The Curse of Monte Cristo: A Reimagining of the Novel by Alexandre Dumas

by David Dabel, Carlton Holder, David Lentz (Illustrator)

France, 1788. Edmond Dantès, a Haitian of African descent and Parisian citizen has been sentenced to a life of hell at Château d'If for treason against the Ancien Régime. Once a man of faith, Edmond believes he’s been abandoned by God, and the only thing that keeps him going is his deep hatred of those who he believes have framed him. Faria, an older prisoner who becomes a mentor to Edmond, confesses, “I am not flesh of this realm. Your lust for revenge drew me here.”

Together, they escape the prison and return to Saint Domingue, where the smell of rebellion is thick in the air. Edmond, once an enslaved man himself, thought he had escaped the colonized land and his past life for good, only to return as the wealthy and mysterious Count of Monte Cristo. In pursuit of his enemies – including Mercedes, once his fiancée – he finds his careful rage growing only more reckless and ravenous. Haydee, a young revolutionist, tries to use his fury for good, while Faria, drunk off the misery Edmond has caused, hungers for the fresh taste of innocent blood. As Edmond’s enemies begin to catch on to the count’s true identity, and the fight for liberation from the French colonists swells to a pop, Edmond must reckon with the deal he’s made with Faria. Is it any more sinister – or any different – than the pact he’s made with his own inner demons?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Horror, Historical Fiction, Classics, Comics

208 pages, Paperback

Published April 15, 2025

About the author

David Dabel's journey is a testament to the power of imagination, resilience, and cultural heritage. Born in the vibrant city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, David's early years were steeped in the rich tapestry of his Haitian roots. Immigrating to the United States at a young age, David brought with him a deep appreciation for his heritage and a bilingual fluency in French Creole and English.
From an early age, David found himself drawn to the spine-tingling tales of the horror genre, with R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series serving as a gateway to his fascination. However, it was the timeless classic The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas that truly captured David's heart. Little did he know at the time that this beloved story would become a guiding light in his own creative journey.
As David delved deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo, he discovered a profound connection to its author, Alexandre Dumas, who shared Haitian heritage. This revelation sparked a transformative realization for David, igniting his passion for reimagining narratives through the lens of his own cultural identity.
Inspired by the determination of his Haitian ancestors, who fought bravely for freedom and independence, David embarked on a personal odyssey of storytelling. Channeling the spirit of Edmond Dantes, David began to craft his own narrative, weaving elements of Haitian history, culture, and folklore into the fabric of his imagination.
Today, David Dabel stands as a visionary storyteller, blending his love for literature with a profound reverence for his Haitian heritage. Through his creative endeavors, he strives to honor the legacy of those who came before him while paving a path of inspiration and empowerment for future generations.

Reviews

[*ೃnaziba ˘͈ᵕ˘͈ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cool I enjoyed this!!! It’s been a while since I’ve read a graphic novel, I need to read the count of monte cristo for real now. I loved the “acknowledgements” at the end. Thank you Amazon for sending me a copy of this book!!!

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not too bad, but nothing beats the original.

This was quite dark in both story and art. It's a twist on the original that introduces the theme of slavery and features a deal with a devil, so it's definitely darker than the Dumas classic.

I really love how grey the original story is, but this keeps things rather more obvious. Vengeance is the goal and we know immediately that something is off, and Dantes should not be doing what he's doing. I think by condensing the novel into this short graphic novel, you really do lose a lot of the nuances.

That said, taken on its own merit this is a decent story that moves at a decent pace and touches on some important themes.

It's a horror story, so there's plenty of gore and on the whole it's very dark. I wanted a little more, to be honest, but this got right to the point of things.

The artwork suits the story rather well, and some nice clean lines show plenty of detail.

I enjoyed this, and while it didn't quite compare to the original novel, it was enjoyable in its own right.

With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

[Nina The Wandering Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I am not flesh of this realm. Your lust for revenge drew me here.”

In this captivating graphic novel, Edmond Dantes, a formerly enslaved Haitian of African descent, has sold his soul to a demon in exchange for freedom, wealth, power…and vengeance. But as his simmering rage for the years of torment and betrayal bubble over, his actions of retribution become more reckless.

