The Count of Monte Cristo (Penguin Classics)

Friends, do any of you share in my aversion for book reviews that go: “I received the book on time and it arrived in good condition”? How does that help us? Is it not the quality of the writing, the beauty of the prose, the context, the enjoyment of the story, itself, that we truly care about? I must begin my review of The Count of Monte Cristo with the confession of an infraction of my own. You see, I made a vow to myself never to write a review without first completing the entirety of a book. From cover to cover. However, in this particular case, I simply couldn’t wait. I am on page 339 of this 1243 page book. I am writing because I am enjoying it so much. I find myself reading a few pages, every single day! This being a classic, I had heard the title many times throughout my life. Yet, to be perfectly honest, I was under the impression that it was going to be a story somewhere along the lines of a Dracula novel. Perhaps my mental association was due to the word “Count” in both titles. As in “Count Dracula.” And that was why I wasn’t particularly drawn to it. That is, until I saw a You-Tuber praise The Count of Monte Cristo as the best book that he has ever read. “I just love this story,” he kept saying over and over again, with true and genuine emotion. I, too, am loving this story. And I now believe in the Power of Beautiful writing. The story is so easily digestible. The writing, so clear, so precise, so simple, that my brain easily captures everything. Every description, every emotion, every experience. I find myself pulled right into the story. I am at the part of the story where everything is finally turning around. Where the bright sun is finally breaking through the dark and thick clouds. There was so much suffering at the beginning, that I found it a bit depressing to reengage in my reading. But I couldn’t stop. I wanted, very badly, to know what was going to happen next. I found myself caring for the good hearted and honest people. The bright and pure souls. I prayed for their freedom from bondage, due to the dark circumstances that unfolded around them. I found myself praying for justice. The writing was so amazing, that I had completely forgotten that this was only a novel. I was reminded of the day when my 16 year old brother was killed by a man who had been a close friend of the family. The man claimed that it had been an accident. My little brother’s personality reminded me of Dante’s. My brother was turning into a fine young man. Young, vibrant, good looking, honest, humble, kind. Although I don’t ever remember hating the man who had taken his life, I did wonder what would become of him. Because he had taken an innocent life. I knew that that burden would always torture his conscience. And not more than two years passed, when one day, while sitting on my living room couch, I was watching the news when suddenly, on the right side of the news anchor’s shoulder, I saw the picture of the same man who had taken my little brother’s life. I quickly called out to my parents who were in the kitchen. They came running in time to see the man’s picture. The new’s anchor said that the man had shot his girlfriend on the head, then turned the gun towards himself and ended his life. “A double homicide,” the news anchor said. Life has its own way of correcting itself. No deed goes unpunished. Nature always seeks balance. I later read an article in the Los Angeles Times about this “double homicide.” Apparently, the man’s girlfriend had made her decision to leave him. He couldn’t accept it. He had become too attached to her. He couldn’t see his life continuing without her. So, he shot her and then ended his own life. The interesting thing is that he never spent a day in jail, in connection to my little brother’s death. Because he had no prior criminal history, the District Attorney had gone easy on him. But it seems that he could not escape the torture of his inner demons. The Count of Monte Cristo expresses a similar pattern. When others act in ways that affect us, and even change the course of our lives, there are always counter-currents created. It is as if we throw boomerangs to hurt others, but eventually said boomerangs must return to clobber the sender. I don’t want to give anything away, but I am enjoying, very exquisitely, what is unfolding. The way that the dark and stormy clouds are breaking, and the rays of sunlight that are breaking through, are shinning upon all those who were always Pure Souls. Everyone that Edmond loved, and who loved him. My journey with this book continues. And to be perfectly honest, I almost don’t want it to end. I’ve fallen in love with all of the good characters. My heart has torn for those good Souls who have passed on. Who did so, in ways that they shouldn’t have. Even this pattern parallels real life. And this book has powerfully reminded me that life, itself, in the Ultimate sense, is nothing more than a living novel that the Invisible Author is delightfully expressing. This, I am certain, is a book that I shall never forget.

