▁of ▁Police ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 2 ." ▁ ▁Contempor ary ▁reception ▁The ▁appearance ▁of ▁the ▁novel ▁was ▁a ▁highly ▁anticip ated ▁event ▁as ▁Victor ▁Hugo ▁was ▁considered ▁one ▁of ▁France ' s ▁for em ost ▁po ets ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁nin ete enth ▁century . ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁announced ▁its ▁forth coming ▁publication ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 0 . ▁Hugo ▁forb ade ▁his ▁publish ers ▁from ▁summar izing ▁his ▁story ▁and ▁refused ▁to ▁author ize ▁the ▁publication ▁of ▁ex cer pts ▁in ▁advance ▁of ▁publication . ▁He ▁instruct ed ▁them ▁to ▁build ▁on ▁his ▁earlier ▁success ▁and ▁suggested ▁this ▁approach : ▁" What ▁Victor ▁H . ▁did ▁for ▁the ▁Goth ic ▁world ▁in ▁Notre - D ame ▁of ▁Paris ▁[ The ▁H unch back ▁of ▁Notre ▁D ame ], ▁he ▁accomplish es ▁for ▁the ▁modern ▁world ▁in ▁Les ▁M iser ables ". ▁A ▁massive ▁advert ising ▁campaign ▁preced ed ▁the ▁release ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁volumes ▁of ▁Les ▁M isé rab les ▁in ▁Br uss els ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁or ▁ 3 1 ▁March ▁and ▁in ▁Paris ▁on ▁ 3 ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁The ▁remaining ▁volumes ▁appeared ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁May ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁ ▁Crit ical ▁re actions ▁were ▁wide - r anging ▁and ▁often ▁negative . ▁Some ▁critics ▁found ▁the ▁subject ▁matter ▁imm oral , ▁others ▁compla ined ▁of ▁its ▁excess ive ▁sentiment ality , ▁and ▁others ▁were ▁dis qu iet ed ▁by