Inspired by his own Haitian roots and his love for Alexendre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, Author David Dabel treats his readers to a horror spin on a well known French literature classic, and illustrators David Lentz and Rodrigo Catraca deliver crisp, vibrant, gory illustrations. This was a fast paced whirlwind of blood and magic set during the Haitian revolution and our protagonist must grapple with supernatural demons and inner-demons alike. I enjoyed this from cover to cover!

The Curse of Monte Cristo is perfect for lovers of graphic novels, fans of classic lit retellings/re-imaginings, and of course the horror lovers out there!

(Thank you to the author, Eerie Saga Entertainment and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this awesome review copy!)

[Jason Waltz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The novel THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO is my favorite classic novel. Dabel does it solid. (His closing narrative epilogue is great!) This is a nice, hefty salute to the original story interpreted well as a horror tale. There was one reversed set of text clouds that took me a minute to figure out and some of the art isn't 'pretty' but I really enjoyed this take. The art as a whole is harsh, lots of sharp edges and angles, which contributes well to keeping the reader on edge. The story really does well in maintaining the bones of the original, which to me must have definitely been a challenge in a graphic version. It took an excellent storyteller to share an even darker version of this very long and deep story so well in this medium. As someone who loves the original, this doesn't miss a beat. Well done, well told, well shared.

[taylor ⛅️ ann wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC ✨

There was… a lot going on with this graphic novel. The Count of Monte Cristo is already one of my favorite books of all time. I thought a new take on it— especially in graphic novel form, would be interesting to read.
The Count of Monte Cristo already has such a dense plot and theme, to add a level of demons and owing debts to a devil figure was already a lot to do. Then adding in the topic of slavery and how horrendous people can act in that degree, was even more. I think if this had been its own, original work without connection to the Count of Monte Cristo and done in a way that was simply inspired by it, I would have liked it more.
I enjoyed the art style, very colorful and gory which I liked!

[King Reinhardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full transparency: I've never read The Count of Monte Cristo. It's a brick, and its length has always intimidated me. I've never even watched an adaptation of it.

But a graphic novel version that's quick to read? And a horror version, no less? Count me in!

Now, I'm not usually a fan of retellings, but since I've never read the original, it's new to me, so that makes up for it.

I'm glad I took a chance on it, too, because wow! The story was full of twists and turns, which I always appreciate, and I adored Edmond and his strange, wicked partnership with Faria. The art is stunning, and I loved the use of the Haitian Revolution as a backdrop. I've never seen it utilized before! We love a good revolution story!

Favorite quote: No one's innocent, Edmond. We all have it coming.

[Kristall Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this graphic as a ARC! I greatly appreciate it!
Now, I've never read or watched any version of The Count of Monte Cristo, so maybe I'm not the most qualified reviewer for this graphic novel, but bearing my newbie status in mind: It was great! I loved it! The story was twisty and interesting, Edmond was a really fascinating character, and the art style is gorgeous! There were a few moments where modern speech was used and it broke immersion, but it happened rarely enough that I'm not even gonna dock half a star for it.
More horror retellings of classics, please!
5 stars out of five for The Curse of Monte Cristo!

[Ren || Reading What I Want · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I saw this was a RETELLING of one of my favorite books ever, The Count of Monte Cristo, with a twist, I had to read it. What I got was a—cluster—of anti-white, devilish propaganda that left me with a toothache. I read the end. I saw that they were trying to pay homage to Alexander Dumas’ mother who was of African descent and once enslaved. But instead of a homage to the mother I felt more like I was being personally attacked because I’m white. And I HATE books that make me feel this way.

The story of The Count of Monte Cristo was already so impactful. WHY take a wonderful story and turn it into a PC, white/shaming graphic novel that BARELY developed?

If you look at the reviews, the ones who never read the original masterpiece gave high reviews. Those of us who have read that classic, yes not so much. This should have been “inspired” by The Count of Monte Cristo because it sure isn’t a retelling. 🤢

Three stars for the artistry, though, because it was fantastic.

{I was gifted a complimentary copy of this book. All reviews are my own.}

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review.