This book is incredible! I watched the movie that came out in 2000 or 2001 and really enjoyed it but after reading this book, I think I would really HATE the movie. If you're looking for an incredibly intricate plot line then read the book and skip the movie. The movie takes pieces of the plot and twists it in such a way that leaves the viewer with little to know surprise or suspense. Alexandre Dumas writes in such a way as to put the reader right in the very scene that is being played out. As I read this book I felt like I was sitting in the conversations taking place amongst the characters. I don't know how he does it (I'm not a writer!) but he does it quite well. Believe it or not, I've not been much of a reader until recently (I'm 30, if that tells you anything). When I found this book and saw how long it was I thought I was jumping in over my head, however, I quickly found that this was a book that I could NOT put down and one that I did NOT want to end! One of the highlights in the book (at least for me) is how you'll be cruising along with the story and tracking pretty well with it when all of a sudden you take a hard left turn and can't figure out who is who and what is what. Just when you think Dumas has lost his mind and can't write to save his life, he pulls out this magic thread that pulls these mystery pieces together and out of nowhere you have a new and amazing concept introduced in a way you didn't expect. Understanding that these threads are intertwined into the story helps the reader get through chapters that may not make sense at the time but have a huge payoff in the end. One last thing, I have only read this version which is unabridged (nothing has been cut out). I've not read the abridged version (pieces of the story have been cut out to shorten it) but I can't imagine that it holds a candle to the unabridged, of course you'll have to determine that for yourself. I'm an all or nothing individual and so of course I wanted every aspect of the story included, I'm so glad I did! Buy this unabridged version, you will NOT be disappointed and please don't let the size of this book intimidate you. You'll be amazed (especially if you're not a fast reader like myself) at how quickly this book can read. Buy the book, you will love it!

Who wouldn't want to be The Count of Monte Cristo? A god-like creature, master of disguise, wealth beyond the dreams of avarice, extremely handsome, expert marksman, expert swordsman, philosopher, apothecary, highly moral, (carrying out God's work of vengeance, not his own) unimpeachable manners, speaks many languages, can quote both Roman and Greek mythology and philosophers from Cicero to Plato, in fact is an expert on every subject under the sun, never lies and is never wrong. (p.1027) A perfect human being who loves young girls in a fatherly way, kisses his slave on her forehead, acted as guardian angel to 17 year old Valentine and go-between for her and her fiancé. I would not want to see the film of this book, no earthly creature could match up to the mysterious, romantic, mythical figure of The Count of Monte Cristo. Imagination is far far better. This wonderful man takes on all the various shapes and forms of his different disguises, he is so clever it takes your breath away. Oh, if only we could get away with that! Oh, if only we had half his skill to get back at our enemies the way he did. It makes one's mouth water to think of it. Delicious! Men are turned on by this book because it is full of adventure, the ultimate "Boy's Own" story. Women are turned on by it not only because it is thrilling but because it speaks to the fairy tale longing, (Cinderella) of finding the perfect man..... He doesn't exist girls and boys, sad to say, it is just a fantasy. In the beginning, even though far fetched, (the escape from jail, the treasure) one goes along for the ride, but towards the end of the book Dumas gets a bit carried away. The fantasy good as it is becomes a bit hard to sustain, the magic cure-all drops, the murderous step-mother nobody suspects, the crippled grandfather blinking in Morse code, and then of course the almost Shakespearean ending of the star crossed lovers. All stretching the imagination to the limit, but loving it being stretched, and rejoicing in the thrilling ride. I enjoyed the book enormously and found it almost impossible to put down for all the same reasons everyone else did. It is so well written and the pace never stops. I particularly enjoyed the scene described when Albert and Franz came to watch the carnival with Monte Cristo and Franz asked The Count if he could obtain a window overlooking the Piazza del Popolo where there were to be two executions at the start of the festivities. The coolness with which Monte Cristo explains that the program has been changed, in a "tone of voice" Dumas says, "as though he were reading the personal column." (p.383). "Hum! The first will be mazzolato, the second decapitato. Yes, this is what was originally intended, but I think that since yesterday there has been a change in the order and conduct of the ceremony. .......they were speaking of some kind of stay of execution to one of the two men...... That means you will be denied a guillotining but you still have the mazzolata, which is a very curious form of torture when you see it for the first time - or even the second; while the other, which in any case you know, is too simple, too unvaried. There is nothing unexpected in it. ..... Ah come now, don't talk to me about Europeans where torture is concerned. They understand nothing about it. With them, cruelty is in its infancy - or perhaps its old age." You can imagine this man with a sword in his hand, never flinching, nerves of steel! Read it to escape, it's a ticket to a magic carpet ride. Be a little like Monsieur le Comte himself when he said "....chaque fois que je souhait je peux me séparer du reste du monde" " ....whenever I wish I can separate myself from the rest of the world." (p.314). Worth every one of its five stars. Another favorite book of mine which will certainly be read at least two or three times more whenever I feel like floating away...

