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DK Classics: Hunchback Of Notre Dame Review

Just a friendly warning: this book does not have a happy ending. It's a heartbreaking, frustrating, deeply upsetting book that will leave you feeling dazed and overwhelmed long after you've finished it.

So why read it? Because it's amazing, that's why.

"The Hunchback of Notre Dame", also known as "Notre Dame de Paris" in the original French edition, is a story of contrasts. On the one hand, it describes the beauty and majesty of medieval Paris, while at the same time it exposes the ignorance and cruelty of its people. It shows that those in power are sometimes the ones who are the least qualified to possess authority. And it introduces characters who, while sometimes exaggerated, are incredibly well-developed, and what's more, are never really what they seem.

Archdeacon Claude Frollo, for example, is made up of contradictions: he is quiet, cold, and serious, and yet he is deeply attached to his little brother Jehan and feels pity for the orphaned Quasimodo. He is devoted to God and to the church, but is obsessed with science and with accumulating knowledge. He shuns the society of women, but is secretly consumed with passion for Esmeralda. He is respected for his piety and his great learning, but he has a dark side that frightens even himself.

Quasimodo, on the other hand, is so feared and hated because of his appearance that he has turned his back on humanity, until an act of pity bestowed on him by Esmeralda softens his heart. After that moment, ugly and deformed as he is on the outside, he proves to be a tender-hearted, tormented, and deeply sympathetic character. The chapter "The Bells" was one of my favorites, which showed the degree of his affection toward the bells which had made him deaf. Though he is viewed by society as a monster, in reality he is the only person in the story who seems capable of real self-sacrificing love.

Esmeralda, the beautiful gypsy girl, is not what she seems, either. Sweet, innocent, and chaste in the beginning, she soon shows her true colors when she becomes infatuated with the young, empty-headed, licentious Captain Phoebus, and is willing to give up her chastity and (so she believes) any chance of finding her parents, simply to be loved by him. In the chapter entitled "Earthenware and Crystal", in which Quasimodo presents her with two vases - one a beautiful crystal vessel containing dry, withered flowers, and a crude earthenware vase full of fresh blossoms - Esmeralda chooses the crystal vase with its faded flowers, proving how shallow and superficial she is by showing she is only capable of appreciating outer beauty.

There are a few chapters which diverge from the plot and can get a little tedious - namely, "Notre-Dame", "A Bird's-Eye View of Paris", and "This Will Kill That" - but oddly enough, the author's intimate, conversational narrative style keeps them from becoming boring(at least to me). Walter Cobb, who was responsible for translating the story so brilliantly into English, certainly deserves some of the credit for this.

All in all, as depressing, infuriating, and heart-wrenching as this book is, it's also impossible to forget. And it's the only book I've ever begun re-reading immediately after finishing it the first time.

DK Classics: Hunchback Of Notre Dame Overview

In medieval Paris, Quasimodo, the hunchbacked bellringer of Notre Dame Cathedral, struggles to save the gypsy dancer Esmeralda from being unjustly executed. Illustrated notes throughout the text explain the historical background of the story.

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Customer Reviews

A tragedy for the ages. An emotionally powerful story! - C. T. Hunter - Gainesville, FL United States
This was my first Hugo, and I must admit to having mixed feelings. On the plus side, the plot of this book grabs your attention and never lets go, and through its development, Hugo proves why he is considered a master of his craft. The story of La Esmeralda, Quasimodo, and Dom Claude Frollo is absolutely excellent, and as these tragic characters go through their intensely-painful experiences the reader is treated to a unique look at raw human emotion of all sorts. The frightening obsession of Dom Claude, the frustrating naivety of Esmeralda, and the pitiful depression of Quasimodo are the primary focuses of this book, and succeed in making it very powerful. The addition of Jehan, Phoebus, Gringoire, and Djali give spice to the story, but don't distract from the principle protagonists/antagonists mentioned above. And of course the ever-present Notre Dame itself, under whose immense and almost-menacing shadow all of those characters live out their lives, helps shape the story too. In all, because of the unique characters and their powerful emotional trials, this is one of the most enjoyable and memorable I've ever read.

That being said, there are a couple of aspects of this book that I found less-than-pleasing, almost irritating. Primarily, like most other reviewers have said, the long-winded tangents describing mundane-seeming topics from archaeology to philosophy draw out parts of this book way too long, both distracting from the story and challenging readers not to start skimming. It is possible that Hugo had citizens of Paris in mind when writing this, and they might find the detailed street and building layout interesting, but I can't believe most readers now don't have a similar reaction to mine. I'm not sure if Hugo was getting paid by the word here, but it certainly seems like he went out of his way to demonstrate his disregard for pacing.

Also, and this is a minor complaint, I found myself becoming annoyed with the forgetfulness or seeming idiocy of ALL of the characters. There is not a single character in this book that consistently behaves in an intelligent way. Especially the otherwise extremely likable Esmeralda, who somehow fails to see the truth time and again when it seems to be staring her right in the face. It may be a fault of mine, but I can't help feeling frustrated by characters I like behaving foolishly. But I guess this was partly Hugo's point with this book. He certainly seems to be a cynic when it comes to the human condition.

One thing I was surprised to learn, was that "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" wasn't the original title of this work, and that Quasimodo himself didn't occupy the spotlight nearly as much as that title would imply. "Notre Dame de Paris" seems like a better title considering the book's content, but "C'est la vie."

As for recommending this book, I heartily do so, but caution readers to expect some hard slogging at certain points, as Hugo lives up to his reputation of being long-winded. Still, this is a wonderful and powerful story that should be experienced by all!

Hugo Mistake - w - baltimore, md
While Victor Hugo's genius is obvious as one progresses through The Hunchback of Notre Dame, I nevertheless finished with the impression that he was overwhelmed with this piece. What starts very promisingly is concluded awkwardly. The climax hinges on a foolish miscommunication between liberating vagabonds and the heroic Quasimodo, both of whom are working to save unfortunate Esmeralda. Opposing forces share the same benevolent intentions, depriving readers of a dramatic contest between good and evil. It is unclear what Hugo intends to achieve with Esmerlada's estrangement from and epic reunion with her mother, given their ensuing fates. That said, the story's moral is communicated forcefully.

Reading with Tequila - Jennifer Sicurella - New Jersey, USA
Reading The Hunchback of Norte-Dame was a nightmare for me. I don't mind trudging through a certain degree of detail, but The Hunchback contained well beyond a reasonable amount of description.

The book starts out with a play no one is watching. We return to what is going on with the play again and again which distracts from the excitement of the crowd. We are then provided with an entire chapter describing Notre-Dame. Quickly followed by a longer chapter about Paris that doesn't pertain to the story any further than its being the setting. A few more chapters of story and then another description only chapter, this time about architecture and other forms of art. The description is overkill and is so dull and tiring I could barely force myself to finish the book.

Victor Hugo addressed the reader many times, like many writers of the time did. This "breaking the fourth wall" is something I personally dislike. It reminds me that I am reading a story, thus pulling me out of totally submersion. Or at least it would have if I had been able to keep my eyes open longer than a few pages at a time. At one point, Hugo writes "Our reader must excuse us" before taking us on another descriptive tangent.

I'm sorry, Mr. Hugo, but you're not excused. Every once in a while, when he focused on the actual plot, the book was interesting. Unfortunately a large majority of the book was a cross between a guide book and a text book. Why is The Hunchback of Notre-Dame a classic? Only because it's old? I don't see the appeal.

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 20, 2010 11:37:05

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Friday, August 20, 2010