The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

Hugo'sgrandmedievalmelodramatellsthestoryofthebeautifulEsmeralda，agypsygirllovedbythreemen：ArchdeaconFrollo，hisadoptivesonQuasimodo，bell-ringerofNotre-Damecathedral，andCaptainPhoebus.FalselyaccusedoftryingtomurderPhoebus，whoattemptstorapeher，EsmeraldaissentencedtodeathandrescuedfromthegallowsbyQuasimodowhodefendshertothelast.Thesubjectofmanyadaptationsforstageandscreen，thisremainsperhapsoneofthemostromanticyetgrippingstoriesevertold.TheHunchbackofNotre-Dameisanepicofawholepeople，withacastofcharactersthatrangesfromthekingofFrancetothebeggarswhoinhabittheParisiansewers，andattheircenterthemassivefigure--acharacterinitself--ofthegreatCathedralofNotre-Dame.Quasimodo，thedeformedbell-ringerofthecathedral;hisfosterfather，thetormentedarchdeaconFrollo;andthebeautifulanddoomedGypsyEsmeraldaarecaughtupinatragedythatstillspeaksclearlytousofrevolutionandsocialstrife，ofdestinyandfreewill，andofloveandloss.TheonlywidelyavailablehardcovereditionofVictorHugo'smasterfulhistoricalnovelofmedievalParis--oneofthemostbelovedofworldclassics.