Клетниците

Introducing one of the most famous characters in literature, Jean Valjean-the noble peasant imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread-Les Misérables (1862) ranks among the greatest novels of all time. In it Victor Hugo takes readers deep into the Parisian underworld, immerses them in a battle between good & evil, & carries them onto the barricades during the uprising of 1832 with a breathtaking realism unsurpassed in modern prose.
Within his dramatic story are themes that capture the intellect & the emotions: crime & punishment, the relentless persecution of Valjean by Inspector Javert, the desperation of the prostitute Fantine, the amorality of the rogue Thénardier & the universal desire to escape the prisons of our own minds. Les Misérables gave Hugo a canvas upon which he portrayed his criticism of the French political & judicial systems, but the portrait which resulted is larger than life, epic in scope-an extravagant spectacle that dazzles the senses as it touches the heart.