
Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo, France’s literary giant, balanced his career writing epics like Les Misérables with a side gig as a political exile, spending years in self-imposed exile due to his opposition to Napoleon III. While in exile, Hugo wrote some of his most famous works, all while hosting seances and pondering his legacy. Between revolution, exile, and tragic love stories, he proved that being France’s favorite novelist comes with a bit of drama—both on and off the page.
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Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables is a sweeping saga of redemption, revolution, and really bad luck, centered on Jean Valjean, a former convict trying to build a better life in post-revolutionary France. Through heart-wrenching tales of poverty, love, and injustice, Hugo paints a picture of human resilience, all while reminding us that stealing bread can snowball into a lifetime of evading the law. Ultimately, it’s an epic that proves even the most miserable lives can be filled with moments of grace and triumph—if you survive long enough.