Goodreads | The Count of Monte Cristo (Signet Classics)

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J rated it:

(review of isbn 0140449264)

05/19/08

Read in December, 2006

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 bloss...more

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Jessica rated it:

(review of isbn 0140449264)

07/22/08

recommended to Jessica by: my father
recommends it for: adventure lovers

This is probably the deepest of Dumas's books (not saying much--he is mostly just pure adventure). It is first of all a wonderful, riveting story, but it also discusses the propriety of revenge. Should someone take revenge for a truly horrendous wrong done to them? Does superior intellect, riches, and righteousness allow for revenge on lesser mortals? If so, what is a just revenge?
The story is that of Edmond Dantes, a young sailor of 19. He returns to the port of Marseillse after a Mediter...more This is probably the deepest of Dumas's books (not saying much--he is mostly just pure adventure). It is first of all a wonderful, riveting story, but it also discusses the propriety of revenge. Should someone take revenge for a truly horrendous wrong done to them? Does superior intellect, riches, and righteousness allow for revenge on lesser mortals? If so, what is a just revenge?
The story is that of Edmond Dantes, a young sailor of 19. He returns to the port of Marseillse after a Mediterranean voyage. The captain of the ship died in route, and as first mate, Dantes had taken charge. The captain had made a last request of Dantes: take a letter from himself to the island of Elba, where Napoleon was imprisoned. Dantes was then to take a letter from Napoleon's leiutenant to a man named Noirtier in Paris. Dantes went to Elba as promised and received the letter to be taken to Paris. He then returned to his hometown of Marseille. Once there, the ship owner is so impressed with him that he promotes him to captain of the ship. Dantes is also very glad to be home because he was to marry the woman he loves (Mercedes), and had a kind and affectionate father. He was extremely honest and naive, healthy, and basically had everything going for him. This sparks the jealousy of others around him--Danglars, an accountant with his ship's owner's firm, and Fernand, a cousin and unrequited lover of his fiancee. They write a letter denouncing him as a Napoleonic sympathizer because of the letter he holds from Napoleon (a dangerous thing to be at this time, because the Bourbon monarchy was newly restored to the throne and extremely jittery about their position--understandably, given what had happened to Louis XVI!). Unfortunately for Dantes, he has not yet had a chance to go to Paris and deliver the letter. He is arrested at his wedding breakfast and sent before a prosecutor, named Villefort. Unfortunately, Villefort's father is Noirtier, the very man Dantes was to deliver the letter to. Villefort does not want his father's dangerous politics brought to the fore again, possibly harming his career. He burns the letter from Napolean in Dantes's possession, destroying the evidence against both his father and against Dantes. He wins Dantes's confidence by doing so, but is simply dissembling to protect himself, because he does not want anyone to hear Dantes mention Noirtier's name in connection with Napoleon. Without any further ado, Dantes is officialy labeled as a revolutionary and cast into the infamous Chateau d'If prison. He is left there for almost 20 years. First he despairs, then almost loses his sanity. He also tries to commit suicide by starving himself.
After 13 years in the prison, his cell is tunnelled into by a fellow prisoner, the Abbe Faria, a former priest from Italy. He had once worked for a Cardinal Spada, a descendant of one of the great Italian Renaissance families. The Spada fortune had disappeared when one of the Cardinal's ancestors had been murdered by Cesar Borgia. Abbe Faria, after his employer's death, had been lucky enough to discover the clues leading to the hidden treasure. He, being an educated man, teaches the unschooled Dantes about math, science, various languages, and the Spada treasure. He also, using his knowledge of human kind and what Dantes can tell him about his own arrest, helps the younger man piece together who betrayed him as well as why Villefort the prosecutor destroyed the evidence and sent him off to prison. They embark together on another escape plan as well. The very night they are to attempt their escape, Faria suffers an epilectic seizure that leaves him partially paralyzed. They both realize that he is too disabled to escape, and Dantes heroically resolves to stay with his friend instead of escaping by himself. The priest suffers a third paralytic fit a few days later and dies. Dantes is devastated by the loss, and can't bear to think of life in prison without his friend and teacher. So he takes the place of Faria's corpse, which has been coarsely sewn into a sack, in the hope that the guards do not take the trouble to bury people very deeply. Unfortunately, the dead are not buried, they are instead cast into the sea.
Being a sailor and a physcially strong man, however, Dantes manages to escape from the sack and swims away. He is discovered on a desert island by pirates and is able to convince them he is a shipwreck survivor. He becomes a crewmember on their ship, and during one of their voyages, manages to trick them into leaving him alone for a few days on the tiny island of Monte Cristo, where the Spada treasure is buried.
After he returns to the European mainland, Dantes is able to use his newfound money to good effect. He first helps out his former employer, Monsieur Morrell, who had sacrificed to help Dantes's elderly and poor father before his death, and saves Morrell's company from financial ruin and himself from the suicide of a disgraced man. The Morrell family, whom he helps under the name of 'Sinbad the Sailor', is forever grateful, though they don't know who the mysterious man is.
Dantes also learns that his beloved fiance, Mercedes, has married one of his betrayers, Fernand.
After this, Dantes disappears. His years in prison have worked a mighty change on him--he is sophisticated, educated, and fabulously wealthly. But he is also bitter and cynical, sure that everyone is a traitor and unworthy of pity or kindness.
Dantes becomes the Count of Monte Cristo and embarks upon a devious and carefully calculated plan of revenge, suited exactly to most shame and distress his three great enemies: Danglars, Fernand Mondego, and Villefort. Each of these men has become rich and respected in the time Dantes has been in prison. His plots are complicated, and it takes him 10 years to reach a position to put them into action. How he does so makes the book infintely exciting. But, how does he account for the collateral damage, those who he will hurt by hurting their spouses, parents, friends? And because there is this collateral damage, does it mean that the Count was wrong to take his revenge?
A wonderful exciting book--I highly recommend it....less

