Tolstoy argued that Les Misérables is the greatest novel ever written and had a strong influence on the creation of War and Peace. On one level, it is a detective story, in which the relentless Inspector Javert obsessively pursues the escaped criminal, Jean Valjean, culminating in a dramatic chase through the Parisian sewers. On another level, Hugo's masterpiece is a drama of crime, punishment, and redemption, set within a broad depiction of French society in the years following Napoleon's fall. However, this book is also about the metaphysical struggle between good and evil in the soul of every person and every community. With its distinct philosophical tone, it is a call for social justice, political purity, and personal charity, which continues to speak with its unwavering authority over a century after its first appearance.

Pages: 1480, Dimensions: 13.6x13.6cm