Notre-Dame de Paris:
Set in medieval Paris, this novel centers on the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda, the tormented bell-ringer Quasimodo, and the obsessive archdeacon Frollo. Through their tragic entanglements, Victor Hugo highlights themes of love, fate, and the grandeur—and decay—of the Gothic cathedral.
Les Misérables:
Spanning decades, this sweeping story follows ex-convict Jean Valjean’s quest for redemption, relentlessly pursued by Inspector Javert. Alongside characters like Fantine, Cosette, and Marius, Hugo portrays injustice, compassion, and revolution, painting a vivid picture of human suffering and hope in 19th-century France.