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The Count of Monte Cristo

by Alexandre Dumas

4.02 · rating details · 249,987 ratings · 6,989 reviews

Wrongfully imprisoned for fourteen years, Edmond Dantes escapes to the island of Monte Cristo. What awaits him there is a fortune in gold-and a new identity with which to persue his revenge and redemption.

Paperback, 509 pages

Published April 5th 2005 by Signet Classics (first published January 21st 1845)

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Jun 22, 2011

Joel rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Joel by: Donna

Shelves: personal-collection, 2010, 52-in-2010, classics, haw-haw-haw-i-am-french, translated, a-dish-best-served-cold, long-as-shit, favorites, vote-getters, 30-day-book-challenge

Revenge is a dish best served cold. And unabridged. And translated from the French by Robin Buss.

The greatness of this book can be illustrated by the following simple equations:

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) <

Whereas, the majesty of the Count of Counting added to the deliciousness of a Monte Cristo sandwich from Bennigans still does not overmatch the inherent kickass value of the Dumas novel [which is, it can therefore be said, greater than the sum of its parts, both obsessive-com...more

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Dec 10, 2008

BunWat rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2008

Raising my clasped hands to heaven and casting my eyes upward with an indescribable expression of suffering as the vital force deserts my body causing me to fall senseless to the floor only to rise a moment later filled with a restlessness that cannot be assuaged, pacing endlessly, unconsciously twisting and tearing between my ever moving hands a white cambric cloth soaked with the crystalline tears that drop ceaselessly from my swollen orbs, I cry "Why, why is this book so looong!!" ...more

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Apr 18, 2010

Cynthia rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: dumas-et-al

** Spoiler alert**

First, make sure you find a copy that is unabridged. Most editions in English ARE abridged, but usually don't say they are. Not sure if this Penguin edition is, it's not the one i read.
Readers generally think of this as a tale of revenge. For me, it was much deeper. I'm not a religious person at all, but for me this is a book that makes you question the existence of God or a god. Edmond Dantes is without flaw, a truly good person, and his life is ruined becau...more

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Jan 19, 2012

Kim rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, all-time-favourites, french-language

They don't write novels like this anymore. That's because they make television drama series and soap operas instead. To my mind, this novel is the 19th Century equivalent of a long-running and compelling television series. I can readily imagine being a reader of the Journal des Débats between August 1844 and January 1846, impatiently waiting for the next installment of Le Comte de Monte Cristo to be published, eagerly discussing each installment with my friends around the 19th Century equ...more
They don't write novels like this anymore. That's because they make television drama series and soap operas instead. To my mind, this novel is the 19th Century equivalent of a long-running and compelling television series. I can readily imagine being a reader of the Journal des Débats between August 1844 and January 1846, impatiently waiting for the next installment of Le Comte de Monte Cristo to be published, eagerly discussing each installment with my friends around the 19th Century equivalent of the water-cooler, exclaiming at each plot development, gasping at every cliff-hanger.

What fun it has been over the past few weeks to consume The Count of Monte Cristo in much the same way as I watched all seven seasons of The West Wing one after another a few years ago: wanting to spend as much time as I could with the story, yet simultaneously wanting to slow down in order to prolong the enjoyment, loving (almost) every moment of it. The Count of Monte Cristo is probably more Dallas than it is The West Wing, but you get the general idea.

The plot’s the thing here. Dumas (and his collaborator August Maquet) created a dense and complex story, the many threads of which are woven together into a most satisfying whole, with no threads left loose at the end of more than 1200 pages. This is the story Edmond Dantès’ revenge against the three men who caused him to be unjustly accused of treason and imprisoned for fourteen years. Dantès, who becomes the Count of Monte Cristo, carries out his revenge after developing a careful plan over many years. For him, revenge is most definitely a dish to be eaten cold. It’s also a dish which causes a degree of moral indigestion, as he comes to realise that what he sees as a divine obligation can have unintended (and horrific) consequences.

It’s far from a plausible story and it’s fair to say that the theme of revenge is more successfully realised than is the theme of redemption. The plot is indeed totally over the top, with elements of fable and fairy tale, replete with Orientalist imagery which for me brought to mind The Arabian Nights. Luckily for such an intricately plotted novel, the story moves along at a cracking pace, much of it in dialogue, which makes for an easy read notwithstanding the novel’s length.

Characterisation is somewhat sacrificed in the process of weaving the many strands of the plot together. While the Count himself is a compelling character, other characters are less so and female characters in particular are rather flat. One exception is Eugénie Danglars, who has the potential to be very interesting in her own right, although not enough time is spent with her for her potential to be fully realised. However, deficiencies in characterisation are more than made up for by the sheer thrill of the tale.

My enjoyment of The Count of Monte Cristo has been increased by it being a buddy read with several members of the Comfort Reads group. It has also been increased by listening to it as a French language audiobook downloaded from www.audiocite.net. Apart from hearing Dumas’ words as they were written, there was the immense joy of hearing beautiful, literary French, including the wonderful simple past tense, never heard in regular speech.

I can’t say that this is a flawless novel and deserves five stars for that reason. But I was on the edge of my seat as I listened to it for some 47 hours. As I neared the end, I started wondering just how soon I could justify a re-read. It doesn’t get much better than that.
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Oct 11, 2011

Mariel rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Jeremy Irons

Recommended to Mariel by: the candy bar

Shelves: babywecouldbefamous, thebighouse, celebrity-deathmatch

Celebrity Death Match.

