Les Misérables
Victor Hugo's Les Misérables (1862) is an epic fantasy and historical fiction novel. It takes readers to Toulon and (France) in the 19th century. Characters include Jean Valjean, Javert and Javier Peñalosa. It deals with Poverty, readers, ex-convicts and orphans.
Open Library readers give it an average of 4.2 out of 5 from 59 ratings, and 886 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 526 editions across 15 languages. On Project Gutenberg it was downloaded 19,245 times in the last 30 days.
It runs to roughly 520 pages — 9–10 hours of reading at an average pace. It is in the public domain, so you can read it free on Project Gutenberg or listen to the 15 h 35 min LibriVox audiobook.
About Les Misérables
In this story of the trials of the peasant Jean Valjean--a man unjustly imprisoned, baffled by destiny, and hounded by his nemesis, the magnificently realized, ambiguously malevolent police detective Javert--Hugo achieves the sort of rare imaginative resonance that allows a work of art to transcend its genre.
Free audiobook
Les Misérables — LibriVox recording, 15 h 35 min in 49 sections.
Public-domain recording by volunteer readers. Listen online, download MP3s or stream from the Internet Archive.
Opening line
“IN THE year 1815 Monseigneur Charles-Francois-Bienvenu Myriel was Bishop of Digne.”
Quick answers
Who wrote Les Misérables?
Les Misérables was written by Victor Hugo and first published in 1862.
What genre is Les Misérables?
It is usually shelved as Epic Fantasy, Historical Fiction and Classic Fantasy.
How long is Les Misérables?
The median edition has 520 pages, about 9–10 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.
Is Les Misérables free to read?
Yes. It is in the public domain in the United States and can be read free on Project Gutenberg in EPUB, Kindle and HTML formats.
Is there a free audiobook of Les Misérables?
Yes — LibriVox volunteers recorded it; the recording runs 15 h 35 min.
What books are similar to Les Misérables?
Readers who like it often enjoy A Christmas Carol, Half-blood Blues and Leviathan Falls.
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