Growing up, the 2002 Count of Monte Cristo movie was one of my favorites to watch and rewatch, and as a result I’m a big fan of adaptations of the story. The Curse of Monte Cristo immediately drew my eye because of the horror and demon elements, and especially the perspective of a formerly enslaved man and Haiti as a setting. This is a really excellent adaptation and I really love the blending of historical events and the Revolution of Haiti with the story of Monte Cristo. The art is a really good fit for the story and the violence and horror of it all. I really enjoyed this.

[Elia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Netgalley graciously provided me with an advanced copy of this graphic novel in exchange for my honest review.

This is a gorgeously drawn and beautifully told re-imagining of The Count of Monte Cristo with elements of the occult. Here, Edmund Dantes is a former slave who makes a pact with a demon. Betrayed by white people he believed were his friends, and with the backdrop of the Haitian revolution, Edmund seeks revenge on those who wronged him. It is violent and gory as only war can be - and this is a war for Edmund's soul, and the future of one man and an entire nation.

[Oviya Balan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to #Netgalley for the Arc!

Absolutely stunned by the story and the artwork. This is my first time reading anything about Monte Cristo and I wasn't midly acquainted to Alexandre Dumas' work. So this was such a riveting experience. Recommend this to all Graphic Novel lovers. The artwork is to die for. Brilliant depiction. #TheCurseofMonteCristo

[Jessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an E-Arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher, for this opportunity.

The Curse of Monte Cristo is a unique and innovative graphic novel that reimagines Alexandre Dumas’ seminal text The Count of Monte Cristo, informed by elements often overlooked from Dumas’ own past and literary inspirations. In this text, the titular Count is reimagined as a former Haitian slave intent on getting revenge against the men and political system that plotted and profited from his downfall. Likewise, the setting is reimagined, taking place in Saint Domingue (modern-day Haiti) during the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804), as opposed to France during the Bourbon Restoration (1815-1839), and instead of following the classic morality-revenge tale, the book integrates more speculative horror elements.

To preface, while I have not read the full book of the Count of Monte Cristo, I did read an abridged version of it in French during high school and it was one of my favourite books I read while at school. What I loved about the book was how Dumas integrated history, particularly the personal history of his father, Thomas-Alexandre Dumas. The Curse of Monte Cristo plays with this inspiration with the Dantes depicted in this drawing a more direct parallel to Dumas senior than the original. Born in Saint Domingue to a French nobleman and an enslaved woman, Thomas-Alexandre grew up in slavery before being freed after setting foot on French soil when his father took him there in 1776 to be educated. After joining the military in 1786, Dumas quickly rose through the ranks during the French Revolutionary Wars (1792-1802). In 1799, Dumas left Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign and, on his return voyage to France, was taken prisoner in Naples, where he remained imprisoned until 1801. Later, his former colleague, Napoleon, now Emperor, would issue several edicts further oppressing and reinforcing racial discrimination against black people, such as reinstating slavery, banning interracial marriage, removing all men of colour from the military and stripping them of their ranks. Dumas was directly impacted by this as, after his father’s death in 1806, Dumas and his mother were denied funding from his late father’s pension because of Napoleon’s edict and the other edicts such as the ban on interracial marriage and a general attitude of discriminating against people of colour, Dumas was forced to hide his interracial identity. While Dumas’ original novel doesn’t directly interact with issues of racism, I think that anyone familiar with the core plot line of The Count of Monte Cristo can see the similarities between Dantes’ journey and the real life of Dumas’ father.

The Curse of Monte Cristo takes this history more literally rather than the more figurative references that Dumas made, mainly out of a desire to hide his identity as a biracial man in a racist society I think that the author did a good job at balancing creating a new Dantes, the historical inspiration for the character and the character’s initial portrayal in the original novel. Similarly, I liked the reimagined of Haydee as a Haitian slave woman who works with Dantes to support the Haitian revolution as a leader in her own right rather than as a slave who was owned by him and who he later would fall in love with—something which some scholars have argued was Dumas’ way of trying to understand the relationship between his slave grandmother and noble grandfather. I also liked the addition of horror elements in the story, the presentation of Abbe Faria, Dantes’ mentor within the Chateau d’If, as a demon who aids Dantes not out of the goodness of his heart or commitment to God but to further his aims as an agent of chaos was an interesting narrative decision. The author's decision as well to include mention of how the voodoo religion and its practice amongst Haitians was suppressed as a part of the French colonial mission and also demonized by them, contributed to this theme.

