The Count of Monte Cristo (Penguin Classics) by Alexandre Dumas père
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Book Reviews of The Count of Monte Cristo (Penguin Classics)
Book Review: Startling, refreshing, unpredictable and soulful--
Summary: 5 Stars
I keep hearing that The Count of Monte Cristo is a great swashbuckling book of vengeance. I keep wondering if same said "readers" actually read the book. Au contraire, Dumas' serialized story that we now receive in a 1200+ page novel is actually an intricate waltz of a character study, that when read with patience and expectation almost feels as if the reader has been supernaturally imbued with the wisdom and experience of the 24 years that the novel covers.
The story opens with an innocent Edmond Dantes who is brutally betrayed by those who abuse their positions, and it continues with ever increasing progression of Dantes' understanding: his understanding of suffering, of evil; his understanding of wisdom from the dear Abbe; his understanding of the abuse of position that originated his personal hell, his understanding of others' human natures, both good and evil; and finally, his understanding of his own self. After multiple sub-plots that orbit the Count and illuminate both the characters that revolve around him, as well as himself, Dumas wraps up the novel with a fitting and satisfactory conclusion that flirts with the philosophical.
The novel's pace more than makes up for its daunting length-there are rarely slow moments. If it seems like Dumas is about to do something predictable, keep reading: his follow-up is always unexpected. I can only criticize Dumas for trivial concerns, which I won't get into here, but his handling of the plot is beyond reproach.
What sticks beyond the reading itself, however, is the study of people that Dumas puts forward, replete with a sweeping spiritual hypothesis on the nature of humanity itself that can only be proposed using the method of the adage, "show, don't tell." There are so many characters that we get to know well, who stay with us, reinforcing Dumas' observations. From the evil, such as Fernand and Danglars, to the pathetic, like Caderousse, to the unexpected--in Nortier, Albert, Eugenie--and even the angelic, Morrel, Haydee, the Abbe, we see a great slice of humanity parade before us in the vivid pages. And every one of them is somehow kindled by Dantes, the sparkling youth, then the supernatural catalyst and demigod, and finally, simply and totally, the man, soul bared and naked before his God. It is a breathtaking epic far deeper than the adolescent revenge romp that its literary reputation has been reduced to.
Robin Buss' translation, notes and introduction are essential and very well done, worthy of the work itself, and sure to be the preeminent English version for a very long time. In short, this is not one of those books that you check out from the library and return: this is a work to be bought in hardback, to be read, re-read, and passed down.
Book Review: The mother of all grudges
Summary: 5 Stars
Two jealous men plot to have Edmond Dantes thrown into a hellhole of a dungeon on false charges, and a third self-serving government man arranges to have Dantes kept there for life in order to protect his own interests. However, after fourteen years Dantes manages to escape and soon finds that his life as he once knew it is over: his promising career as a merchant ship's captain was aborted, his father had long ago starved himself to death out of grief, and his former beloved fiancee had married another. Yeah if I were in Dantes' shoes I'd hold a pretty serious grudge too.
Fortunately Dantes' only friend in the dungeon had divulged to him, just before his death, the secret location of a buried treasure on the uninhabited isle of Monte Cristo near the French coast. Dantes soon becomes the fabulously wealthy Count of Monte Cristo and proceeds to gradually but relentlessly exact total retribution on his betrayers, two decades after they'd first hatched their plot.
This long tale of revenge satisfies. The basic plot is quite drawn out as Dantes' master plan requires him to befriend and gain the trust of the men who destroyed his prospects in youth. He accomplishes this mainly by becoming somewhat intimate with these mens' families, so there are various sub-plots that comprise the middle third or so of the book. Following this section, the Count has his chess pieces where he wants them and proceeds to rapidly and systematically destroy his enemies. Of course the best parts are their horrified aspects when he finally reveals his identity to them.
Though 'Count' is replete with rich renderings of scenes in various parts of Paris, Marseilles and the French Riviera, and Rome and rural Italy, his emphasis is on the dialogue and action more than on the settings. Unlike for example Victor Hugo, who puts much more weight on describing the stage upon which the actors walk, through delightfully sudden tangents on history and philosophy that do in fact relate to the subject at hand. Dumas's style is much more focused and to the point.
Though rather simple in plot development and resolution, 'Count' stands among the finest of the classics. An absolute must for teen readers. For adults it's still a great read, though most of the events and the ending are somewhat predictable and almost always go the way of the hero. Also, Dantes' transformation from a poorly educated happy-go-lucky sailor boy to a cultured single-minded demi-god with seemingly infinite knowledge / wisdom and superhuman insight is a bit too much to believe!
Book Review: A powerful classic, not to be missed
Summary: 5 Stars
I've never been disappointed by a Dumas book, and this one is certainly no exception. With a gripping and intricate plot situated in a turbulent time in French history, THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO represents one of the the most widely recognized and important books of all time. More subtle and serious than the swashbuckling THREE MUSKETEERS, this one really speaks to the soul with highly emotional and real ethical dilemmas. Full of adventure, suspense, love, and drama, this book is hard to put down for the entire 1300+ pages. Even though you probably already know the basic jist of the story, don't hesitate to pick this one up. Knowledge of the outcome doesn't take away anything from the enjoyment of reading this top-notch novel. I can't speak to the abridged version, but I can't imagine it could be nearly as good, as the detail of this story is part of what makes it so gratifying.
