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Mémoires d'un médecin #4
The Countess de Charny
The Countess of Charny or, The Execution of King Louis XVI by Alexandre Dumas (pere)
CONTENTS.
1. THE NEW MEN AT THE WHEEL.
2. GILBERT'S CANDIDATE.
3. POWERFUL, PERHAPS; HAPPY, NEVER.
4. THE FOES FACE TO FACE.
5. THE UNINVITED VISITORS.
6. THE COUNTRY IS IN DANGER!
7. THE MEN FROM MARSEILLES.
8. THE FRIEND IN NEED.
9. CHARNY ON GUARD.
10. BILLET AND PITOU.
11. IN THE MORNING.
12. THE FIRST MASSACRE.
13. THE REPULSE.
14. THE LAST OF THE CHARNYS.
15. THE BLOOD-STAINS.
16. THE WIDOW.
17. WHAT ANDREA WANTED OF GILBERT.
18. THE ASSEMBLY AND THE COMMUNE.
19. CAPTAIN BEAUSIRE APPEARS AGAIN.
20. THE EMETIC.
21. BEAUSIRE'S BRAVADO.
22. SET UPON DYING.
23. THE DEATH OF THE COUNTESS.
24. THE ROYAL MARTYR.
25. MASTER GAMAIN TURNS UP.
26. THE TRIAL OF THE KING.
27. THE PARALLEL TO CHARLES I.
28. CAGLIOSTRO'S ADVICE.
29. THE CROWN OF ANGE'S LOVE.
30. THE EFFECT OF HAPPY NEWS.
31. THE EASY-CHAIR.
32. WHAT PITOU DID WITH THE FIND.
CHAPTER I. THE NEW MEN AT THE WHEEL.
It was on the first of October, 1791, that the new Legislative Assembly was to be inaugurated over France.
King Louis XVI., captured with Queen Marie Antoinette and the royal family, while attempting to escape from the kingdom and join his brothers and the other princes abroad, was held in a kind of detention, like imprisonment without hard labor, in the Tuileries Palace in Paris.
His fate hung on the members of the new House of Representatives. Let us hasten to see what they were.
The Congress was composed of seven hundred and forty-five members: four hundred lawyers of one kind or another; some seventy literary men; seventy priests who had taken the oath to abide by the Constitution, not yet framed, but to which the king had subscribed on the sketch. The remaining two hundred odd were landholders, farming their own estates or hiring them out to others.
Among these was François Billet, a robust peasant of forty-five, distinguished by the people of Paris and France as a hero, from having been mainly instrumental in the taking of the Bastile, regarded as the embodiment of the ancient tyranny, now almost leveled with the dust.
Billet had suffered two wrongs at the hands of the king's men and the nobles, which he had sworn to avenge as well on the classes as on the individuals.
His farm-house had been pillaged by Paris policemen acting under a blank warrant signed by the king and issued at the request of Andrea de Taverney, Countess of Charny, the queen's favorite, as her husband the count was reckoned, too. She had a spite against Billet's friend, Dr. Honore Gilbert, a noted patriot and politician. In his youth, this afterward distinguished physician had taken advantage of her senses being steeped in a mesmeric swoon, to lower her pride. Thanks to this trance and from his overruling love, he was the progenitor of her son, Sebastian Emile Gilbert; but with all the pride of this paternity, he was haunted by unceasing remorse. Andrea could not forgive this crime, all the more as it was a thorn in her side since her marriage.
It was a marriage enforced on her, as the Count of Charny had been caught by the king on his knees to the queen; and to prevent the stupid monarch being convinced by this scene that there was truth in the tattle at court that Count Charny was Marie Antoinette's paramour, she had explained that he merely was suing for the hand of her friend Andrea. The king's consent given, this marriage took place, but for six years the couple dwelt apart; not that mutual love did not prevail between them, but neither was aware of the affection each had inspired in the other at first sight.
CONTENTS.
