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The Count of Monte Cristo
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The Count of Monte Cristo (Abridged) by Alexander Dumas (Krizia, Rachel and K.D.), Start date: June 18, 2012 (Monday)
Yay! Excited! Abridged! And we have a target day to finish. We are so organized! :)
Yes! haha Hopefully we can finish faster. Feeling ko I'll go beyond July 7 peru kaya yan! haha
Krizia, I am sure, we can finish this on time.The reasons why I'd like to read this:
1) Guardian's 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read
2) One of the favorite books of an author who talked during the workshop at Precious Hearts last year. She said that she gets inspiration from these books: Wuthering Heights, 100 Years of Solitude, The Count of Monte Cristo, Gone with the Wind, and another one that I forgot. Yon daw mga romance books, makakakuha ka ng idea from the small scenes of these books.
This book is neither 1001 nor 501 pero naging TGF100 so gora na talaga ako! :)
Is it all right to join this? I am nearly done with the book I am currently reading (Captain Blood). Might have trouble with the schedule because my grad school is starting again this week, but we'll see!
Rachel, yes you are free to join and read whenever you have time.
Hi Rachel! The more, the merrier! Saka flexible naman reading time namin! Charing lang yan! ;p
Hahaha, all right! Like an idiot I ended up starting on House of Silk today, and will probably start on Scaramouche for commuting purposes since I am done with Captain Blood, too. Hopefully I finish them before Monte Cristo.
You can always catch up. :)
Hay, salamat. Charing lang ang schedule. Ito yong style na parang minsan okay lang. Walang pressure.May mga serious dyan. Si Angus at kami ni Monique. Kahit di ko na halos maibuka ang mata ko sa pagod, kailangang magbasa kasi serious sa buddy reading. Check out our on-going "The Executioner's Tale." No lapses. Ganyan din si Angus at Monique doon sa last buddy read nila na book ni Herta Muller. Patibayan sa pag-follow ng reading schedule.
May advantage yong "charing-style" kasi yon nga walang pressure. Pero yong "rigid-style" naman, siguradong natatapos at talagang intindido kasi nakakahiyang magsabi ng kung anu-ano lang hak hak.
Ang cute naman. : D Usually pag ganyang may kasasbay, mas strict akong magbasa, pero busy lang lately kaya titignan na lang. Tinatapos ko yung House of Silk bago mag Monday, para pagkatapos nun, Monte Cristo na.
Rachel, onga, cute. I thrive on either. Pede akong charing, pede ring rigid. Ako na ang flexible. hak hak.Don't feel pressured though. Kasi reading is a hobby and it should always be for fun. When it ceases to be fun, then it does not make sense anymore.
So, join when you can. Read when you can. Post a message here when you have time. No pressure.
I can go rigid schedule. I'm disciplined like that! haha But I don't want to pressure anybody! The time frame is there to help me keep going because we're reading a classic, for sure it wouldn't be as easy as reading a YA book that's why I needed a target date just to help me focus on the prize, that is finishing it! hehe
I made a mistake, my abridged book (Barnes and Noble version) has 71 chapters. Is it the same for everybody? So I will be making some changes in our reading pace. ;p
I'm still about to get/buy an ebook version, haven't looked into it. : > My plan was to divide the chapters/pages for myself depending on how many pages my copy ends up with, and I was going to read the unabridged, so my pages will likely be a bit different from yours.
Mine is the abridged and this is the cover
and it is currently at 4.04! Whoa. For a classic book that has been read by many people and still has this average? This must be good!
But I have not browsed on it to find out how many chapters or pages. Still busy with the 2 buddy reads! :)
All right, I have scoped it and I will read the unabridged version, at 1234 pages. At sixteen days, that means reading 77 pages a day, which may or may not be impossible for me. If I'm unable to follow the rigid schedule, I am sure that I will at least finish it within a month (or else my target for the year will be in peril!) so no biggie. Might start the moment I am done with House of Silk, though, since I am more than halfway through that.
Wow. I wish I have a copy of the Unabridged. Pero parang wala akong time for that at this point in my life. First time kong mag-read ng abridged na "Les Miserables" Maganda naman. Di ko na feel na parang kulang. Then second ko itong "Monte Cristo."
I got it for the Kindle, so it wasn't difficult to find!