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Olivia rated it:

(review of isbn 0140449264)

03/11/08

Read in June, 2007

recommended to Olivia by: English class

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 The Count of Mont...more 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 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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Kristen rated it:

(review of isbn 0812565681)

09/09/08

bookshelves: 1001-books-before-you-die, classics

Read in September, 2008

How does one review a classic? Especially one so noteworthy as to have demanded the creation of 11 or more film variations, numerous adaptations, and even television series? I long avoided reading this novel due mainly to it’s daunting size, and the fear that it’s translation would cause the reader more work than I was willing to put into it. However my burning desire to know the true tale of Edmond Dantes overruled my hesitation.

The story, for those of you who are unfamiliar, follo...more How does one review a classic? Especially one so noteworthy as to have demanded the creation of 11 or more film variations, numerous adaptations, and even television series? I long avoided reading this novel due mainly to it’s daunting size, and the fear that it’s translation would cause the reader more work than I was willing to put into it. However my burning desire to know the true tale of Edmond Dantes overruled my hesitation.

The story, for those of you who are unfamiliar, follows Edmond Dantes in his wrongful imprisonment at the hands of his friends, his 14 years in the Chateau D’If, his escape and rebirth as a self proclaimed hand of vengeance against those who had wronged him. If you have only seen the movies, the book, particularly the ending, is far different than what Hollywood has created. There are no dramatic duels, no massive swordfights with brigands, and not everyone who we believe should, lives happily ever after. This is instead a slow but genius work of Dantes methodically stripping away all that his enemies held dear to them, at whatever cost. None die by his hand, but are rather destroyed by his influence, and their own evil choices come back to haunt them.

