Les Misérables

Les Misérables is a French epic historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, which follows the lives and interactions of several characters, particularly the struggles of ex-convict Jean Valjean and his experience of redemption. The novel is divided into 5 volumes, with 48 books and 365 chapters, and contains various subplots, including the story of Jean Valjean, who becomes a force for good in the world but cannot escape his criminal past. The novel also includes digressions, which make up more than a quarter of the text, addressing topics such as cloistered religious orders, the construction of the Paris sewers, and the Battle of Waterloo, which Hugo saw as a pivot point in history.learn more on wikipedia