The Count of Monte Cristo
discussion
Is this really THAT good?
this book was very thrilling.
Yes, it really is that good. Goodreads star system is based on how much you liked a book, not how much of a great work of literature it is. Ulysses, for example, is considered by some to be the greatest novel ever written. I've read them both, and while Ulysses is impressive, it lacks approachability/accessibility. It's also just not a lot of fun to read.I tackled the Count when I was perhaps twelve. Loved it, loved it. So exciting. I came back to the book as an adult to see if it was just the impressionability of youth that made me enjoy it so much. Nope. It's just a great read.
All these comments? See how a novel written over a century ago still speaks to a wide-ranging audience?This why it is a classic!
tl;dr - Read the abridged version. I am writing about the unabridged version. Spoilers follow.One good thing about the book is that spoilers won't really spoil it. It's usually obvious what will happen and because it is so long with so many characters, you won't know or remember what people were talking about.
The lead character starts as an unbelievable goody two shoes undone by a conspiracy of people who are clearly evil, and then ends up as a superman who evinces no normal emotions whatsoever. He can predict where and when a horse will bolt, he can predict which stone a sentry will stand on, at what precise second a bankrupt will blow his brains out, but can he love? Can he forgive? Can you wait and hope long enough to find out? The characters are easily identifiable as good or evil by whether they are bonapartist or royalist. Concept of moral ambiguity hadn't been invented yet.
The plot is full of ridiculous coincidences - how did Bertuccio end up in Caderousse's house on the night he murdered la carconte and the jeweller - coincidentally Caderrouse ends up companion to and then murderer of his son.
The best parts were chapters 8-21 when dantes is in Chateau d'If, the intrigue when the count first comes to Auteil and uncovers the story of the birth of benedetto (around chapter 42), and some of the scenes where the count finally gets his revenge (around chapter 60), and Noirtier.
The most informative things about the novel are the historical context around revolutionary France and France's image of itself in the late 19th century (center of the world). The count is curious in that he shows the influence of byron and the romantic roots of the book illuminate some of the crazier ideas of nietzsche for me. You can start to understand where he is coming from with the uebermensch when you read this nonsense.
Morally the story is questionable. It seems to glory in wealth and revenge while at the same time criticising it. Duelling and killing is noble provided you are on the right side, criminals are generally sympathetic while the rich (apart from financiers who own boats) are usually evil.
Reading this you might think I didn't like the book. I did, but the unabridged version is too long, and ultimately not worth the effort. I expected something a little more perfect and less overdone.
The plus parts are - Dumas makes you hope. You feel for Dantes in prison, you hate his enemies. The menace of the count is incredible and he is unstoppable. It's pretty cool. He creates a wonderful character in noirtier - it is impossible, even though I find him morally questionable, not to admire him. Characters like Caderousse show you something of the nature of evil. The plot is so audacious and the scope so large, it's majestic.
This remains my favorite required reading book from highschool!
It's like reading a picture-less comic book, so, yeah, the coincidences and the convenience of money, and how did he really have time to learn all the stuff he knows?Yeah, it can be over the top, but so what? It's an adventure story, and what the heck is wrong with that? Perfect escapism!
I read it a couple years ago.I think the intrigue between the old Jacobins, the royalists, and the Bonapartists turned an otherwise 3-star story into something much, much more significant.
There's also the well-written "awakening" at the Chateau d'If that still stands out.
To me yes. "contrived, cliche at times, and transparent" i imagine none of this was the case when it was written.
I made the mistake of watching the movie with Jim Cavezel? and Guy Pierce in it before I read the book. I LOVE that movie but it does not follow the book. It has MAJOR plot differences. So I kept waiting for things to happen in the book and when they didn't I was confused! LOL Now I always read the book before I see the movie.
Bookerkc wrote: "I made the mistake of watching the movie with Jim Cavezel? and Guy Pierce in it before I read the book. I LOVE that movie but it does not follow the book. It has MAJOR plot differences. So I kept ..."Amen!!I agree! I made the same mistake
Bookerkc wrote: "Now I always read the book before I see the movie. "Always a good practice. A better practice is to read the book and forget the movie.
Cinematic liberties tend to butcher books to the point where the movie is barely recognizable as the book its based upon.
Consider the Narnia movies. At no time did I feel like I was looking into Narnia, based on having almost memorized the books.
Wm. Scott wrote: "Bookerkc wrote: "Now I always read the book before I see the movie. "Always a good practice. A better practice is to read the book and forget the movie.