1. THE NEW MEN AT THE WHEEL.
2. GILBERT'S CANDIDATE.
3. POWERFUL, PERHAPS; HAPPY, NEVER.
4. THE FOES FACE TO FACE.
5. THE UNINVITED VISITORS.
6. THE COUNTRY IS IN DANGER!
7. THE MEN FROM MARSEILLES.
8. THE FRIEND IN NEED.
9. CHARNY ON GUARD.
10. BILLET AND PITOU.
11. IN THE MORNING.
12. THE FIRST MASSACRE.
13. THE REPULSE.
14. THE LAST OF THE CHARNYS.
15. THE BLOOD-STAINS.
16. THE WIDOW.
17. WHAT ANDREA WANTED OF GILBERT.
18. THE ASSEMBLY AND THE COMMUNE.
19. CAPTAIN BEAUSIRE APPEARS AGAIN.
20. THE EMETIC.
21. BEAUSIRE'S BRAVADO.
22. SET UPON DYING.
23. THE DEATH OF THE COUNTESS.
24. THE ROYAL MARTYR.
25. MASTER GAMAIN TURNS UP.
26. THE TRIAL OF THE KING.
27. THE PARALLEL TO CHARLES I.
28. CAGLIOSTRO'S ADVICE.
29. THE CROWN OF ANGE'S LOVE.
30. THE EFFECT OF HAPPY NEWS.
31. THE EASY-CHAIR.
32. WHAT PITOU DID WITH THE FIND.
CHAPTER I. THE NEW MEN AT THE WHEEL.
It was on the first of October, 1791, that the new Legislative Assembly was to be inaugurated over France.
King Louis XVI., captured with Queen Marie Antoinette and the royal family, while attempting to escape from the kingdom and join his brothers and the other princes abroad, was held in a kind of detention, like imprisonment without hard labor, in the Tuileries Palace in Paris.
His fate hung on the members of the new House of Representatives. Let us hasten to see what they were.
The Congress was composed of seven hundred and forty-five members: four hundred lawyers of one kind or another; some seventy literary men; seventy priests who had taken the oath to abide by the Constitution, not yet framed, but to which the king had subscribed on the sketch. The remaining two hundred odd were landholders, farming their own estates or hiring them out to others.
Among these was François Billet, a robust peasant of forty-five, distinguished by the people of Paris and France as a hero, from having been mainly instrumental in the taking of the Bastile, regarded as the embodiment of the ancient tyranny, now almost leveled with the dust.
Billet had suffered two wrongs at the hands of the king's men and the nobles, which he had sworn to avenge as well on the classes as on the individuals.
His farm-house had been pillaged by Paris policemen acting under a blank warrant signed by the king and issued at the request of Andrea de Taverney, Countess of Charny, the queen's favorite, as her husband the count was reckoned, too. She had a spite against Billet's friend, Dr. Honore Gilbert, a noted patriot and politician. In his youth, this afterward distinguished physician had taken advantage of her senses being steeped in a mesmeric swoon, to lower her pride. Thanks to this trance and from his overruling love, he was the progenitor of her son, Sebastian Emile Gilbert; but with all the pride of this paternity, he was haunted by unceasing remorse. Andrea could not forgive this crime, all the more as it was a thorn in her side since her marriage.
It was a marriage enforced on her, as the Count of Charny had been caught by the king on his knees to the queen; and to prevent the stupid monarch being convinced by this scene that there was truth in the tattle at court that Count Charny was Marie Antoinette's paramour, she had explained that he merely was suing for the hand of her friend Andrea. The king's consent given, this marriage took place, but for six years the couple dwelt apart; not that mutual love did not prevail between them, but neither was aware of the affection each had inspired in the other at first sight.
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1853
11 people are currently reading
593 people want to read
About the author
Alexandre Dumas
6,183 books12.5k followersThis note regards Alexandre Dumas, père, the father of Alexandre Dumas, fils (son). For the son, see Alexandre Dumas fils.
Alexandre Dumas père, born Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, was a towering figure of 19th-century French literature whose historical novels and adventure tales earned global renown. Best known for The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, and other swashbuckling epics, Dumas crafted stories filled with daring heroes, dramatic twists, and vivid historical backdrops. His works, often serialized and immensely popular with the public, helped shape the modern adventure genre and remain enduring staples of world literature.
Dumas was the son of Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, a celebrated general in Revolutionary France and the highest-ranking man of African descent in a European army at the time. His father’s early death left the family in poverty, but Dumas’s upbringing was nonetheless marked by strong personal ambition and a deep admiration for his father’s achievements. He moved to Paris as a young man and began his literary career writing for the theatre, quickly rising to prominence in the Romantic movement with successful plays like Henri III et sa cour and Antony.
