I have just finished it and although I knew the story from TV this was a different experience.
I started this post to review the book and describe its qualities but find it impossible, cannot write any meaningful, descriptive sentences besides noting that I felt in the presence if a genius.
So let me play the reverse uno card here and ask you, who read it, why is this book so bloody good?
Edit: oh boy this exploded. Thank you all for answers. I agree with most of you. If you wrote you did not like it, no book can be liked by everyone. It was great reading the positive comments. Thank you!
by davatosmysl
31 Comments
Dumas was very good at knowing what the mass market wanted. A story that isn’t too simple nor too complicated, a classic revenge story featuring a vulnerable victim who will elicit sympathy from readers, and who becomes essentially overpowered meaning readers are confident that he will gain revenge for the injustices inflicted on him.
It’s a simple story done very well, and that’s going to appeal to a lot of people. You see someone achieving victories that you want them to achieve.
The best story of revenge. One of my favorites all time and have read it multiple times
I do find it quite remarkable how little obvious padding there is considering how long it is. Even the bandit stuff, which felt so much like playing for time to fill a magazine for another week proves to be relevant at the end.
im 300 pages in and not feeling it. Does it get better?
I thought it was a good too. I think it feeds into our own ideas and desire for vengeance and our hope that we too could be somewhat merciful.
It is incredible how often people post about this book on this subreddit
Yo when those dominos start falling they fall HARD. I’ve never read a book with such a satisfying ending after so much build up!
It’s an awesome story filled with holy sh!t moments
If you like the Count of Monte Cristo, you should check out the Black Count which is the life story of Dumas senior. Dumas junior took a lot from his Fathers own life experience and expanded it into the story we know today.
My favourite part was near the end – he’s going too far and you’re starting to lose sympathy. Then he notices what he’s doing, and stops.
Related – I couldn’t get far into The Three Musketeers as D’Artagnan is such a colossal arsehole. Should I stick with it?
Everybody likes a good revenge story. Dumas is excellent at creating charismatic characters. There is a strong component of wish fulfillment fantasy (“what would I do with Monte Cristo’s fortune ?”). The plot is solid and coherent. Action is mostly rolling at a good pace (I’d say only the Italian parts are a bit long ?). Morally grey characters *but* a satisfying conclusion where every bad guy get his punishment.
Dumas also use a lot of tricks that modern popular writers don’t really use. Dramatic irony is the most important here : the book relies a lot on the viewpoint character not knowing things that the reader knows perfectly well. For example in the first part Dantes doesn’t know that his friends have betrayed him ; we know. In the second part, it’s the contrary : we know who Monte Cristo is and that he is here for vengeance. But all the other characters don’t, and that creates a lot of dramatic tension (for Albert de Morcerf in particular, as he is a genuine good guy but we know from the start that the hero is going to ruin his life.)
*By Gad, these characters are compelling, this plot propulsive, I am engrossed.*
I think I got so much enjoyment out of it because I was caught utterly off guard by how contemporary it all felt, despite being over 170 years old. Thematically, it also has something for everyone.
I absolutely love this book. I come back to it every 10 years or so, it’s just beautiful.
For me, was because it floats around every human emotion associate with every type of relationship, love, hate, jealously, etc, while you reading you can identify youself with many of the feelings of what is happening.
Even in simple interactions, like the Count with an old man who is the telegrapher and loves to cultivate plants/fruits was meaningful to me.
It is by far my favorite book.
it basically combines two fantasies: a revenge story with a rags-to-riches story, and then creates this insane soap opera setting so the revenge can develop slowly, thus raising the tension
some of the movie adaptations heavily cut down on the soap opera, but they become not as memorable, because a lot of the charm is that the world has moved on after Dantes was imprisoned, and the novel manages to show how big the world is
This book is my Everest. I’ve tried multiple times and just can’t get into it. Perhaps the size is intimidating, perhaps I have a bad translation 🤷
Revenge is best served cold and Dumas makes it a good one!
It’s the ultimate revenge fantazy combined with “what I would do with 20 billion dollars” fantasy.
Every once in a while I see a similar post and I feel so glad knowing that this book is going strong
Easily my favorite book of all time. Wish there was a single adaptation that did it justice.
I love this book. It has romance, betrayal, revenge, redemption.
I’m reading it and I was loving it but I got stuck in the part where it introduces the younger characters and they go to an island. I’m guessing Dante’s is trying to get in with the son to get revenge. But it’s so boring right now.
there’s also an anime adaptation set in the future
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gankutsuou:_The_Count_of_Monte_Cristo
I read and re-read many of the classics, and those people that know me always ask what my favorite is and I will always say The Count of Monte Cristo. My sole reason is simply for the fact that I’ve re-read it the most (my same criterion for movies). The Count of Monte Cristo may not be as intellectually stimulating or deeply heart wrenching as some of the other novels I love but in terms of just pure enjoyment, it’s at the very top. I just think a story of Ultimate Revenge (and its final implications) is so compelling, coupled with hitting the jackpot where you have unlimited resources is hugely tantalizing. As a man, I would love to get a female perspective of someone who loves this novel and why.
If you are ever in Marseille, highly recommend taking the boat out to the Chateau d’If. They have a cell all done up and a cool section on the history of Dumas writing the book. Plus all the other cool historical bits about the prison.
Because it actually takes time to achieve its purpose. Slow burns are no longer viable books for the current generation. The oldies are the best- especially this beast
I love how real the world feels. It’s one of the finest examples of historical fiction I’ve ever seen, especially with how it ties into real events and people. Also, Dumas had a knack for good dialogue.
Its also terribly sad
Dude, if you like the book you gotta try the sandwich.
This book is phenomenal! It made me love to read again. Truly the greatest tale on the pursuit of revenge! It would be amazing to actually visit the Château d’If!