Feeling it was time to read a classic, I just read The Count of Monte Cristo by French novelist Alexandre Dumas (who also wrote the Three Musketeers). This book is one of the most popular novels ever written and makes every “classic” book list I have seen. Written in 1844, the book is set in Marseilles, Rome and Paris in the nineteenth century, and tells the story of Edmond Dantès. Dantès is a young sailor who seems to have it all before being falsely accused of treason and imprisoned in an island dungeon for fourteen years. A fellow prisoner tells him where to find treasure buried on a Mediterranean island called Monte Cristo. Upon his escape, the book’s hero acquires the treasure, gives himself the name Count of Monte Cristo, and goes about systematically taking revenge on his enemies.
Count of Monte Cristo is a great adventure novel; just a few of the chapter titles assure you of that: “The Two Prisoners,” “The Treasure,” “The Smugglers,” “The Secret Cave,” “Roman Bandits,” etc… The way Dumas unfolds Dantès intricate scheme of revenge seems part James Bond, part Sherlock Holmes, and part Alfred Hitchcock. The surprising twists and turns in the story are as current as anything Dan Brown (DaVinci Code, Angels and Demons) has conjured up recently, and yet the story is over 150 years old.
I enjoyed the book but must admit I got a bit bogged down in the middle. There were a few chapters there that, to me, could have used a good editor. That could be the problem to begin with though. The original version of the book was some 1100 pages long. Most copies today have around 500-600 pages (the Penguin Classic version I read had 500 pages). The effect of reducing the story by almost one-half makes the story confusing in some places. In the version I read the ending is very confusing and makes practically no sense. I had to go online to find an unabridged copy of the story to figure out what really happened in the closing chapter.
One of the things that intrigued me most about the book apart from the great characters and storyline were some of the locations in which the story is set. Marseilles, where the story begins, was a favorite stop on a 2005 cruise our family took. Our ship went right by the notorious prison of Chateau d’If which sits just off the coast of Marseille. We also viewed the famed harbor of Marseille from high atop the Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde. Our home PC desktop picture is still a photo we took from this scenic spot. Several locations in Rome (the Colosseum) and Paris (Champs Elysees and Pere Lachaise cemetery) brought back fond memories when I read about them in the book as well.
Dumas' characters ranged from the very, very good, to the diabolic. On some of the characters the jury is still out in my mind. For instance I was troubled and confused by the limits and extent of both the vengeance and kindness of the story's hero, Dantès. Dumas did a good job portraying the wide range of emotion this character must have felt. I still cannot decide if Dantès is a hero or not. At times he appears to want to put himself in God’s place both in a good way and in a bad way. In fairness to him, it does appear the "Count" repents of this in the end, especially as his revenge reaches its full strength and the extent of the suffering and carnage it causes becomes evident.
Generations of readers have responded to this riveting tale and doubtless future generations will return to it as well. That’s what good literature is all about. I’m glad I finally waded in and took the time to read this novel. It was definitely worth it.
Count of Monte Cristo is a great adventure novel; just a few of the chapter titles assure you of that: “The Two Prisoners,” “The Treasure,” “The Smugglers,” “The Secret Cave,” “Roman Bandits,” etc… The way Dumas unfolds Dantès intricate scheme of revenge seems part James Bond, part Sherlock Holmes, and part Alfred Hitchcock. The surprising twists and turns in the story are as current as anything Dan Brown (DaVinci Code, Angels and Demons) has conjured up recently, and yet the story is over 150 years old.
I enjoyed the book but must admit I got a bit bogged down in the middle. There were a few chapters there that, to me, could have used a good editor. That could be the problem to begin with though. The original version of the book was some 1100 pages long. Most copies today have around 500-600 pages (the Penguin Classic version I read had 500 pages). The effect of reducing the story by almost one-half makes the story confusing in some places. In the version I read the ending is very confusing and makes practically no sense. I had to go online to find an unabridged copy of the story to figure out what really happened in the closing chapter.
One of the things that intrigued me most about the book apart from the great characters and storyline were some of the locations in which the story is set. Marseilles, where the story begins, was a favorite stop on a 2005 cruise our family took. Our ship went right by the notorious prison of Chateau d’If which sits just off the coast of Marseille. We also viewed the famed harbor of Marseille from high atop the Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde. Our home PC desktop picture is still a photo we took from this scenic spot. Several locations in Rome (the Colosseum) and Paris (Champs Elysees and Pere Lachaise cemetery) brought back fond memories when I read about them in the book as well.
Dumas' characters ranged from the very, very good, to the diabolic. On some of the characters the jury is still out in my mind. For instance I was troubled and confused by the limits and extent of both the vengeance and kindness of the story's hero, Dantès. Dumas did a good job portraying the wide range of emotion this character must have felt. I still cannot decide if Dantès is a hero or not. At times he appears to want to put himself in God’s place both in a good way and in a bad way. In fairness to him, it does appear the "Count" repents of this in the end, especially as his revenge reaches its full strength and the extent of the suffering and carnage it causes becomes evident.
Generations of readers have responded to this riveting tale and doubtless future generations will return to it as well. That’s what good literature is all about. I’m glad I finally waded in and took the time to read this novel. It was definitely worth it.
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