However, despite a lot of these strong reinterpretations, I think the story was lacking in comparison to the original. While that is to be expected due to the shorter length and graphic format, I think the author could have expanded on the story and some of the important themes. In particular, the ‘revenge’ portion of the story fell very short and was far too rushed to emphasize the same themes that the original text plays with. Similarly, I felt like some of the horror and brutality of the characters’ deaths was more for shock value than to put forth a greater message. For example, I think that this reimagining had the potential to put forth a critique of colonial violence and how the white men in power (represented by Danglars, Mondego and Villefort) who have enacted and perpetrated colonial violence do so at a distance and how the horrors of their deaths were brought forth as a result of the violence that they have enacted and gotten away with, especially given that nowadays there is not the same restrictions on discussions of racism and push back against denouncing colonialism as there had been in Dumas’ time. Furthermore, I wasn't the biggest fan of the characters, I didn’t feel connected to any of them and found that for a lot of the side characters, the author relied more on the reader’s familiarity with the original story than putting forth a new take or giving any sort of personality to characters like Mercedes or Albert as well as getting rid of some others like Maximillian Morrel, Valentine de Villefort or Andrea Cavalcanti, some of whom are more important to the original story than others but could have been included in this story whether in passing or more.

Overall, the Curse of Monte Cristo provides an interesting take informed by history that I believe is in line with Dumas’ intentions in writing The Count of Monte Cristo. However, I think that the author could have expanded more on the complexities of the characters and the commentary on themes such as colonial violence and systemic racism.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing fo an advance copy of this graphic novel that takes a classic story of romance, tragedy and revenge, with a change of location, an increase in the cruelty, and the addition not only of the evil of slavery, but the evil that has been with man since the days of Adam and Eve.

Stories are considered classics for a reason. They are ones that can be read anytime, years, decades even centuries later, and still hold the reader in a grasp that will not let go. Stories of people braving the odds, bucking social norms and falling in love even marrying against the state and families. Of the jealousy others will have. Being separated. Stories of getting revenge on those that broke them apart. These kinds of stories are universal. Told around the first campfire when humans lived in caves, read on e-readers when we live in caves of steel on Mars. These stories can be read in their original telling, or adapted to the present. Even to include real history, real cruelty and pain that still leave a shadow on our modern day. And of course revenge. The Curse of Monte Cristo: A Reimagining of the Novel by Alexandre Dumas written by David Dabel and Carlton Holder, illustrated by David Lentz and Rodrigo Catraca is the classic tale of a man getting back at those who falsely imprisoned him, set on the island of Santa Domingue during its revolution, a country better known as Haiti.

Edmond Dantès is a Haitian of African descent who was separated from his parents at a young age, and sold to another as a slave. Dantès escapes this, fleeing on a boat that is traveling to France, where he is discovered by the Captain of the boat, who takes pity on Dantès, and begins to teach him the ways of the sea. Dantès is a swift learner, and soon the Captain decides to make Dantès his second in command, something that does not sit well with other white crewman. Nor does Dantès courting of a beautiful woman, who is also white go well. Dantès has made powerful enemies, without being aware. Soon Dantès is caught in plot of treason, arrested on his wedding day and thrown into the dreaded Château d'If. There Dantès once a man of faith, finds himself tortured by the warden, and tortured in the soul at what has happened to him. Dantès meets Faira, a person who never seems to age, and one that tells Dantès that Dantès called to him, and here Faira is willing to help, for a cost. Escaping with Faria, Dantès soon takes on the title of Count of Monte Christo and returns to Santa Dominique, where the fear of rebellion is causing much trouble among the gentry class. A place where Dantès can get the revenge he wants,

A very good adaptation, and a well done story, especially with the addition of both race and real rebellions that took place on Haiti. The story sticks pretty much to the source material, but the addition of Dantès being a slave adds a different twist to the story, which adds to the richness. Also there is a supernatural aspect to the story with Faira, which again adds to the story. The characters are well done, the good characters are good, the tempted characters are tempted, and the evil ones are vile in many ways. The history, like I said adds a lot to the story, and the appearance of voodoo isn't just a plot point, but something that fits what is going on. The art is really good. The backgrounds, the boats, the house, the characters are all rendered well. As is the action and the violence.

