Genre: Historical Fiction

Les Misérables’ is considered one of the finest examples of historical fiction given its focus on the June Rebellion (1832) in the second half of the novel. At the same time, the novel also explores human misery and poverty. It is an unflinching account of lives on the margins of nineteenth-century French society. In effect, the novel explores the interplay between the personal and the structural.

Though the novel contains various subplots, it mainly focuses on the story of Jean Valjean, an ex-convict who is unable to shake off his criminal past despite his transformation into a saint-like figure. Hugo also employs lengthy digressions in the novel to examine moral and philosophical questions. Though these digressions do not advance the plot or the many subplots, they are widely recognized as earnest and compelling explorations of pressing moral issues. As a result, Les Misérables is one of the lengthiest novels ever written.