The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo - group read.

Oh, definitely. Quasimodo is the hero, the star. Once you get past his appearance and rough nature, he's incredible. He is "Le Shit"

Chanelle wrote:

Oh, definitely. Quasimodo is the hero, the star. Once you get past his appearance and rough nature, he's incredible. He is "Le Shit"

"Le Shit"? That's a new one on me, especially as you obviously mean it as a compliment.

Paul wrote:

Chanelle wrote:

Oh, definitely. Quasimodo is the hero, the star. Once you get past his appearance and rough nature, he's incredible. He is "Le Shit"

"Le Shit"? That's a new one on me, especially as you obviously mean it as a compliment.

"The Shit" is now a positive thing. Like "the Bomb."

Rhea wrote:

Paul wrote:

Chanelle wrote:

Oh, definitely. Quasimodo is the hero, the star. Once you get past his appearance and rough nature, he's incredible. He is "Le Shit"

"Le Shit"? That's a new one on me, especially as you obviously mean it as a compliment.

"The Shit" is now a positive thing. Like "the Bomb."

Okay, yeah. It was a joke. He is incredible, but I wanted a amusing way of expressing it. He is definitely the bomb. I should just speak through Kelsey in the future.

Chanelle wrote:

Rhea wrote:

Paul wrote:

Chanelle wrote:

Oh, definitely. Quasimodo is the hero, the star. Once you get past his appearance and rough nature, he's incredible. He is "Le Shit"

"Le Shit"? That's a new one on me, especially as you obviously mean it as a compliment.

"The Shit" is now a positive thing. Like "the Bomb."

Okay, yeah. It was a joke. He is incredible, but I wanted a amusing way of expressing it. He is definitely the bomb. I should just speak through Kelsey in the future.

I understand now. I'll be depending on you ladies to keep me appraised on ever-changing nuances like that. So this means that the next time I tell someone they're full of shit I am actually telling them they are a veritable font of wisdom.

Enough derailment--back to the book! Has anybody else besides Lilli reached La Esmeralda's infatuation with Phoebus yet? This makes me shake my head, mostly because I have seen this sort of thing happen enough in real life, and I'm sure most of you can agree.

Paul wrote:

Chanelle wrote:

Rhea wrote:

Paul wrote:

Chanelle wrote:

Oh, definitely. Quasimodo is the hero, the star. Once you get past his appearance and rough nature, he's incredible. He is "Le Shit"

"Le Shit"? That's a new one on me, especially as you obviously mean it as a compliment.

"The Shit" is now a positive thing. Like "the Bomb."

Okay, yeah. It was a joke. He is incredible, but I wanted a amusing way of expressing it. He is definitely the bomb. I should just speak through Kelsey in the future.

I understand now. I'll be depending on you ladies to keep me appraised on ever-changing nuances like that. So this means that the next time I tell someone they're full of shit I am actually telling them they are a veritable font of wisdom.

Enough derailment--back to the book! Has anybody else besides Lilli reached La Esmeralda's infatuation with Phoebus yet? This makes me shake my head, mostly because I have seen this sort of thing happen enough in real life, and I'm sure most of you can agree.

That was one time, Paul. I'm not sure you want to go saying that around on a daily basis.

Such derailment, we're diabolical. My appraisal of Esmeralda is that she could hardly help herself. I mean, c'mon. She's 16 years old. She may be matured in getting food in her belly, but she is definitely unskilled in the social game of courtly love.
Poor thing. Any respect she had for herself went down the drain. She's turned into a complete nitwit for him.

I met Quasimodo today. Finally. Still have no idea how far ahead of me everyone else is, but from the looks of things I still haven't caught up.

Jane wrote:

I met Quasimodo today. Finally. Still have no idea how far ahead of me everyone else is, but from the looks of things I still haven't caught up.

We're at the same place in the book, then, because I just recently met Quasimodo as well.

Whoa! Poor you. I'm just -ing with impatience for you guys to catch up so we can finally discuss the stuff.

What is your first impression of Quasi?

That must be the scene where he was elected Pope of Fools. As I read this I was initially surprised he had ventured out of Notre Dame and actually allowed himself to be a part of that, but maybe his natural craving for human interaction overcame what, from little I know of him, I would imagine to be his ingrained reticence.

Caitlyn wrote:

Whoa! Poor you. I'm just -ing with impatience for you guys to catch up so we can finally discuss the stuff.

What is your first impression of Quasi?

