Cover of The Man Who Laughs: A Romance of English History
Historical Fiction

The Man Who Laughs: A Romance of English History

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    The Man Who Laughs: A Romance of English History is a historical fiction novel by Victor Hugo. Key subjects include England, clowns and traveling theater.

    On Project Gutenberg it was downloaded 1,864 times in the last 30 days.

    It is in the public domain in the United States and free to read on Project Gutenberg.

    About The Man Who Laughs: A Romance of English History

    "The Man Who Laughs: A Romance of English History" by Victor Hugo is a Gothic novel published in 1869. Set in late 17th-century England, it follows Gwynplaine, a young nobleman disfigured as a child by royal command, his face carved into a permanent grin. Traveling with a philosopher and a blind girl he rescued, Gwynplaine becomes a carnival performer whose grotesque smile provokes laughter and desire. When his true identity surfaces, he's thrust into a cruel aristocratic world that destroyed him, forcing a confrontation between his past and present.
    Summary from Project Gutenberg (automatically generated)

    Themes, setting & tropes

    Genres

    Subjects

    • Historical fiction
    • Great Britain, History, Anne, 1702-1714
    • England
    • Clowns
    • Mouth, Wounds and injuries
    • Traveling theater
    • Great Britain, History, James II, 1685-1688

    Quick answers

    Who wrote The Man Who Laughs: A Romance of English History?

    The Man Who Laughs: A Romance of English History was written by Victor Hugo.

    What genre is The Man Who Laughs: A Romance of English History?

    It is usually shelved as Historical Fiction.

    Is The Man Who Laughs: A Romance of English History 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.

    What books are similar to The Man Who Laughs: A Romance of English History?

    Readers who like it often enjoy The Picture of Dorian Gray, A Christmas Carol and Wuthering Heights.

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