Just brilliant.

This book is so beautiful. It’s long don’t get me wrong and the author tens so rant every so often for list

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It was wonderfully read.

I loved every moment. There was so much evil in that world but so much love.

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Couldn't get on with the reader - a great shame

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I'm sure there are better readings and adaptations of this book for audio - the novel is huge, sprawling and endlessly detailed, and requires a storyteller of real talent to bring it to life. The performer reading this version veers between sounding bored or like a grotesque pastiche. Utterly ruins the narrative and made me lose any sympathy or empathy with the characters featured.

What did you like best about this story?

I've read this book and hoped that hearing a reading would add to my understanding. I don't think that it did. What I like about the story is the way that it immerses you completely in what France was like at the time - this reading, however, jolts you out of any such escapism with a lacklustre approach and bizarre delivery.

What didn’t you like about Frederick Davidson’s performance?

The story was just badly told. It sounded bored at points, at others like he was giving a very self serving performance that bordered on pastiche. It was distracting and made me cringe.

Could you see Les Miserables being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

Oh sweetie, there's already been quite a few adaptations of this story. It's been a musical for years.

Any additional comments?

Find another performer to do this story justice. Tempted to ask for my money back.

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4 people found this helpful

Epic

I have not seen the musical or the film. I doubt if I would have picked up the book to read, simply because of the time required to read it, but I have no regrets at all about having bought the full audiobook. Yes, there are some lengthy digressions, and I did wonder about the relevance of the history of the many convents of Paris, but was engrossed by the description of the Battle of Waterloo, and the journey through the sewers of Paris. I wished on a number of occasions that I could see a map of Paris as it was at the time, so that I could follow the footsteps of the characters with greater understanding. This was incredibly good value for one credit and I recommend it highly.

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Les miserable

That is a great way how to 'read' classic you don't think you could face every night. I found the narrator little difficult to get used to at the start but by approx. 5th chapter I couldn't imagine anyone else to read it. The story is good and audible finally intoduced me in full.

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Epic of French literature

Read by a masterful actor. At nearly 60 hours this is quite the undertaking but will reward you with pathos and poetry at every turn. Unforgettable.

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Misleading audio sample

I didn't like the audio sample but it was the only unabridged version and lots of reviews said they didn't like the audio sample but enjoyed the book. I have to say I agree. It's a wonderful book and wonderfully read. I'm going to miss it when I finish it!

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7 people found this helpful

Epic tale of revolutionary France

Not for the fainthearted! Around 57 hours. Worth persevering with. The underlying story is brilliant, with the characters being well portrayed. Background details are amazing , quite apart from the story itself. If you don't like detail, such as names, places, dates etc., which tie in with historical fact usually, then possibly a good abridgement might be better for you. Personally, next time I listen to this, I will fast forward some of the chapters.

There is plenty of action, but it does drag in parts. You have battles, revolution, a great hero, some tender romantic moments, bloodthirsty bits, scary bits...it's all there. Well worth persevering with.

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1 person found this helpful

Phenomenal story but a test of endurance at times

What made the experience of listening to Les Miserables the most enjoyable?

The narrator has a very laid-back style which I initially found distracting but quickly settled to. He has a great ability to distinctly voice so many of the characters.

It's a monumental story, filled with a continual stream of regular digressions which do rather go on (I imagine the book would be considerably shorter but for these).

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Quite a few to choose from - Valjean and the bishop, Cosette's rescue from the Tennardiers, Javert's pursuit of Valjean, the Paris uprising, the list goes on. The last few chapters are very emotive and should be listened to in one sitting if possible.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

60h in one sitting? No thanks!

Any additional comments?

Can feel like a test of endurance at times, but it's well worth persisting with.

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1 person found this helpful

Not what I thought!

I don't know what I was expecting to find with this book... maybe after seeing the film of the musical I was expecting a more in-depth story! little did I realise how deep this would actually go.

If your a lover of history, the Napoleonic Wars with a little love and tragedy thrown in then this is the book for you! so much is done explaining what was happening at the different times of the character's that by then time it got back to the story I had forgotten what was happening. If the book was abridged to just the story with a little detail then I think it would have made this for me, but it was just to deep and I ended up now enjoying it... But if this is the book for you enjoy :-)

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