In the 1840s, Dumas turned increasingly toward prose fiction, particularly serialized novels, which reached vast audiences through French newspapers. His collaboration with Auguste Maquet, a skilled plotter and historian, proved fruitful. While Maquet drafted outlines and conducted research, Dumas infused the narratives with flair, dialogue, and color. The result was a string of literary triumphs, including The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, both published in 1844. These novels exemplified Dumas’s flair for suspenseful pacing, memorable characters, and grand themes of justice, loyalty, and revenge.
The D’Artagnan Romances—The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, and The Vicomte of Bragelonne—cemented his fame. They follow the adventures of the titular Gascon hero and his comrades Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, blending historical fact and fiction into richly imagined narratives. The Count of Monte Cristo offered a darker, more introspective tale of betrayal and retribution, with intricate plotting and a deeply philosophical core.
Dumas was also active in journalism and theater. He founded the Théâtre Historique in Paris, which staged dramatizations of his own novels. A prolific and energetic writer, he is estimated to have written or co-written over 100,000 pages of fiction, plays, memoirs, travel books, and essays. He also had a strong interest in food and published a massive culinary encyclopedia, Le Grand Dictionnaire de cuisine, filled with recipes, anecdotes, and reflections on gastronomy.
Despite his enormous success, Dumas was frequently plagued by financial troubles. He led a lavish lifestyle, building the ornate Château de Monte-Cristo near Paris, employing large staffs, and supporting many friends and relatives. His generosity and appetite for life often outpaced his income, leading to mounting debts. Still, his creative drive rarely waned.
Dumas’s mixed-race background was a source of both pride and tension in his life. He was outspoken about his heritage and used his platform to address race and injustice. In his novel Georges, he explored issues of colonialism and identity through a Creole protagonist. Though he encountered racism, he refused to be silenced, famously replying to a racial insult by pointing to his ancestry and achievements with dignity and wit.
Later in life, Dumas continued writing and traveling, spending time in Belgium, Italy, and Russia. He supported nationalist causes, particularly Italian unification, and even founded a newspaper to advocate for Giuseppe Garibaldi. Though his popularity waned somewhat in his final years, his literary legacy grew steadily. He wrote in a style that was accessible, entertaining, and emotionally reso
Alexandre Dumas père, born Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, was a towering figure of 19th-century French literature whose historical novels and adventure tales earned global renown. Best known for The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, and other swashbuckling epics, Dumas crafted stories filled with daring heroes, dramatic twists, and vivid historical backdrops. His works, often serialized and immensely popular with the public, helped shape the modern adventure genre and remain enduring staples of world literature.
Dumas was the son of Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, a celebrated general in Revolutionary France and the highest-ranking man of African descent in a European army at the time. His father’s early death left the family in poverty, but Dumas’s upbringing was nonetheless marked by strong personal ambition and a deep admiration for his father’s achievements. He moved to Paris as a young man and began his literary career writing for the theatre, quickly rising to prominence in the Romantic movement with successful plays like Henri III et sa cour and Antony.
In the 1840s, Dumas turned increasingly toward prose fiction, particularly serialized novels, which reached vast audiences through French newspapers. His collaboration with Auguste Maquet, a skilled plotter and historian, proved fruitful. While Maquet drafted outlines and conducted research, Dumas infused the narratives with flair, dialogue, and color. The result was a string of literary triumphs, including The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, both published in 1844. These novels exemplified Dumas’s flair for suspenseful pacing, memorable characters, and grand themes of justice, loyalty, and revenge.
The D’Artagnan Romances—The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, and The Vicomte of Bragelonne—cemented his fame. They follow the adventures of the titular Gascon hero and his comrades Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, blending historical fact and fiction into richly imagined narratives. The Count of Monte Cristo offered a darker, more introspective tale of betrayal and retribution, with intricate plotting and a deeply philosophical core.
Dumas was also active in journalism and theater. He founded the Théâtre Historique in Paris, which staged dramatizations of his own novels. A prolific and energetic writer, he is estimated to have written or co-written over 100,000 pages of fiction, plays, memoirs, travel books, and essays. He also had a strong interest in food and published a massive culinary encyclopedia, Le Grand Dictionnaire de cuisine, filled with recipes, anecdotes, and reflections on gastronomy.