My vision is still blurred by Disney, I fear. If I had read the book before watching the movie, my perception would probably be that I find him kind of creepy. I don't like people sneaking around in dark corners

Caitlyn wrote:

Whoa! Poor you. I'm just -ing with impatience for you guys to catch up so we can finally discuss the stuff.

What is your first impression of Quasi?

The first thing that came to mind at his description was honestly, "Wait -- he's deaf?!" I guess that wasn't in the Disney movie. Another effect of having grown up on the Disney film: I keep imagining Quasi as this cute boyish figure rather than the horrific, monsterous thing described by Hugo. And I have "The Bells of Notre Dame" song from the movie stuck in my head every time I open the book.

Jane wrote:

Caitlyn wrote:

Whoa! Poor you. I'm just -ing with impatience for you guys to catch up so we can finally discuss the stuff.

What is your first impression of Quasi?

The first thing that came to mind at his description was honestly, "Wait -- he's deaf?!" I guess that wasn't in the Disney movie. Another effect of having grown up on the Disney film: I keep imagining Quasi as this cute boyish figure rather than the horrific, monsterous thing described by Hugo. And I have "The Bells of Notre Dame" song from the movie stuck in my head every time I open the book.

Quasimodo's deafness surprised me a bit at first as well, until Hugo explained how Quasimodo spent years right next to the huge bells as they rang because he loved them so much. Yeah, that could explain it.

I am fortunate in that I never saw the Disney movie, at least as it relates to how I am now reading the source material. I have never seen the older movies based on the book either, though I have seen stills, and Lon Chaney's Quasimodo pretty much resembles how he was portrayed in the novel.

You guys all have just interesting perceptions. Do keep us informed of your progress. Where are you at, Paul?

After I read this I re watched the Disney version just to cheer me up a bit. Personally, Esme is a bit to easily intimidated and shallow/insipid for me to like. I like her Demi Moore portrayal better, she's a much more likable character.
That said, I agree with Paul on how Victor Hugo made attractive people with unattractive personalities, and how you find a beautiful soul in the oddest places, in Quasimodo.

I am about two-thirds of the way through the book, though I am trying to pace myself so Jane, Nicholle, and others will have a chance to catch up. Once they do I will make more observations.

Has anybody else run across La Esmeralda yet? Impressions thus far?

So...when does Quasimodo actually get a significant part in the book? I've just finished Gringoire's wedding scene, and am really impatient to get to the good stuff.

Stick with it, Jane. Quasimodo really doesn't come into his own until the second half of the novel, but it is worth it.

Jane wrote:

So...when does Quasimodo actually get a significant part in the book? I've just finished Gringoire's wedding scene, and am really impatient to get to the good stuff.

Actually, the inhabitants of the Court of Miracles are an interesting bunch. They are part of a key scene near the climax of the book.

Jane wrote:

So...when does Quasimodo actually get a significant part in the book? I've just finished Gringoire's wedding scene, and am really impatient to get to the good stuff.

THat is actually a very good part. After this, if you have the unabridged, you'll have to endure some awful architecture description, but then we really move into the fast lane.

The part just after the wedding was amusing. La Esmeralda is all "Don't you DARE touch me!" Gringoire is like, "But we're married!"

Athena wrote:

Jane wrote:

So...when does Quasimodo actually get a significant part in the book? I've just finished Gringoire's wedding scene, and am really impatient to get to the good stuff.

THat is actually a very good part. After this, if you have the unabridged, you'll have to endure some awful architecture description, but then we really move into the fast lane.

The part just after the wedding was amusing. La Esmeralda is all "Don't you DARE touch me!" Gringoire is like, "But we're married!"

I'm glad you mentioned the architecture -- it saved me a few pages of absolute boredom. Then, of course, there was the riveting chapter on a view of Paris. I skipped that one too. I love Hugo's writing, but why? What made him think that any reader would enjoy that much irrelevent description?

Maybe he thought it would improve their minds ...

Besides that, anyone else care to share where they're at, and thoughts, etc?

What do you think of Victor Hugo's (sans architecture) writing style? I think that the way he does Claude Frollo and Quasi is seamless and amazing. Such large insight.

How is everybody doing on this? Has anybody reached good old (ugh) Captain Phoebus yet?

The book has finally become interesting. I just finished the chapter describing Frollo and Quasimodo's relationship. Still not nearly as far into the book as everyone else, but I'm working on it.

Paul wrote:

How is everybody doing on this? Has anybody reached good old (ugh) Captain Phoebus yet?

Captain Playboy, more like