The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Translated by Isabel F. Hapgood)

Set in medieval Paris, the story revolves around Quasimodo, a deformed bell-ringer who becomes deaf from his work at Notre Dame. Despite his adoptive father Dom Claude Frollo's care, Quasimodo faces public scorn until a kind act from the beautiful Gypsy Esmeralda sparks his inner transformation. As Quasimodo learns to protect her amidst growing hatred, the narrative delves into themes of social justice, passion, and the struggle for salvation, reflecting Hugo's poignant view of human suffering and compassion in a harsh world.