Les Misérables cover art

Les Misérables

Penguin Classics

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

This Penguin Classic is performed by an ensemble cast which includes the BAFTA award-winning actor Adeel Akhtar (Killing Eve; The Night Manager; Les Miserables), Adrian Scarborough (Gavin and Stacey; The King's Speech), Natalie Simpson (Outlander; Les Miserables), Emma Fielding (Unforgotten; Les Miserables) and John Owen-Jones, who was the youngest actor ever to play the part of Jean Valjean in the stage show of Les Miserables, and who has appeared as Jean Valjean on Broadway and in the West End. This definitive recording includes an introduction by Robert Tombs.

Victor Hugo's tale of injustice, heroism and love follows the fortunes of Jean Valjean, an escaped convict determined to put his criminal past behind him. But his attempts to become a respected member of the community are constantly put under threat: by his own conscience, and by the relentless investigations of the dogged policeman Javert. It is not simply for himself that Valjean must stay free, however, for he has sworn to protect the baby daughter of Fantine, driven to prostitution by poverty.

(P) Penguin Audio 2020

 Classics Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Fiction

Critic reviews

A magnificent achievement. It reads easily, sometimes racily, and Hugo's narrative power is never let down ... An almost flawless translation, which brings the full flavour of one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century to new readers in the twenty-first
Christine Donougher's seamless and very modern translation of Les Misérables has an astonishing effect in that it reminds readers that Hugo was going further than any Dickensian lament about social conditions ... The Wretched touches the soul
All stars
Most relevant
Whilst long it was worth it - Hugo's story told with excellence. Well worth every minute.

Wonderful audiobook

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Had always want to read this. But the shear size of the book is seriously off putting. (1600 pages) So Audible really helped. A story that could have been told in 400 pages goes off on multiple tangents. Religion, politics, class, war and even the lay out of the Parisian sewer system.! But is a great listen, painting a picture of revolutionary France 🇫🇷 Well worth it.

Great.!

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Fantastic novel written with beauty, insight, perception and intuition. For me this novel is implanted in my memory just like Charles Dicken's novels and Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. There is so much depth to the writing and story, that for me is more meaningful. I love history, I love a good story that takes me back in time where I learn something. Yes it is a long book, but I didn't feel like I was reading something that I wanted to finish, for me it wasn't just listening to a book it was an experience, and one that I will remember for a long time. I loved the characters of Jean Valjean and his journey of redemption, I also loved Marius, Eponine and little Gavroche. All the narrators were good, the last three were very good, and Adrian Scarborough was excellent. Without hesitation I would definitely buy this version of the book again, I will remember the writing for a long time and I highly recommend! Thank you Victor Hugo for opening up a piece of French history to me, and for telling such a beautiful story. 📚 📖 🌷

A Timeless Classic, A Masterpiece.

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Put aside what you think you know from the musical or that dreadful film, and don’t be intimidated by the length. It will be one of the greatest reads of your life

Riveting to the last page

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This is a true classic and on such a grand scale. All the wonderful and varied characters blended with real life events being this story to life in a way that evokes a myriad of emotions. I can't praise this book enough.

Spellbinding

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