One, two, three, four... Ohhh, my lady... I will ride in and rescue you, my sweeet laaady, let nothing happen to my sweet laddddy... Horse and carriage of fiiire, let me ride you like I'm your horse and your knight in shining armour... sweet, sweet, sweeeet! laaaaaady-

The three heroic heart throbs who inspire damsels to enter distress stop bumping and gyrating in choreographed rehearsed synchronicity. Athos sings "lady" a touch too long and is angry to be embarrassed and in...more

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May 19, 2008

J rated it

· review of another edition

What does it say about me as a critic when the best book I’ve read all year was first serialized in the 1840s? From start to finish thoroughly enjoyable, Alexandre Dumas’ 1200 page revenge epic The Count of Monte Cristo wastes little time in not thrusting the plot along, quite violently so at times, and includes within a brief, sketchy history of the return of Napoleon and his subsequent second defeat, a primer on hashish, and a proto-seed for the detective tale that would later blossom under Po...more

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Nov 18, 2011

Joe rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 101-of-1001, classics, favorites, mlis-book-club, own

Every soap opera ever produced owes an enormous amount of debt to The Count of Monte Cristo, a sprawling, messy, over-the-top, gleefully melodramatic bitchslap fest.

In fact, I propose that the grandest of bitchslaps be henceforth referred to as a Monte Cristo Bitchslap because of the masterful manner in which Edmond Dantès delivers one colossal bitchslap after another to all who wronged him. And to those who wronged him by association? Thou shalt also receive a furious bitchslap! Cle...more

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Feb 09, 2008

Chris rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics

Why did no one tell me about this book? I mean seriously, I was about a hundred pages in and I wanted to go find my freshman high school English teacher and inflict terrible, intricate revenge on her for depriving me of a great book. I figured first I could assume a new identity, perhaps insinuating myself into her life. I'd make her trust me and put all her faith in me, and then I would UTTERLY CRUSH HER!!! MWAH-HA-HA-HA!!!!

Seriously, this was an awesome book. I am not a big fan of ...more

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Jan 31, 2011

Flannery rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics, favorites, i-want-to-go-to-there

Ahhh, life is good on my private island. It's nice and quiet. I've got my copy of The Count of Monte Cristoand a bottomless cup of refreshing water. Don't worry about me though, because if you look carefully, there is a hole on the island. But it isn't just a hole--it's a portal like the wardrobe in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe that leads to a cute little cabin in the woods with a library, a bathroom, and a huge comfortable bed. And enchiladas...lots of enchiladas. I guess Con...more

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May 02, 2011

Kris rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: own-it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Our book club read The Count of Monte Cristo during December/January. I chose the unabridged version (1200+ pages), but it was worth it! This version (published by Penguin) was recently translated, so the language wasn't stilted or awkward. It was quite easy to read.

For those of you who aren't familiar with this book, it takes place in the early 1800's in France. The hero is Edmond Dantes, who is a dashing young sailor when we first meet him. However, he has an enemy who is jealous o...moreOur book club read The Count of Monte Cristo during December/January. I chose the unabridged version (1200+ pages), but it was worth it! This version (published by Penguin) was recently translated, so the language wasn't stilted or awkward. It was quite easy to read.

For those of you who aren't familiar with this book, it takes place in the early 1800's in France. The hero is Edmond Dantes, who is a dashing young sailor when we first meet him. However, he has an enemy who is jealous of his good fortune, and this enemy puts into motion the steps that will find poor Edmond falsely accused of treason and sentenced to life in prison in a dungeon. While imprisoned, Edmond connects with a fellow prisoner, who is tunneling out for an escape. This other prisoner is a learned Abbe, and educates Edmond in literature, science, language, psychology, philosophy, etc. The Abbe becomes so attached to Edmond that he tells him of a secret cache of uncountable riches. Edmond manages to escape (in a most daring and spine-tingling manner), and finds this treasure - on the island of Monte Cristo. With his riches, Edmond plans to reward those who were kind to him and his family during this ordeal, and to punish those who imprisoned him. Of course, no one knows who he is, as he now calls himself 'The Count of Monte Cristo'.

The book is essentially in three parts: the first part where Edmond is in prison, the second part where he rewards those who were kind to him, and the last part where he gets his revenge. This last part was the most entertaining for me - Edmond doesn't just want revenge, he wants to make them suffer for a long, long time. It's very interesting to see him set up these elaborate situations that basically enable each of enemy to be undone by his own foibles - greed, money, power. When each man falls, it's pretty impressive.

I also learned a lot about French society at the time, as well as some Napoleonic history. I was surprised at the amount of sex in the book, given when it was written. While the sex is not explicit, there's a lot of it happening, and not between married couples! There's even a lesbian character. Somehow I thought that books of that era were pretty G-rated. But, maybe not in France!

If you do read it, I suggest you find some way to track the characters and their relationships with one another. Silly me, while I was reading it I didn't think to look online for such an aid, so I mapped out my own diagram. Now I've found a very good diagram here.

I also read some commentaries about the novel, and about its style. Dantes is a perfect example of a Romantic hero: dashing, talented and possessing skills above the norm. And the novel is an example of a Romantic novel, where the hero overcomes all, and everything gets wrapped up into a happy ending.

Definitely a good read - all 1200+ pages!!
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Feb 02, 2012

Mike (the Paladin) rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics

I enjoyed this one probably more than Dumas' other books. Just me of course. High adventure and drama, revenge and love (lost and otherwise). Dumas at his best.

