I'm reporting back having read through the 'Cosette' section Book 4, approximately 445 pages.
I recall before I started reading a comment, either in an online review or maybe the abridged version I had picked up. The editorial comment related to this section, something along the lines of some critics have considered Hugo's lengthy description of the Battle of Waterloo unnecessary and superfluous.
I can certainly understand that point of view. Had I been reading this on a time crunch or for a academic class, I most definitely would have been frustrated by this rabbit trail.
