The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas -> Start Date: May 10th,2017

[Kikijanika]

Join me and Angélique as we read this book :)

[Kikijanika]

Are you ready to start this on May 10th? My library didn't have a full-length version of this book in English so I'll be reading an abridged version. I just hope I don't miss much. Maybe you can fill me in on the missing parts then :)

[Angélique]

Just started today, I'm a slow reader and I have exams coming up so I'm not sure how long I'll take. Just wondering, have you watched any film versions of this story?

[Kikijanika]

Ok. I'm about to start today. I'm reading other books at the same time so a slow pace is good for me, too. I haven't watched any film versions. I'm so glad to read this now because I think it's a story I should have read already but haven't. Kind of like many other classics ☺ Have you watched a film version?

[Angélique]

Yes, growing up in a family filled with french influences I've watched many film versions but it's been a while. As I've grown up with the story I'm excited to read it for the first time. I definatly relate on needing to read more classics but I get easily distracted and am often juggling between several books. Hopefully this will keep me on track. At the moment I'm at chapter 6 (view spoiler)[ just after he's been arrested (hide spoiler)]

[Angélique]

OK so I'm up to chapter 12 (view spoiler)[ where Dantès is commencing escape (hide spoiler)] and I just came across these lines, '... to a prisoner a gaoler is not a man; he is but a living door added to his [the prisoner's] oaken door; he is but a bar of flesh added to his [the prisoner's] bar of iron.'

I just love Dumas' writing style. It's so readable and his despcription and imagery is just beautiful.

[Kikijanika]

I had a couple of night shifts so I haven't been able to read much but my plan is to reach the end of chapter 10 tomorrow. It'll be interesting comparing our views since you kind of know how the story goes and I don't. I'll write more tomorrow once I've read more!

[Angélique]

Sounds great. I also realised that mine is also an abridged version as it's around 500 pages when I believe the original is over a thousand

[Kikijanika]

Mine is about 700 hundred pages but the pages are very small, much smaller than usually. I just finished chapter 12 and (view spoiler)[ Dantes just met the other prisoner. (hide spoiler)]

I like this story a lot so far. It's surprisingly quick to read when compared to some other classics and the writing is beautiful. I actually loved the exact same lines that you just quoted!

I feel so bad for Dantes. (view spoiler)[ It's terrible what happened to him and how nobody really explained to him why he was put in the prison in the first place. I mean, he knew the letter he carried could incriminate him but he was under an impression that he was about to go free. He was just in a wrong place at a wrong time with mischievous people around him. (hide spoiler)]

I'm glad Dantes (view spoiler)[ now has someone to talk to and I can't wait to find out who his new friend is and to learn his story! (hide spoiler)]

[Angélique]

I was reflecting on Dantès' young age the other day. I know this is a fiction but you can't to feel sorry for him and the wrongs that have been done to him.

I'm up to chapter 16 (view spoiler)[ and wow Farias death is quite graphic but incredibly well written. It's amazing the father/son relationship they developed. It's also so sad that this is the second father figure that has been taken away from him. (hide spoiler)]

I'm very excited for the adventures that Dantès is about to have :)

[Kikijanika]

I'm at the end of chapter 20.

I kind of expected (view spoiler)[ Faria and Dantes to escape together but sadly that wasn't the case. In all honesty, it was quite incredible that Dantes made it out alive considering the odds. I think he should have drowned or died of hypothermia or something and he was very lucky with the ship appearing as it did. However, it makes a good story! (hide spoiler)]

It'll be intersting to see (view spoiler)[ what Dantes will do now that he's in possession of the treasure and has made it back to Marseilles. And I wonder where Mercedes has gone. (hide spoiler)]

I still like Dumas's writing style and choices of words a lot. I'm excited to go on reading.

[Kikijanika]

I'm done with chapter 30.