Despite his enormous success, Dumas was frequently plagued by financial troubles. He led a lavish lifestyle, building the ornate Château de Monte-Cristo near Paris, employing large staffs, and supporting many friends and relatives. His generosity and appetite for life often outpaced his income, leading to mounting debts. Still, his creative drive rarely waned.
Dumas’s mixed-race background was a source of both pride and tension in his life. He was outspoken about his heritage and used his platform to address race and injustice. In his novel Georges, he explored issues of colonialism and identity through a Creole protagonist. Though he encountered racism, he refused to be silenced, famously replying to a racial insult by pointing to his ancestry and achievements with dignity and wit.
Later in life, Dumas continued writing and traveling, spending time in Belgium, Italy, and Russia. He supported nationalist causes, particularly Italian unification, and even founded a newspaper to advocate for Giuseppe Garibaldi. Though his popularity waned somewhat in his final years, his literary legacy grew steadily. He wrote in a style that was accessible, entertaining, and emotionally reso
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 21, 2011
Alexandre Dumas is my 2nd favorite author of all time - I can't put his books down - they are too much fun!
April 30, 2020
Well, these Marie Antoinette romances have been quite a ride! I still need to re-read Knight of Maison-Rouge, which I first read a few years ago. Chronologically, that story takes place after the events of Countess de Charny, although Maison-Rouge was the first of Dumas’ Antoinette stories to be published.
De Charny picks up immediately after the events of Ange Pitou. Along with Pitou, this story is an encyclopedic, if highly dramatized, account of the French Revolution. And when I say encyclopedic, I mean it: the list of characters alone is 11 pages long. Taken together, Pitou and de Charny total 3,000 pages, completely jam-packed with historical figures; events, both great and small; reprints of seminal and portentous speeches and decrees; speculations; philosophical ruminations; and, yes, plenty of drama. In reviewing de Charny one is almost compelled to review the Revolution itself! All in all, a work no less ambitious than War and Peace.
One example of how Dumas would use historical documents to complement his own, superb writing, is in telling the tug-of-war over the Church of St. Genevieve. Today, we know this edifice as the Panthéon, final resting place of France’s military and literary heroes (including Dumas, himself). In one chapter Dumas published several decrees and counter-decrees (by the National Assembly, Napoleon, Louis XVIII, Louis-Philippe, and Napoleon III), remanding St. Genevieve to either its original function as a house of worship, or as a mausoleum. His purpose in this was detailing what was to become of Mirabeau’s remains. After having becoming the first person honored with placement inside St. Genevieve, he was subsequently found unfit by later, more zealous revolutionaries. And this all gives way to an extraordinary passage by Dumas:
I might be wrong, but aside from print-on-demand options, I don’t think this novel has been in print for many decades. It’s a shame, because readers (at least this one) would hugely benefit from a fully annotated edition. I have half a mind to annotate it myself. I can think of no better tribute to this masterclass on the French Revolution, than to deep-dive into each of the plethora of details with which Dumas liberally infuses this work.
One of the idiosyncrasies that I love about Dumas is the regularity with which he breaks the fourth wall, so to speak, reminding the reader that (1) you’re reading a novel, (2) by Alexandre Dumas. Rarely have I seen an example of this as striking as the following passage:
In de Charny he even inserts himself more directly into events by describing how, decades later, he would meet Robespierre’s sister, or the author of La Marseillaise, etc. In any other author I would find these peculiarities off-putting, but with Dumas I can’t see them as anything but delightful.
One other note about Dumas himself, is that there’s a particular chapter involving Maillard and de Beausire that reads like a detective story. Countess de Charny was published from 1853-1855. Edgar Allen Poe had only just invented the detective story a decade earlier, which means that Dumas presented a very early entry into the genre, for which I’ve never seen him credited.
