Dumas Alexander, The Count of Monte Cristo, Informal Buddy Read, starts 20 June 2024 (previous read was 2018)

[Ashley]

I've made it to Chapter 31!

I have to think... that if it weren't for the period's need to be so ... descriptive... this could be a shorter book.

That being said, 14 years and then some passes within the first 25% of the book, so...

[Beth]

I'm just to chapter 30.

I agree, Ashley, about cutting down on the descriptions. I've been trying to read more "improving books" (AKA classic literature), and what strikes me all the time is how much f'ing description there is. I tried to read The Brothers Karamazov. OMG, I seemed like there was a bajillion pages to describe 3 or 4 people. Ugh.

But even with all the description, I find this completely accessible and readable. I can actually see myself finishing this as opposed to the other ones I've tried (I'm looking at you, Les Miserables, Clarissa, Bros Karamazov, and Phantom of the Opera!).

Is anyone else 12 and giggles when someone "ejaculates" an expression? No, just me? OK, then. Oops.

[SandyL]

I"m up to chapter 32. I actually enjoy the descriptiveness of this book. I'm not usually a fan of classic books - yes, the wordiness often puts me off. I'm listening to the audiobook, and that may be helping. I really enjoyed Dante's time with Abbe Faria - he is one of my favorite characters in the book.

[Sammy]

I read a lot of classics, so to me it just seems normal, lol.

[Insiyah]

Agreed - I actually enjoy the descriptiveness, because it really helps visualise the environment that the scene is set in

[Beth]

Yes, I enjoyed very much the section about Edmond and Faria!

[Eldarwen]

Sammy wrote: "I read a lot of classics, so to me it just seems normal, lol."

Same :-)
I don't read as many as you do, by far, but I enjoy the descriptions for the most part. If they devolve into the overly wordy just to be wordy, then, well, I could do without.

But as Insiyah also said, it helps to visualise the settings rather nicely.

[Beth]

Finished today. Wow, that was a great book! All of the revenges were played out so well! I loved reading all the sections where Edmond revealed himself; that was extremely satisfying. Yay for (view spoiler)[happy endings (hide spoiler)]! (Do I need a spoiler tag on book that's over 150 years old?)

[Eldarwen]

I'd say yes to spoilers, because even if it is so old (and yet another new film is coming to cinemas) there are details not everyone might know :-)

[Beth]

Eldarwen wrote: "I'd say yes to spoilers, because even if it is so old (and yet another new film is coming to cinemas) there are details not everyone might know :-)"

Done! 😉 I had no idea of the ending.

[SandyL]

I'm up to Chapter 57 and I'm really enjoying how the Count is setting up all his revenge plans - so meticulous and involved!!!

[Sammy]

I'm always a huge advocate of spoiler warnings regardless of how long a book has been out. Not everyone has time to read every book immediately, or even read all the classics before first venturing online, so if people don't want to get spoiled (I personally hate spoilers with a vengeance), they'd have to live their life without the internet otherwise, lol.

[Sammy]

SandyL wrote: "I'm up to Chapter 57 and I'm really enjoying how the Count is setting up all his revenge plans - so meticulous and involved!!!"

Yes, it really is so incredibly well planned. There isn't a single character or scene in this book that doesn't have some importance somewhere along the way. People rarely write like this any more!

[Eldarwen]

And now I'm finally back to this book and am enjoying it a lot. The writing style makes it go down nicely, despite it being wordy and long.

Still not all too far in but hoping to put a nice dent in it today :-)

[Eldarwen]

In case anyone is still reading this, since not everyone has finished it in the meantime. And if you have, I hope you're at least still following the thread :-)

[Eldarwen]

Over the course of those chapters from 10-15 (approximately), I find it interesting to see how Villefort's character is described more and more. Ruthless little piece of shit haha. But it's well done.