The Count of Monte Cristo (Penguin Classics) Reviews

• A gripping tale of love and revenge

  
  By A1J1NRKY975WOL on 2004-02-23
  Warning: Do NOT pick this book up and start it if you have something that you need to do in the next day or three. You won't be able to put the book down, or if you do, you'll move zombielike through your everyday tasks while your mind stays with the adventures of Edmund Dantes.

  The Count of Monte Cristo is a delicious book, full of intrigue, great fight scenes, love, passion, and witty social satire. Dumas has a wonderful grasp of human nature and a talent for rendering all the follies of man in delightful, snappy prose. I immediately recognized people that I know (yes, even myself) in his vivid characters, which made the book all the more engaging to me.

  Some people might be put off by the size of the book -- it's a pretty hefty volume -- an tempted to buy the abridged version. Don't! I've heard from people who've read both versions that the abridged version is a pathetic, washed out shadow of the full novel. At any rate, as thick and impossibly long as The Count of Monte Cristo may seem when you open it for the first time, you'll feel as though it's far too short by the time you get to the last page.
  
  

• A true classic masterpiece

  
  By A26TSW6AI59ZCV on 2005-08-18
  When I was an early teenager, I went on a reading binge, and intentionally sought out very long books to read (I guess I saw them as challenges). I found many good books this way ("The Count of Monte Cristo", "Doctor Doolittle", "Gulliver's Travels", "Ivanhoe"), as well as some clunkers. The treasures I found were generally well-known classics, and "The Count of Monte Cristo" clearly falls into that category. Some books get labeled "classics" because they're well-written and technically good, as good representatives of literature of their period. "The Count of Monte Cristo" is all of those things, but it is also simply a great adventure novel, with lots of action, well-written characters, important (even today) issues addressed, and a fast pace. The writing is highly detailed, giving the reader the sense of having been to the places described and having actually known the characters. It's the same sense that one gets from seeing a very good film: a visual memory is created of the people and places. This book is not for everyone, but is an excellent one for introspective adults and bright teenagers, especially if they want to think about issues of justice versus revenge. The recent movie version did justice to the book.
  
  

• just perfect

  
  By A129IZ4GSHYVL4 on 2003-11-02
  I agree with the reviewers that this is one of the best books ever written. I read this book as part of a book club and probably never would have read it on my own--having read many of the books of Hugo and Dickens and other writers of that approximate era. I love both of these writers but find them both at times cumbersome and stilted and really wasn't in the mood for another. However, I could not put the Count of Monte Cristo down. This book seems freshly modern in writing style compared to these superb writers. From the beginning it is a page turner--almost Harry Potter like in its ability to have action, adventure and drama on almost every page. If you read the unabridged version you will find some allusions to morality and the wrongness of revenge which I enjoyed. But what makes the book great is the grandeur of the writing, the tightness of a wonderful plot, filled with subplots, the development of the characters, and the constant magic of combining romance and adventure. It is the ultimate romance book. If you watched the most recent version of the movie, you might be disappointed at the lack of sword fights, but there is never a lack of adventure and suspense. It might be 1400 pages long, but it never disappoints.
  
  

• The movie is good, but the book is classic

  
  By A3EFM8YIFC7TRB on 2006-03-04
  I often enjoy reading a book, and then checking out the movie. Almost always I enjoy the book more, although it is fun to see the movie version after reading the book. I don't think it would really even be possible for a two hour movie to do Dumas' classic justice (although the movie is enjoyable). This book is very entertaining, involves an intricate plot with many intertwined characters, and elements of suspense that could not be understood in a movie. It also covers a 24 year time span. The story is of Edmund Dantes, who after being promoted to captain of his ship, is brutally betrayed by those he trusts. On the day before his mairrage to his beautiful fiance, Mercedes, he is arrested for treason and taken to a prison on an island off the coast. He holds the image of his fiance in his mind, but unknown to him, she assumes he is dead and marries his friend who betrayed him. He is in prison for years, but life becomes barely tolerable after a tunnel is dug from a priest's cell to his. They are able to meet daily, and the priest is able to teach Dantes science, language, and even defense. Through his torturous incarceration, Dantes vows revenge on those who betrayed him. The two plot an escape through a tunnel, and the story continues to tell Dantes' life after prison.
  