The best thing about this book is certainly the character of Edmond Dantes. Perhaps the best character in all of literature, the Count of Monte Cristo is a real delight. He represents everything you like about a hero to the extreme. Mysterious, powerful, intelligent, and caring, the Count is what drives this book. Watching as his absurdly complex, but brilliant, schemes for vengeance come to fruition represents one of the most enjoyable reading experiences to be had. While many of the characters in the book are great, they are all completely overshadowed by the immense figure of the Count.
Alexandre Dumas makes numerous political statements in this book. Very satirical about the nobility, politics, and high society in general, this book represents the cultural tendencies of the time. Published during the reign of King Louis-Philippe, during a time of political unrest, uncertain future, and revolutionist ideas, this book was certainly well-received by some but not by others. Only a couple of years after this book's publication, the Second French Republic was founded under which Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was elected president. So, the conflicts we find in this book between the royalists and the republicans were still in evidence during its writing.
I digress. This is a truly excellent book that shouldn't be missed by any fan of good literature. Don't let the length scare you away, as it is not wasted space and creates a wonderfully complex and beautiful story. Give yourself a month and read this masterpiece.
Book Review: The archtypal revenge story.
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Count of Monte Cristo" is a phrase that most people are familiar with; the broad outlines of his story have become a part of everyone's general understanding via cultural osmosis: Edmond Dantes, wrongly imprisoned by the contrivance of four men, escapes jail after decades, and, armed with essentially limitless money, plots his revenge. With this in mind, those revisiting the original novel have a general idea of what happens with the principal characters. While it would perhaps be optimal to begin reading with no preconceptions, the novel does not suffer for knowing the general outline. In particular, adaptations always end up significantly cutting the original story, which clocks in at nearly 1300 pages in this edition; so there are plenty of story points normally omitted for the reader to discover.
An English professor once related that in the Renaissance genre of revenge tragedy, there were only a few that really examined the toll taken on the revenger (Kyd's "The Spanish Tragedy" and Shakespeare's "Hamlet" being the notable ones), while most simply offered a black-and-white story of wronged men slaying the demons who haunt them. Alexander Dumas' story, which has become perhaps the archtypal revenge novel, also falls into the more complex category. It is perhaps telling that while the novel follows Edmond Dantes' perspective from the beginning to the point where he escapes from prison and finds the treasure that will finance his scheme, as soon as Dantes becomes The Count of Monte Cristo the perspective largely shifts to other characters; Dantes, a young and happy man, becomes something different and less human; the Count is almost automaton-like in his calculations and actions, though, as the story wears on, pricked by resurgent emotions. It is the conflict between his assumed roll as the wrath of God and his mere humanity that serves as the major conflict in the novel's climax.
Dumas offers a panoply of other characters, generally well-drawn, and absurdly interconnected in the best traditions of the Victorian novel; particularly notable is the oblique sketch of a lesbian couple who ride off into the sunset, a risky inclusion for the time period (and generally sanitized from most versions of the story).
This is by no means a quick read, but it is very much recommended for fans of classic literature.
Book Review: The Count of Monte Cristo
Summary: 5 Stars
Edmond Dantès, framed of treason by some people he thought he trusted, seeks revenge. After becoming promoted to captain at the early age of nineteen, Edmond is envied by many, Mondego is in love with Edmond's fiancée, Danglars wants the position of Edmond, and Cauderousse despises Edmond and his fortune. The men plot to have Edmond thrown in jail, and so he is. There he meets Faria, a priest who teaches him the secret to a treasure, hidden on the island of Monte Cristo. When Edmond breaks free, he finds the treasure, and with it he develops elaborate plans from what he finds out about those who betrayed him, and takes away everything from them, one by one. This is an excellent book, recommended to readers who enjoy examining complicated plots.
This book did indeed have a very interesting plot. Edmond first finds Cauderousse and receives important information about the other two people who framed him. He becomes a great friend of Mondego who is very powerful and wealthy by saving his son from bandits. He learns that Mondego received his wealth by betraying a friend. His deceitfulness wrecks his reputation, his wife (Edmond's former fiancée) and son abandon him and commits suicide.
The characters are also very interesting, being very unique and realistic. Edmond at first is a young man having great honesty and friendship, one you would not expect to take revenge so severely. He almost develops a complete different personality as the Count of Monte Cristo, a grudge-bearing and angry man hidden under a mask of kindness. One of Edmond's targets, Danglars, may be described as greedy and selfish. It is through this trait that Edmond punishes him and makes him bankrupt.
Aside from having an interesting plot, this book also is suspenseful in many ways. When Edmond attempts to escape from jail, he is thrown unexpectedly into the sea. Another suspenseful scene is when Edmond watches as a ship is torn apart in the storm. This story may also be suspenseful in other ways beside intense action. When Edmond follows through with his plots of revenge, it is exciting to see what will happen next.
This book is an excellent and challenging work, good for almost any reader who enjoys classic novels taking place in the past. This particular classic is one which challenges the work of Edgar Allen Poe
I. Leung