chocolatethief's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Grief, Racism, Suicide, Murder, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Classism, Infidelity, and Slavery
deverills's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It is certainly a book of its time, but I found myself always intrigued and sort of fascinated by Edmond's psyche and looking forward to seeing him manipulate everything and everyone around him after he managed to escape the Château d'If. I was surprised by how straightforward Dumas' writing style is. Unlike other classic authors, he doesn't waste a whole lot of time with descriptive writing and goes straight to what matters. The ending was slightly disappointing to me, but I still enjoyed it. A timeless reflection on what the thirst for revenge can do to one's mind and heart.
Graphic: Classism, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Child abuse, and Death of parent
ohlhauc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This was so much fun to read!
I thought that it might be a bit long-winded considering how many pages it is, but it was a rather fast read. The prose felt light but substantial and flowed really well. Originally this was serialized so each chapter tends to have a mini-climax or some action in it to hook you, so the pace and energy remains high throughout the book - there really isn't a lot of exposition, although there are some moments where the narrator repeats what has happened before (but that's usually done when there's been a lot of pages in between so it's actually useful because some things you will forget since it is long).
You can read this just as a spellbinding adventure story and have a great time. But you can also go at a slower pace and really dive into the philosophical ideas and social commentary. There are a lot of layers to this novel and it's no surprise that it's a well-revered classic. This is definitely a book I can see myself re-reading in the future.
Don't let it intimidate you. If it it's on your TBR, you'll want to pick it up sooner rather than later. Don't delay on this masterpiece.
I thought that it might be a bit long-winded considering how many pages it is, but it was a rather fast read. The prose felt light but substantial and flowed really well. Originally this was serialized so each chapter tends to have a mini-climax or some action in it to hook you, so the pace and energy remains high throughout the book - there really isn't a lot of exposition, although there are some moments where the narrator repeats what has happened before (but that's usually done when there's been a lot of pages in between so it's actually useful because some things you will forget since it is long).
You can read this just as a spellbinding adventure story and have a great time. But you can also go at a slower pace and really dive into the philosophical ideas and social commentary. There are a lot of layers to this novel and it's no surprise that it's a well-revered classic. This is definitely a book I can see myself re-reading in the future.
Don't let it intimidate you. If it it's on your TBR, you'll want to pick it up sooner rather than later. Don't delay on this masterpiece.
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent and Suicide
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