  This is an excellent book and certainly a classic that most people, even younger readers, will enjoy. I plan on reading it again in a couple of years, and just may read it again after that. It is that good!
  
  
  
  

• ROBIN BUSS's TRANSLATION from PENGUIN CLASSICS

  
  By A1Q01719800PFG on 2007-08-28
  This review is for those who've already decided they want to read The Count of Monte Cristo (you won't regret it!), and don't know which version to get.
  
  Short answer: see review title, duh!
  
  The Count of Monte Cristo is my favorite book, and I've read several translations, both abridged and unabridged.
  
  TRANSLATION
  The Buss translation is the most modern, and reads most fluidly. A quick example comparing this translation with the one found on Project Gutenberg:
  
  PG - His wife visited for him, and this was the received thing in the world, where the weighty and multifarious occupations of the magistrate were accepted as an excuse for what was really only calculated pride, a manifestation of professed superiority...
  
  BUSS - His wife visited on his behalf; this was accepted in society, where it was attributed to the amount and gravity of the lawyer's business -- when it was, in reality, deliberate arrogance, an extreme example of aristocratic contempt...
  
  Buss's work reads like the book was written in English. The two or so times that the work is nearly untranslatable (involving, say, an insinuated insult using the familiar "tu" instead of the formal "vous"), Buss makes a footnote about it. Other translations just skip the subtlety. The most common translation out there (uncredited in my version) reads like it's been translated from French to German to Chinese to English. Trust me, get Buss.
  
  ABRIDGED V UNABRIDGED
  Note: abridged versions of this book rarely say "abridged." You can tell by the size: abridged is 500-700 pages, unabridged is 1200-1400 pages. Go for the unabridged. I'm not saying that just because I love the book. The unabridged version is VERY confusing! The full text fills over 1200 pages, and pruning it to 600 leaves a lot of plot on the cutting room floor. Suddenly, arriving at dinner are 4 new characters; it's very tiring to try to keep up with the hole-ridden story of the abridged versions. And you know where the holes are? Publishers "clean up" the book by omitting the affairs, illegitimate children, homosexuality, infanticide, hashish trips, etc.
  
  As an added bonus in the Penguin Classics edition, there's a wonderful appendix bursting with footnotes to explain all the 19th century references, and a quick guide to the rise and fall of Napoleon (crucial to the politics in the story).
  
  Hope this helps. Get the book and start reading!
  
  
• Fabulous epic: Tokienesque scope, Shakespearian Vibe
  By AOGE8PM6KED3O on 2003-12-17
  The characters in this book are so Shakespearian. They're all larger than life. We're not dealing with post-modern self-doubting everymen stumbling through life, these are extreme characters in extreme circumstances: it's not too often you're going to pause and say, "Hmmm, I know exactly how he feels." Likewise the plot, action, and devices. It's all around a quest for revenge (or is it justice?), there are crucial letters, poisonings, star-crossed lovers' trysts, courtroom performances, disguises, last minute averted bankruptcy, and, for goodness sake, yet another of these meddlesome priests with their cunning plans to fake a death with an ingenious potion. We have dozens of prose soliloquies, characters turning over their plans, doubts and motivations, and wonderful extended dialogue, with people talking with a depth and precision mere mortals could never hope to improvise (even if there aren't as many killer one-liners in there).

  And while I'm making big comparisons why not throw in Tolkien: Dumas too has pulled off an epic. I can't think of many other books of this size that maintain such coherency. Now they do it in different ways, and Dumas teeters on the edge in a couple of places (while Tolkien is sublimely on track the whole time - he simply needed that many words to tell his story), but they both still manage to bring so much to a basic central story line. Most epics climax in book one, then have weak sequels added on once the publishers realise they have a hit. Most unsuccessfully try to reopen the old story and climb back in to a structure that will not fit them, and only undermine the superior complete original (Card, Jordan, Feist). Some series avoid this mistake by telling a new story within the old world (Pratchett, Leiber, Saberhagen), but this isn't making an epic. In the Mars series, Robinson gave himself freedom to continue because no character is indispensable, the future is open.

