For those who can access Les Misérables in the original French, the experience is remarkable. Hugo combined the high literary French of his day, in all its lyricism and beauty, with a achiy sense of despair and pain that just grows and grows throughout the read.

I first saw the stage version of the musical in the 90s, and I was genuinely shocked that much of Hugo's sentiment and passion survived, thrived even. Of course, I can't know how someone unfamiliar with the novel would experience the musical, but ... I can imagine they would experience it much as Hugo intended.

I'm glad! Because society today seems in desperate need of hearing that message.

P.S. I'm sorry I did not engage with the story sooner, but I only saw it today after a Prism & Pen writer linked to it in one of their stories. I don't understand why, but Medium seems determined not to put your stories in either my main feed or the deceptively titled "following feed." It appears there's little I can do. I engage with all your stories to the best of my ability, including clapping, highlighting, and commenting. Medium still won't show me your stories. You aren't the only writer I enjoy who no longer shows up in my feeds.

I don't know what's up with Medium not showing people stories by the people they follow, but as a reader, I don't like it one little bit.