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A review by loyaultemelie
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I had a bit of trouble trying to rate this book. In terms of readability Dumas deserves every laurel he ever received. This book is so eminently readable it's almost ridiculous. Twice I read 200 pages in two days. As the story progressed the pace only picked up, so at times it felt the reader - like the musketeers themselves - was on a horse riding towards some exciting destination.
Dumas is also superb in balancing comedy and seriousness. I thought that the tone would be the biggest problem of the novel. I found myself pleasantly surprised, it did not seem too much of a problem. Though perhaps this is because, by my interpretation, I think Dumas means for us to laugh at the musketeers more often than not. Even Athos, a character that I loved, felt the subject of satire on more than a few accounts. Still Dumas obviously loves these characters he has created, and it is this love that manages to make the ups and downs of emotion not nearly as jarring as they might have been. That and undeniable skill as a writer.
So why isn't this five stars, since I have so much praise for it? I do think that the Three Musketeers is not necessarily a book that changes a person in the way that heavier books like Les Mis does. I don't think the Dumas was going for that either. I find this book hard to rate because I think for what it set out to do it did it masterfully. Not only is it incredibly entertaining, but it has quite the scope of history, and a wonderful ear for drama. I was not unmoved by our characters - ridiculous though they are. I shuddered at Milady de Winter, and I genuinely felt D'Artagnan's excitement and naivete, all without irony. But I do not know if this book has really changed me in a way that I think five star fiction should. This rating may change if I feel the story stick with me for a while - I think five star books are mostly rated by their longevity than anything else - so for now I will stick to four.
I will say, I have rarely had so much fun reading a book and talking about a book to others. And evil and despicable and even disgusting as Milady de Winter was sometimes, boy did she girlboss.
Also shoutout to Aramis for either being in love or considering the convent. Me too buddy. Me too...
Dumas is also superb in balancing comedy and seriousness. I thought that the tone would be the biggest problem of the novel. I found myself pleasantly surprised, it did not seem too much of a problem. Though perhaps this is because, by my interpretation, I think Dumas means for us to laugh at the musketeers more often than not. Even Athos, a character that I loved, felt the subject of satire on more than a few accounts. Still Dumas obviously loves these characters he has created, and it is this love that manages to make the ups and downs of emotion not nearly as jarring as they might have been. That and undeniable skill as a writer.
So why isn't this five stars, since I have so much praise for it? I do think that the Three Musketeers is not necessarily a book that changes a person in the way that heavier books like Les Mis does. I don't think the Dumas was going for that either. I find this book hard to rate because I think for what it set out to do it did it masterfully. Not only is it incredibly entertaining, but it has quite the scope of history, and a wonderful ear for drama. I was not unmoved by our characters - ridiculous though they are. I shuddered at Milady de Winter, and I genuinely felt D'Artagnan's excitement and naivete, all without irony. But I do not know if this book has really changed me in a way that I think five star fiction should. This rating may change if I feel the story stick with me for a while - I think five star books are mostly rated by their longevity than anything else - so for now I will stick to four.
I will say, I have rarely had so much fun reading a book and talking about a book to others. And evil and despicable and even disgusting as Milady de Winter was sometimes, boy did she girlboss.
Also shoutout to Aramis for either being in love or considering the convent. Me too buddy. Me too...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, and Murder