As a gothic novel, everything flowed except for two glaring problems that could have made it less of a drag to read. First off, Victor Hugo’s omniscient voice that followed the events, rambled off topic too often onto his own thoughts and opinion that it had the effect of breaking the reader from the rising plot. He wrote with too much stream of conscience. There would literally be a ten page section on the history of Paris that popped out every now and then to ruin the moment. Whatever tension developed, was always immediately lost despite his best intentions.
Secondly, this story greatly lacked the factor of creating dread. The reason why this is so, is because Hugo had not engaged a reader’s five senses in his style of writing. Therefore not allowing the reader to wear the shoes of the character to encounter the same heart-wrenching emotions. Had it not been for these two road bumps, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame would have been a stress-free read.
Secondly, this story greatly lacked the factor of creating dread. The reason why this is so, is because Hugo had not engaged a reader’s five senses in his style of writing. Therefore not allowing the reader to wear the shoes of the character to encounter the same heart-wrenching emotions. Had it not been for these two road bumps, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame would have been a stress-free read.
Otherwise, it was a poignant gothic novel with a well developed and executed plot. This classic book is highly recommendable, and leads you to understand the legacy that is Quasimodo’s.