Oh yes, I should get myself a Kindle. LOL :)I finally pulled out my mass paperback of TCMC this morning from the stack of tbr books. 500+ pages but seems like an easy read. Since it is mass paperback, it is easy to hold. My arthritic hands are complaining from reading Mailer's "The Executioner's Song", 1,100+ softbound yes but holding it for 12 nights while on bed. My arms and hands are now sore hak hak.
I have both unabridged and abridged. Since K.D. suggested abridged okay din sa akin kasi hinahabol ko din reading goal ko and I'm so behind! haha Easy read nga. Ang layo ko na. Tama na nag yung 5 chapters a day. I thought I'll have a hard time.
Day 1 - Chapter I-V - Monday, 18-Jun-201219-y/o Pharaon first-mate Dantes is accused of espionage on his way from the sea to Paris. This is the time of Napoleone Bonaparte's dwindling campaign in Europe. Dantes is having a betrothal party that day because he is getting married soon with a pretty Catalan girl named Mercedes. Dantes is a good first-mate and since the captain of the ship has just died, the captain's partner Morel is about to name him the new captain. However, there are people who are envious of his luck: Danglars (from the ship), Caderousse (a neighbor) and Fernand the cousin-suitor of Mercedes.
My thoughts
Ayan na naman. Why is it that during that time, cousins can marry each other. Remember Jane Eyre?
The reading is easy. There are just some paragraphs na parang I am lost kung kaninong POV.
Since this is a classic I am expecting "old" awkward English. Meron din. Kaso edited and abridged ito so halos wala. Easy lang. I have a feeling that I am reading something like "Treasure Island" parang pambata ang prose.
Dantes seems so young to be interesting. But let's see.
K.D. wrote: Ayan na naman. Why is it that during that time, cousins can marry each other. Remember Jane Eyre?In the past, the concept of inbreeding was not generally known as a problem, and the benefits of marriages between cousins/farther relatives far outweighed the risks of marriage with a stranger (and consequently, the stranger's family). In privileged families, this was particularly important to keep bloodlines clean, the wealth within the family, and also because familiarity = security.
The Catalans were not plentiful near the French border during this time (not that they were ever -- they were more prosperous in the Spanish side), so apart from keeping their culture and tradition within what I assume to be Mercedes' small village (as stated in the book), it was also probably to keep outsiders, well, out.
I'm only starting on the fourth chapter later (although I am not sure if that is the same as your fourth), since I had something of a late start this morning (ugh rain). But I agree, it's easy reading and Edmond seems to be a charming main character so far. I particularly like the smooth way he talks to people, and for some reason, it makes me want to reread the Three Musketeers.
Thanks for explaining, Rachel. I agree that Edmond is a charming young man. On the first 5 chapters he is naive and clueless in my opinion. That changed somehow in the second 5 chapters that I read this morning. Here goes...Day 2 - Chapters VI to X - Tuesday, 19-Jun-2012
Villefort is wicked, wicked, wicked. For his ambition, he puts Dantes in a dungeon and lets him rot there forever. I really felt sad for him and I love Dumas' prose in that part. I could feel the loneliness, despair, hopelessness of Dantes especially when he is contemplating on committing suicide. I recently read Mailer's The Executioner's Song and so the feeling of a prisoner languishing for life in jail is still fresh in my mind. What makes this book, doubly or even triply sad is that Dantes is innocent.
It's good that there is Father Faria, the priest who the warden has told Dantes in yesterday's chapter to have gone mad. I could not believe really how he could have done all those excavation, manuscripts, pen, etc. but this is fiction so I attribute that to Dumas' ability to convince his readers. Since this is a beloved classic, I have no doubt in mind that many has believed its plausibility.
I am now enjoying this book. I thought that 5 chapters a day is too slow hak hak. The story is fast-paced and the prose is easy to read; it feels like a classic YA book.
Because I am reading the unabridged, even though I am on the same part of the book, I am already on chapter 15. Hahaha. I was reading his despair in prison over breakfast and felt so sad for him. I wondered who among his enemies is the worst, and decided that for me it was Danglars and Villefort -- the first for his malice and the second for his ruthless ambition. They made a terrible enemy when they broke a good man.
Hi guys! I rushed my dog to the hospital last night so I was not able to post. Since K.D. already posted summaries I'll just post my thoughts:Chapters 1-5:
I was also surprised that it was so easy to read. i haven't peeked at my unabridged version so I wouldn't know if its just as easy. We were introduced to the main characters. We get to know Edmond Dantes, who is at a young age is to be made captain and is to marry Mercedes, a beautiful Catalan. Parang na sa kanya na lahat kaya he has made a lot of enemies even if he's so good-hearted.