I came across Dumas first when I was in high school or Jr. high (I don't suppose that term is used anymore is it? Jr. high was 7th and 8th grade). No it wasn't required reading, it was an old copy of The Three Musketeers I found at my Grandmother's. Since then I've read other of his works and like a lot of people I had to lear...more

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Nov 06, 2008

Abigail rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anyone Considering Revenge / Readers Who Like a Good Adventure Story

Shelves: literature-classics

One of Alexandre Dumas' most popular works, The Count of Monte Cristo is an epic tale of wrongful imprisonment and masterful revenge, standing at the apex of this kind of nineteenth-century adventure novel. The story of Edmund Dantes, a young sailor from Marseille whose happiness and good fortune arouse the jealousy of his enemies, the novel follows its hero from his terrible years of imprisonment for a crime he didn't commit, through his escape and reinvention of himself as the Count of Monte C...moreOne of Alexandre Dumas' most popular works, The Count of Monte Cristo is an epic tale of wrongful imprisonment and masterful revenge, standing at the apex of this kind of nineteenth-century adventure novel. The story of Edmund Dantes, a young sailor from Marseille whose happiness and good fortune arouse the jealousy of his enemies, the novel follows its hero from his terrible years of imprisonment for a crime he didn't commit, through his escape and reinvention of himself as the Count of Monte Cristo, a shadowy and charismatic figure who enacts his meticulous plan for revenge against the backdrop of Paris.

As someone passionately interested in issues of translation, I should perhaps begin by mentioning that I read the edition published by Penguin Books as part of their "Penguin Classics" line, translated by Robin Buss. I understand from the introduction that it is the first complete English translation of The Count of Monte Cristo ever made, and I am quite glad that I never happened to read the novel before this edition was released in 2003. I am sure that my enjoyment was enhanced by Buss, who "disappeared" as it were, creating a literary product that never felt "foreign," despite its obvious French milieu.

As for the book itself, this was my first foray into the work of Alexandre Dumas, but I certainly hope it will not be my last. I enjoyed the story immensely, and was amazed at how quickly I flew through the pages. Although quite long (1243 pages of actual text) I never found myself bored or impatient, never got bogged down in minute details, or felt confused by the many sub-plots. This is owing, I am sure, to the fact that The Count of Monte Cristo is narrative-driven, and less given to philosophical musings than a more psychological novel would be. Dumas, after all, is no Russian...

Which brings me to my criticism. Although a most engaging story, with moments of true emotional impact, I found it somewhat lacking in intellectual depth and moral clarity, particularly as it concerned the hero's evolving rationale for his actions. While nothing could be more natural than the desire for revenge, Monte Cristo's vision of himself as an avenging angel of God was problematic for me; not because of the hubris implicit in such a position, but because of its reliance on emotion, rather than reason.

I am aware that this is a hallmark of the Romantic movement, and was therefore unsurprised when Dumas addressed his character's hubris, but not his emotionalism. Nevertheless, Monte Cristo's vacillation between certainty: "Yes, I am the agent of God," and uncertainty: "Perhaps it's wrong to punish the guilty and innocent alike in my quest for vengeance," was unsatisfying and unconvincing, largely because his uncertainty is answered, not by a counter-argument, but by a resurgence of his original anger. The moral ambiguity of this formulation meant that, unlike so many other readers, I was unable to appreciate the novel as a tale of redemption.

I was struck, moreover, by the fact that I often had to read with a "dual consciousness," as it concerned the issues of gender and sexuality. When I could immerse myself in Edmund/Monte Cristo's perspective, when I could become him, I was largely untroubled by the many instances of chauvinism and misogyny. But when I could not become Edmund, I noticed the utter dearth of three-dimensional female characters, and the many ludicrous stereotypes and double-standards. Dumas was a product of his time, and my dissatisfaction with his flaws is tempered by that knowledge. I enjoyed The Count of Monte Cristo, despite my qualms. But it is still a melancholy reality, when we must divorce ourselves from a portion of our own self-knowledge, in order to appreciate a piece of literature...(less)

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Jun 17, 2011

Anastasia rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classici

"Oh, diamine. Io non so proprio cosa dire su questo capolavoro! Se cerco dentro di me la prima voce che emerge è un ringraziamento. Un umile ringraziamento. L'avrete provata anche voi quella sorta di gratitudine nel ripercorrere tutta la storia dopo aver letto l'ultima pagina.
No, no.. Un passo indietro, và.
Di solito prima c'è quello strano silenzio immobile, si è intontiti e tutto sembra inverosimile. Poi, almeno nel mio caso, si sorride come inebetiti. E poi c'è quella gratitu...more"Oh, diamine. Io non so proprio cosa dire su questo capolavoro! Se cerco dentro di me la prima voce che emerge è un ringraziamento. Un umile ringraziamento. L'avrete provata anche voi quella sorta di gratitudine nel ripercorrere tutta la storia dopo aver letto l'ultima pagina.
No, no.. Un passo indietro, và.
Di solito prima c'è quello strano silenzio immobile, si è intontiti e tutto sembra inverosimile. Poi, almeno nel mio caso, si sorride come inebetiti. E poi c'è quella gratitudine, più profonda o meno dipende dall'esperienza appena conclusa.

