Geez. What is wrong with me? I knew Valjean died at the end of the story, but was I ever a mess after reading that part! And I loved one line so much, I had to write it down. On his death bed, Jean Valjean says the following to Marius and Cosette: "Love each other dearly always. There is scarcely anything else in the world but that: to love one another." I think I need to make a little poster of that quote and hang it in my house. If we all lived according to that ideal, how much more beautiful the world would be. (Sorry. That was especially sappy!)
In terms of the abridged v. unabridged, I have to say I felt like the abridged was missing a little something. There was enough there to follow the story, but I felt like I could have used a little more background in some areas--particulary the story behind the fighters at the barricade. Maybe someday I'll go back and read the unabridged. Still, I really enjoyed the book, and I cannot wait for the musical!
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As I've mentioned earlier, I've been less than thrilled with the unabridged. Maybe it's my own ignorance, but don't think he does a good job of explaining the history. To be expected, I guess. He's writing to an audience who would have a much higher baseline knowledge of French history than I do. I think if I'd read the Abridged version and a good popular history of 19th cent. France, I'd have been better off. His character studies are definitely the high points of the book.
its taking me forever to finish the book, but i have a nasty habit of reading the last page first.
"He is asleep. Though his mettle was sorely tried, he lived, and when he lost his angel, died. It happened calmly, on its own, the way night comes when day is done."
okay, so it said that in latin or something. I still cried for about 3 weeks.
Those words were written on a completely unmarked tomstone in pencil. That tombstone, of course, belonged to Jean Valjean.
The most beautifully tragic ending ever? I think so.
The students have a LOT of background in the original novel--almost every single one of them is given an extensive backstory, especially Grantaire and Enjolras. To fully appreciate the circumstances of their death I think you need to have read the material preceding it.
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