One of the best classic novels in world literature. Jean Valjean, Cosette, Gavrosh – the names of the heroes of the novel have long become common nouns, the number of its readers for a century and a half since the publication of the book has not been reduced, the novel does not lose popularity. A kaleidoscope of people from all walks of life in French society in the first half of the 19th century, vivid, catchy characters, grotesque and romance, sentimentality and realism, a tense, exciting plot are the main reasons for the success of the Hugo book and they are also the main reasons for the frequent appeal to it of world cinema.