This classic story of wrongful imprisonment, hidden treasure, and revenge is truly a masterpiece. Alexandre Dumas’ famous novel The Count of Monte Cristo has seen life not only in print but in film and television, but one cannot appreciate the novel unless you read it in its entire unabridged length. Edmond Dantes is wrongfully accused of a crime and thrown in prison without trial to be forgotten, after overcoming both mental and physical anguish and befriending a fellow prisoner, and finally he is able to escape. Thanks to his friendship Dantes knows where a potential hidden treasure is located and finds it to be real, and using it begins finding out why he was thrown into prison and chart is path to revenge through fortune and hidden identities. Yet what this quick synopsis omits is the numerous and fascinating major and secondary characters that Dantes interacts throughout the narrative. Originally published in serial form, Dumas was paid for how much he wrote and one would think that The Count of Monte Cristo might be riddled with meandering subplots that never go anywhere and/or have nothing to do with the central plot. But Dumas instead wove a tapestry of beauty with every word he wrote; instead of making meandering plots he described scenes and events in rich detail that it brings the story even more alive in the reader’s imagination. If pressed to find anything negative to say about this book, the easiest answer would be cultural references that are almost 170 years old. The only other negative was the completely different societal norms that were in Parisian society in the 1840s compared today’s. However both of these ‘negatives’ can easily be put down to a piece of fiction that was contemporary when it was written but now can be seen as historical fiction with the passage to time. The Count of Monte Cristo needs to be read in all its unabridged glory to fully appreciate why it is a masterpiece and classic. Dumas’ literary tapestry is a delight to behold once finished with the last page and makes the reader think about when they’ll have time to reread it in the future.

I have been curious to read this massive novel for many years. Having read other books at least as long if not longer (‘War and Peace’, ‘Les Miserables’, ‘In Search of Lost Time’), the only excuse for my procrastination was the reputation the book has been given over time as a genre novel, a tale of revenge (there are hundreds of those by now, many influenced by ‘Monte Cristo’ itself), an adventure novel. This reputation was not entirely deserved and I knew that the novel transcended genre, so the question was when was I ready to devote the necessary time to tackle it? The premise of the novel is well known to anyone who has either read an abridged version or watched one of the many TV and film adaptations; a young sailor, Edmond Dantes, has everything going for him. He has just been promoted as the new captain of the vessel he has served, he is engaged to a beautiful and devoted young woman named Mercedes, his aging father is devoted to him, and he is on excellent terms with his employer and his family. However, there are a few people who are envious of his good life enough to take advantage of an opportunity to take him down. Fernand Mondego has been in love with Mercedes almost as long as Edmond; he is single-minded in his obsession with her enough to sabotage the upcoming marriage. Fernand comes in contact with another mate on the ship, Denglars, a bitter man who is envious of Edmond’s promotion, resentful of serving a man who, in his mind, has no qualities that make him superior to Denglars. On his way back to Marseilles, Edmond is tasked with delivering a package to Elba, home of Napoleon Bonaparte’s exile, and picking up a letter, contents unknown to Edmond. This gives Fernand and Denglars the perfect opportunity to frame Edmond. He is arrested and brought to the deputy crown prosecutor, Villefort, who opens the letter, seeing that it was from Napoleon to his own father, a Bonaparte supporter. Villefort burns the letter in front of Edmond and says he may go. Rather than setting him free, Villefort orders Edmond to be taken away to prison, suppressing the knowledge of his father’s association with Napoleon and preserving his own reputation. Without a trial or any kind of explanation, Edmond is taken to the Chateau d’If, an island prison analogous to the American Alcatraz, locked in a dungeon cell and left there. Driven to despair, he unsuccessfully tries to kill himself, finally resigned to live this subterranean existence. After a few years, he hears some hammering and digging and