This can be a bloody and dark tale, but one that is really well done, and worth reading. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and look forward to the next works from all these creators.

[TimeFliesAway · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I’ve never consumed anything about Monte Cristo, and for a long while have thought it was a real man. Or based on a true story. Considering how many adaptations there are, with no fantasy elements, I’m fairly surprised it’s a fictional character. Either way, I didn’t know anything going in, except that it’s a popular piece and has received many positive reviews. That’s it.

However, while reading, I didn’t necessarily feel like I needed to know any background to Monte’s story. It’s a new spin on it anyways, making the protagonist of African descent, a slave and “a man of color, as they nowadays say”. Plus, connecting it to the Haitian revolution, so you know how that part ends.
It was a good spin. Taking revenge on the white men – who hate other men just because of the skin color, thinking that ‘white’ skin is superior – that was very satisfying. An act of justice I support with all I am.

Only the pace was a little quick sometimes; rushing through flashbacks, going back and forth between past events, making it seem as if David was expecting for fans to pick up this graphic novel, not so much for newcomers to read this first.
It’s minor, though, and I did end up understanding the puzzle of memories.

The supernatural aspect, with the demon luring him and giving him powers to do so was … 50/50. On one hand, cool idea and I’ve loved Faria’s design as well as the demonic aspects. However, not so much the ending. No spoilers, but it kinda ruined it for me. Made it seem like the whole demon thing wasn’t necessary — unless the epilogue was rushed. Or Monte did imagine Faria, purely his lust for vengeance led him. Could be plausible.

I expected a bit more horror; it leans much more to the paranormal side, with relatively normal amount of gore you’ll find in almost every war- or revolution-related story.

The art-style and character design is rough-edged but well done, similar to American superhero comics. Which fits quite well, cause I’d count Monte and Faria as a superhero duo. Although they could’ve done a bit more, but at least they’ve did the world some favor by getting rid of these few white men.

I may check out the other versions or the original book of Monte Cristo, cause I am curious, but I’m sure I won’t like them much. It’ll definitely be difficult to top this. Would the story even work if Monte was white? Sounds kinda boring, to be honest.

~

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for an eARC.

-Ayxan Solongo, 16.04.25

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this ARC for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing!


Trigger Warning: Slavery, imprisonment, beatings, blood & violence, death, racism, cannibalism, violence against women, implied attempted rape.


This story is a story about how a good man turns evil—all in the name of vengeance.

I found Edmond’s backstory very interesting. The fact that he was a slave who escaped his fate by getting rescued by a mythological man named the “Boatman” who everyone assumes is a myth. They even have a nursery rhyme about him that makes him even more mysterious and intriguing: “He’ll ferry you to the land of the dead or a new life, free of dread. Later, there would be a toll, likely your immortal soul.”

The boatman ferries Edmond to a new life in Paris… but his life doesn’t end up being all sunshine and rainbows. Edmond Dantes ends up getting sentenced to life in a fortress-type prison for treason and inciting people to rebel against authority.

At some point in his imprisonment, he starts going mad and talking to bugs, which I got a good chuckle from. It was like a nod to Renfield from Dracula.

Faria was a mystery, and I assumed he was a hallucination Edmond kept seeing or a vivid daydream to help himself cope—like an imaginary friend—since no one could see him but Edmond. I liked the twist of who Faria is and how the story incorporates the Boatman into it and really liked the reveal of why the title of this comic is called, “The Curse of Monte Cristo,” and his reasoning behind naming his ship the “Tartarus.” I love Greek mythology, so I loved that little tidbit.

