Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews
Written on Nov 26, 2018
I have been in a major reader's funk, I've had trouble becoming interested in one single novel or holding my attention. For me this is very rare! To the point of being concerned. Unfortunately, The Hunchback of Notre Dame had to fall in the period.
Several years ago I had a friend who had applied to Washington University in St. Louis. I was living there at the time and being unavailable she asked me to check it out and videotape it for her. The architecture was outstanding, with a plethora of gargoyles, so much so that every 30 seconds someone would exclaim "Look over here -- gargoyles!" It would have made a fantastic drinking game.
Hugo's novel is very much like this, rich in detail imbedding an exact replica in the reader's head. In fact, I believe Victor Hugo himself, sums it up perfectly: 'quiconque naissait poète se faisait architecte' ("whoever is born a poet becomes an architect")
"In the first place, how one's ears are stunned with the noise!-- how one's eyes are dazzled! Overhead, is a double roof of pointed arches, ceiled with carved wood, painted sky blue, and studded with gold; underfoot, pavement of alternate squares of black and white marble. A few paces from us stands an enormous pillar, then another, then another; in all seven pillars intercepting the hall longitudinally, and supporting the thrust of the double-vaulted roof."
I could go on and on but I would most likely get carpal tunnel.
Like Esmeralda's fate, it is still unclear why I put The Hunchback of Notre Dame aside, the characters were well-developed, and it had a plot that was definitely "going somewhere". Maybe another time, with a different mind-set, I can truly give Quasimodo the appreciation he deserves.
This review was originally posted on First Impressions Reviews
Several years ago I had a friend who had applied to Washington University in St. Louis. I was living there at the time and being unavailable she asked me to check it out and videotape it for her. The architecture was outstanding, with a plethora of gargoyles, so much so that every 30 seconds someone would exclaim "Look over here -- gargoyles!" It would have made a fantastic drinking game.
Hugo's novel is very much like this, rich in detail imbedding an exact replica in the reader's head. In fact, I believe Victor Hugo himself, sums it up perfectly: 'quiconque naissait poète se faisait architecte' ("whoever is born a poet becomes an architect")
"In the first place, how one's ears are stunned with the noise!-- how one's eyes are dazzled! Overhead, is a double roof of pointed arches, ceiled with carved wood, painted sky blue, and studded with gold; underfoot, pavement of alternate squares of black and white marble. A few paces from us stands an enormous pillar, then another, then another; in all seven pillars intercepting the hall longitudinally, and supporting the thrust of the double-vaulted roof."
I could go on and on but I would most likely get carpal tunnel.
Like Esmeralda's fate, it is still unclear why I put The Hunchback of Notre Dame aside, the characters were well-developed, and it had a plot that was definitely "going somewhere". Maybe another time, with a different mind-set, I can truly give Quasimodo the appreciation he deserves.
This review was originally posted on First Impressions Reviews