The Hunchback of Notre Dame

By: Victor Hugo

Narrated by: Jim Killavey

Length: 18 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (original French title, Notre-Dame de Paris) is set in 1482 in Paris, in and around the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. It tells the story of a poor Gypsy girl (La Esmeralda) and a misshapen bell-ringer (Quasimodo), one of the most colorful characters in literature, who falls in love with her. They are both victimized by a corrupt priest (Claude Frollo) and begin an adventure filled with great peril and great heroism. The book was enormously popular in France and became so in translations in other countries. It's popularity has continued to this day.

©1831 Gosselin Co. (P)1994 Jimcin Recordings

Terrible narration!

I'm having trouble even getting through this book. The narrator has horrible, horrible French pronunciation, and sounds like he's reading the book, not narrating a story. It's distracting. Maybe I'll get past it, but so far, it's really difficult. They could have at least found someone who can pronounce the names properly.

Great book, mediocre narration

I am sure there is a better narrator out there... this version is of the style that puts the narrator at the center of attention (as though somebody is simply reading the book to you), rather than making him a vehicle for the author and allowing the story to come to life.

Very Poor Reader

This is a great book full of life and humor, BUT the reader is so bad that one cannot stand listening. He has a wooden tone, makes odd pauses mid-sentence, and mispronounces many words. Avoid this guy like the plague, but read this great book.

Morbid love described ....

This book, probably read by millions of people, has so many senses, so many meanings, that it is hard to say, which is the one, the most important, the key meaning. There is love for Paris, love for Notre-Dame, love for love ....

But the thread I want to tell about in this review is that of morbid love. It is represented by the lust of Claude Frollo - the priest, to the young girl. The lust that ultimately takes her to her death under Paris's gibbet. The lust, that was not true love, that brings only unhappiness, grief and finally the death. And this thread of the book, the slow and deep analysis of this morbid feeling is what
gives the book its universal meaning - how often we meet such cravings in our life - even if not in us, but around us....

And there is also a counter-tone, the tone of true, deep and unspoken love. Love that does not search for its fulfillment, for its satisfaction - the love of Quasimodo for Esmeralda. The love of ultimate care for the dead body of living soul - the love that seeks for its end in death - but the death in the eternal embrace of her body, thrown into Montfau?on - the common grave for people lost like her - in the dark ages of Paris ...

All - read this book, Victor Hugo is one of the greatest ....

Narration Review.

Book is a classic. The narration is disappointing. The inflection at the end of phrases is excessive and drawn out making it difficult to follow the lengthy sentences and becomes boring.

Awful Narration

How could the performance have been better?

Narration is monotone and the narrator pronounces words incorrectly.

Any additional comments?

I wish I could enjoy this book, which is obviously a classic, but the narration is terrible.