The art style is great—it’s the type of detail, lining, and coloring that I enjoy in comics.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Changes big – very big – and small have been made to the original Dumas for this graphic novel. For one thing, the fiancee is Portuguese, not Catalan. But the major alterations are the two main male characters here. Dantes is black, an ex-slave, and Faria? Faria is both an extremely camp, "let me whisper this into your ear from too close a range to be necessary" helper, and a demon. Who kills Dantes so that Edmond may live.

There are alterations aplenty, after that – it goes down to them being spoilers that they won't get mentioned in detail. But it has to be said that the whole thing ramps up the modern anti-slavery sentiment more than the original would ever have been able, making that the core of the whole character of Dantes, as is pretty much understandable. This is fairly recognisable as "The Count of…", but the title change was pretty much necessary considering how much alteration was done.

This claims to be a horror, and isn't really – it's not really a full certificate 15, let alone anything stronger. It is a revenge story of some small nastiness, and a great deal of bluntness and subtlety-free spells – and yet manages to be fairly satisfying. Stories of this age weren't exactly subtle in the first place, and this sits nicely between then and now, not over-burdened with antiquity or modern wokeness. It's also a very snappy read, light on script and easy on the rapid page-turning. I still haven't read a proper version of the original, then – but this doesn't act as a bad substitute. Three and a half stars, only because four seem just a shade too generous.

[Oliver Snowden · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Dabel and Carlton Holder’s The Curse of Monte Cristo is an interesting graphic novel reimagining of Alexandre Dumas’ timeless tale, injecting fresh and unexpected elements . This adaptation doesn’t just revisit Edmond Dantès’ quest for vengeance; it amplifies the stakes with demons, slavery, and rebellion, crafting a story that straddles the line between homage and bold reinvention.

Purists may balk at the supernatural twist, but for readers open to audacious retellings there is a lot to love . The story parallels the original’s structure with Dantès’ imprisonment and rise intertwine with spectral horrors and more realistic horrors of slavery. The creative gamble largely pays off, especially for fans who relish seeing classics remixed with genre-bending flair.

Artists David Lentz and Rodrigo Catraca deliver a gritty, atmospheric, artwork that suites the narrative of the story well.

Is the Monte Cristo connection essential? Perhaps not. The authors could have crafted an inspired standalone, but the link to Dumas’ work adds layered intrigue, inviting comparisons while carving its own identity. And Admittedly, the classic’s name might draw readers who’d otherwise overlook a demon-fueled rebellion tale.

The Curse of Monte Cristo isn’t flawless, but i found it compelling. Four stars from me. If you’re game for retellings then this is worth a read.
Thank you to Andrews McMeel publishing for providing this book for review via netgalley all opinions are my own.

[Tanya Mcintosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and interesting twist on the ultimate story of revenge. The story follows Edmond Dantes, a freed slave who becomes a member of the crew of a ship. When the captain unexpectedly passes away mid voyage, he entrusts Edmond with important letters to deliver. Dantes has several who lust after his position and his fiancee Mercedes. They decide to join forces and get rid of him with the help of a corrupt judge. After delivering the letters, Dantes is captured and thrown into prison. During his years in prison, he meets Faria, a demon who teaches him how to read, write, and promises to help give him power to get out of prison and take his revenge. Dantes gets unimaginable riches and renames himself The Count of Monte Cristo. He goes to visit all of his old "friends" and implement his plans for revenge.

This story was such an interesting twist on an amazing story. It is a story of revenge with the addition of race and racism. Honestly, the demon and the involvement of vodoo was such a fresh take. I actually loved Dantes background being changed into a former slave turned free man. The added level of discrimination that he faces adds even more compelling reasons for his hatred and fuel filled desire for revenge. I also th9ught the change of Faria being a demon was a cool concept. It gave an even darker feel to Dantes story. My biggest complaint about the book was that the revenge portion was so small compared to everything else. It feot almost rushed. Especially the showdown between Fernand and Edmond it started almost immediately once fhey went to see the count. I wanted it to be a little more drawn out. Overall, a fun and fresh take on a classic story of revenge.

[Emi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Publishing date: 15.04.2025 (DD/MM/YYYY) 

Thank you to NetGalley and Andres McMeel Publishing for the ARC. My opinions are my own. 


