Reading 1001 discussion

4.5 stars

This book is a beloved classic for a reason -- the story is solidly written and the characters are intriguing. It is a huge book which never feels too long. I enjoyed the story very much and never felt as though Dumas wrote too many pages. I am left wondering only one thing: why did I wait so long to read it? But, I have been asking myself that often this year as I have been reading the classics for the first time.

Kelly wrote: "4.5 stars

This book is a beloved classic for a reason -- the story is solidly written and the characters are intriguing. It is a huge book which never feels too long. I enjoyed the story very much..."

We are going to read this book next year as part of our seasonal reads. You could join in the discussion.

Thanks Diane! I will.

Rating: 3.83

This story is mostly a very long adventure story with themes of revenge. Dante's is harmed by evil people. He goes to prison where he is without hope but he manages to survive. As the Count of Monte Cristo, he takes his revenge on others by setting them up to destroy themselves. I thought I would really like this story but I often found myself not liking it, not liking the main character and not liking the whole revenge as it also seems wrong. In the end, I needed to remind myself that this is an adventure story. The ending was also displeasing. I did not think it fair to have to mourn for 30 days the death of a loved one. I understand why he did it, it just seems so cruel. What right does the Dante have to act as God? I thought the story was way too long, covered too much territory and I am glad I listened to it instead of read this huge overwritten book. That being said, I would read it again and I think I might enjoy it more with a second reading.

4/5 stars

This is my first Alexandre Dumas novel and I liked it. I am hit or miss with books from this time period but this one was quite readable. This novel has something in it for everyone; romance, adventure, mystery, murder, intrigue, politics; it has everything. When I read that the original was printed as a serial it made more sense to the style of the book. It has a lot of detail and background information that as a whole book I am not sure is necessary. I enjoyed the beginning of the book and the last third of the book but the middle could have been trimmed as far as I am concerned.

5 Stars for me.

I completely enjoyed this read (re-read of the unabridged version), definitely a classic worth reading in either version. Love, betrayal, revenge, thieves, murder, buried treasure, some bandits and corrupt law officials, and so much more, but such a great story of human endurance and the ability to overcome adversity.

Not a 1001 Book, but I think anyone who read the Count would appreciate the book I’m currently reading. The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo it is a non-fiction account of Dumas’s father, whose escapades helped inspire some of The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers as well as other works of his. Plus it’s a very interesting account of the lives of bi-racial children during that unique time in history.

Melissa wrote: "Not a 1001 Book, but I think anyone who read the Count would appreciate the book I’m currently reading. [book:The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo|133309..."
I read the Black Count previously, a year or two ago, I think it is a great companion read with Dumas’s works.

Just finished this one in a combo of audio and ebook: I decided to read it as a kind of fake personal quarterly. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it and gave it 4 stars, and can see why it is considered such a revered classic. The levels of intrigue that the plot unfolds with is very masterfully thought out and progressed, and there are many hallmarks of later storytelling/ famous tropes used here (possibly for the first time?). The main ways in which it lost a star for me is in that I feel like it did drag a bit in places, and it was almost too contrived in places that many 18th and 19th century epic novel seem to be sometimes.

However, I was still really amused and moved by the book. I love the way it explored moral ambiguity and the consequence of retribution through how innocent people end up getting entangled in Dante’s revenge schemes, and how he eventually comes to be more merciful in it’s execution because of that. I loved the ending with Valentine and Maximilien, and thought the scene with Noirtier and his will was quite original and a standout for me.

I finished The Count of Monte Cristo a few days ago. I really enjoyed the story which is very detailed and LONG, but worth it. Most of the books moves along reasonably well but I think that there are places where it could have benefited from some trimming. I agree with Debbie that the characters are well-developed. It has a very strong beginning part, no need to read a hundred pages before it starts to get interesting as with some novels.
I could see the ending coming from a long way off, but that didn't spoil it for me.
I look forward to tackling Dumas' The Three Musketeers some day- I believe I read an abridged version of that as a teenager, back in the pre-computer and mobile phone days.

I've read and loved this book twice. The first time I read it completely in print and the second time I listened to an audiobook. It is a long read, but I found it well worth the time and enjoyed it much more than The Three Musketeers. I thought the characters in this story were much more interesting. I also agree with previous comments that The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo is a fantastic companion read.

Pre-2016 review:

*****

Despite its daunting length (around 1550 pages), Monte Cristo is a thoroughly enthralling novel and a genuine masterpiece. Filled with various adventures and several vignettes about French (especially Parisian) life in the upper classes in the first half of the 19th century, it relates the story of Edmond Dantès, a merchant sailor, who was falsely imprisoned on accusations of conspiring for the return of Napoleon in 1815. His sojourn in the Château d'If gaol leads to a spectacular reversal of fortune and provides him a platform to mount a spectacular revenge he later inflicted on those who contributed to his jailing. There is rarely a dull moment throughout the narrative, with its quick succession of adventures and intrigues, and the fantastic powers at the Count's disposal. The plot in its itself is quite extraordinary and almost unbelievable. Definitely a classic and hard to put down.