The story itself is genius, interesting and very fun. The writing, particularly the translation that I read, is an often difficult and sometimes tedious work that one may need a notebook to keep straight. The cast of characters is very large and they are often referred to by different names, making it a bit more difficult to keep track of who is who without some sort of note taking. I was not smart enough to take notes, and thus had to spend quite a bit of time searching my brain to make sure I was thinking of the correct person as I read, particularly with some of the more minor story lines and the characters that weaved in and out of the story with multiple chapters between their appearances. Also, this book will probably be disappointing to those who are interested in the action that the movies provided. The Count of Monte Cristo, does not come in with guns blazing, but rather plays a very well thought out and disturbing game of mental chess against his opponents. As readers we hope for their downfall, but also wonder how far the Count will go… his years of imprisonment have left him hardened and disturbingly without remorse at the use of innocents to gain his vengeance. As he plays his pieces we wonder just who will be sacrificed, and who will have the chance to live happily ever after in this dark world of Dumas.

Readers of more modern novels may have trouble with this book because of the sheer volume of concurrent story lines, all of which are necessary for understanding the strings being pulled by the Count. But to remember the tale of the lovers, the orphan, the bandit, the banker, the ship builder, the assassin, the count, the princess, the steward, the military man, the lawyer, the cheating husband and wife, the lost love, the musician, the buried baby, the dying father, the paralyzed grandfather, the murderess, the thief, the countess, the emperor and all of their relations, can be quite a daunting task for any reader. Still each of these stories could be a book of their own, keeping the reader quite entertained, but Dumas has managed to weave them all together into one, brilliant and shining tale… if you can keep them straight through the end.

What surprised me most was the ending of this story. It was not what I wanted, or hoped for. True I loved Haidee, and wanted nothing but her happiness… but many seemed to be left in suffering that did not deserve the fate that they were bound to. I will not elaborate for fear of spoiling the ending… but this does not end on a Hollywood, “they all ride off into the sunset” ending. Perhaps the meaning of the story is not all about revenge, but rather what damage the hunt for vengeance can bring to not just those who have wronged you, but to all those that surround you. The downfall of selfishness; be it falsely imprisoning someone to gain what you may, to the selfishness of vengeance… there is so much meaning in this book, I can see why it is so often “required reading.” Though I highly recommend this book, I would advise you attempt to read it with others either in a class or a reading group so that you can discuss all of the rich meaning behind Dumas’s words.
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Jon rated it:

(review of isbn 1593080883)

03/07/07

Read in January, 2006

The Count of Monte Cristo is a novel that captivated my attention from the moment I was introduced to its star Edmond Dantes. Never before have I been as obsessed with a character as I was with Dantes [the Count of Monte Cristo:]. He is at once charismatic and refined, commanding and powerful. His every exotic whim is met with cheerful compliance and as a charmingly unusual member of the elite, he is nothing short of the shining star of high society--the paragon of what only wealth can attain......more The Count of Monte Cristo is a novel that captivated my attention from the moment I was introduced to its star Edmond Dantes. Never before have I been as obsessed with a character as I was with Dantes [the Count of Monte Cristo:]. He is at once charismatic and refined, commanding and powerful. His every exotic whim is met with cheerful compliance and as a charmingly unusual member of the elite, he is nothing short of the shining star of high society--the paragon of what only wealth can attain...and ridiculous wealth at that.

The basic storyline is as follows (don't worry, you won't find any spoilers here):

Edmond Dantes is a charismatic seafaring voyager returning to his fiance and home after a long and lucrative voyage. Through fortuitous circumstances, he is to be made captain of his trading vessel and luck would have it that this good news comes on the eve of his engagement to the woman he loves, Mercedes.

But fate has more in store for Dantes than he expects and he finds himself betrayed by two scoundrels: one man, Danglar, is envious of Dantes's newly acquired position and the other, Fernand, is mad with lust for Dantes's wife to be. Both conspire to have Dantes thrown in jail. He appears before the local Judge, Monsieur Villefort, and though innocent, finds himself deported to Chateau D'If because Villefort discovered that Dantes had information that would be detrimental to the former's aspirations for career advancement. Thus, as Dantes sets foot on the island fortress prison, he has already been betrayed threefold, by Danglar, Fernand, and Villefort.