As one book in a long series, there are, of course, many continuities. One notable change is that, while Antoinette was mostly sympathetic in the earlier novels (less so in Pitou), she’s not at all a sympathetic character in de Charny. This is intentional, as it follows her arc from young and idealistic Austrian princess, just crossing the frontier for the first time, and ends with the ruin of France, for which she receives, rightly or wrongly, a tremendous share of the blame. Although Dumas is largely telling the story of Marie Antoinette, the weight of the responsibility he puts on her shoulders might conceivably be construed as sexist (especially in light of this quote comparing her to Madame Roland: “It is indeed strange that both these women exercised over their husbands an influence which led all four to death; only they travelled towards this end by opposite roads”). However, I think a more just reading is that Antoinette’s weaknesses (proud; spiteful) played on Louis XVI’s own weaknesses (weak; indecisive; lacking in genius; lacking initiative; stammering), such that the kingdom didn’t stand a chance.
Once again, let me just state what a truly monumental and incredible work this is. It seems to be almost entirely forgotten, except for diehards like myself, and this is entirely without merit. Publishers: please, please, please bring this back into the light of day, and give it the treatment it so sorely deserves.
**A quick note on edition: my copy of Countess de Charny may not correspond exactly with the edition I’m purportedly reviewing here. I have an 1894 printing by Little Brown & Co., and all of the above quotes are taken from this translation.
De Charny picks up immediately after the events of Ange Pitou. Along with Pitou, this story is an encyclopedic, if highly dramatized, account of the French Revolution. And when I say encyclopedic, I mean it: the list of characters alone is 11 pages long. Taken together, Pitou and de Charny total 3,000 pages, completely jam-packed with historical figures; events, both great and small; reprints of seminal and portentous speeches and decrees; speculations; philosophical ruminations; and, yes, plenty of drama. In reviewing de Charny one is almost compelled to review the Revolution itself! All in all, a work no less ambitious than War and Peace.
One example of how Dumas would use historical documents to complement his own, superb writing, is in telling the tug-of-war over the Church of St. Genevieve. Today, we know this edifice as the Panthéon, final resting place of France’s military and literary heroes (including Dumas, himself). In one chapter Dumas published several decrees and counter-decrees (by the National Assembly, Napoleon, Louis XVIII, Louis-Philippe, and Napoleon III), remanding St. Genevieve to either its original function as a house of worship, or as a mausoleum. His purpose in this was detailing what was to become of Mirabeau’s remains. After having becoming the first person honored with placement inside St. Genevieve, he was subsequently found unfit by later, more zealous revolutionaries. And this all gives way to an extraordinary passage by Dumas:
"Three years afterward, on a gloomy autumn day, no longer in the hall at the Riding School, but in the hall of the Tuileries, the Convention, -- after having killed the King, after having killed the Queen, after having killed the Girondists, after having killed the members of the Cordelier Club, after having killed the Jacobins, after having killed the ultra Republicans, after having killed itself, -- having nothing living left to kill, began to kill off the dead."
I might be wrong, but aside from print-on-demand options, I don’t think this novel has been in print for many decades. It’s a shame, because readers (at least this one) would hugely benefit from a fully annotated edition. I have half a mind to annotate it myself. I can think of no better tribute to this masterclass on the French Revolution, than to deep-dive into each of the plethora of details with which Dumas liberally infuses this work.
One of the idiosyncrasies that I love about Dumas is the regularity with which he breaks the fourth wall, so to speak, reminding the reader that (1) you’re reading a novel, (2) by Alexandre Dumas. Rarely have I seen an example of this as striking as the following passage:
"Our readers are already aware that this is a historic work which we are making, rather than a romance. We shall never probably recur again to this great epoch, to which are related two stories already published, “Blanche de Beaulieu” and Chevalier de Maison-Rouge, -- and one other story, written three years ago, but not yet published, which will most certainly appear, however, in due season."
In de Charny he even inserts himself more directly into events by describing how, decades later, he would meet Robespierre’s sister, or the author of La Marseillaise, etc. In any other author I would find these peculiarities off-putting, but with Dumas I can’t see them as anything but delightful.
One other note about Dumas himself, is that there’s a particular chapter involving Maillard and de Beausire that reads like a detective story. Countess de Charny was published from 1853-1855. Edgar Allen Poe had only just invented the detective story a decade earlier, which means that Dumas presented a very early entry into the genre, for which I’ve never seen him credited.
