I can’t agree, I think there’s more to Les Mis than just the plot. The digressions were important to the story Hugo wanted to tell and they add a lot of detail and context to the time it’s set in. I don’t think I could read an abridged version and think that I’ve read everything important because it’s part of what’s intrinsic to the book, if not the plot. I feel like you just don’t actually like Les Mis if you’re so dismissive of the digressions, they might not be easy to get through but they’re still a big part of the book.