In the deplorable dungeon, he rots, wishing for death but lacking the will to execute himself. He comes close to the brink of insanity or suicide when luck brings him into the company of Abbe Faria, a fellow inmate. Faria and Dantes are connected by a secret tunnel the former had burrowed in hopes of escaping. Dantes and Faria agree to team up to escape on the condition that Faria teach Dantes everything he knows. The priest goes on to educate Dantes in all matters: social, economic, political, etc. Then, on the brink of their night of escape, Faria dies but before he passes away, gives to Dantes instructions on how to find a treasure of untold magnitude.

Dantes escapes, finds the treasure, swears to get vengeance on those who wronged him and assumes the personage of The Count of Monte Cristo, Monte Cristo being the remote island where Dantes finds this treasure. Under the disguise of the Count, Dantes infiltrates the lives of all who became tangled in his fate and sets himself up for glorious revenge.

The rest is material I cannot relate without giving away too much--I fear I already have.

Basically, I really, really, really enjoyed reading this book and implore all of you to engage it as well. [Thank you Alice Doo who recommended it to me = ):]. You'll find its intertwining storyline fascinating, its characters instantly lovable or despicable, and its conclustion--in a word--crisp. Absolutely breathtaking.

If you're not doing anything in particular, just pick up this book and invest two days of your life into it. I suspect it won't take any longer than that. Enjoy!...less

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Kris rated it:

(review of isbn 0140449264)

04/20/08

Read in January, 2008

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 of his go...more 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 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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Lara rated it:

(review of isbn 0140449264)

04/22/08

recommends it for: Anyone who likes intrigue and action, and people who can handle an unperfect ending.

This is my favorite book! I love the plot twists and turns, I love the evolution/de-evolution of Edmond Dantes, I love the conspiracies, I love the perfection of it all! So, it may not be the most probable of stories, but that's how romance fiction works.

Edmond Dantes is a young man with a happy life ahead of him. He has just been promoted to captain and is engaged to a beautiful girl. Some jealous "friends" frame him for being a Bonapartist and he is wrongly sent to prison. He re...more This is my favorite book! I love the plot twists and turns, I love the evolution/de-evolution of Edmond Dantes, I love the conspiracies, I love the perfection of it all! So, it may not be the most probable of stories, but that's how romance fiction works.

Edmond Dantes is a young man with a happy life ahead of him. He has just been promoted to captain and is engaged to a beautiful girl. Some jealous "friends" frame him for being a Bonapartist and he is wrongly sent to prison. He remains there, seemingly forgotten, for years without knowing who has framed him. Another prisoner, the Abbe Faria, tunnels in Edmond's cell in a misguided escape attempt. They befriend each other and the Abbe educates Edmond in all things--foreign languages, math, chemistry, art, literature. With his logic and education, the Abbe helps Edmond piece together his imprisonment and Edmond knows who stole his life away. As the Abbe approaches death, he wills Edmond his fortune--a vast treasure hidden away. Edmond eventually escapes prison only to discover his old life is gone. His fiancee married another, his father died of poverty and hunger, and his kind employer is on the brink of financial ruin. Edmond retrieves his treasure and names himself the Count of Monte Cristo. He declares himself an avenging angel and seeks to ruin the lives of those who ruined his, and reward those who deserve it. For about a decade he orchestrates his revenge, an elaborate scenario that takes immense foresight and perfection. Like dominoes, he carefully sets each piece in place before starting the action that will ruin the wicked and reward the righteous. His education and unlimited wealth enable him to see this through.

The Edmond Dantes at the beginning of the story is a happy, hopeful, likeable young man. By the end of the story, he is tainted, cold, and hard. It is not a story of just vengeance so much as it is a parable that justice should be left to God. Though many years of his life were stolen from him while he was in prison, he let his quest for vengeance steal the rest of his years.

All the movies made based on this book are awful. They all change the ending so it is happy. That is completely against the message of the tale. Edmond does not get the girl, he does not find rest and bliss. In destroying others, he destroys himself. He does good deeds for other deserving individuals, and these deserving individuals become more of the heroes the reader roots for. The ending leaves some hope for Edmond--with his mission of vengeance completed, he may now find room in his heart for kindness and love.

