The Count of Monte Cristo

Very unlike the modern movies that were based upon it. This is no swashbuckling Dumas tale; it's an elaborate fantasy about luck bringing unlimited wealth, and imprisonment forging a superior will. The Count is a strangely alien character to high French society. Honored by all who meet him (who perceive his superior character, and if not that, his bank account) he seems to honor nobody in...more

Very unlike the modern movies that were based upon it. This is no swashbuckling Dumas tale; it's an elaborate fantasy about luck bringing unlimited wealth, and imprisonment forging a superior will. The Count is a strangely alien character to high French society. Honored by all who meet him (who perceive his superior character, and if not that, his bank account) he seems to honor nobody in particular. In between his jail sentence and his return to France, he alludes to decades of adventures, in the exotic orient and even among the criminal underworld. His cold revenge at times even shocks himself, but he rationalizes that he is acting as God' instrument. The plot is all melodrama and courtly intrigue, with relatively little physical action compared to other Dumas novels. He is quite prepared to fight and win duels, but his chosen method of assassination is an assault on reputation; for instance, ruining his enemy's bank with a well-timed financial action. In the end Monte Cristo does *not* reunite with the love of his childhood; she is merely reduced to her former circumstances, a wiser but unhappy woman. In contrast, we are given examples of lovers who were ready to die rather than go on living without each other, and these two couples sail off into the sunset -- including Monte Cristo and a slave he purchased, who has become more of a willing captive.   hide

I took a long time reading this book. I started it in the fall of 2005, but got only a third of the way in before I put it down. (Aside from the slightly tedious exposition introducing so many new characters at that point, I was going through a bad breakup, where I felt it best not to read about revenge lest I do anything rash.) I picked it back up a week and a half ago, and made steady progress...more

I took a long time reading this book. I started it in the fall of 2005, but got only a third of the way in before I put it down. (Aside from the slightly tedious exposition introducing so many new characters at that point, I was going through a bad breakup, where I felt it best not to read about revenge lest I do anything rash.) I picked it back up a week and a half ago, and made steady progress until I finally finished it last night. (I read the Buss translation, unabridged.) While it's certainly obvious that Dumas was getting paid by the word, the book draws you in with its attention to detail, and at the height of suspense, it is absolutely gripping. Plus, the transformation of Edmond Dantès from his young, happy self, to the enigmatic Count of Monte Cristo, is both fascinating and a fairly astute psychological look into someone who has been betrayed. Granted, Valentine (among other female characters) is a bit too much of a Mary Sue for modern sensibilities, and the Orientalist attitudes towards anything East of the Danube is a bit too fantastical in a world where so much about the Middle East is (supposedly) common knowledge. But these are minor quibbles, really, and are a product of the time more than anything else. It's great fun.   hide

This is a masterpiece of vengeance. Edmond Dantes is thrown into prison to further the goals of three men. His cell companion, a wise old man, helps him uncover their treachery. He escapes and acquires a great treasure, and is reborn as the Count of Monte Cristo, determined to exact his revenge for the crimes committed against him. There are a number of things that make this novel amazing....more

This is a masterpiece of vengeance. Edmond Dantes is thrown into prison to further the goals of three men. His cell companion, a wise old man, helps him uncover their treachery. He escapes and acquires a great treasure, and is reborn as the Count of Monte Cristo, determined to exact his revenge for the crimes committed against him. There are a number of things that make this novel amazing. Part of it is the intricacy and detail of the Count's revenge plots. No silly gimmicks like, "I'll get you to confess while the police are listening in!" (I can't believe they used that in the movie. It disgraces the good name of the book.) Everything is carefully planned and woven together as only a mastermind could do. Part of it is the lack of good and evil. The Count's three betrayers are not portrayed as evil men - they simply had to resort to desperate measures in a difficult time. There is none of this foolish "You are my best friend, but I'm going to betray you and then beat my wife and when I find out who you are I'll try to murder you" tripe like they tried to pull in the movie (can you tell that I didn't like the movie?). It's a long book, and slow in some parts, but still a masterpiece.   hide

Excellent! Pure and effective.