"Les Misérables, v. 1/5: Fantine" by Victor Hugo is a French epic historical novel first published in 1862. Set between 1815 and the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris, it follows ex-convict Jean Valjean's struggle for redemption alongside other interwoven lives. The novel examines law and grace, justice and mercy, while exploring the depths of poverty, suffering, and human dignity in nineteenth-century France. Hugo's masterwork traces a journey from darkness to light, from injustice to justice, depicting society's most downtrodden members with unflinching compassion. (This is an automatically generated summary.)