Reviews with content warning for Infidelity - Le Comte de Monte-Cristo

70% of this book is terribly confusing. There is so much happening, so many characters (many of whom have more than 2 names), and lots of similarities between several of the key players that left me very lost.

However, once the pieces started coming together it was extremely satisfying. I have always loved the movie based on the Count of Monte Cristo, but having now read the book I'm amazed by some of the deviations to extremely important details!

There are characters in the book who are dead or never existed at all in the movie and substantially change the course of events. Other characters are far more devious of their own merit than the movie lets on.

The Count himself is barely recognizable as the same character from film to page. In the book his reasoning is much more clear and the happenings are far more than petty vengeance. The Count is a master at pulling strings and uncovering information but I liked that the downfall of so many characters was their own fault in the end.

The Count of Monte Cristo is easily the longest book I've ever read, and adding to that the struggle of reading old English, I'm not sure I'll read it again, but I am pleased I have finally read it at least once and the story itself was extremely satisfying.

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gwynnfox's review against another edition

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There is just so much of this story that seems unnecessary. Who cares that he owned the winning horse that ne named after an acquaintance?

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estefizaga's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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acashton's review against another edition

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4.0

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literatureleaf's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Age: 12+

Reading time: 28 days

Difficulty level: 3.75/5

Rating: 3/5

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas follows Edmond Dantes, a young sailor at the cusp of a very bright future. On the brink of a promising career and loving marriage, the world is his oyster, and the possibility of things going wrong could not be further from his mind. However, all is not as it seems, and, unbeknownst to Edmond and his loved ones, trouble is brewing.

Motivated by jealousy, unrequited love, and power, several men close to Edmond begin to plot against him, ultimately leading to his imprisonment. While in prison, he begins to fixate on revenge, and with the help of an unlikely friend, hidden treasure, and an eventual daring escape, Edmond will stop at nothing to accomplish what he has set out to achieve, no matter what the cost to himself may be.

Spanning countries and decades, The Count is simultaneously a heart wrenching coming-of-age tale and an epic revenge story. Intricately enmeshing politics, relationships, culture, and character, Dumas transports us to a time long past, showcasing the ins and outs of poverty, classism, wealth, and injustice through the eyes of a young man who is simultaneously a victim and a benefactor of his circumstances.

Centering on not only Edmond himself, but the people who surround him and have affected him, for better or for worse, Dumas pens a stunning portrait of a man that has been deeply wronged, not only by chance, greed, and corruption, but by the darkness that resides within him. Consumed with the desire to right the wrongs that have stolen years from his life, Edmond gives the reader a raw glimpse into a psyche ravaged by trauma, and how that trauma colors every aspect of a life.

Potentially a victim of its time, and the fact that it was originally serialized, the pacing is incredibly inconsistent throughout the novel. Dumas tends to waffle back and forth between several major events occurring in the span of a few pages, and small, minute plot points or events dragging out for upwards of twenty pages, leading to a chaotic, and at times unsatisfying, reading experience.

In that same vein, the plot in general struggles with consistency. Key plot points are ignored or glossed over in favor of long-winded descriptions, and side plots are either never wrapped up, or never become relevant to the main story. In combination with the dated language, unsatisfying pacing, and, at times, lack of emotion, The Count can be considered a bit of a slog to get through.

A true classic, The Count of Monte Cristo may miss the mark on some things, but it remains a literary window into a time that’s now long past. Combining elements of character study, thriller, drama, romance, and adventure, Dumas utilizes one man’s plight to explore 19th century French politics, injustice, classism, and, above all else, what a life lived for revenge looks like through the lens of the one who lived it

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