Who Has the Last Word? Victor Hugo or his Heirs?

It would have been just another novel - Cosette ou le temps des illusions (Cosette or the Time of Illusions) a sequel to Victor Hugo’s novel Les Miserables (in the spirit of the Gone with the Wind) sequel.

This sequel by Francois Ceresa decided to follow up the destinies of Cosette, Javert and Thenardier in a novel published in 2001 by Plon.

It would have been just another novel - if Victor Hugo didn’t have a great-great grandson that decided to demand 700,000 Euros for the use of his great-great-grandfather’s characters.

Although the first reaction of the courts was to uphold the concept of liberty of expression, nothing is ever so simple. Even if the author himself said that the writer only has one inheritant - that would be the public domain.

Some of the judges felt that Victor Hugo never would have accepted that another writer should write the sequel to Les Miserables - but then again, he isn’t here to give his opinion. Maybe all writers will have to include sequel rights in their will.

If so, I will give the sequel rights to “The Fearful Traveler’s Companion“ to my sister but she’ll have to promise to travel!