The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

One of the first great novels of the Romantic era, Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame has thrilled generations of readers with its powerfully melodramatic story of Quasimodo, the deformed hunchback who lives in the bell tower of medieval Paris's most famous cathedral.Feared and hated by all, Quasimodo is looked after by Dom Claude Frollo, a stern, cold priest who ignores the poor hunchback in the face of his frequent public torture. But someone steps forward to help-the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda, whose single act of kindness fills Quasimodo with love. Can the hunchback save the lovely gypsy from Frollo's evil plan, or will they all perish in the shadows of Notre Dame?An epic tale of beauty and sadness, The Hunchback of Notre Dame portrays the sufferings of humanity with compassion and power.

<b>Catherine Liu</b> is an associate professor in the cultural studies and comparative literature department at the University of Minnesota. She is the author of <i>Copying Machines: Taking Notes for the Automaton</i> and a novel, <i>Oriental Girls Desire Romance</i>.<br><br><b>Elizabeth McCracken</b> is the author of <i>Niagara Falls All Over Again</i> and <i>The Giant’s House</i>. She lives in Massachusetts.