It is a brilliant plot and just a whole lot of fun. Who wouldn't want to be the count with untold wealth, power, and mystery? He's a very intriguing character. I read the abridged version my junior year in high school and loved it. I'm currently reading the unabridged version. It is so much better! It's like the director's cut. So much more of the good stuff.
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Melissa rated it:

(review of isbn 0140449264)

09/13/08

Read in July, 2002

After I finished reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, I walked around my house, teary-eyed, clutching the book as if it were my first born. That’s how good it is. It is one of the most entertaining and gripping novels I have ever read, and it now reigns as one of my top three favorite books of all time.

You can’t ask for a better protagonist than Edmond Dantes. As Edmond, he is the boy next door: a cheerful, innocent, and kind-hearted young man. There is nothin...more After I finished reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, I walked around my house, teary-eyed, clutching the book as if it were my first born. That’s how good it is. It is one of the most entertaining and gripping novels I have ever read, and it now reigns as one of my top three favorite books of all time.

You can’t ask for a better protagonist than Edmond Dantes. As Edmond, he is the boy next door: a cheerful, innocent, and kind-hearted young man. There is nothing extraordinary about him but the sincerity of his loving nature; however, that is enough to capture the reader’s heart. As the Count of Monte Cristo, Edmond is a demigod whose mind is a store of knowledge and whose strength and agility are unmatched. Edmond’s alter ego as the Count adds depth to his character, leaving his ethical stance and motives ambiguous, which is lots of fun.

While Edmond’s simplicity and the Count’s depth are pleasantly intriguing, Dumas’ other characters are also enjoyable. I loved to hate the “bad guys” and cheered on the “good guys,” so he did a good job with that. My favorite minor character was the priest, a classic “wise man” character with a touch of insanity and sarcasm.
Dumas is cool because, even though he wrote in the nineteenth century when brevity in literature was practically unknown, he keeps his plot tight and action packed. The Count of Monte Cristo has one of those plots where any one character is somehow linked to almost every other character, and thus, when you get about half way through, you have a mess of information that doesn’t seem pertinent, but at the end, you have a lovely tapestry of betrayal, revenge, good, and evil. It’s great.

The Count of Monte Cristo is not only entertaining, it also successfully communicates themes about revenge, power, deception, and the oh-so-exciting “good vs. evil”, to name a few. Dumas also cleverly makes a statement about the absurdity of social status as a judge of character.
Of course, this wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t share the jewels of quotations found in the depths of Dumas’ wonderful story, so here you go:

“Happiness is like those palaces in fairy tales whose gates are guarded by dragons: we must fight in order to conquer it.” –Edmond Dantes

“For the happy man prayer is only a jumble of words, until the day when sorrow comes to explain to him the sublime language by means of which he speaks to God.”

“A weakened mind always sees everything through a black veil.”-The Count of Monte Cristo

So, in conclusion: If you like adventure and intrigue, read this book. If you like pink fluffy bunnies, read this book. If you like the way the tail of the lowercase letter “y” curls, read this book. If you like ice cream, read this book. If you like to vacuum, read this book. But if you don’t like reading, get off goodreads.
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nanto rated it:

(review of isbn 0140449264)

04/23/08

bookshelves: buku-dan-film, nant-s-book, novel

Pertama kali nemu di Gramedia JL. Merdeka Bandung begitu senangnya. Wuih...buku klasik dari penulis kenamaan Perancis saya bisa punyai. Nyempil di pojokan rak bawah, tinggal satu-satunya. Udah lecek dan kayaknya kelupaan dibalikin ke gudang deh. Cerita waktu dapet buku Max Havelaar kayaknya terulang neh! Buku ini sepertinya bakal jadi koleksi yang harus ditandai khusus biar gak raib.

Membacanya pun semangat. Alurnya y...more Pertama kali nemu di Gramedia JL. Merdeka Bandung begitu senangnya. Wuih...buku klasik dari penulis kenamaan Perancis saya bisa punyai. Nyempil di pojokan rak bawah, tinggal satu-satunya. Udah lecek dan kayaknya kelupaan dibalikin ke gudang deh. Cerita waktu dapet buku Max Havelaar kayaknya terulang neh! Buku ini sepertinya bakal jadi koleksi yang harus ditandai khusus biar gak raib.