Chapters 6-10
I really felt sad for Dantes. Everything you want right there in front of you then gone tapes nakulong ka pa. Faria was heaven sent. I actually enjoyed reading about them, misery loves company and they're both miserable.
I think Danglars was his worst enemy because unlike Villefort, he did not regret what he did, his conscience did not bother him. At least Villefort showed a little remorse especially when Mercedes confronted him.
I'm actually far off already. Dantes is already Count. haha Do you want to change the reading pace? Or stick with it?
Rachel: I agree with you. I think it will be Villefort who is the greatest enemy of Dantes. He is the most powerful of the three. :)Krizia: I propose 12 chapters a day starting tomorrow. Let's aim to finish this on Sunday so I can start with another buddy book on Monday. :) Okay lang sa inyo. Kakabitin eh.
Day 3 - Chapters XI to XV - Wednesday, 20-Jun-2012
Wow. Dantes is already out of the prison. The escape reminded me of Hannibal Lectern in the movie Red Dragon (I think). Question ko: why did the prison authorities did not see the stuff that the priest did inside his cell. Where is that space below the stairs that is full of stones? When he died, why didn't the prison authorities check his belongings?
I think Dantes did not bring any of the things that the priest made, right? Well, this is based on the impression that he memorized the instruction regarding the treasure. Sayang yong manuscript.
O nasa unabridged ang answers to these questions?
Krizia, he is not the count yet at the end of Chapter XV but he is already rich. He is now surveying the Isle of Monte Cristo. I think he will put up his castle there. Is there really that island? I don't want to Google yet baka ma-spoil ako.
It might be something that the abridged removed. Faria's things are hidden very well in an old fireplace and in a chest-like hollow beneath a stone behind the bed, and the stairs are also hidden. The authorities saw the old madman as dead, and since Faria never gave them any trouble, they had no real reason to be overly cautious apart from the branding of his heel. When Dantes put himself in the sack, he had to do so stark naked, since that was practically how Faria was clothed (he had used all his clothes as paper). All he had with him was his little knife from Faria, which he lost as he was swimming. Indeed, Faria made him memorize the instructions of the treasure and then destroyed the second paper with the completed instruction.
I am on chapter 20 (of 117), but I might have to go more slowly for the next week or so. Busy kasi ako bigla sa work, school is starting tomorrow, and then I have some responsibilities to another community online (and a tabletop game on the weekend!). You guys can go ahead and read faster, I don't mind at all!
I barely read this book last night. I concentrated on The Secret Garden in preparation for the poll on Saturday. I will catch up tonight and post tomorrow. :)
Hahaha, I got up to chapter 36 this morning (my target is ten a day, if I want to finish 117 chapters by the deadline, minus weekends when I am busy). Edmond's transformation to the Count of Monte Cristo is complete, and while he's still charming, he now strikes me as a rather frightening creature. My new favorite is thoughtful Franz, but Dumas has a tendency to do horrible things to my favorite characters in his stories, so I foresee tragedy for this kid.
What chapter are we in? haha we are supposed to be up to Chapter 34, right?@Rachel: At my point, Franz is still untouched but Dantes as Count is scary. He's really smart and "not himself". He already saw Mercedes but no exciting encounters between them yet.
Chapters 11 - 22
We discover Faria's hidden treasure. It has a long story about cardinals who got poisoned blah blah blah. This part was a bit boring for me but I was happy for Dantes because I know he'll get that treasure, gulong ng palad lang. Dantes escapes and I tell myself "Exactly what I have done." Parang telanovela lang! Yung alam mo na among mangyayari. I was just surprised na and tagal pals ni Dantes sa kulungan. He's 33 when he got out. Luckily, Dantes has good sense to bring his knife. He also got to board a smuggler's ship, got an employment and got to arrive at Isle of Monte Cristo without anybody being suspicious. He smarten up talaga during his stay with Faria. Galing ni Dantes.
I'm happy with him "rewarding" or "repaying" Morrell not so much his neighbor. Iba talaga tadhana. Yung masasama and mayaman and mabuti ang naghihirap. I'm actually looking forward to Dantes' revenge! haha
We meet Albert (Mercedes' son) and Franz at the Carnival. They meet the count. The revenge is starting already. Count is really smart. He reminds me of Varys or Littlefinger in GOT. haha He knows everything!