Non andrò a commentare la storia in sé, è talmente lunga che il minimo accenno sarebbe già un'anticipazione indesiderata a chi non ha ancora affrontato l'opera di Dumas. Quindici anni circa compressi in 960 pagine. 960 pagine belle, tutte quante. Non c'è n'è una che possa valere meno di un'altra. Non c'è del superfluo, sono tutte necessarie. Ogni personaggio è umano, primo di tutti il caro Conte di Montecristo. Forse molto di più degli altri. E' un personaggio che, se avrete voglia di dedicare tempo a questo libro, vi affascinerà. Sono sicura che imparerete a volergli bene. E di un po' d'amore ne ha davvero bisogno, lui. Per me è diventato uno degli affetti più importanti fra i miei personaggi letterari preferiti. La sua è un'avventura coinvolgente, commovente a tratti ed estremamente vera nei sentimenti.
Dumas ha saputo tessere una trama intricata, un reticolato talmente ben elaborato da stupire. Qui non basta un colpo di genio, qui il nostro autore, per me almeno, ha dovuto riflettere, riflettere, cercare di combinare il tutto nel migliore dei modi per servirvi un piatto il più gustoso possibile. Una lode al suo lavoro e sopratutto al personaggio che ha creato, che dopo duecento anni raccoglie nella cerchia un'altra affezionata. Spero che saprà farsi altri amici nel corso del tempo. Spero davvero che questo libro viva, viva ancora trasportato dalle memorie dei suoi lettori.
Oh, giusto. Non esiste solo il Conte, pff! Anzi, ce ne sono a bizzeffe di personaggi! Ognuno ha i suoi meriti. C'è chi ne ha di meno e chi di più, ma ogni personaggio è stato costruito con attenzione. Balzerete da una famiglia all'altra, magari desiderando per un momento rimanere fra i vostri favoriti, ma è inevitabile! Non c'è tempo, bisogna continuare assolutamente! Ad un certo punto sembra davvero di essere sballonzolati da una parte all'altra, magari con qualche scossa. Però ne vale la pena, eheh.

Importante è anche ciò che Edmondo Dantés si premura di dirvi, dopo aver raccontato la sua storia. Un messaggio importante, molto importante, ed altro motivo di gratitudine verso questa lettura. Perché questo messaggio è forse ciò che c'è di più utile proprio ora, per noi giovani e per chiunque altro.
Per chi è ancora non conosce le pagine di questo libro, io spero davvero che un giorno prenderà coraggio (se il volume vi spaventa) e partirà per quest'avventura! Credetemi, tornere a casa soddisfatti. ;) Leggetelo per scoprire Edmondo Dantés, leggetelo per contemplare il reticolato di Dumas, leggetelo per vivere fra i sobborghi di Parigi e fra le vite dei suoi personaggi.
Insomma, leggetelo e basta! :D (less)

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Jun 30, 2008

Bakeshow rated it

· review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I really think that this is the way I'm going to die. This book is going to kill me...

Ok, So after more than two months of sheer torture, pulling teeth would have been more enjoyable, I finished this book! I hated it! I hate it I hate it I hate it!

Ok, actually, it wasn't all that bad. The first like, 30 chapters totally sucked me in and got me into it. I loved it and was sad I hadn't discovered it before. But then, he goes off on a 40 chapter tangent that just d...moreI really think that this is the way I'm going to die. This book is going to kill me...

Ok, So after more than two months of sheer torture, pulling teeth would have been more enjoyable, I finished this book! I hated it! I hate it I hate it I hate it!

Ok, actually, it wasn't all that bad. The first like, 30 chapters totally sucked me in and got me into it. I loved it and was sad I hadn't discovered it before. But then, he goes off on a 40 chapter tangent that just doesn't matter! There was waaaay too much description for my taste. He takes 50 pages to say what I could say in a paragraph. I know it was written in serials... and blah blah blah.. I just don't have the attention span for it.

I actually quit about a third of the way through the book and got it on CD to see if that would help. I still wanted to poke my eyes out. It's not even really about the Count. It spends more time on the substories and their intricate plots. I thought they were cool, and I liked how they were resolved. But it was just annoying.

I was more than halfway through the book and he was still introducing plots and characters... when I'm halfway through a book, I want to be into THE STORY.. it took too long to GET there. Argh...

AND I hated the end. I know it's a differnt time and things were acceptable that aren't really now.. but ending up with the 16 year old? Really? sick. So much for true love and finding a way to make it work with Mercedes.

I did love the poison plot though. I mean, I knew who it was from the get go, but it was still cool, though a little too Romeo and Juliet-ish for me. Only, it ended well instead of the lovers dying.. (almost though, whew!)

My friend who read if for the same book club I did, read the abridged version. 40 chapters less and hundreds of pages. What does that say about this book? that there is an entire full length novel's worth of unimportant drivel that does not add to the story.

Would I recommend it? You wouldn't think by this review, but yes, I would. But just go into it knowing that it's really wordy. A lot like this review. (less)

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Sep 30, 2011

Manny marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: celebrity-death-match

For the Celebrity Death Match Review Tournament, Les Trois Mousquetaires (31) versus The Count of Monte Cristo (15)

- Untie the prisoner. Edmond Dantès, the court is now in session.

- Hey! What kind of kangaroo court is this! And what are the charges anyway?

- Look, Dantès, we're all Dumas characters. Only one of us can progress to the next round, so it better be the cooler ones, right? We're charging you with being less cool than Les Trois Mousquetaires.

...more

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Jan 16, 2009

Becky rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: classics, owned, 2009, reviewed, historical-fiction

Wow. This book was amazing.

I love well-written classics, and this one fits the bill perfectly. Granted, there were some discrepancies, mainly to do with time and ages (saying Mercedes had a portrait of herself done when she was 25 when she really would have been 32, etc), but if I had not been reading this edition, I probably would not have noticed those things. In any event, it did not detract from the story at all.

Pretty much everyone knows what The Count of Monte Cri...moreWow. This book was amazing.

