The Man Who Laughs

by Victor Hugo

Overview

Victor-Marie Hugo (1802-1885) wrote "L'Homme Qui Rit" ("The Man Who Laughs") in 1869. One of the greatest French novelists, poets, playwrights and socio-political figures of his time, he is probably best known for having written "Notre-Dame de Paris" ("The Hunchback of Notre Dame") (1831) and "Les Misérables" (1862), but "The Man Who Laughs" is a romantic masterpiece that deserves an equal measure of acclaim.

The incredible love story of the man whose face has been disfigured into a laughing mask in childhood, the loyal blind girl who gives him her heart, and the cruelty of the privileged aristocracy whose laughingstock and savior he becomes, is remarkable in its emotional impact.

But do not be deceived. The timeless trope of Beauty and the Beast is redefined here, for surfaces are misleading, and not everything is as it seems. The slow-paced, stately richness of descriptive detail is reward in itself for the reader looking for delicious immersion in the drama of history, but coupled with the depth of human insight, and the glimpse into a historical era and mindset, this is a timeless classic.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781934169018
Publisher:	Norilana Books
Publication date:	08/16/2006
Pages:	672
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.63(d)

About the Author

Victor Hugo (1802–1885) was one of the most prominent French writers and political figures of the 19th century. David Hine has worked in comics since the 1980s, and has written Batman for DC Comics, as well as Spider-Man and X-Men for Marvel Comics. He lives in London. Mark Stafford is a cartoonist-in-residence at the Cartoon Museum in London. He has collaborated with Costa award–winning Bryan Talbot on Cherubs! He lives in London.

Date of Birth:

February 26, 1802

Date of Death:

May 22, 1885

Place of Birth:

Besançon, France

Place of Death:

Paris, France

Education:

Pension Cordier, Paris, 1815-18

Editorial Reviews

The recent success of the stage adaptation of Les Miserables has made Hugo's name widely known to the general public. Atlantean Press marks this resurgence with the inauguration of a series of re-published works by Hugo. The Man Who Laughs ( L'Homme qui rit , 1869), generally unavailable in English since the turn of the century, is the first volume in the series. This translation, by an unidentified translator, remains highly readable. The work itself, however, despite the touching tale of the love between the blind Dea and the deformed Gwynplaine, is highly stylized, extremely long, and often tedious. It will be interesting primarily for readers wishing to gain familiarity with a lesser known work by the father of French romanticism and with the tastes of the French reading public at the time.-- Anthony Caprio, Oglethorpe Univ., Atlanta

Library Journal

Although his visage inspired Batman’s most splendiferous villain, the Joker, Gwynplaine’s commonsense polemics still resonate, whether in Occupy protests or speeches by Elizabeth Warren.

Village Voice

Hine’s script neither shrinks from nor winks at the tale’s over-the-top melodrama, and Stafford’s elaborately cursive and pointy drawing style, awash in darkness and saturated colors, expresses it near perfectly.

Booklist

Hine’s script neither shrinks from nor winks at the tale’s over-the-top melodrama, and Stafford’s elaborately cursive and pointy drawing style, awash in darkness and saturated colors, expresses it near perfectly.

Booklist

Victor Hugo’s genius for verbosity is on ample display here; he never used two words when a hundred would do. Simon Vance’s narration is fluid and evocative, but even his excellent work may not be enough to get many listeners through sections of this audiobook such as the exposition on English lighthouses. The story of a man whose mutilated face makes him a successful clown has been popular enough to be filmed six times in various languages, but movies leave out narrative padding. Despite Vance’s fine performance, most contemporary listeners are not likely to find this story to their taste. Devotees of Victor Hugo’s novels, however, will find it thrilling. D.M.H. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2022 - AudioFile