Albert got kidnapped by Luigi Vampa. Malamang pakana ni Count. He is so smart talaga! And as payment, he goes to Paris and Albert is his tour guide. Swerte ni count lahat ng paghihigantihan niya ay nasa Paris.
Chapter 23 - 34Ang haba! Basta the point is the revenge is in motion and Count has already planted his seeds (parang bastos!). He meets Mercedes also at mukhang si Mercedes lang nakakilala sa kanya! Exciting. Let's see if he becomes successful in his revenge. Mukhang balk niya siraan ng pamilya! nyehehe
Hak hak. Di pa ulit ako nakakabasa. Busy sa bahay. This weekend na lang after ng F2F.
I am on 44. Monte Cristo has just arrived for breakfast, so I think the parts that they removed from the abridged would be the lengthy description of the Carnival and a lot of things about it? That seems to me the most they could remove. Actually, I am enjoying all the chapters so far!
I stopped on 21, I guess. I will make this my weekend main book. I will try to finish by Saturday after the F2F. I will bring this during F2F!!!
@K.D.: Continue!!!! haha Its so exciting!@Rachel: For sure, parang short lang naman descriptions ng carnival
Chapter 40 pa lang ako! Dapat 46.
Hahaha, the Carnival was at least five chapters in the unabridged, including the release of Peppino and the kidnapping of Albert. I am now at nearly fifty chapters, and so far Monte Cristo is just about to meet Danglars.
Krizia: Parang naninibago ako sa setup. Mas sanay kasi ako sa sabay talaga. Parang kami ni Monique sa "Executioner's" hak hak. Di bale, wala naman akong sinimulan na book na di ko tinapos. :)
@K.D.: I'm just waiting for you! haha Where you in the book? How about you Rachel? I'm at the exciting part na! (Para di kayo maspoil). Its hard kasi to set a definite number of chapters kasi it so easy to read that I tend to just move forward. Kabitin. Sorry if our buddy read is not that orderly. hehe
Chapter 36 - 53Misfortune is starting to chase Danglars, Villefort and Mondago (Morcerf). Part of me feels happy with what's happening but Dantes is scary. He's been eaten by his want of vengeance. Wala na yung dating Dantes. I really like the character of Albert but since he's the son of Fernand parang may masamang mangyayari sa kanya.
I really like the love story between Valentine and Morrell. I'm shipping this pair. Hope everything turns out well for them. Ang gaming hadlang. Parang telanovela lang.
I'm just awaiting Dantes and Albert's duel!
I have just finished Chapter XX. Going slowly. It's kinda boring. The Count is with two guys who will introduce him to the people in Paris. I think the two people who wronged him (Dantes) are there and they are rich and influential people already. Kinda predictable too because I have heard this story before although I am not sure where.
You have to persevere! Those two people are very vital to the story! :)
Opo, ate! I will persevere!Napaka-positive ko hak hak!
K.D. wrote: "Kinda predictable too because I have heard this story before although I am not sure where."In our local soap operas, maybe? Hahahahaha. To be fair, Monte Cristo went first.
Anyway, I wasn't able to read at all during the weekend, but I resumed it today. I'm at that point where he meets Morrel's family again in Paris, which I think is chapter 51 or 52 in my version. The Count's happiness is so profound that in effect, I feel relentlessly sad about it. He has, so far, set the stage with his enemies.
Chapter 54 - 70Dantes has been successful with his revenge with Morcef, Danglars and Villaforte but with these come collateral damage. Even the ones who are innocent of any crimes against him are affected. The Count feels remorseful and decided to leave Paris.
I did not put any specifics so you won't be spoiled! :)
Para ngang Ruby si Count, ang bidang kontrabida! hehe
1 more chapter to go! :)
Finish ko na. Is anyone still with me? :)
I am on chapter 58, but this puts me on the halfway mark pa lang. Papa Nortier is writing his will. Haha, I'll be done by July 3 for sure, though.
I really love Nortier's character. He's really smart!
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Who: Alexander Dumas
When: June 18, 2012, Monday
Pace: 5 chapters a day (short chapters lang naman, most have 7 pages per chapter, there is a total of 566 pages- my edition that is ), the book has 71 chapters and 2 catch-up days :), a total of 16 days (haha umiksi - flexible naman!) to read the book! hopefully :)
Target day to finish: July 3, 2012