Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo

3 reviews

spentcello's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark funny informative mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

Victor Hugo is that uncle that loves to tell all sorts of outrageous stories that are completely over the top and most certainly not particularly factually accurate. It's a lot of fun but it's also very rambly and sometimes hard to follow exactly what the point is - although you're sure that there's a definite attempt to push a certain political agenda.

My main issue with the book was that I didn't like any of the characters and didn't really enjoy reading about them. I liked the overall vibe and some of it was quite amusing, but it was also overdone and most of the puns get lost in translation (endnotes never quite have the same effect...). The darker themes Hugo explores, like power and control over others, punishment and torture, and poverty are all cleverly discussed and for the most part, enjoyable to read. I can see why it's a classic, but just be ready for nastiness and a severe lack of positive outcomes.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

masha__me's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

sarah_speaks's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75


Expand filter menu Content Warnings