Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

28 reviews

puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Child death, Drug use, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Colonisation

Minor: Infidelity and Alcohol

jo_lzr's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

Despite being very slow at times, it's amazing how a book this long manages to be so interesting! There are many quotes that I loved and the writing was so profound. 

Also, I can't express how happy I am that not only there was a lesbian couple but that they also got a happy ending! It was a very pleasant surprise! 
I can't give this book 5 stars because I think that Mércédés deserved better! Even though I ship her with Edmond, I get why they can't be together. I just wish that she would have gotten a better ending. Plus, Haydée and Monte Cristo's relationship was very weird. For example, that part near the end, where her love for him is described as the love for a father AND a husband (and a brother). That was weird. Though, it could also be that Haydée has daddy issues.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Lesbophobia

gudrqa's review

• 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

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

wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Another book I wept while reading.  Towards the end, there were times I got chills as the long term plotting and manipulations came to fruition.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, Murder, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, and Classism

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

siglerbooknook's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.25

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Mental illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, and Trafficking

Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, and Abandonment

m4rtt4's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

there is nothing I do better than revenge ~

so long, but so epic and more than worth the time. I took off 0.5 stars because it could have been a tad shorter and there were so many characters I got confused from time to time. Nevertheless, I was hooked on the drama, and there were also some great examples of how pride and greed can really fuck you up. Can't say much anything else without spoiling, but go find out yourself!

+ this doesn't really spoil anything, but Eugenie Danglars and Louise d'Armilly were lesbians in love and you can't change my mind :) <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Child death, Drug use, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Colonisation

tildafin16's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I did enjoy this , some of the cliffhangers were awesome and the drama!! Interesting re the historical period too. It is a bit silly as well and really really convoluted so there’s that. But  I can see why it’s a classic and I’m glad I read it 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug use, and Violence

literatureleaf's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Blood, and Death of parent

Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, and Slavery