Open discussion.

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads]

This thread will be a place to comment and ask questions about anything with respect to the book.

[Diane]

I am on chapter 33. The last couple of chapters have had Franz in them. I am not sure who Franz is, I don't remember him from the past. Can someone enlighten me?

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads]

Diane wrote: "I am on chapter 33. The last couple of chapters have had Franz in them. I am not sure who Franz is, I don't remember him from the past. Can someone enlighten me?"

I believe he is a new character. Albert's friend.

[Diane]

Kelly wrote: "Diane wrote: "I am on chapter 33. The last couple of chapters have had Franz in them. I am not sure who Franz is, I don't remember him from the past. Can someone enlighten me?"

I believe he is a n..."

OK thank you. I just read chapter 33 and I did not like it. Too many stories within a story. I would like to get back to Dantes.

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads]

Diane wrote: "Kelly wrote: "Diane wrote: "I am on chapter 33. The last couple of chapters have had Franz in them. I am not sure who Franz is, I don't remember him from the past. Can someone enlighten me?"

I bel..."

By Chapter 39 you are through all that mess. I didn't like that part either. Very confusing. And it was really only about manipulating Albert anyway.

[Hilde]

Just started the book, quite excited to finally read it :)
I am not sure I will be able to catch up, but I will try to get to at least the end of the April schedule by the end of May.

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads]

Hilde wrote: "Just started the book, quite excited to finally read it :)
I am not sure I will be able to catch up, but I will try to get to at least the end of the April schedule by the end of May."

Glad you are joining in! I can't wait to hear your thoughts.

[Pip]

I just started today, worried that I wouldn't get through it by the end of June, but it has me hooked already and I think I will be reading more than the 100 pages a day I have set as a goal.

[Hilde]

Pip wrote: "I just started today, worried that I wouldn't get through it by the end of June, but it has me hooked already and I think I will be reading more than the 100 pages a day I have set as a goal."

I was worried as well, but it is really fast paced. Just started for real this weekend, and am already at page 450. Hope it continues, so far I am loving it. Maybe I will be able to finish by June afterall.

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads]

So glad you both joined us! I will keep discussing it with you after June if you don't finish. But it is possible.

[Hilde]

Kelly wrote: "So glad you both joined us! I will keep discussing it with you after June if you don't finish. But it is possible."

Thanks, Kelly! That is very nice of you.

[Gail]

The "May" or middle section was somewhat wordy and full of explanations as the Count was setting up his plans but I just started into the "June" reading and my goodness, I have had to get up and walk around the house a couple of times I was so distraught and wound up. All the little threads are twisting tighter together. Glad to be back into it.

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads]

Gail wrote: "The "May" or middle section was somewhat wordy and full of explanations as the Count was setting up his plans but I just started into the "June" reading and my goodness, I have had to get up and wa..."

I totally agree -- the middle section wasn't as much fun.

[Diane]

Kelly wrote: "Gail wrote: "The "May" or middle section was somewhat wordy and full of explanations as the Count was setting up his plans but I just started into the "June" reading and my goodness, I have had to ..."

I totally agree too. I am also reading this book with one of my friends who is also finding it wordy at times.

Since I have been on chapter 80 the chapters are much shorter and more action packed. I am hoping it stays this way until the end of the book.

[Pip]

I am absolutely loving all of it. It might be that I am lucky enough to have a modern translation which Jen gave me, but I have found none of it too wordy. I am fascinated that the "revenge is a dish best served cold" theme is so entertaining. Today is Queen's Birthday holiday in New Zealand, the weather is foul, so I am anticipating a morning curled up finishing this masterpiece.

[Hilde]

Hilde wrote: "Kelly wrote: "So glad you both joined us! I will keep discussing it with you after June if you don't finish. But it is possible."

Thanks, Kelly! That is very nice of you."

I agree too. But glad to hear the last part is thrilling, looking forward to it :)

[Melissa]

I started in late May too and had no trouble with the beginning, now I’m dragging down a bit with the side stories within the story (I’m at ch 34), but I see others got hung up here a bit, so I’m trying the push through a bit here and get back to the heart of our story.

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads]

Melissa wrote: "I started in late May too and had no trouble with the beginning, now I’m dragging down a bit with the side stories within the story (I’m at ch 34), but I see others got hung up here a bit, so I’m t..."

It is worth it to stick with it.

[Hilde]

Yay, I finished!!
It was a highly entertaining book, I immensely enjoyed it. Not often I finish a chunkster like this so fast 😊

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads]

Hilde wrote: "Yay, I finished!!
It was a highly entertaining book, I immensely enjoyed it. Not often I finish a chunkster like this so fast 😊"

It is a surprisingly fast read. Glad you liked it!

[Melissa]

Thank you Kelly, I’m well past that now and love the complex set up there... the subtle pushes and pressures and manipulations are something to marvel at. I can see I missed a lot of nuance there when I read the abridged version many years ago. I’m at about halfway now and all the plot threads are starting to come together...all he has to do is pull the threads.

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads]

Melissa wrote: "Thank you Kelly, I’m well past that now and love the complex set up there... the subtle pushes and pressures and manipulations are something to marvel at. I can see I missed a lot of nuance there w..."

I love your description of pulling the threads!

[Melissa]

Not a 1001 Book, but I think anyone who read the Count would appreciate this book. The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo it is a non-fiction account of Dumas’s father, whose escapades helped inspire some of The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers as well as other works of his. Plus it’s a very interesting account of the lives of bi-racial children during that unique time in history.

[Gail]

Thank you. Sounds interesting

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads]

thanks!

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads]

It definitely required a bit of the suspension of disbelief -- so many costumes and disguises.