Book Review: Les Miserables (Focus on the Family Radio Theatre)

Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe brought one of the greatest classic stories of all time to life this Christmas with their interpretation of Les Miserables.  This is a story I first encountered in my teens, and I'm hoping to finally see the movie this weekend.  I'm even more excited about seeing Jean Valjean on the big screen because I recently listened to the Focus on the Family Radio Theatre's dramatization of Victor Hugo's beloved novel.

Jean Valjean is a French convict who is finally released after serving 19 years in prison—only to find out that no one in France will have anything to do with him because of his past.  Finally, one kindly bishop takes Valjean in and treats him as an honoured guest.  The bishop's kindness changes the hardened criminal's heart.  Six years later, Valjean is the beloved, hardworking mayor of a small French town.  However, his past is never far behind, especially as the hard-nosed Inspector Javert keeps tracking him down, trying to send him back to prison.  As Valjean attempts to fulfill the dying wish of Fantine to take care of her daughter Cosette, he must stay one jump ahead of Javert...

With a full cast, cinema sound and the original music score, Focus on the Family's audio drama truly does justice to this beautiful story.  I'd forgotten all the twists and turns of the story and found myself delighted once again by both Victor Hugo's storytelling and by hearing each of the characters speak. Les Miserables is a story that rings as true today as it did back in Victor Hugo's France.

For more information on Focus on the Family's Radio Theatre, visit their website or check out the trailer below.  You can also read my review of their recent production of Oliver Twist.