Membacanya pun semangat. Alurnya yang panjang dan intrik balas dendam yang saling-silang itu demikian mudahnya saya kebut dalam 1-2 hari. Maklum sedang melarikan diri dari skripsi...hehehe

Ceritanya nempel di kepala dan bukunya jelas letaknya di kamar kost. Selalu wanti-wanti kalo ada yang pinjem.

Tidak lama sesudah membacanya, saya sempat jalan-jalan ke Palasari. Hunting lagi buku keren lainya donk! Kali aja dapat yang lain yang lebih wuih!!!

Kebiasaan saya kalau ke situ adalah selalu menyempatkan melihat ke dua toko yang hanya menjual buku sastra. Kedua toko ini memang jadi patokan saya kalau main ke Palasari, khususnya untuk cari novel dan sebangsanya. Usai ke toko yang pertama, saya pindah ke toko kedua. Toko kedua ini biasanya buka lebih siang dari yang lain. Sekitar lepas lohor baru buka. Tapi si bapak pemilik toko yang kedua ini asyik diajak ngobrol soal isi buku dan diskonnya sering lebih besar dari toko satunya lagi. Tokonya kecil dan penataan bukunya agak sembarangan alias tidak rapih. Mata saya biasanya celingak-celinguk di antara tumpukan di pojok bawah atau di dekat langit-langit. Barangkali ada buku lawas yang masih tersimpan di sini. Sisa stok lama yang ngendon di toko ini dan tidak terjual sejak si bapak pemilik toko mendapatkannya dari penerbit.

Mata saya mulai dari tumpukan buku yang keliatannya buku lawas. Ada satu tumpukan buku di pojok dekat langit-langit. Dari warnanya jelas bukan buku yang baru datang dari penerbit. Kertasnya sudah kecoklatan. Ah! Buku jenis ini yang saya cari...

"Pak liat buku itu donk!" Karena sisi pinggir cover tidak jelas menjelaskan judulnya, saya sambung lagi, "Buku apaan tuh pak?"

"Monte Cristo!" Sambil mengambil satu buku dari tumpukan yang cukup tinggi, jelas koleksinya masih banyak sekali. Si bapak lalu menaruhnya di depan saya...

Saya membolak-balik beberapa halamannya. Dalam hati berdesir kalimat bijak, "buku di rumah sebenernya buku langka kok, yang ini cuma kloningnya aja!" Membesarkan hati yang jelas mendadak kisut...(karena gak pake shampo kaka' kali yah? :D)

Ternyata pasaran!!!

Tapi isinya tetep keren kok! Bener keren!...less

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Sera rated it:

(review of isbn 0140449264)

07/07/08

bookshelves: classics

Read in July, 2008

recommended to Sera by: GG Book Club
recommends it for: People who believe that vengeance has no bounds

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

What began as my sincere hope for a 5-star read dimished by the time that I finished the book. Hence, the three stars.

I didn't like the ending of the book, and sleeping on it last night didn't change my mind when I woke up this morning. Dantes' rejection of Mercedes was a harsh penalty in light of the fact that she had been under the impression that he died many years previously. I thought that Dantes calling her "faithless" was unreasonable and very arrogant on his part. His e...more What began as my sincere hope for a 5-star read dimished by the time that I finished the book. Hence, the three stars.

I didn't like the ending of the book, and sleeping on it last night didn't change my mind when I woke up this morning. Dantes' rejection of Mercedes was a harsh penalty in light of the fact that she had been under the impression that he died many years previously. I thought that Dantes calling her "faithless" was unreasonable and very arrogant on his part. His ending up with Haydee was wrong in that she was supposed to be like a daugther to him. She also viewed Dantes as a father, but she then says "father, husband oh what's the difference". It's a huge difference, IMHO, and I found their romantic relationship to be completely inappropriate.