finally meets his next-door prison neighbor, an older man named Abbe Faria. The Abbe has been digging in the wrong direction, coming up in Edmond’s cell. They reach a mutual decision to start digging in the right direction. During this time, the Abbe, a political prisoner thought to be mad by his captors, tutors Edmond on reading, writing, languages, sciences, giving him a thorough education on a variety of subjects. Edmond suddenly has a will to live and, with the Abbe’s questioning, figures out who betrayed him and why. After fourteen years they are making progress on their tunnel when the Abbe has a seizure and dies. Edmond moves the body of Faria to his cell, covered in blankets and puts himself in the shroud meant for Faria. He thinks he’ll be buried somewhere on the island and be able to dig himself out but instead, weighted by a cannonball, he is thrown off the cliff into the waves below. Luckily, he has a knife and can cut himself out of the shroud, breaking the surface and making his way toward the nearest spot of land. After encountering smugglers and thinking of a plausible story, he joins the band long enough to locate Monte Cristo and finds the treasure, which is indeed enough riches to make him immensely wealthy. Between the well-rounded education from Faria and the fortune that is now his, Edmond starts a new life for himself as the wealthy Count of Monte Cristo. During the next ten years he not only establishes a new life and lifestyle for himself as the Count but tracks down what has happened to his betrayers. During these years he adopts various aliases aside from the Count: Sinbad the Sailor, a wealthy British philanthropist named Lord Wilmore, a chief clerk from a British banking firm., and Abbe Busoni, a priest. Under the various aliases he is able to track down what happened to his betrayers. His fiancé, Mercedes, worn down by Fernand’s persistence and convinced that Edmond was dead, married Fernand and had a child, Albert, now grown, and befriended by the Count. Fernand achieved a high rank in the army, and bought a title of Count for himself. Denglars became a wealthy banker, and Villefort became a chief prosecutor, now with a grown daughter, Valentine, and taking care of his aged father, the Bonapartist, who has had a stroke and can only communicate through a series of eye blinks. Unlike my earlier impression of this book, there are no swashbuckling sword fights like any that characterized ‘The Three Musketeers’. The Count doesn’t kill anyone. He becomes a self-appointed Agent of Karma, finding people and evidence from these people’s past lives and sins, manipulating these events so that the public knowledge of their misdeeds is what dooms them. Edmond Dantes becomes a virtual superhero, traveling massive distances at lightning speeds, changing swiftly from one disguise to another. The Count does seem to possess godlike powers. It seems he has also acquired a knowledge of various poisons and dosages, so that he can administer enough of a drug to make it appear that the person is dead, whereas he can resurrect her later. I suppose Dumas thought that Shakespeare got away with something like it in ‘Romeo and Juliet’, why shouldn’t he? As I said, unlike earlier impressions, this is not the kind of adventure novel with swordplay. What it does have is a serial poisoner, a lesbian couple, cross dressing, hashish hallucination, and many other aspects that render it not suitable for children. The Robin Buss translation is very straightforward, flowing and fast moving. Much like ‘War and Peace’, which is also very readable, the main hurdle which is worth surmounting is its intimidating length and its varied gallery of characters and aliases. With each triumph over one of his conspirators, the Count reveals his true identity as Edmond Dantes. He wants his victims to know that Dantes not only did not die but that he was able to administer justice in the end. Where the Count’s god-like powers end is in not being able to control the actions of peripheral characters so that innocent people die. His single-minded obsession grows beyond his control. What Dumas has written is an epic melodrama, probably more akin to a great opera than one of the other great French 19th century novels written by authors such as Balzac, Flaubert, and Zola. Those authors created stories that were more relatable to the average reader, one that led a life less dramatic than most of the characters in ‘The Count of Monte Cristo. Yet even the most ordinary reader sometimes wants to live vicariously through big lives with grand gestures. It is for this reader that Dumas has written.