As one book in a long series, there are, of course, many continuities. One notable change is that, while Antoinette was mostly sympathetic in the earlier novels (less so in Pitou), she’s not at all a sympathetic character in de Charny. This is intentional, as it follows her arc from young and idealistic Austrian princess, just crossing the frontier for the first time, and ends with the ruin of France, for which she receives, rightly or wrongly, a tremendous share of the blame. Although Dumas is largely telling the story of Marie Antoinette, the weight of the responsibility he puts on her shoulders might conceivably be construed as sexist (especially in light of this quote comparing her to Madame Roland: “It is indeed strange that both these women exercised over their husbands an influence which led all four to death; only they travelled towards this end by opposite roads”). However, I think a more just reading is that Antoinette’s weaknesses (proud; spiteful) played on Louis XVI’s own weaknesses (weak; indecisive; lacking in genius; lacking initiative; stammering), such that the kingdom didn’t stand a chance.
Once again, let me just state what a truly monumental and incredible work this is. It seems to be almost entirely forgotten, except for diehards like myself, and this is entirely without merit. Publishers: please, please, please bring this back into the light of day, and give it the treatment it so sorely deserves.
**A quick note on edition: my copy of Countess de Charny may not correspond exactly with the edition I’m purportedly reviewing here. I have an 1894 printing by Little Brown & Co., and all of the above quotes are taken from this translation.
September 21, 2016
I love Alexandre Dumas for his almost intimate knowledge of history, and his ability to make you intimate with it as well. He brings historical figures to life, as people. This is the story of the royal family in the last days of the monarchy of France and the struggles of the people on every side, and more than their historical struggle, their personal struggles as well.
June 19, 2016
Historical Fiction - #4 Marie Antoinette series
This 505 page book was way too long. It could easily be cut down by one half imo. It was a real slog to get through, but with approx. 1,500 pages read in books 1-3, which were much more enjoyable, I kept waiting for Dumas's exciting writing to appear. It didn't.
Looking forward to finishing this series next month with book 5 The Knight of Maison-Rouge.
The publisher of this 2006 edition, "Waking Lion Press, an imprint of The Emporium", released this book with a stunning number of typos that any sixth grader could have corrected. An estimate of a minimum of 50 separate glaring typos -- it is obvious no person proofread this book, or ran it through a spellcheck.
This 505 page book was way too long. It could easily be cut down by one half imo. It was a real slog to get through, but with approx. 1,500 pages read in books 1-3, which were much more enjoyable, I kept waiting for Dumas's exciting writing to appear. It didn't.
Looking forward to finishing this series next month with book 5 The Knight of Maison-Rouge.
The publisher of this 2006 edition, "Waking Lion Press, an imprint of The Emporium", released this book with a stunning number of typos that any sixth grader could have corrected. An estimate of a minimum of 50 separate glaring typos -- it is obvious no person proofread this book, or ran it through a spellcheck.
January 24, 2020
Having the signs of a typical Dumas novel, the narrative is rich and full of adventures and diverse characters. The fictional elements are woven into the historic events, thus creating a complex and twisted tale of love, betrayals, cruelty and self-sacrifice. With that being said, there is a reason that this novel is not as popular as The Three Musketeers, or The Count of Monte Cristo and in my personal opinion this reason is the characters. I strongly believe that this story lacked charming and heroic figures from the rank of the musketeers or the count. On the contrary, here they seemed to be too one-dimensional, even far too simple. I have put below my thoughts on some of the main characters:
- Louis XVI of France - The king of France. However, the reader never gets to know him. It is well established that he loves to eat and to sleep, and that he's not really strong-willed. Nevertheless, we don't see him much in action, there are barely any scenes in which we fulfills his actual royal duties.
- Marie Antoinette - I really liked her in the first, and even in the second book of the series. She was fresh, charming, diverse... In the last two books however she's been too monotonous. Yes, she makes mistakes, and she shows plenty of emotions throughout her fall of grace. What she lacks is a development in her points of view, her beliefs and her self-reflection. It gets really tiring to read the same complaints coming from the same character over and over again, without any actual development.
- Cagliostro - I was so disappointed... What happened to the enigmatic and mysterious stranger from the first novel?
- Andrée de Taverney - The title character of the novel, even though I still don't understand why... Not even half of the book was about her, and her overall impact was not that big. Generally speaking, she's a well-crafted heroine, however for most of the people it would be really hard to relate to her. Nevertheless, the only two scenes in the story, which moved me, were with her...
