4/25/22

I wasn't sure how much I'd like this one - I tend to find reading books by male authors of the 1800s tedious, but it was really good. I didn't know much about the story beforehand, and I'd forgotten it, so when I started reading it and it was all "this guy is so great and everything's going perfectly but ominous portents!" I was kind of thinking that that couldn't happen, alas, it did. So I read the back cover after things were about to go south, and I remembered what little I knew of the story. So I followed along this story wondering how Edmond would get his revenge. I was disappointed with one part of the ending (spoiler), which was that when he had the chance to reunite with his original beloved, he didn't take it, but the rest of it was generally pleasing. It definitely kept me enthralled. ( )

I need to start by saying that I respect this book for what it represents in the realm of classic literature. I recognize that many great works have used this story or elements from it as the foundations of their success. All that said, I was pretty underwhelmed by the book. I blame all those that suggested it to me. All descriptions I'd heard of the book pretty much too be up to page 130, which leaves 400 pages of story. Either these people that recommended the book to me did not read those 400 pages, are they thought so little of them as to not remember or mention them. Many elements of the story I found entertaining but I felt nothing for most of the characters. The melodrama throughout the storyline was distracting and off putting--I frequently found myself wishing for a more modern translation. ( )

Beautifully told story of revenge at its finest. Edmond Dantes went from despair to bettering his life by taking out all those who had harmed him. ( )

I have to confess - the first time I tried reading this book, I tried reading the unabridged version which turned out to be too much for me. It took me a good chunk of time to get through the first 300 pages. There was a lot of historical information that I didn't find interesting at the time, but I am going to attempt to read the unabridged version again someday because this book is totally worth it.

I devoured the abridged version. The story of Edmond Dantes and his transformation into The Count of Monte Cristo is dramatic and flawless. The wronged Edmond Dantes finds himself confronted with an intense thirst for justice and revenge against the men who condemned him to prison. As the Count of Monte Cristo, he reintegrates himself into their circle and stages the scene for his revenge.

Edmond constantly places justice on the same plate as revenge; but there are times he faces a moral crisis as to whether his vengeance is justified. Nevertheless, he carries out his plan until the end.

Yet, the previously jovial and good-natured Edmond is not completely lost after his experience in prison. As the Count of Monte Cristo, he saves those who are abandoned and good people, earning their loyalty because of his sincere goodness to them. The younger generation of characters which includes Albert and Maximillien also bring an aspect of friendship, love, and loyalty into the story.

The unabridged volume is kind of daunting, but reading this particular abridged version will help draw you into the story and hopefully like in my case, give you a larger incentive to eventually try the unabridged version. Dumas weaves such a splendid narrative, one in which all the characters are connected and none are wasted. I often found myself playing the detective, trying to piece together seemingly separate events that all seem to come together in the end. This is definitely a masterpiece of literature. ( )