Les Misrables Author:Victor Hugo When Les Mis?rables was first published in France in 1862, it caused a sensation, quickly selling out its first edition of 7,000 copies, and it has been captivating readers around the world ever since. From the moment Jean Valjean is released from prison after serving time for stealing bread to feed his sister's starving children, the novel unf... more »olds at a breakneck pace, tracing its hero as he establishes himself in society, only to risk destruction at the hands of his nemesis, police agent Javert. At once a sweeping social document that dramatizes the sufferings of the poor and a gripping saga of love and betrayal set against the backdrop of a France cuaght up in the throes of revolution, the novel also presents a provocative exploration of the differences between moral and civil justice through the dilemmas faced by its protagonists. Essentially a virtuous man, Valjean is unable to escape his past, and Hugo's compassionate, powerfully lyrical portrayal of his struggle for redemption in the face of injustice is widely regarded as one of the great novels of western literature.« less