- Olivier de Charny - I suppose he was destined to be the hero of the story, however I just could not connect to him. In fact, he was quite annoying for a large part of the book due to his constant hesitation.
- Gilbert - I hated him in the first novel, then I started liking him, and once his redemption arc was completed, he became quite boring and obsolete
- Catherine Billot and Ange Pitou - a large portion of the book is dedicated to them, however there is nothing truly unique or memorable about them...
Yet, the novel is nice and I suppose any Dumas fan will gladly read it.
- Louis XVI of France - The king of France. However, the reader never gets to know him. It is well established that he loves to eat and to sleep, and that he's not really strong-willed. Nevertheless, we don't see him much in action, there are barely any scenes in which we fulfills his actual royal duties.
- Marie Antoinette - I really liked her in the first, and even in the second book of the series. She was fresh, charming, diverse... In the last two books however she's been too monotonous. Yes, she makes mistakes, and she shows plenty of emotions throughout her fall of grace. What she lacks is a development in her points of view, her beliefs and her self-reflection. It gets really tiring to read the same complaints coming from the same character over and over again, without any actual development.
- Cagliostro - I was so disappointed... What happened to the enigmatic and mysterious stranger from the first novel?
- Andrée de Taverney - The title character of the novel, even though I still don't understand why... Not even half of the book was about her, and her overall impact was not that big. Generally speaking, she's a well-crafted heroine, however for most of the people it would be really hard to relate to her. Nevertheless, the only two scenes in the story, which moved me, were with her...
- Olivier de Charny - I suppose he was destined to be the hero of the story, however I just could not connect to him. In fact, he was quite annoying for a large part of the book due to his constant hesitation.
- Gilbert - I hated him in the first novel, then I started liking him, and once his redemption arc was completed, he became quite boring and obsolete
- Catherine Billot and Ange Pitou - a large portion of the book is dedicated to them, however there is nothing truly unique or memorable about them...
Yet, the novel is nice and I suppose any Dumas fan will gladly read it.
July 3, 2025
I picked up "La comtesse de Charny" by pure coincide, knowing it's my first Alexander Dumas read, and I absolutely enjoyed it. Now, I'm a fan of Dumas and his storytelling.
Dumas brings details and fiction to the story in a genius way, which is rarely found anywhere. I found myself thinking about the complexity of the characters like Pitou and the countess and how they've added depth to the story.
the book was slower than I usually read, but I never felt like putting it down, and the narrative kept me curious throughout.
I recommend this book for readers interested in the French Revolution and who enjoy historical fiction with a personal feel to it.
Dumas brings details and fiction to the story in a genius way, which is rarely found anywhere. I found myself thinking about the complexity of the characters like Pitou and the countess and how they've added depth to the story.
the book was slower than I usually read, but I never felt like putting it down, and the narrative kept me curious throughout.
I recommend this book for readers interested in the French Revolution and who enjoy historical fiction with a personal feel to it.
April 21, 2018
Exciting installment to the Marie Antoinette series! A quick must read for Dumas and French history enthusiasts.
February 3, 2014
I don't like this book, it it to long, 2 volumes with 600 pages each other. It was very boring, I couldn't finished it. I feel so disapointed, because Dumas books are awesome but this book was so painful to read. So I said to myself if I don't like a book I can't read it until the end, so I have to start a new one that speaks to me.
Ok, the plot was good , but the author insisted to much on details, pages of details . This book have some parts that are very hard to read, those parts are like hictorical non-fiction books pages.
I think I would have loved this book if it was more short and at the subject.
Ok, the plot was good , but the author insisted to much on details, pages of details . This book have some parts that are very hard to read, those parts are like hictorical non-fiction books pages.
I think I would have loved this book if it was more short and at the subject.
February 21, 2016
3 *:
So loooong, it would be a could story, if some parts would be missing. I feeled like I were reading a school book about history. Too much of characters. And I don understnad the title, it wasn't mainly about her.
So loooong, it would be a could story, if some parts would be missing. I feeled like I were reading a school book about history. Too much of characters. And I don understnad the title, it wasn't mainly about her.
April 23, 2017
Interesting history, but really nothing to do with the Countess de Charny.
Most of the focus is on the escape of Louis XVI.
Most of the focus is on the escape of Louis XVI.
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