TLDR: The Count of Monte Cristo reimagined with race. 3 stars


Personally, I never read the original work so I will be viewing this without the context of the original work. 


I have a few gripes with the plot itself. Not the themes, or the events, but just the fact that it felt underdeveloped and slightly unsatisfying in the end. Overall an okay story, I was entertained, but the events have faded in my mind since I finished it just a few days ago. 

I do enjoy revenge stories, and I got that here so not all complaints. 


Characters themselves are nothing remarkable. They fill their roles and have motivations I can both get behind and respect. Although, they felt slightly artificial in a way I can't really explain. 


Art was pretty cool and fitting for the story and events presented. 


I think the intended audience for this work are the readers of the original work, but as someone who hasn't experienced it I think it might hit better with those who haven't read the original. As per my usual recommendation, read it if it seems interesting to you. 


I give this 3 stars. Nothing super remarkable. Not bad either. Just fine and my time with it was entertaining. 

[Michelle Reads Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was amazing, I highly recommend this. This is a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, as the title implies, but it has heavy paranormal and magical abilities and some really fun action. The major departure from the original revenge story set in France is that the main character, Edmond Dantes, is a Haitian slave and that adds a lot of new perspectives to this story.

Let me start by saying the illustrations are absolutely fantastic, I will be picking up a copy April 15th when it is released because this artwork will be so stunning in person. There is violence and gore in this graphic novel, but in the context of this story it makes sense. Everything seems hopeless for Edmond until a demon gets involved, giving him the ability to exact his revenge and conceal his identity, for a price of course. From there we hit the ground running in a story of revenge and rebellion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing a copy of this work for review.

[Aziza · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Curse of Monte Cristo is a graphic novel based on the popular novel by Dumas and I would definitely recommend it if youre a fan of classics and graphic novels.

I throughly enjoyed reading this graphic novel, it was highly immersive and contextualises the novel better. The artwork is honestly 10/10 as well and the colouring was phenomenal. The detail in the drawings was amazing, every single little thing was deliberate and you could frame every single panel.

The plot of the novel is also brilliant, the artwork really captured a man's decent into madness whilst seeking vengeance and literally fighting against his inner demons.

All in all. It was beautiful to read and the illustrations were lovely !! Really enjoyed this one and I'm glad I got to read it. Thank you so much to the publishers, authors, and Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC/copy of this book in exchange for a review :))

[Cory · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fortune greater than Spada's

5/5 -- a must read

How do you complement one of the greatest novels of all time, The Count of Monte Cristo? Like this:

The Count of Monte Cristo + Faust + the Haitian Revolution = more valuable than all of Spada's riches

Likes

+ A Black Edmond Dantes? HERE FOR IT.
+ Deals with a demon? Faustian check.
+ The Haitian Revolution? Absolutely.
+ Excellent illustration!
+ Comeuppance galore!

Dislikes

- It was so good I wanted it to be longer/never end!

Summarily, highest recommendation for fans of literary classics & of course, especially Dumas fans. I never would have imagined someone could touch one of the most beloved books of all time & make me not skeptical, but this work represents the pinnacle of adaptations (IMO). Highest recommendation for this graphic novel, as all my doubts have gone the way of Danglars & died off....

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, refreshing take on the classic revenge tale.

Do you remember the Count of Monte Cristo? Don’t you think it would’ve been neat if that tale dealt with France’s complicated history with Haiti? Wouldn’t it have been fun if Edmond Dantes made a Faustian pact with a demon on his quest for vengeance? This book tells just that story and is in fact both neat and fun!

This graphic novel adaptation pares the story down some but only in ways that make sense for the medium. The art style is wonderfully kinetic and evocative with brilliant color choices throughout. The character’s facial expressions alone elevate this to a very high standard.

This book was what all the best adaptations should be, a creative and startlingly unique work inspired by the original, not simply a retread of old ground.

