It only took me 4 years. Lesson learned - never try to read a tome on your iphone’s Kindle app. I finally checked out a real book for the last 20%.
Five stars because I can’t dispute those who would say it’s the greatest story ever written. I would argue it’s at least 5 stories and textbooks, at least 2 of them in the running for greatest story. That said, Hugo might’ve benefited from an editor that suggested things like condensing the 40 pages about Paris’ sewer system.
The allusions were a constant reminder that I’m woefully ignorant of classic Greek literature, French history, Parisian geography, and general philosophy. If I ever read the book again, I’ll invest in a heavily annotated copy, or a guidebook.