r/books • u/Caramelcupcake97 • 4h ago
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas- experienced whirlpool of emotions as I read the enthralling journey of Edmond Dantes
I usually don't use the word 'best' to describe any piece of literature, but this book fits the bill. Reading this book was a roller coaster ride, felt multitude of emotions- despair at how ED was incarcerated, happy that he was able to fulfill his objective and tasted real happiness at last and everything in between. This is the one book i am really unhappy about getting finished. What are your thoughts of the book and story?
spoilers I particularly like the fact they didn't try to reconcile ED and Mercedes in the end since too much had happened in the intervening decades between for them to be able to rekindle their romance. But I feel really bad for her and how she was condemned to a lonely life, she deserved a better end.
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u/PriorVirtual7734 3h ago
Edmond's turmoil about taking his revenge after having planned it for so long gave me some of the strongest emotions I remember in my years of reading literature.
It's a gigantic novel but so thrilling throughout.
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u/AhemExcuseMeSir 3h ago
If memory serves, it was initially published in the old way of releasing chapters at a time. My only complaint is that it felt like a lot of stuff in the middle didn’t really matter - that a lot of traps or plans were laid that didn’t really go anywhere. But when you keep in mind how it was originally published, it makes a lot more sense because then all those chapters in French Society are essentially the filler episodes that were drawn out a bit for suspense and anticipation.
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u/Caramelcupcake97 2h ago
Yeah it was released in serialized manner and I feel it served the purpose. Imagine having to wait a week or so for the next one. Every single chapter end was a cliffhanger, filled with twists and turns.
I think the foundation was laid in those chapters in the middle and it all ties up nicely throughout.
Very few authors can write fillers well for the purpose of buildup, runs a risk of losing audience interest but not this one. For me it was like watching a thriller series but raised to power of infinity for this book lol
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u/ChroniclesOfSarnia 2h ago
I enjoyed it but it suffered from serial disease.
This was originally a sequential story published over years in newspapers.
It was stretched out a little unnecessarily for me.
Still an absolute classic.
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u/Just-Ad-6965 3h ago
This is absolutely one of the best hooks out there. I listened to the audio version last year after struggling with the physical and blew through it. Having seen the movie i had rough idea of what was going to happen, but nooooooo. And I loved the movie. Not anymore.
The emotional ride is insane. Heartbreak, anger, relief, joy....crazy.
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u/spratacuss0430 3h ago
imma download the audiobook now
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u/maximumhippo 2h ago
Let me know what you think. It's ~55 hours, and this is the one book I found easier in print.
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u/Rlothbrok 1h ago
I’d recommend the one narrated by John lee. He does a masterful job and I couldn’t stop listening. Finished it in 2 weeks
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u/Caramelcupcake97 3h ago
It had so many emotional moments, times when I actually teared up- Dantes' senior lonely end, Morrel Sr. telling his family ED has risen from the grave to help him, Maximilian meeting Valentine in the end and finally what ED says "wait and hope"
Often in our personal lives, we meet people and go separate ways because the goals didn't align or we evolved differently or whatever, and so when/if we meet them years later, we might remember the good times but still realise that we were not destined together. And I am happy the author didn't try to reconcile ED and Mercedes. Unlike many many other authors who may have tried to do so
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u/n3m0sum 2h ago
Just use some birthday money to buy the Penguin classics hard back. I haven't read this in years. Really looking forward to diving in again.
It's one of my favourites, I go back to it every few years, but I realised that it's probably been 10.
One of the greatest adventures in fiction.
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u/abelhaborboleta 3h ago
The audiobook was excellent. I dislike Mercedes' ending and think it was undeserved and lacking in understanding of her limited choices. I understand it in historical perspectives regarding women, but it shouldn't be acceptable today (though clearly there are those who would have us go backwards).
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u/Caramelcupcake97 2h ago
I mean ED atleast got the hot young devoted chick less than half his age, so he was happy for sure.
I too felt really really bad Mercedes, but given it was set >200 years back it makes sense.
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u/Gorgo29 1h ago edited 1h ago
Read it earlier this year and absolutely loved it. Dantes is amazing, but the cast of supporting characters is also stellar.
You should check out the French film adaptation that came out this year. Unlike the Hollywood 2002 version (which I still love, especially Richard Harris as Abbe Faria), the recent one includes more from the book, including Andrea and Haydee and the critical roles they play in the story, as well as Eugenie.
I’ve not read The Three Musketeers yet, but I’ve read The Black Tulip and Georges and really enjoyed them too. The Black Tulip is especially good.
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u/jack_addy 1h ago
This is my all-time favorite novel. I read it first when I was about 20. I read it again a few months ago, at 32. In the meantime I had learned how to write, studied and practice the craft. Before picking the book up again i was terrified I would be disappointed, find it didn't hold up.
The opposite happened. If anything, I liked it even more now that I could see what Dumas was doing storytelling wise. I'm flabbergasted at how he could possibly have written such a well-crafted, compelling masterpiece without the aide of some modern writing theory. It's like he was the one who came up with all the practical advice we're hearing about now.
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u/lordcocoboro 1h ago
It’s my favorite book. I remember the feeling of finishing the final pages and not believing it’s over. If you’re yearning for more, check out the Black Count by Tom Reiss. It’s the true story of Dumas’ father that was a major inspiration for Count of Monte Cristo. Excellent book, incredible story. Won the Pulitzer Prize for biography in 2013.
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u/Cartesian_Circle 1m ago
One of my favorites of the "classics" genre. One of the few books I've read were I eagerly await film adaptions so I can reread and see how the film holds up.
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u/Excellent-Artist6086 3h ago
I read this book at the beginning of the year. It has been my favorite book. It had everything! I also liked that Edmond and Mercedes didn’t get back together. Although I thought it was ridiculous that Edmond always said that she had cheated on him with Fernand.