Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

29 reviews

dwarrowdams's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A delight. Very glad I opted to read the unabridged version because while it's absolutely massive, it's an enjoyable read.  There were a couple bits that did get confusing, especially about a third of the way in, but things all come together quickly enough.  There is so much to this book, and even as the plot sweeps you along, no emotional depth is lost in the process.  It's really a lovely book, and while I was intimidated by the page count for a long time, I'm glad I decided to pick it up.

I think what struck me most about this book is the fact that, after Dantes has spent years planning out his revenge on those responsible for his imprisonment, he modifies or abandons those plans for the sake of people he's come to care about.  He did so much work to bring about the ruin of de Morcerf and was planning to kill his son, but changed courses when Mercedes came to him and begged him not to kill Albert.  The same for Villefort, but he made sure that Valentine lived because he'd come to see Maximilien Morrel as a son.  So yes, it's a story about revenge and how humans may be motivated to carry out justice when God/the gods fail to do so, but it's also a story about how even someone so filled with bitterness and hurt, someone who suffered due to the jealousy and fear of others, can change his course when he's reminded of the love and care that people have for each other.

That being said, seeing the revenge unfold was also super fun, and my jaw definitely dropped at a few points once I started to see how Dantes had manipulated situations (teaching Madame de Villefort about poisons, financially ruining Danglars).  It's very much a "come for the revenge/vigilante justice, stay for something that'll restore your hope in humanity" book.

As a final selling point, I have ADHD and although it took me a bit, I was not only able to finish this 1200-page book, but I legitimately enjoyed reading it.  That's a testimony to how skilled of a writer Dumas is (which makes sense: since this was originally serialized in a newspaper, he'd have to maintain an engaging plot to keep people reading).

Highly recommend the Penguin edition specifically because the translation is very solid and the end notes are helpful.  Also recommend some kind of book stand/page holder tool because holding that thing open when I was at the beginning or end legitimately hurt my hand.

A final fun fact: Dumas was biracial (his paternal grandfather was Black), so if you want to read "classic lit" that wasn't written by a white man, this fits the bill.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Violence, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Minor: Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Death of parent

gudrqa's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

The beginning was great and I couldn’t stop comparing it to les mis but later

after the prison escape

it became very long and boring. I kept on listening since the book had good reviews and I had to listen to something when doing my needlework but when it got better it was only for brief moments.
I think it would work better as a series or books (like a revenge a book) rather than this big mess. 
If you like more justice oriented books then les mis would be a better option and if you like personal politics then Jane Austen is much better. 
I personally don’t like when a character is all powerful and the whole second part of the book is just that. I really hoped it would explore the repercussions and psychology of vengence.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Drug use, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide attempt, and Colonisation

kerrence30's review

adventurous emotional inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Remains to be one of my favourite books. You will not find another epic like this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Child death, Misogyny, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Racial slurs

brodi727's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book Oh my God many times I forgot I was in the real world I was so invested and I didn't even realize I had read 200 pages in one sitting

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Incest, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy

random19379's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Incest, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, War, and Classism

ollyie's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Listened not read, really good but I imagine a slog to actually read

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs

Random n word once??? Idk why was literally just describing smthin

blattprinzessin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I could write a loooong review about this tome, but to keep it short: 
95% of the time you’ll have a great time following the story and characters and then Dumas drops something like the Count wanting to….. his own adoptive daughter, that he has cared for since she was a literal child. - and you don’t know what to make of it.
That left a sour taste in my mouth and prevents me from rating it 5 stars. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Cultural appropriation

annaeshaw's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved it. The drama, the build-ups, and the pay-offs are unlike any book I've read before. I've realised I love a big reveal, regardless of how many pages it takes to get there.

At several points, the descriptions felt almost cinematic, and this book would definitely translate well to big-budget tv.

The book also has some interesting things to say about both disability and marriage, which I wasn't really expecting going into it. 

My new favourite classic! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Slavery

Minor: Racial slurs and Antisemitism

lightoferebus's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

lycheeteareads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Child death, Slavery, and Suicide

Minor: Racial slurs and Racism