Cinematic liberties tend to butcher books..."
Since I've studied film I can appreciate both art forms. It is impossible to make a movie exactly like the book. Films would have to be 12 hours long to capture every detail of the book they are based upon. Some movies do try to stay true to the intent of the book though.
No, No. Most handwritten novels by black men that were written hundreds of years ago in a foreign country in a different language sell millions of copies, get made into major motion pictures numerous times and are consistently on school's must read books - so no genius, the book sucks- you're right.
One of my favourites.It's a fantastic book. A philosophical journey into revenge and morals. So it ticks that box.
Intricate structure and plot. Ticks that box.
Good quality writing that puts you at the scene. Yes it has that too.(the sound of crunching heads anyone?)
Add to that some sheer excitement, breath holding and shock revelations....yeah!
Ok so there are some rediculous links and coincidences but how delicious.
As a work of literature it is quality. But if you are a reader who reads only to enjoy or not enjoy a book, your enjoyment will depend on your personality and reading background/preferences.
If someone prefers modern short books that are plot centred and use basic vocab they may struggle with this.
If someone enjoys long wordy classics regularly then this is on the more exciting end of the scale for them.
It may also depend on what five stars mean to you. To some people, it probably means the book is perfect. That's a pretty high standard. There is only one perfect novel that I know of (Huckleberry Finn), so when I say Five Stars, it's Five for Fantastic. (That's probably why my five-star list has more books on it than most people's...)CoMC is fantastic because it has vast wealth, ingenious traps, clever disguises, narrow escapes, revenge, and love. Like any great romance, it really sweeps us away.
One thing to remember about this book, is that it was originally written in series. I'm sure if we read the entire Walter White/Breaking Bad saga as a single work of literary fiction, people would say it was too melodramatic. This book works better as a series, but it is still genius in it's unabridged entirety.
I think people don't realise it was a serial rather than written as a book so it is written differently. You will need to update going over things let people know what's going on who haven't read all the chapters
I rated it 5/5 and it happens to be the only pulp fiction that i rated 5, because it is amazing, one of the best novels i read.
I'm reading it for the 5th(?) time with my 20 year old daughter. We are LOVING it!
I rate this 5 out of 5, but I would like good reads to go to a 10 point rating system. It would be more accurate.
As a response to high e-book prices, I went to the Gutenberg project and picked me a free classic. It was one of the best reading decisions I ever made. The Count of Monte Cristo was admittedly recommended to me by someone who had read it twice. I'm not sure when I fell in love, but this story will never leave me. It is the ultimate tale of revenge, a cold and calculating and brutal and fully realized tale of a driven soul obsessed with vengeance and unlike anything I've ever read. The cast of characters is vast but their lives intertwine with the count's and all of them are targeted in unique ways that left my jaw hanging every time. It's a massive read but so true to its time and so relevant to our own. 6/5 if I could give it that rating!
I think this is one of my favorite classics of all time! THe planning, scheming, on how to get back at the people who have falsely accused him makes it a great read!
Yes. Yes. It's that good. Amazing story telling. Great characters. It stands the test of time.
To answer your question briefly: Yes, it's that good.
Yes, I think it's a good story, which has marked the milestone in culture and we have taught a new meaning about revenge and injustice. Because ultimately, the events in The Count of Monte Cristo may well have currently occur and many versions to prove it. Envious people who prefer resent the success of others rather than striving themselves, are everywhere, people who are able to use to make ugly things schadenfreude unfortunately always going to be. But Dumas brings us a protagonist who struggles with his injustice and manages to escape, the problem is that his soul is corrupted looking for revenge and fails to see beyond and forgiveness, even though some of the other antagonists deserve and gradually these secrets will rebelling and Castle Playing cards built on lies and deception falls slowly as he wants Dantes or now called the Count of Monte Cristo.I bought the book in a bookstore advantage that they lowered the price and I didn't think could read 1130 pages, but taking advantage of the summer on the beach, I devoured the half even though some parts are boring and tedious to read details that Dumas would have delighted him, but not all readers because perceptions are different. Fiction or not, is an amazing story.
Dantes is one of the best characters I've read and love affair with Mercedes is beautiful, but I enjoyed most his history with Haydée, the Greek slave and it bothers me that the movies have omitted this peculiar Greek princess who also has her own revenge and love of who bought and freed.
Revenge is not good, it kills the soul and poisons. But sometimes it is necessary and end quote this famous sentence:
"If you're going to get revenge , first dig two graves"
-Confucius.