[Dominic · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Count of Monte Cristo" is one of my favorite books, so I was excited to see an adaptation with a unique take on the story. I enjoyed Dabel and Holder's version, and yet felt like "The Curse of Monte Cristo" hadn't reached its full potential. I really like the twist of Edmond being an escaped slave from Haiti. It allows the book to keep the story during the same time period, but tell it from a very different perspective and added to the complexities of Edmond's revenge. However, I thought making Father Faria being a demon who sought Edmond's soul robbed Edmond of his agency as a character. The original tale is so powerful in large part because Edmond makes the choices that violate his conscience. Also, the comic waters down the intricacies and cleverness of his revenge plots. Overall, this is a quick read and an interesting idea, but didn't work as well as I'd hoped in practice.

[Amy Minett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Those looking for a creepy spin on an old classic will likely find this horror genre adaption of "The Count of Monte Cristo" a compelling read! I must have read the original novel at least a dozen times growing up (it was one of my favorite classics), so when I saw this graphic novel adaption pop up on NetGalley, I couldn't resist checking it out, even though horror isn't a genre I usually read.

Be warned--it is not for the faint of heart, and some of the scenes are quite gruesome in nature. However, the heart of the story is faithfully told with some interesting new twists added to it (like Edmond being Haitian!), and I found it enjoyable (even if I may have skimmed past a couple bits more quickly than others). I definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy this genre, whether or not they've read the original (but go read the original if you haven't, afterward! It's so good!)

[Kaitlyn (ktxx22) Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic! The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my all time favorite stories and this graphic novel with a horrific twist does it serious justice! Loved the artwork and the horror! Enjoyed the ending quite a bit as well. One note on the author Alexander Dumas in regard to the authors story at the end of the book. His father was the Black parent. His father was a mixed race black man born to a French Count and a Free Black mother on Saint Domingue. He was brought home to France where he served in the French Revolution under Napoleon and was the 1st Black 5 star general of France. The author Dumas’ mother was white woman, a daughter to a wealthy merchant family. For reference please see the book “The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo” by Tom Reiss. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Kay Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars 🩷
Wowow!! Absolutely stunning art work and brilliant story telling! The Count of Monte Cristo is a classic tale of revenge and redemption, but this new interpretation adds elements of race and the supernatural using Dumas' own experiences of the Haitian Revolution. We follow Dantes, our protagonist, as he journeys through the morality of revenge and its empty husk of justice if we become blinded by our own wrath.

The retelling of Faria as a demonic entity (but in the subconscious and shadow psyche kind of way) as a foil to Dantes is absolutely *chef's kiss*. Every scene was yolked in emotion and I implore anyone who loves The Count as much as I do, to not miss this gem!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishing house for this ARC~

[Paula Sena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read or watched The Count of Monte Cristo. There is no specific reason for that; I just never did. However, this graphic novel caught my attention, and I was glad I was able to read it as an ARC.

Edmond is a very likable character, and I was rooting for him the entire time.

Even though I'm not familiar with the story, I was very interested in the book. I believe not knowing anything about it made it even better. I read it in basically one sitting. The art style is absolutely stunning, and the storytelling was fascinating. Since I'm not familiar with the story, I feared for the ending, but it was very pleasing.
It got me interested enough to read the original book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this ARC

[Shakella "The Singing Bibliophile" Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was excellent!

I love the illustrations, the horror elements, the backstory, and the cohesive slips between timelines! This was an experience to read, and reading from this perspective was genuinely remarkable. David Dabel and Carlton Holder did a great job reimaging the original Alexandre Dumas version of the Count of Monte Cristo.

The horror did its job; I read this in the dark and had to turn on the bedside table lamp. This is the desired outcome when you read a book marked horror. You want to be scared or at least uncomfortable.

Thank you to Netgalley, David Dabel, Carlton Holder, and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read the ARC of The Curse of Monte Cristo.

This review was honest and was left voluntarily.

[Darrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic retelling of the Count of Monte Cristo with superb artwork. In this version, Edmond Dantes is a formerly-enslaved person of color which is apropos since Alexandre Dumas, the author of Monte Cristo, was a person of color himself. The action primarily takes place in revolutionary-era Haiti which is an excellent choice for this story. Also, Dabel makes it a horror story by turning Faria into a literal demon.

I haven't read The Count of Monte Cristo, although I have seen one of the films based on it. This graphic novel certainly makes me want to read the source material though. I'm generally not a fan of revenge stories, but I loved this one. An amazing retelling!