I love well-written classics, and this one fits the bill perfectly. Granted, there were some discrepancies, mainly to do with time and ages (saying Mercedes had a portrait of herself done when she was 25 when she really would have been 32, etc), but if I had not been reading this edition, I probably would not have noticed those things. In any event, it did not detract from the story at all.

Pretty much everyone knows what The Count of Monte Cristo is about, so this isn't going to be a rehash of the plot, but rather the feelings that I had while reading it.

I first have to say that I was enthralled with this book from start to finish. It took me 9 days to read, but I think that if I was not as addicted to Goodreads as I am, I'd have probably finished in half that time.

I'm glad that I read the unabridged version of this story. I'm glad that I was persistent in wanting to experience the nuance of this book, because it was worth it. I'm sure that the abridged editions are exciting, but that's like eating a Hershey's kiss when you could be eating the finest Belgian chocolate. There is just no comparison.

Poor Edmond Dantes broke my heart. After his arrest, when he is taken to prison and spends the entire first night standing in the middle of his cell, crying and alone, it broke my heart. To know that people could be so cruel broke my heart and I wanted revenge for him.

His relationship with Abbe Faria made me happy, because it made Edmond happy. I couldn't imagine the kind of torture it must be like to never be able to speak to another person. So, for being subjected to that fate, on a whim, I prayed for him to get his revenge.

I was glad when he did, and it was a beautiful thing. Intricately woven, well planned, and executed perfectly. At times, I felt that The Count was a bit cruel, but I realize that it was necessary for him to detach himself from those whose punishment he was delivering. Danglars got off easiest, which did slightly disappoint me, as he was the mastermind behind Dantes misfortune, but I understand Dantes decision in allowing him to live, and I think that it was the right one. Danglars will, until his dying day, know what forgiveness and mercy is, and wonder why he should have been granted his pardon when by all rights Dantes could have made him suffer endlessly. I hope it drives him mad.

But listen to me... I'm talking about these people as if they are real. They felt real. I had dreams about this story, and reading it wasn't so much reading as experiencing.

I would highly recommend this book. If you haven't already read it, do so. Now.

...Why are you still reading this? (less)

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Jul 15, 2008

HappyHippo rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classic, book-to-movies, all-time-favorit

Do you believe in karma?

So, okay, sometimes intentionally or not we make an awful, rash, bad, or wrong decisions. Decisions we pretty much recognize we're going to grieve over afterwards (sooner or later)
But still...
Once in a blue moon, something deep down inside us decides to conduct an unwise and brainless thing, a thing we conscioulsy aware will doubtless turn around and kick us in the ass! yet we do it anyway...

What I'm trying to say to say is..
We re...more

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Mar 11, 2008

Olivia rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Olivia by: English class

Shelves: classic, historical-fiction

An essay for English-again, not that great.

The classic French novel, The Count of Monte Cristo was written by Alexandre Dumas. The setting of The Count of Monte Cristo is very important as the politics of the day greatly affect the plot. It takes place primarily in France after the exile of the former emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte. The novel begins in 1815 with Napoleon exiled to Elba and continues through the years after his failed revolution to1844.

The protagonist of T...moreAn essay for English-again, not that great.

The classic French novel, The Count of Monte Cristo was written by Alexandre Dumas. The setting of The Count of Monte Cristo is very important as the politics of the day greatly affect the plot. It takes place primarily in France after the exile of the former emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte. The novel begins in 1815 with Napoleon exiled to Elba and continues through the years after his failed revolution to1844.

The protagonist of The Count of Monte Cristo is Edmond Dantes, a naïve but good-hearted sailor, who is falsely accused of treason. He is employed by the honest owner of a shipping company, Monsieur Morrel. Count of Monte Cristo is one of several aliases a bitter Dantes adopts after his imprisonment. Before he is arrested, Dantes lives with his father, Louis Dantes, and is engaged to marry a beautiful girl, Mercedes. Mercedes is admired by and later marries Fernand Mondego, one of the men who conspire against Dantes. Mondego is aided in framing Dantes by Danglars, an envious sailor who was passed over for a promotion given to Dantes and Gerard de Villefort, an ambitious prosecutor with the misfortune of having a Bonapartist father. While in prison, Dantes befriends a fellow prisoner, Abbe Faria, who becomes his mentor. Dantes is greatly affected by Abbe Faria; it is he who helps Dantes discover the plot against him, teaches him science and several languages, provides his great wealth and enables his escape from Chateau Dif. After his escape, Dantes meets children of both his friends and enemies from his life before his incarceration. Maximilian Morrel is a good man and the son of Dantes’s former employer, Monsieur Morrel. Maximilian is in love with a kind, young girl, Valentine de Villefort daughter of Gerard de Villefort- the prosecutor who sentenced Edmond. Albert de Morcerf, a spoiled but loyal young man, is the son of Dantes’s former fiancée, Mercedes, and his nemesis, Fernand Mondego. Then there is Haydee, the slave girl Dantes grows to love whose tragic history is vital to the ruining of Fernand Mondego.

The Count of Monte Cristo is the story of Edmond Dantes, a kind sailor who is imprisoned under false charges of treason. After fourteen years in the prison Chateau Dif, Dantes escapes, but he is irreversibly altered. He is no longer naïve and ignorant but learned, callous and thirsty for vengeance. Dantes acquires a great deal of wealth and makes new names for himself: Lord Wilmore, Abbe Busoni, Sinbad the Sailor and Count of Monte Cristo. As he plans the downfall of his betrayers, Dantes discovers that by destroying them he has allowed himself to become as evil as they. After this epiphany, he repents and extends mercy to his remaining enemy. In the end, he returns to Chateau Dif, to visit his cell and is finally able to let go of his bitterness and find peace.