At the end of the day, this is a novel about vengeance, and the book failed to really offer any insight into that emotion, except to show that when one is consumed by it, then he becomess filled with hatred and a complete lack of compassion toward others. I can understand Dantes wanting to get back on his enemies, but he took it too far. Financial ruin wasn't enough? Public humiliation wasn't enough? When people starting dying left and right later in the book, I could no longer support what Dantes was doing. And the fact that he saves Valentine from death and ensures that she marries her true love is not enough to redeem Dantes or to show that he has a compassionate side to him. Instead, it merely shows his overzealousness to reward those who stood by him as much as to punish those who betrayed them. It wasn't enough for Dantes either that he destroyed the men who betrayed him. He also destroyed their wives and even their children. They became caught in the splatter-zone, and Dantes didn't even bat an eyelash. Sure, some to them weren't good people either, but who is Dantes to decide their fate?

There are many scenes in the book where Dantes acts and/or is seen as God-like, which is an insult to anyone who believes that God is a powerful, but loving and compassionate being. I also felt that Dantes' lack of humility made him appear to be arrogant and less likeable as a character. Readers should be able to root for the success of the protaganist in a novel, not be ashamed of his conduct, as I became as the novel went on.

I'm just glad that I didn't read the 1500 page unabridged version of this book. 600 pages of the Count and his over-the-top conduct was enough for me, thank you very much.

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Bakeshow rated it:

(review of isbn 0140449264)

06/30/08

Read in June, 2008

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 doesn't matter! There...more 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 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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Cynthia rated it:

(review of isbn 014044615X)

08/30/07

Read in January, 2004

recommends it for: everyone

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 because a) others envy him and b) he wa...more

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Mika rated it:

(review of isbn 0140449264)

09/23/08

bookshelves: favorites

Read in August, 2008

Can I just say how proud I am of myself for finishing this book in only a year and a half? And especially for getting through 900 of the 1400+ pages in the past week?

Yes, it was an excessively long book. The longest I have ever read in my life. Since I enjoyed the abridged version (about 500 pages) so much, I promised myself I’d someday make it through the entire unabridged book. It’s been several years since I read the abridged, so it was usually hard to tell what story lines were left ...more Can I just say how proud I am of myself for finishing this book in only a year and a half? And especially for getting through 900 of the 1400+ pages in the past week?

Yes, it was an excessively long book. The longest I have ever read in my life. Since I enjoyed the abridged version (about 500 pages) so much, I promised myself I’d someday make it through the entire unabridged book. It’s been several years since I read the abridged, so it was usually hard to tell what story lines were left out; I did finally find a few parts that were completely new to me this time, and they were really enjoyable. In all fairness, the book could easily have been 300 pages shorter simply by reducing the amount of tedious description; however, I get the impression that books were written differently in the 1800s (Moby Dick, anyone?).

Wasteful descriptions aside, The Count of Monte Cristo is an amazing story of a man who feels it is his duty to punish the wicked and reward the righteous - but who discovers that such punishments and rewards don’t always have their intended effects, and the wicked and the righteous are not always so easy to distinguish.

My only other complaint with the book is the Count’s odd relationship with his Greek slave. Suddenly realizing that you’re in love with the girl you’ve adopted as your daughter (and who is plenty young enough to be) is just kind of weird. I suppose there is one other thing I disliked, and that was the Romeo & Juliet storyline at the very end.

However, the faults are fewer than the strengths, and I feel it was worth my time and energy to understand the Count and his sufferings. Dumas does an excellent job of demonstrating that only God can fairly punish and reward; the best efforts of man are usually misguided.

If you feel up to it, by all means, read the unabridged version. For a much shorter read, try the abridged; if you just want a story with a few of the same characters (some bearing only the same name and no other qualities), please watch the movie, which is excellent in its own right.

Hey! I finished a really long book! Hooray for me!

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Erie rated it:

(review of isbn 0140449264)

07/15/08

bookshelves: book-to-movies, classic

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 reap what we sow.
What comes around goes around. ...more

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