Marius wrote: "I read this book last year, and though I found it entertaining, I really can't understand how people can rate it 5/5. As far as I could tell, the main characters are very simple and 1 dimensional, ..."The fact that you still found it entertaining 170 years after first publication in a language and culture other than your own is why it still rates 5/5. It is a benchmark novel in the development of the genre. While the novel as a genre dates back to Miguel Cervantes and Don Quixote in 1605, there were very few American novels of note from 1844 that are still readable and enjoyable in 2014. None actually come to mind for me. Prior to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, published in 1876, American novels were readable but not actually entertaining. The historical context of the novel, where and when it was written, is what makes it a 5/5. If written today, it would be second- or third-rate, at best, but back then it was groundbreaking entertainment. Try reading Madame Bovary, first published 12 years later in 1856 and then get back to me on which is more entertaining to read.
I agree with you, yet still a good book. :)
I guess people should also evaluate this work with some notion of a historical perspective. It's not a modern era work, even though the theme is very relevant.Igor
One of the most memorable and enduring books read in my youth along with Les Miserables and a handful (or two) of others.A work which can move one to tears as well as satisfy the passion for revenge.
A true classic.
That, by proxy is what she said
I loved it. I really loved it. I learned so much about life (particularly of revenge and perseverance). Narration was great! It's worth the 5/5!
I agree with Jay D. There are not too many American novels that have the staying power of British literature, or of any World Literature really. The better novels, in my opinion, are the British(Long Live the Queen). :-) I am American, but I have always wanted to do that! :-)
I rate 5* only books that I'd want to read more than once. For 19th century adventure novels, MC, 3 Musketeers, and Vanity Fair are my top choices.
I beleive this book is one of the timeless classics and has earned its place among the best.
It's good but far too long. He needed a good editor lol. It had a lot of extra stuff and the ending was lame.
the book was too slow for me, though it's understandable, given that it was written as a series on newspapers. nevertheless, i never finished it, still lying on my shelf
It’s not only “that good,” but “The Count of Monte Cristo” may be the first legal thriller. After all, two key plot points involve legal issues. The first is the false imprisonment of the Edmond Dantès, who becomes the Count. The second relates to the law of financing.
The Count gets his revenge through letters of credit, a device used in the 17th-19th centuries in the days before credit cards and bank accounts. Letters of credit allowed people to travel from county to country without carry huge sums of cash or jewelry or gold. Today, letters of credit are used in international trade (many imports and exports involve letters of credit), and law students throughout the country slog through the course on Chapter 5 of the Uniform Commercial Code on letters of credit.
Do you agree that the Count is the first legal thriller?
Yes it is that good, did you read the unabridged edition? Believe it or not truth is more amazing than fiction, especially in a time there were fewer people.
Surely the very fact that this Goodreads discussion thread has gone on for two years speaks volumes about the book's value! I find myself agreeing with many comments on both sides. Yes, the book is less nuanced than War And Peace, and has some one-dimensional characters, but it is also such a great adventure story, that explores basic traits of human nature. Once read, it is rarely forgotten. Like Dostoyevsky's Crime And Punishment.
I don't think I finished the actual book, to be honest. It was assigned for summer reading going into freshman year of high school. Teenage me had better things to do, apparently. The translated writing was very bulky, and that's saying something, since I've cracked open more than a few classics with similar prose. The basic story itself {arguably more "modern" than its counterparts, I suppose} and its exploration of the darker parts of human nature are why I rank it high, despite not finishing it. If you don't appreciate books about people being jerks to each other to satisfy their own desires, then Monte Cristo is not for you. {You might still enjoy the sandwich of the same name though! ;3}
....but also try the Richard Pevear translation of "The Three Musketeers," which is a lightning-fast, hilarious, exciting summer read. Who knew a huge book published in 1844 could be such a blast?!
Kate wrote: "....but also try the Richard Pevear translation of "The Three Musketeers," which is a lightning-fast, hilarious, exciting summer read. Who knew a huge book published in 1844 could be such a blast?!"I think would have preferred that over Monte Cristo at the time, haha. I love a good swashbuckling adventure, so I'll shelf it to-read. Thanks!
That Girl wrote: "Kate wrote: "....but also try the Richard Pevear translation of "The Three Musketeers," which is a lightning-fast, hilarious, exciting summer read. Who knew a huge book published in 1844 could be s..."You'll be glad you did. I think I knocked the whole thing off in 3 days for the sheer enjoyment of it!
Yes. It's that good.
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completely agree!!!!! you said it sister