It's quite interesting (view spoiler)[to see how Dantes makes his way around Paris getting all the information he desires. I just wonder if it's possible that nobody recognizes him. Of course, his father is dead and he'd have been the most likely person to recognize his son. It's possible Mercedes will know him, though. (hide spoiler)]

Quite a plan (view spoiler)[Dantes had made in Rome! I bet it was all orchestrated by him. He probably even told Luigi to kidnap Albert. A clever way to get into society of Paris. I only wonder if there had not been an easier way. All this looks like a lot of work for Dantes. (hide spoiler)]

[Angélique]

I'm so sorry I'm falling behind! I have to read 'One who flew over the cukoo's nest' for school so it's a prioity for me at the moment. I'll try to read some more over the week but I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up.

[Kikijanika]

Oh don't worry, I totally get it. I don't mind reading your thoughts later once you have time to read this book :)

[Kikijanika]

I'm done with chapter 41.

I find this book very fascinating. I like following (view spoiler)[Dantes as he slowly spins the web of his plans. I keep trying to guess what he hopes to achieve with everything he does but sometimes it's hard to follow his train of thoughts. I guess it will all become clear in the end. (hide spoiler)]

In addition to following (view spoiler)[ Dantes, I like reading about the other characters as well. I like seeing what has become of all Dantes's old aquintances and following the marriage arrangements between the members of the younger generation is also interesting. And I'm still surprised that this book is such a smooth read compared to some other classics. (hide spoiler)]

I wonder if (view spoiler)[Mercedes recognized Dantes or just found him familiar or something. There must be a reason he questioned his son of the Count of Monte Cristo and his character and past. And I wonder why Dantes seems to be avoiding her. I'd thought he'd like to be around her after all this time. (hide spoiler)]

[Kikijanika]

I needed to take a break from this and finish some other books but now I finally had a chance to continue reading this. I'm now done with chapter 50.
First it took me a while to remember who everybody was and what had happened but now I've got into the story again. I can see how (view spoiler)[Dantes is slowly ruining the plans and fortunes of his enemies. It's just weird that he never seems to experience any setbacks when it comes to his plans. They are quite complicated plans and I guess many things could go wrong. (hide spoiler)]

I still have a feeling that (view spoiler)[ Mercedes has recognized Dantes...or at least suspects something. Somehow I don't think they'll end up together, though. (hide spoiler)]

I really like (view spoiler)[ Noirtier and the relationship he has with Valentine. It's great he has such a strong personality despite his disabilities. (hide spoiler)]

[Kikijanika]

I've now read up to chapter 60. Have you been able to make any progress?

It then turned out (view spoiler)[ Merceded did know Dantes after all. I wonder if he would have ever revealed himself if Mercedes hadn't confronted him. (hide spoiler)]

Interesting to see how (view spoiler)[ Dantes will succeed with his revenge with the rest of the people. At least Villefort has already lost family members. I bet the person doing the poisoning is madam de Villefort. And Danglars seems to be slowly losing his money. (hide spoiler)]

I can tell the book is coming to an end as things are starting to be revealed and different stories brought to a close. I'm curious about how Dantes's story will end.

[Kikijanika]

I finished. I kind of liked (view spoiler)[ how Dantes started to regret his actions. It was sad to think that his imprisonment would have turned him into such a bitter person that nothing else mattered to him but his revenge. I was happy to see he still tried to make the innocent people happy. What I don't understand, however, is why did he need to make Valentine and Morrell wait so long before reuniting them. And why did he let Morrell drink the poison. He didn't die, of course, but I saw no point to that. (hide spoiler)]

I really liked this book a lot and I'm happy I read it. Guess I will have to read the 3 musketeers next ☺ Have you read it?

[Angélique]

I'm up to chapter 23 and I love the description of the Isle of Monte Cristo. Alexandre Dumas has a beautiful way with words.

I was also completely devastated with what happened to Monsieur Morrel. I did not remember this from watching cinematic versions of this story so this came as a complete shock. I simply hope he gets his justice.

I can tell that the revenge plot is about to unfold and I am extremely excited to continue reading.

[Kikijanika]

Great to hear there are some surprises for you, too ☺ It was indeed terrible what happened to Morrel.
And I agree on the writing being beautiful. Yet it's still effortless to read, which is also nice.