The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Ultimate Classics)

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.