2️⃣ Count of Monte Cristo- Chapter 23 through Chapter 38- Part 2 (of 6)

[Joy, Your Obedient Servant]

Discuss anything from Week 3 and 4 here. This thread covers through Chapter 38. If you'd like to discuss major plot events, please click the (some html is ok) link above the comment box to learn how to add a spoiler cover to your post.

If you haven't read through Chapter 38, stop reading now to avoid spoilers.

::edit::
Chapter 38 is a better transition point than 39, so I've moved Week 4's reading to end with Chapter 38.

[Joy, Your Obedient Servant]

Week 3 reading is through Chapter 32 Awakening.

Nancy, my thoughts on the 30's (view spoiler)[ Once Dantes is rescued, he basically starts his life of many personalities. All the personas we see are Dantes pretending to be someone which you obviously understand. Most of the people that we've come across in these chapters I believe were mentioned during Dantes, as a priest, interview with Caderousse. Vicomte Albert de Morcerf is Fernand's title now. Franz is his one of his wealthy/higher class social connections. Franz runs into Dantes, as Sinbad, on Monte Cristo right before meeting Fernand in Rome for carnival. OR maybe you're farther than me and you understood all that already. My take on the random quoting of literature and cultural references, aside from the ghostwriting per word, which they mentioned in the Buss introduction, is that Dantes saw how knowledge help the abbe while in prison and has taken to acquiring whatever knowledge he can in his freedom. It also helps him with the various persona's he takes on, so maybe it's just part of the disguise? (hide spoiler)]

Anyways, awaiting your thoughts as well!

[NancyJ, Moderator]

Thanks I didn't catch that name! I caught the name of the Countess at the Opera - Villefort, but I didn't know how she was related, or how old she was. I think I left off around the beginning of the Carnival in Rome. Chapter 36 maybe. I didn't read the Buss intro, but I read somewhere that this roman section of the book was not as well received as other parts of the book. I've been listening to the audio, but I think I'll need to read the kindle for this section so I can power through faster. I don't know if the extra stories are fluff, or if they're important to the overall story.

(view spoiler)[ Albert and Franz seem very young. Is Albert Fernand's son then? If so, is he Mercedes' son too? It seemed clear to me that it was no accident that Dantes met Franz on the island and in Rome. The boat captain was smooth in persuading him to go to the island. I suspected the Hotelier in Rome told the boys there were no carriages just so Dantes could swoop in to help. I didn't read the Buss intro, but I read an intro elsewhere that talked about the Roman section as being less well received.

The Count's people are relating a lot of stories to the boys about various bandits and couples. It's not clear why yet. I find it hard to believe these boys would be so patient listening to theses stories while they're on the street getting ready to leave. I'm curious if the Buss version differs from my translation in these chapters. (I have it, but the font is too small for me.)

At the Colesseum it was clear how one bandit fit in with the Count. I wonder if it's possible that he knew Franz was there in the shadows? (hide spoiler)]

[Joy, Your Obedient Servant]

NancyJ wrote: "Thanks I didn't catch that name! I caught the name of the Countess at the Opera - Villefort, but I didn't know how she was related, or how old she was. I think I left off around the beginning of th..."

(view spoiler)[ They mention that Fernand and Mercedes have a son they call little Albert, but nothing has indicated to me that the Albert with Franz is little Albert. I think it's Fernand going by his title, but I may have missed something indicating it wasn't? (hide spoiler)]

I'll have to back track and check.

[Joy, Your Obedient Servant]

Ok. So, Nancy I believe you are right about Albert. In the chapter I just read they say his father is the Count de Morcerf. So the issue is I don't understand French nobility titles.

[Joy, Your Obedient Servant]

Just checking in ... Has anyone else made it to the Week 4 reading yet?

[Mandy]

I’ve finished the week 4 chapters - and am a little ahead now starting chapter 41. Agree with most others that the first 20 chapters were a joy to read! Now that Edmund is presenting as the Count it feels like a new novel starting again with laying groundwork beyond what we learned previously. No plans to stop reading this one - enjoying the ride! I like to think what it would be like to read this as a serial with each chapter published one at a time like Tales of the City being published in the San Francisco Chronicle once upon a time.

[NancyJ, Moderator]

Hi Mandy, I'm glad you're with us! I'm looking forward to the next section. I'll return to it soon.

I think I left off when the Count had dinner with Albert's family. I really expected Albert's mother to recognize him, or at least feel that he was familiar. I don't think his facial structure could have changed that much from age 20 to 40, and she might have recognized something else about him. Apparently he's still very pale despite the amount of time he spends outside on boats and the island.

I still don't know what revenge he has in store for that family!

I'll have to reread the last couple chapters before I move on.

[Mandy]

Yes! Excited for the next section to see what revenge plays out. Will it just be for Fernand? How will he keep the revenge from impacting Albert and Mercédès?

[Mandy]

Nancy - I think Alberts mother DID recognize the Count of Monte Cristo for who he used to be! She just hasn’t acted on that knowledge.... yet. Let us know what you pull from them meeting when you reread the last few chapters.

[Joy, Your Obedient Servant]

I agree! I think Mercedes definitely recognized Dante's.

[Ella]

I agree with Mandy and Mercedes, but now I've read ahead. But I definitely recall (and I could have sworn I'd been into this thread, so maybe I posted somewhere else and will find it eventually) to say exactly that when I got to this part. Oy vey - I've got to finish my other stupid books to get back to this one. I read too far ahead, then I had to stop for a while. I shall return soon. See you all in the next few threads.

[Joy, Your Obedient Servant]

I know what you mean! I've finished the book and I have to refer back to the chapters to make sure I don't say something that hasn't happened yet.

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

I am wondering why the continuing vampire reference. I get the rising from the dead idea, but is there another reason coming up soon?

🧛‍♂️

[Ella]

aPriL does feral sometimes wrote: "I am wondering why the continuing vampire reference. I get the rising from the dead idea, but is there another reason coming up soon?

🧛‍♂️"

I think two things - 1) the rising from the dead bit, but also 2) the drinking of blood, in this case, he's basically drinking the lives of people then living off that "blood" for however long he needs to.

But I haven't really put a ton of thought into it. I'm trying to get through it once, then I think I need to dive deep with a second read.

[Joy, Your Obedient Servant]

aPriL does feral sometimes wrote: "I am wondering why the continuing vampire reference. I get the rising from the dead idea, but is there another reason coming up soon?

🧛‍♂️"

If I remember correctly, the introduction I read mentiined that Vampire lore was the big sensation of the time. So that may have just been added for dramatic effect.