The climax of the story is the success of the Count of Monte Cristo’s meticulous quest for revenge against the people responsible for robbing him of his happiness by sending him to prison. While he was imprisoned, Edmond Dantes vowed that he would have vengeance against the people who put him there. Thus, from the moment he escapes, his entire focus is on ruining the lives of these individuals as thoroughly as they ruined his. He continues along this path without remorse until his plans go wrong, and he unintentionally causes the death of Monsieur de Villefort’s young son. This sobering event forces him to realize his own cruelty.

An important theme in The Count of Monte Cristo is the Count’s struggle with his God-complex. Consumed by his desire for revenge, the Count feels that he alone can see that justice is done against Villefort, Caderousse, Danglars, and Fernand, and he is completely unscrupulous in his methods of carrying it out. He decides who deserves to live and who deserves to die and plans their demise accordingly. The Count sees all the hypocrisy and cruelty in others and punishes them for it, but he sees none of these vices in himself. Toward the end of the novel, the Count understands that he is not immune to human weakness and that by seeking revenge against these people he is behaving as mercilessly and selfishly to them as they were to him.

The Count of Monte Cristo is not my favorite book, but it is not my least favorite either. There are aspects of The Count of Monte Cristo that I think Dumas executed marvelously. The plot, for instance, is amazingly detailed, and the characterization is wonderful. Dumas had so many characters in this novel, yet he was able to make each one unique and portray them in such a way that we, the readers, understand them and their motivations. I love character driven stories so, for me, connecting with and understanding the characters is the most important facet of a story. The Count of Monte Cristo has several great, round characters, even if they are not my personal favorite. Overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to others.
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May 14, 2011

idpramudita rated it

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Shelves: favorites

Genius. Breathtaking. I am so amazed with the writer's capability to create such complicated but interesting story. Once I have finished, I watched the movie. But it disappoint me. Same title but different story. The novel is much much better I think.

Kita menuai apa yang kita tanam. Pepatah tersebut terasa lekat dalam novel ini. Cerita mengisahkan tentang seorang pelaut muda yang jujur, berani, dan penuh semangat bernama Edmon Dantes. Di usia 19 tahun, ia akan segera menikahi kek...moreGenius. Breathtaking. I am so amazed with the writer's capability to create such complicated but interesting story. Once I have finished, I watched the movie. But it disappoint me. Same title but different story. The novel is much much better I think.

Kita menuai apa yang kita tanam. Pepatah tersebut terasa lekat dalam novel ini. Cerita mengisahkan tentang seorang pelaut muda yang jujur, berani, dan penuh semangat bernama Edmon Dantes. Di usia 19 tahun, ia akan segera menikahi kekasih cantiknya, Mercedes, sekaligus diangkat menjadi kapten kapal Pharaon. Namun, pada hari pernikahannya, ia mendadak dituduh dan dimasukkan ke penjara. Secara misterius, jaksa penuntut umum Villefort menjebloskan Dantes ke penjara Château d'If, yaitu penjara untuk kriminal kelas berat.

Di tengah deritanya, nasib baik masih melongok Dantes. Kehadiran seorang tahanan bernama Abbe Faria membukakan mata Dantes akan adanya suatu persekongkolan. Dalam dingin dan gelapnya sel bawah tanah itu pula Dantes mempelajari segala sesuatu yang kelak sangat berguna. Suatu rahasia yang diberikan oleh Faria menambah lengkap amunisi Dantes untuk balas dendam. Hingga pada suatu ketika nama Dantes lenyap dan muncul nama baru, yaitu The Count of Monte Cristo yang segera menjadi populer di kalangan masyarakat Paris.

Sebagian besar setting novel mengambil lokasi di Paris dan Marseille pada tahun 1815, yaitu saat Napoleon Bonaparte berhasil melarikan diri dari Pulau Elba. Dumas lincah menuntun pembaca menyaksikan setiap detil langkah Dantes untuk balas dendam. Hampir setiap halaman mampu membuat pembaca menahan napas, tegang, dan akhirnya (saya) membaca cepat atau mengintip halaman berikutnya untuk memenuhi rasa penasaran lalu kembali lagi ke halaman semula. Kecerdasan penulis pula yang membuat tokoh-tokoh yang semula (menurut kita) tidak kenal menjadi saling terhubung karena sebuah peristiwa. Bahkan, saya sering merenung sejenak untuk mengingat yang mana si A yang melakukan B yang berhubungan dengan C. Penulis tahu betul saat yang tepat untuk menyimpan lalu menghadirkan "bom" dalam sebuah adegan. Padahal, banyak sekali “bom” di novel ini yang membuat saya tercengang sekaligus kagum akan kepiawaian penulis.

Bentang Pustaka menggarap alih bahasa novel ini dengan menghadirkan penerjemah senior, yakni Nin Bakdi Soemanto, istri dari Bakdi Soemanto, sebuah nama yang tidak asing lagi di dunia sastra. Terjemahan bahasa Indonesianya masih berbau sastra. Saya sering membaca ulang satu kalimat yang panjangnya bisa mencapai 5 baris untuk memahami maknanya. Untungnya, tanda baca yang benar sangat membantu untuk memahami kalimat panjang tersebut. Namun sayang masih terdapat beberapa typo di novel ini.

