September 25, 2008 -Victor Hugo-

If you were asked to name your favorite book, do you think you could? Earlier today I didn't think I would be able to choose, but after thinking about it for a while, I have an answer. Victor Hugo's Notre Dame de Paris. As some of you may better know it, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. If you know nothing of the story beyond the Disney movie, then we are talking two entirely different worlds here.
No matter how many times I read the book, the only thing that gets old is Hugo's description of French architecture, and that's minimal. I cry every time, the story is incredibly heartbreaking. In the end, Quasimodo, the horribly deformed and widely despised "monster" proves to be the only real human in the whole book. And in the end, he chooses this woman who spurned and despised him, he gives his life to her even knowing what she felt. This is not the Esmeralda I grew up adoring.
Les Miserables is pretty high up on the list as well. And in case you didn't see this coming, Victor Hugo is beyond a measure of a doubt my favorite author, with George Eliot coming in as a close second. I have yet (regrettably) to read Daniel Deronda or Middle March, but I've downed three of her other novels, Adam Bede, The Mill on the Floss, and Silas Marner. So far The Mill on the Floss holds place number one.
As for other authors I hold in high opinion, Jane Austen is a big favorite, as well as Charles Dickens. The Bronte sisters, particularly Emily, are also favorites. As far as modern authors go, I've taken note of two, Richard Adams and Chuck Pahlaniuk, both excellent reads but for incredibly different reasons. Chuck, if you ever get the chance, will absolutely blow your mind with the way he wraps his head around things. Adams is a comfort read, an author I've adored since childhood and grown up with, only recently have I explored the different things he has to offer. And tomorrow I'm taking a trip to the library to return the finally finished Travels of Marco Polo, perhaps I'll delve into another yet unread novel of one of my favorites.