Les Misérables

Hugo, Victor. Les misérables. London : Penguin, 2012. 

 

Source: http://www.penguin.com.au

A peasant is imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread and he is releases after 19 years. As an ex-convict, Jean Valjean will struggle against many odds until he becomes a rich man and is made mayor. All this time he will have to deal with  police inspector Javert, who dedicates his life to recapture him. Beyond the particular story of Jean Valjean, Victor Hugo depicts the France of the first half of the 19th Century and its Revolution. This is a lyrical and long novel with a atmospheric and thought-provoking tone.

An acclaimed musical version of this story, starring Australian Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and directed by Tom Hooper, was released in 2012. Highlights of the movie are the impressive sets, the performances and the songs. More information about the movie can be found on IMDB.

  + Award winning musical, including three Oscars and several other awards.
         + Les Misérables in our library catalogue GO!



Sources: Penguin, IMDB, GoodReads, NoveList (through EBSCOhost), The Guardian Books 

Perfume: the story of a murderer

Süskind, Patrick. Perfume : the story of a murderer. New York: Penguin, 2010.

Source: http://www.bookdepository.com

An incredible power of smell will take Jean-Baptiste Grenouille through an obsessive quest to capture the scent of a young virgin. Using the methods and art he learned as an apprentice, he will try to make the "ultimate perfume". A brilliantly written horror story set in France in the 18th Century, leisurely paced and richly detailed. "A hauntingly powerful tale of murder and sensual depravity" (GoodReads). 

Starring Ben Whishaw and Dustin Hoffman, and directed by Tom Tykwer, the movie was released in 2006 attracting good and bad criticisms.

+  Winner of the 1987 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel, over other nominees such as It by Stephen King and Strangers by Dean Koontz.
  + Perfume: the story of a murderer in our library catalogue GO!

Sources: Book Depository, IMDB, ChamberFour, GoodReads Whichbook

The Count of Monte Cristo

Dumas, Alexandre. The Count of Monte Cristo. New York: Penguin, 2003.

 

Source: http://www.goodreads.com

This is the story of Edmond Dantès, a mistakenly convicted young sailor, who will come back after fifteen years looking for revenge. Helped by a treasure only he knows about and by a loyal friend he met in prison, Dantès will become the wealthy Count of Monte Cristo. Mostly set in France in the first half of the 19th Century, this novel is loaded with adventure and historical events. 

An adaptation of this classic was released in 2002, starring Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, and directed by Kevin Reynolds.

+  The movie in IMDB
  + The Count of Monte Cristo in our library catalogue GO!

Sources: Good Reads, IMDB, Feedbooks, LibraryThing