Les Misérables Audiobook By Christine Donougher, Victor Hugo, Robert Tombs cover art

Les Misérables

Penguin Classics

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Les Misérables

By: Christine Donougher, Victor Hugo, Robert Tombs
Narrated by: Adeel Akhtar, Natalie Simpson, Adrian Scarborough, Emma Fielding, John Owen-Jones
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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.

Public Domain (P)2020 Penguin Audio
Classics Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Fiction Heartfelt
Interconnected Subplots • Evocative Prose • Multiple Narrators • Redemptive Tale • Poignant Message • Complex Hero
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A grand Audible version of Victor Hugo’s literary, classic masterpiece, Les Miserables. I recommend highly!

Magnificent

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One of the greatest novels of all time. Now that I’ve finally read it, I know this to be true. Very talented voice artist(s).

Top 5 Books Of All Time

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This was magnificent. Every word a dagger to the soul. Beauty and horror present throughout. Each narrator brought a certain special essence. Marius book had my favorite narrator. She was one of the few who could capture Gavroche. Do not be turned off by the length or the time commitment. You will be elevated. Soul put higher.

Best book on Audible

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I'm glad this is the version of Les Miserables I selected on audible. The narrators are excellent. Their voices are easily distinguishable, and they do a great job of voicing different point of view characters in a way that makes it easy for the listener to know who is speaking.
The translation made some great choices. Victor Hugo frequently described when characters are speaking to one another in French using the formal pronoun Vous versus the more familiar Tu. The hard copy of the book my son has translates these always as You in English without distinction. Here, in the Penguin Audiobook they retain the French words when appropriate to help the listener understand what Hugo wants you to see. It's a small thing, but well executed in this audiobook in my opinion. I read an abridged version when I was a teenager, and after listening to this unabridged audiobook I see that there is a lot about the politics of their day that could be omitted without losing any of the story of the main characters. However, I am enjoying this more complete view of the complexities of French opinions in the decades after Napoleon. It seems very similar to the passions and fierce animosities of our era. People are complicated, and they have the tendency of seeing their rivals as more simplistic. This is clear in Hugo's text as it is in our own 21st century lives.

A superb version. Well translated, and narrated

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narrators dud a beautiful job. love love loved this, so sad it ended. best version ever

pick this version!

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The voice actors performances are great and the story is amazing and is now one of my all time favorites! I love the author's pros/writing style because it all sounds very poetic all the way through.

My only complaint is that the author digress' a LOT several chapters/hours of political dissertations and his opinions on current events of the time that have absolutely nothing to do with the story... I always try to read books in their entirety and original version but for this one, you should definitely go with the abridged version because you won't be missing anything from the story.

P.S. Keep a box of tissues close by!

Amazing Story of Redemption

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This is the unabridged version of Hugo's work, which means there are many chapters that veer from the progression of the story in favor of lengthy historical, political, and philosophical treatises. However, if you persevere, this novel earns its praises. It is heart-wrenching and thought-provoking, and I am better for having read it.

Excellent Performances bt the Narrators

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I like the exploration and juxtaposition of strong human conditions: love, hate, vengeance, forgiveness, rich, poor, justice, mercy, failure, and redemption. The story teaches us the impact we can have on each other with one small act of treachery or kindness.

I love the character of Jean Valjean because he’s so good, despite everything awful he has lived. He represents how we should treat each other with love, kindness, and forgiveness. I like that Hugo doesn’t just create him as a super human. He struggles, he makes mistakes, he grows into a great man. Then, he pushes through the last bit of doubt and hubris to find pease in the end.

One of my favorite characters is Bishop Muriel. He represents how religion should be. He just sees everyone as their best self, and that nothing belongs to him. He made such an impactful decision to help another man.

I enjoy how all the characters and storylines cross and touch throughout the novel. Hugo is so great at making connections. I love the great details of Napoleon, Waterloo, French rulers and revolts, Paris, sewers, and language. He creates all these points and then shows you why he brought it up in the first place adding depth to the story or an important connection to a forgotten character.

It’s such a momentous, engaging, and vast work. You must put forth great effort to follow and understand the volume of information,and the digressions. However, the payout of investing your emotions, time, patience, and thoughts far outweighs the time required in sifting through all those words.

The work has become so popular in music, theater, and film. Count me as a big fan of it all because of how beautiful, timeless, and applicable the story is.

My favorite story ever written

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The story of Les Miserable is one that resonates today just as much as when Victor Hugo wrote it. Beautiful and heartbreaking. Brokenness with a cry for redemption.

The length of the audio lends itself to the different narrators. I wish I could give more stars.

Classic for a reason

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It seems a bit strange writing a review for just the first part (of 6) but I guess it makes sense with there being several different narrators. This book has been on my list for a long time and I can see now why it gets so much acclaim. I was moved to tears several times already. Beautiful and profound. Yes, the writing style is a bit tedious sometimes, the level of detail and back-story. Reminds me of another favorite of mine, The Count of Monte Cristo, in the way it wanders along, with side stories and a plethora of seemingly unimportant characters. But it all adds to the mood making it feel real, and akin to life. The narrator did fine as well. I was not amazed as with some readers, in the different voices of characters, but the telling seems appropriate for the story itself, and that’s enough. He certainly doesn’t distract from the story and I appreciate that.

Great so far

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