REVIEW: The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
Book: The Count of Monte Cristo
Author: Alexandre Dumas
Premise: Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantès is confined to a dungeon for fourteen years. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and he becomes determined not only to escape, but also to use the treasure to plot the destruction of the three men responsible for his incarceration.
I read this book as part of a readalong (hosted by myself and my friend Ella on Instagram). It felt daunting going into the book - it’s a 1243 pages and a classic! But reading it with friends helped keep the motivation up and it was nice to have people to message when it got good. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to read and it had me hooked almost straight away.
I think of the story in four parts:
- Imprisonment & escape - straight away, it was easy to read and I invested in the story. The escape was really exciting and I couldn't put the book down.
- Introducing characters - this section dragged the most. We jump forward about 10 years and so there's a new generation of characters to be introduced and groundwork to be laid.
- Scheming and planning revenge - excitement really built in this section. There are some fantastic scenes where characters start being spooked and have some of their plans subtly thwarted.
- Vengeance is delivered - the pay-offs were very satisfying. I was cheering and laughing as the revenge was carried out.
There is a wide range of characters and it took a while for me to realise who some were. I think I should’ve drawn a character map as I went. But it’s quite clear who the baddies are and you can’t help but root for the anti-hero Count. I also loved Monsieur Noirtier (who had such a presence and caused quite a bit of mischief for a paralysed man) and I was rooting for Valentine and Maximillian to get their happily ever after.
Overall, one of the best classics I’ve read and one I’d recommend!