Maureen

Yes Janet - that's another book I want to read. Les Misérables - Victor Hugo It's difficult to explain what I think about this book in just a couple of sentences. It is a great book, with a heart wrenching story as its main focus, other minor stories that give life to the secondary characters, and the political backdrop of France in the 19th century. It is also a sort of diary of the author, where he recounts the Battle of Waterloo in detail, other policital and religious beliefs and thoughts - such as religious orders. Hugo's masterpiece is a complex piece of literature, certainly requiring concentration and time to read and enjoy. The style it is written in, obviously a sign of its time, makes reading it tiring at times, perhaps because of the voluminous descriptions of everything and everyone. I found myself sympathising with some of the characters, while harbouring a dislike for others - certainly a sign of Hugo's success in making most of the characters come to life, not only during his time, but long after his death, when life as he describes it is fortunately almost non-existent. Having never read the book before, and never watched any of the film adaptations or the theatrical shows, I was taken a bit by surprise at the ending - I had imagined a slightly different ending and was glad to be caught out. I am glad I read this book - I had certainly been meaning to for quite a while, and as this month's Reading Circle choice, I am sure it has the potential for lots of great and interesting discussions.

ref : www.e-notes.com 8. Do you think that Jean Valjean's character works as a symbol of redemption?

6. How did Bishop Bienvenu's visit to the dying revolutionary G—change him? What about this man surprised the Bishop and why? How are the Revolutionary ideals espoused by G— similar to or different from the pure Christian ideals of the Bishop? In my opinion this encounter was written only to show and enphasise the good character of Bishop Bienvenue. Everyone else treated this man like a leper or a monster, with an undisguised horror and revulsion, but the Bishop still wanted to go and visit him as he was nearing the end of his life. And although he was repelled by this plan, he still carried it out. Once there, when he listened to G, he realised that there was always another way of looking at things. While talking to him, he found that all his reservations about the man were vanishing away, and at the end of his visit, he found that he was 'inexpressibly moved.' He was such a humble man that once he realised that he had judged this man very badly, he went down on his knees and asked his forgiveness. 7. Why did Jean Valjean steal the Bishop's silver? How was this act influenced by his experience in prison? Discuss the process of change that occurred in Valjean after the Bishop "bought back his soul from Satan" with the silver. Would this bargain have been successful with every person? Why was Valjean subject to such transformation? I'm not sure what to think about this. Perhaps he had been so badly treated by the inn keepers (let alone in prison) that he felt he might as well do what he was treated as being? He had some money to start over a new life - although perhaps not much. However, once the Bishop vouched for him to the gendarmes, and also gave him his candlesticks (I have bought your soul from Satan, and I gave it to God) he really felt he owed his life to God - and wanted to be a worthygift. He was suddenly given the prospect of a new beginning - one of 'goodness and purity' which he grabbed with all his might. Jean Valjean had started out as a good man, and misfortune and hunger had made him steal, but prison life had made him hard inside. However, as he was essentially good, he was able to go about this transformation, and return the goodness he recieved a hundred times more.

The latest Kindle looks really cool. I am very interested. Anyone on here had any issues using it?

My concern is that because this is such a large book, people have not yet finished reading it. Obviously this thread will not be closed, and members can talk about the book any time they want to. In the meantime, these discussion points from readinggroupguides.com deal with the beginning of the book - hopefully a lot of people have covered these parts so far 6. How did Bishop Bienvenu's visit to the dying revolutionary G—change him? What about this man surprised the Bishop and why? How are the Revolutionary ideals espoused by G— similar to or different from the pure Christian ideals of the Bishop? 7. Why did Jean Valjean steal the Bishop's silver? How was this act influenced by his experience in prison? Discuss the process of change that occurred in Valjean after the Bishop "bought back his soul from Satan" with the silver. Would this bargain have been successful with every person? Why was Valjean subject to such transformation?

It is assumed that you have read the book before reading posts in this thread, as the discussion might give away crucial points, and the continuous use of spoiler tags might hinder fluent reading of posts. Synopsis from Amazon Les Miserablés tells the story of the peasant Jean Valjean - unjustly imprisoned, baffled by destiny, and hounded by his nemesis, the magnificently realized, ambiguously malevolent police detective Javert. As Valjean struggles to redeem his past, we are thrust into the teeming underworld of Paris with all its poverty, ignorance, and suffering. Just as cruel tyranny threatens to extinguish the last vestiges of hope, rebellion sweeps over the land like wildfire, igniting a vast struggle for the democratic ideal in France. Some basic questions to consider: 1. Who was your favourite character and why? 2. Was there a particular part you enjoyed/disliked more than the rest? 3. Was this the first book you've read in this genre/by this author, has it encouraged you to read more? 4. Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with? 5. Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience?

Hello Hank and welcome to BCF.

Hi Vodkafan. Nice to see you back :) 52 books, 7 to go- hmmm - doable but depends which books too. I am reading Les Mis ( a doorstep at over 1000 pages) for the Nov circle at the moment, and I must admit it took a bit of getting used to. Doing fine now... Would definately not manage to read 7 such books before Christmas, but I think that counts as 3, doesn't it ?

A quick update: The White Queen - Philippa Gregory - I would recommend this book to historical fiction lovers - esp those who red the Tudor books by Gregory and enjoyed them. Traitors of the Tower - Alison Weir - This is a quick read - perfect for a bus ride/train journey. It describes the whys and hows of the seven people who were killed in the Tower of London. The Hanging Garden - Ian Rankin. More about Inspector Rebus. I really like his character. I love these books because it is easy to follow the story, and are great for when you do not need much concentration.

Your fairy is called Columbine GoblindancerShe is a bringer of riches and wealth.She lives in mushroom fields and quiet meadows.She is only seen when the bees swarm and the crickets chirrup.She wears lilac and purple like columbine flowers. She has gentle green wings like a butterfly.