Victor Hugo was a celebrated French author renowned for classic novels filled with social criticism and emotional depth. His notable masterpieces include Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, exploring themes of justice and humanity.
If you enjoy reading books by Victor Hugo then you might also like the following authors:
If you enjoy the grand adventures and vivid characters of Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas offers the same excitement and sweeping storytelling. Dumas's tales, set in fascinating historical periods, combine drama, romance, and action.
His book The Count of Monte Cristo vividly portrays themes of revenge, justice, and redemption, centered around the unjustly imprisoned Edmond Dantès and his transformation.
For readers drawn to Hugo's detailed portrayal of French society and deep human themes, Honoré de Balzac provides insightful character studies and vivid storytelling.
Balzac captures the complexities and ambitions of society through realistic portrayals of characters and their struggles. In Père Goriot, he explores social climbing, greed, and the sacrifices people make, painting a critical but sympathetic picture of Parisian society.
Gustave Flaubert's storytelling and precision appeal to readers who appreciate Victor Hugo's attention to detail and powerful characters. Flaubert masterfully exposes human flaws and desires through his realistic portrayals.
His notable novel, Madame Bovary, realistically depicts longing and disappointment through the life of Emma Bovary, exploring ambition, illusion, and the tragedies of everyday life.
Fans of Victor Hugo's broad narrative scope and profound exploration of human nature will appreciate Leo Tolstoy's thoughtful storytelling.
Tolstoy offers profound perspectives on history, morality, and society, guiding readers into the lives of richly developed characters and their inner worlds.
His epic novel, War and Peace, captures sweeping historical events and intimate personal dramas, illustrating the universal search for meaning and happiness.
Like Victor Hugo, Charles Dickens writes compassionately about social injustice and the triumph of human spirit through adversity. Dickens creates vivid, memorable characters, often highlighting the struggles of the poor and marginalized with warmth and humor.
His novel, Great Expectations, explores themes of social class, aspiration, and personal growth through the life of Pip, a young orphan navigating complex social circumstances.
George Eliot writes novels filled with moral insight, strong psychological depth, and rich characterization. If you appreciate Hugo's thoughtful exploration of society and complex characters, you might enjoy Eliot's novel Middlemarch.
It explores human struggles, desires, and moral choices within a realistic depiction of society in nineteenth-century England.
Émile Zola portrays society honestly and plainly, without embellishments, focusing on life's harsh realities and the struggles of ordinary people. Fans of Victor Hugo's social concerns and vivid depictions of injustice would likely appreciate Zola's novel Germinal.
It offers a compelling look at the desperate conditions and powerful struggles of coal miners in nineteenth-century France.
Stendhal writes novels that explore personal ambition, social dynamics, and the complexities of the human heart. Readers who enjoy Hugo's detailed portraits of characters navigating political and social upheaval would enjoy Stendhal's novel The Red and the Black.
It tells the story of Julien Sorel, who struggles with intense ambition and desires while facing obstacles created by class and society.
Walter Scott is an excellent choice for readers who like Hugo's historical storytelling and adventurous narratives. His novels typically revolve around dramatic historical events, colorful characters, and vividly depicted landscapes.
A great novel to start with is Ivanhoe, a tale of chivalry and romance set in medieval England, filled with memorable heroes, villains, and gripping adventures.
Charlotte Brontë captures emotional intensity and complex individual struggles with sensitivity and depth. For those who enjoy Hugo's creation of strong, passionate characters striving for independence and happiness, Brontë's novel Jane Eyre could be an engaging read.
The novel follows Jane, a spirited and determined heroine, as she overcomes hardship, finds her voice, and seeks fulfillment in a rigid and unjust society.
Fyodor Dostoevsky writes thoughtful, emotional novels that explore deep ideas like morality, guilt, and redemption.
His powerful work Crime and Punishment follows Raskolnikov, a conflicted student who commits murder, confronting the reader with profound ethical questions and vivid portrayals of human struggle.
If you appreciate the intense emotional dramas and philosophical depth in Victor Hugo's stories, you'll likely enjoy Dostoevsky's impactful writing.
Ivan Turgenev is thoughtful and nuanced in his portrayal of family tensions, personal struggles, and social change. His novel, Fathers and Sons, delivers a clear, graceful depiction of generational conflict and shifting values in 19th-century Russia.
Like Victor Hugo, Turgenev strongly conveys the collision of tradition and modernity, always thoughtful and empathetic to his characters.
Ken Follett tells epic, engaging stories filled with historical detail, intriguing characters, and expansive plots.
His historical novel The Pillars of the Earth vividly captures 12th-century England during the construction of a cathedral, showing both personal struggles and wider social conflicts.
Readers drawn to Hugo's rich storytelling about historical times and social struggles will find much to enjoy in Follett's absorbing novels.
Edward Rutherfurd excels at big, panoramic historical fiction that spans generations, chronicling the events and dramas of families against rich historical backdrops.
A notable example, Sarum, takes readers across thousands of years of English history through interconnected generational stories. If Hugo's sweeping historical canvas captures your attention, you'll find Rutherfurd's dramatic and detailed approach enjoyable.
Herman Melville blends profound philosophical reflections, vivid storytelling, and memorable characters. His classic Moby-Dick is both an intense adventure about Captain Ahab's obsessive hunt for a whale and a thoughtful exploration of human ambition, obsession, and fate.
Those who enjoy the gravity, depth, and dramatic force of Victor Hugo's themes will likely appreciate Melville's bold, insightful narratives.