Rumit. Cerdas. Sempurna.
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Oct 13, 2011

Anzu ZombieHazard rated it

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Recommends it for: cool people

Shelves: buddy-or-group-read, classics, my-reviews

I have to say that I actually loved the book until after he escaped. The rest turned out mostly into unnecessary details filled with just a little bit of a plot. His revenge turned out less bloody than I expected it to be and the ending was - excuse me Mr. Dumas I respect you but I have to share my feelings - stupid. It’s obvious that I prefer how things went in the movie and not the book.

I’ll give it four stars though. Why? Because compared to other classics the count of Monte Cris...more

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Apr 15, 2011

Hope rated it

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Shelves: classics, i-like-big-books-and-i-cannot-lie, 2011-reads, best-characters, reviewed, french, to-reread-someday

There is something so comforting about a classic. I don’t know if it’s just me? But whenever I get my hands on a classic novel, I suddenly feel like I’m home in the world of books. This is where I grew to love stories, this is the place where I am completely content and I continue to read not simply because I must know what happens next--there’s something so slow and waltzing about a classic, no matter how deep and complex the plot--it’s because of how the words feel; soothing and contenting,...more

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Jun 17, 2009

Amanda rated it

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Shelves: classics, thriller-adventure, 2009, translations

Oh finally! I’m done. I suppose I’ll just say right off that while this book is certainly well written, I didn’t enjoy it very much. It wasn’t the length or anything, though I wish I’d have chosen the abridged version. I’ll get to what bothered me momentarily. First I should give a short synopsis.

Minor spoilers follow for the rest of the review.

Edmond Dantes, an innocent young fisherman on the brink of marriage, is falsely accused of treason and thrown in prison. He’s stuck t...moreOh finally! I’m done. I suppose I’ll just say right off that while this book is certainly well written, I didn’t enjoy it very much. It wasn’t the length or anything, though I wish I’d have chosen the abridged version. I’ll get to what bothered me momentarily. First I should give a short synopsis.

Minor spoilers follow for the rest of the review.

Edmond Dantes, an innocent young fisherman on the brink of marriage, is falsely accused of treason and thrown in prison. He’s stuck there for 14 years, where he escapes, discovers treasure, and spends a decade pulling together a massively intricate plan of vigilante justice against the people who put him in jail, caused him to lose his betrothed, and allowed his father to die in Edmond’s absense.

For the first 30 or so chapters, about 350 of my 1500 pages, I really enjoyed the book. There were a couple political/historical discussions that made no sense to me whatsoever, not being a history person myself, and I had to skim those, but for the most part, I sympathized with Edmond, I was touched by the goodness he did initially after he escaped from prison, and I had hope for the book in general. Unfortunately, Dumas then goes off on a 40-something-chapter (or 700-page) tangent. At least 500 of those pages were almost completely pointless. I picked up a couple important names which reoccurred throughout the rest of the book, and beyond that, it was just boring and unnecessary. The last chapters picked up again, but by that point, I hated Edmond so much that I didn’t really care about all his plans, or how the plot turned out.

The first quarter of the book struck me differently than the rest. My biggest point to make about it has to do with the amount of guilt belonging to each person who led Edmond to prison. There were four people responsible to different degrees: Fernand, the jealous lover; Danglars, the spiteful coworker; Caderousse, the coveting neighbor; and Villefort, the ambitious lawyer. There is no doubt that of these four, Caderousse holds the least amount of responsibility. He doesn’t take part in writing the false accusation, and is kept too drunk to protest by Danglars and Fernand. He is, however, too cowardly to protest after Edmond is arrested, and later turns out to be a bad guy all around. But the other three all have a great responsibility. I have to admit, I understood both Fernand’s and Danglars’ motives. They may not be nice people, but they acted out of hatred, a strong emotion to them both. Villefort, however, completely bewilders me. In interviewing Edmond, he realizes he’s innocent, and decides to let him go. After Edmond leaves the room, however, he suddenly thinks, “Hey, I can better my station in life if I use this to my advantage!” Not in those exact words, of course, but it boils down to the same thing. He uses an innocent person, to whom he’s completely indifferent, on a whim, just to better himself. To me, that’s far worse than acting out of hatred or jealousy. I can’t understand that type of evil at all.

But after the first quarter of the book, this became a non-issue, because the biggest criminal of all emerged: Edmond Dantes himself. Seriously. He spends 25 years contemplating or planning revenge, exacted not only on the people responsible for his downfall but all of those around them. Not just they suffer – their families and friends and just about anyone that’s ever been in contact with them must suffer. And Edmond claims he’s only exacting the will of God, claiming he’s a messager or an avenging angel. Okay, so maybe the statement won’t make me too popular, but it really bothers me when people claim they know and are executing the will of God against other human beings. I don’t mind if someone thinks they are following the dictates of God through a religion, such as going to church every Sunday or not eating pork or whatever, as long as they aren’t imposing on other people. But I don’t believe anyone has the right to hurt or avenge themselves on others and claim that it’s what God wants them to do. Indeed, even Dumas seems to recognize this, as after 1100 pages of vigilante justice, on the very last page of the book, Edmond admits that he was probably wrong to think God was guiding his actions. Of course, since he’s already destroyed all his enemies and their families, the revelation comes a little late. That’s convenient.

Other things bothered me, too ([major spoiler alert here] like Edmond ending up in a relationship with the teenage girl he’s raised as his daughter, ew! [end spoiler]), but mostly I just didn’t have any sympathy with Edmond or his cause. In fact, there were few characters I liked all throughout the book. And while everyone pretty much received their due punishment except Edmond, I couldn’t feel good about it. I think it would have been sufficient for Edmond to have gone and proved that he was wrongly accused and put in jail. He could have brought about legal justice. Maybe it wouldn’t be as satisfying to him, but frankly, I don’t care. I would have enjoyed the book more had he been a good person.

