The Hunchback of Notre Dame

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Summary: Everything Has Its Meaning
Review: Hugo's connection of inner beauty between the Cathedral and Quasimodo's captures the main theme in one small box. This is a great novel for anyone who loves to see symbolism used throughout a novel.

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Summary: Descend into a heart of darkness
Review: This is a brilliant, brilliant book. It is as damning an indictment of Christianity in the late Middle Ages as I have ever read. The book is really about Claude Frollo, the priest tormented by lust for a "low" gypsy girl. What might have been a love story turns to madness, obsession, betrayal and death as Frollo is destroyed by the morality he has accepted. Of course, he does not die alone.

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Summary: A must for fans of the Disney version
Review: This is a captivating book. As a devout fan of the Disney film and equally devout collector of its memorabilia, this version of Hugo's original novel, as illustrated by Disney artists, makes an excellent completion to my already large "library" of Disney's "Hunchback" books. Moreover, I can "contrast and compare" to the Disney version of the tale. The harrowing experiences of innocent Quasimodo and Esmeralda, and the cruelty and hate they suffer from a superstitious and ignorant society, inflame the reader's emotions. The art on the book's inner binding is enjoyable; my only complaint about the illustrations is that there weren't enough (there could have been one of Clopin, my favorite character)! Otherwise, a book I am happy to add to my collection.

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Summary: Disturbing yet enjoyable.
Review: Contrary to popular opinion the novel Le Notre Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo is not primarily about the deformed bell-ringer Quasimodo. Quasimodo's role is actually surprisingly small in the story, which makes you wonder why the English translater's chose "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" as the translation for the title. Actually, as the original French title would indicate, it is the cathedral itself that is the focus of the book. This is why in the unabridged editions of this book you will find numerous chapters that seemingly have nothing to do with the plot of the story. This is the books weakest point, and it may turn many people away from the book. Once you get into the plot, however, it is iimpossible to put the book down. The characters are intriguing: composer Pierre Gringoire, archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, once a paragon of virtue now tormented by his corrupt love for a gipsy girl, L'Esmerelda, the naive gipsy dancer, Phoebus, the selfish, egotistical captain of the guards, and of course Qausimodo, a deaf, deformed bellringer. The relationships between these characters are complex and dark but they make an unforgettable story. The story is never, from front to back, a happy one, so if you are looking for a book that makes you "feel good" this is not the one for you. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a good book to read, that is unafraid to deal with the darker side of reality, I highly recommend "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

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Summary: Awesome, gruesome book
Review: This was a really well-written and interesting book. It was a tad gruesome, but good. I would reccomend this book to people 10 and over. I can't say get this edition, but GET THIS BOOK!

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Summary: What more could you want?!!
Review: This novel has the best (and worst) of the human experience. Hugo has taken the basest emotions and displayed them in Medieval Paris. It is complex and so unlike the Disney version that it is a shame they share the same name. I recommend this book to anyone interested in a wonderful, sad, exciting, tear-jerking story that will never leave you. You'll find yourself pushing other people to read this classic and you'll never discover your copy shoved in the back of the bookcase behind the gardening books!

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Summary: An Excellent Adventure Story!
Review: This book contains everything. There is romance, violence, adventure, mystery, and suspense. This book is sure to satisfy any Classics lover, and meet their predilections. Juxtaposed with fine language and exploding in passion, this book has satisfied generations of Hugo fans.

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Summary: It was very moving.
Review: I thought it was very moving and exciting from all the love, hate, and jealousy.Some of the book was very sad. I felt sorry for Quasimodo at times. Other times I felt bad for Esmeralda. I would definetly suggest this book to adults

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Summary: A rather grusome story that shows the reader medieval life.
Review: This book, I must say, is nothing like I expected it to be. I thought it would focus on the life of the Hunchback, Quasimodo, but instead it looked at the lives of many unfortunate people along the way. Most of the characters are rather sad people; A gypsy girl taken advantage of by a crude soldier; a lustful deacon gone mad; a lonely bell ringer persecuted by the mobs of Paris; a poet/philosopher broke and homeless. I had expected, well, brighter, different characters and storylines. One this I found amazing about this story, however, was the shading of the characters. I expected the villain, Claude Frollo, to be black-hearted. Instead, at parts he was almost a shade of gray. Note of caution: I would not recommend this book to children. Yes, Disney made a movie out of it, but the true tale is not one for youngsters. The entire story, especially the end, is too sand and dark for young readers to enjoy

Rating:
Summary: Not like the Disney movie
Review: Written by Victor Hugo in the 1800's, this masterpiece is set in medieval Paris. The story jumps around, yet when you finish the book, it all makes sense. One minute it is in the middle of celebrations, and then it jumps to fifteen years before. It tells multiple stories at once: the story of the hunchback, Quasimodo, his keeper, Dom Frollo, The gypsy, La Esmeralda and other random people whose stories all tie into the whole story. Even though I don't speak French very well, and I've never been to Paris, I can imagine it vividly. The dialogue between the characters is very engaging. There are multiple twists and the plot is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Hugo wrote it beautifully, and the language is understandable. It is just so wonderful that when you get to the exciting parts, you can't put it down! He wrote it and it tugs at all of the human emotions. This book makes you laugh with triumph, cry, filled with anger towards evil, and sympathetic to the characters who don't know any better or have no options. One minute you love a character and the next you despise them with a passion. If you remember the Disney interpretation, and try to incorporate it into your reading, it won't work. The book is much more tragic than the light-hearted movie. It is beautifully written and would recommend it to everyone that thinks it is on his or her level.