This is one of the greatest adventure and action books ever written.

Currently reading through this for the first time. It is as expected quite monumental. I’m enjoying it, but I thought I’d at least leave the review now as I don’t think I will have a negative thing to say about it at the end. It is far larger in pages than I remember Hearing about. But it’s all good. Read it.

ALL THE FREAKING FEELS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I never in a million years would have thought I would love this book! I never thought I would like something like this book. I never thought I would fall in love with Dantes! I never thought I would have so much anger, sadness, despair and happiness in this book! I never thought, did I! *********SOME SPOILERS********** Edmond Dantes was a wonderful man of 19-years-old. He had a woman he loved and was going to marry named Mercedes. A loving father. And he was going to be captain of the wonderful ship, Pharaon. The the jealous b*stards or just b*stards in general ruined life for Dantes. 1. Danglars 2. Fernand 3. Villefort I hate these men with such a passion I just wanted someone to kill their evil selves. All of the jerks had a hand in putting Dantes in prison for 14 effing years! Yeah! For what? For NOTHING! Dantes was in such despair he was going to starve himself to death. I can't even! Then one night Dantes hears a scratching sound and soon realizes someone is tunneling. Dantes decides to tunnel as well. At some point the two of them tunnel to each other. Dantes gets to meet Abbe Faria, the mad man (so they say) in the cell next door. Abbe Faria thinks he's tunneling out to freedom but he made a miscalculation. But Dantes and Abbe devise a new plan and this takes some years to do all of this tunneling. But the Abbe is old and sick and having seizures. He's not going to be able to make it so Dantes waits with him. He is like another father figure to Dantes. And who in the hell but Dantes would wait and not leave his friend. Because Dantes is good and kind and loving. Abbe Faria is also the one that opens Dantes eyes to who the culprits were that put him in jail. Poor Dantes couldn't see this at the time and he couldn't read what we were reading so he had no clue. Abbe Faria also tells Dantes about tons of gold and jewels that he has hidden on the island of Monte Cristo. He makes Dantes remember everything about getting there and where to find the treasure. Unfortunately, Abbe Faria dies and it was so sad. Dantes was so grief stricken over his friend. Dantes decided to leave then as he had nothing else to stay for and he put himself in Abbe Faria's place all wrapped up waiting to be buried. Well, he doesn't actually get buried but thrown out to sea and luckily Dantes managed to save himself. We go on to read of the tale of how Dantes get to Monte Cristo and soon he is beyond rich and he is so smart and reading to get IT DONE! And Dantes doesn't just run off and kill people. He's smart. He tears down their houses, their world without them knowing who he is until the bitter end. And all of the riches they acquired while he rotted in jail was disgusting. Anyway, some people did die but that's of little importance. Dantes is also kind to all of the people that were kind to him or tried to help him while he was in jail. He's such a wonderful person. Yes, I know I keep saying that. He helps Morrel and his family when they were about to lose everything. They even lost the Pharaon but Dantes brings him a new one without Morrel even knowing where the ship came from. Dantes gave them money. He helped the family even after Morrel was gone. I cried and cried at his generosity. And to sit and read of all the plans and all of the people crumble. The only person to recognize Dantes, even with his disguises, was Mercedes. But she went and married freaking Fernand and had a kid. Dantes was friends with Mercedes son but things could never be good for them again. And it's so, so sad for so many involved. Oh, and Dantes called himself "Sinbad the Sailor" and "The Count of Monte Cristo." Of course I guess if you own a rock and gold and jewels and many other things, you can call yourself anything you want! :-) I can't sit here and go on and on about the book. It's freaking 1276 pages! I'm not that good of a reviewer to tell you something good about that many pages. Just know. . . THIS BOOK is freaking AWESOME! If you have been debating on reading it and afraid of it's size, who cares, just read it. I mean you can take two months or however long to enjoy Dantes and his adventures, but don't let the "tome" bother you. It's not boring at all! NOT ONE BIT! I give it all the stars! Sail on dear, Dantes! ♥