I know other books by Dumas are also filled with this spiteful vigilante stuff. I think now of watching The Man in the Iron Mask, and I’m pretty sure the book would have been all about revenge and eye-for-an-eye justice, too. That pretty much causes me to want to avoid Dumas altogether. Having said that, though, I’m sure other people would actually get a kick out of this book, because there’s lots of adventure and a very intricate plot, except for the 700 pages in the middle where almost nothing happens. For being so old, it actually reads fairly modern, and I think the abridged version would cut out a lot of the babble and move along quickly.

And I am glad that I’ve read it now. I think it was good for me, even if I didn’t enjoy it.(less)

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Apr 05, 2009

Whitelady3 rated it

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Shelves: audiobook, own, 2009

I read it a couple of years ago and, since I don't have the book with me at the moment, I picked up the audiobook. It's simply wonderful, magnificent.

Having read it before doesn't make it shine less, on the contrary, I loved it even more. I don't think it is a book about vengeance; it has more of hope than vengeance. Is hope that keeps Dantès alive, even if to get back at those who done him wrong, in Château d'If. Is hope of making bad things good that moves his vengeance.

...more

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Feb 03, 2008

Elizabeth rated it

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I did it! I made it through 1,365 pages--I seriously had trouble putting this book down but it was so heavy that it hurt my wrists--ha ha! Thanks, Dymphna, for the suggestion. This DRAMATIC book has everything: romance, revenge, intrigue, suffering, triumph, poisoning, suicide, cross dressing, disguises, politics, power, control, greed, subterfuge, ingenuity, blackmail, murder, mystery, resurrection, fortune, betrayal, brilliance, trial, infidelity, a spoiled brat!, swindling, titles, treasure,...more

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Dec 17, 2007

Sylvia rated it

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I can see why this book is a classic. The story is intricate, the writing sophisticated, and the plot masterful. However, the reason that it only gets three stars is because of the main character--Edmond Dantes. I found him to be entirely incongruent. Why was he portrayed as the hero? Why was he the good guy? His revenge was merciless; his cruelty was unlimited. He threw around his money like it was some sort of weapon. He was deceitful, hateful, and greedy. Yet, Dumas portrays him as v...more

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Feb 15, 2010

Jillian -always aspiring- rated it

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Shelves: favorite-books, best-characters, writing-to-which-i-aspire, fab-writing, amazing-storytelling, will-love-it-until-i-die, ultimate-favorites, i-am-not-worthy, comfort-reads, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, wowed-me

I probably saw this on Wishbone long before I had ever read it . . . but anyway.

Alexandre Dumas is most well-known for his books The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo. I don't care for the "All for One, and One for All!" brigade much (probably saw them on Wishbone at one point too) -- but I adore this tale of vengeance, deception, and intrigues following one man's rise to power after a devastating fall. (And I'll be mum on the details.)

Dumas proba...more

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Feb 09, 2011

Kim (vnfan) rated it

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Recommends it for: everyone

Ahh...The Count of Monte Cristo.

This is my desert island book, my "if you could only have one book for the rest of your life" book. It was the first classic novel I read, back in the 8th grade for an assignment. I was hooked immediately. When I found out that the format of the book we'd been assigned was an abridged version, I immediately begin badgering our local library to get the unabridged version (back in the days before you could just order on amazon). I was ecsta...more

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Dec 15, 2008

Teri rated it

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I have read this book about 4 times and I would give the abridged version 5 stars but this unabridged I'm giving 4. Surprisingly the sections that have been "cut out" don't really add that much to the story and I didn't really learn anything new.

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Apr 16, 2008

Eliza rated it

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This is by far the longest book I've ever read, and I had to keep notes on the characters, since their relationships and roles were difficult to keep straight. It was ALSO perhaps the most satisfying read I've ever had. An amazing story of the weaving of the most elaborate revenge...If you've seen the movie, you have no idea what this book is about. I highly recommend it!!!

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Jan 19, 2009

Jemmuel rated it

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A classic. An amazing book. A very long read...but worth every letter.

This epic story is of Edmund Dantes, who is rich, handsome, and has the love of his life. Until, that is, his jealous foes intercede and destroy his life. As the story progresses, it turns into the greatest and well brought out revenge story, along with the glimpses of romance and allegiance and life. Alexander Dumas wrote an amazing book, and captures your attention page after page.

Alexander looks i...more

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Happily Ever Afte...: The Count of Monte Cristo	15	14	Feb 07, 2012 06:55pm
Bookish: The Count of Monte Cristo - Week Three (15 Oct - 21 Oct)	33	37	Jan 22, 2012 05:38am
Comfort Reads: Count of Monte Cristo -- General w/out Spoilers	33	60	Jan 12, 2012 04:37pm
Bookish: The Count of Monte Cristo - Week 12 (Dec 18 - Dec 24)	4	23	Dec 31, 2011 08:13pm
Confused about Villefort's crime	3	88	Dec 28, 2011 03:23pm
karma or revenge?	18	133	Dec 14, 2011 08:14am
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About Alexandre Dumas

This note regards Alexandre Dumas, père, the father of Alexandre Dumas, fils (son). For the son, see Alexandre Dumas fils.

Alexandre Dumas, père (French for "father", akin to Senior in English), born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, was a French writer, best known for his numerous historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors i...more

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