him escape his past. An instant bestseller on publication in 1862, Les Misérables is a novel of intense emotional power, weaving together individual stories with real-life historical events to create a rich, imaginative drama of human life.

Christine Donougher's lucid and powerful new translation is accompanied by an introduction by Robert Tombs discussing Hugo's life as a novelist and progressive political crusader, and the autobiographical elements in the novel. This edition also contains a chronology, further reading and notes.

Translated with notes by Christine Donougher

With an introduction by Robert Tombs