"Les Misérables, v. 2/5: Cosette" by Victor Hugo is the second volume of an epic historical novel first published in 1862. Beginning in 1815 and culminating in the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris, this installment continues following ex-convict Jean Valjean's struggle for redemption alongside other interconnected characters. The novel examines law and grace, French history, moral philosophy, justice, religion, and the nature of love. Hugo portrays society from the perspective of its most downtrodden members, exploring themes of poverty, starvation, and injustice in a work he described as a journey from evil to good.