  But Dumas! Like I said, in a couple of places he's on the brink, but doesn't quite fall over. We wonder why we spend quite so much time with Franz - who turns out to be quite incidental - but in Dumas' defence, to meet Edmond reinvented as the Count through Franz' eyes is an intriguing and clever way to introduce him. Indeed, the book could almost have started here (and the second part does feel like an entirely new book for some time), but, like Tolkien, rather than leap in with the `main' story, Dumas patiently and painstakingly has to paint the whole history before we get there. But while Tolkien splits up the major characters and has us desperately turning pages as he leaves each in cliff-hanger situations, Dumas has the slowest of slow burns running through the whole book. You don't have to read it all in a sitting, and as the protagonist points out, a simple and quick revenge would not be just or satisfying. So he takes his sweet time. Along the way some of the time he spends to flesh out the characters of the sons and daughters of the subjects of the Count's patient and comprehensive revenge seems liberal, but I suppose Dumas could say with his Count, `What's your hurry?'

  And to carry you along you have this wonderfully sophisticated French high society. Being cool - or being honourable - is not only about ego and looking good, it has a major effect on your whole family's prospects. Make a fool of yourself in public, and you could lose your credibility - which could also cost you your house or your life. How you're presented, who presents you, and how you carry it off is a game with big stakes. There was an excellent SBS movie that caught something of this - about a relatively low income 19th Century noble who actually cares for the people on his land, and knows the only way to save them is to get them clean water. To afford this he needs the court's patronage - and the favour of the court has nothing to do with the needs of the poor, and everything to do with whether you are seen as having a lively wit. The decent noble has to play the dirtiest games to do good. It's in this sort of Dangerous Liaisons context that much of the drama takes place, and Dumas does it well (indeed he's probably the prototype).

  Moreover his count is a real triumph. He imagined the pinnacle of 19th Century cool and painted it. Moreover he gives us the whole process of just why this guy has got it so completely together. He's Shaft, James Bond, Miles Davis ... whoever ... you just can't touch him. So when the reader gets to see someone getting a bit close to his self-possession it has a real impact.

  When we do eventually get to the resolutions of the old wounds, they are powerful and satisfying. I said this is Shakespearian, and there's no pulling punches here - the crimes are terrible, the prices paid apposite, and both are vividly and minutely explored. Hence the massive length of the book - but this epic, unlike so many others, is coherent.

  And all this without even mentioning the fascinating central philosophical issue of just who the Count thinks he is to take charge of so many lives. Is he, as he contends, merely the agent of providence? But the way he treats those he cares for seems at times more cruel than the way he treats his foes! The torture he puts Morrel through can only be compared to God calling Abraham to sacrifice his son. Monte Cristo is unapologetically taking the role of God, and his justification is that:
  ...There is neither happiness nor grief in the world; there is only the comparison of one state with another - nothing more. He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness...
  It's a tough one to try to pull off. Did he manage it? Let the discussions commence.
  
  

• A True Great Classic
  By A3A1MXZAP0AVYM on 2004-02-08
  Perhaps one of the best novels ever written, the Count of Monte Cristo is a story of an innocent man that seeks to revenge his wrongful imprisonment. Dumas brilliantly confronts themes pertaining to nearly all facets of human existence including that of justice, revenge, love, friendship, greed, jealousy, etc.

  Despite its vivid detail and striking character development, the novel reads rather easily and quickly. This story has been the inspiration of many great movies, most notably, that of The Shawshank Redemption (1994).

  Truly a classic and a must read.
  
  

• Tonic for Hurricaines and Interpersonal skills.
  By A2STK3VRMAXS4D on 2003-10-09
  My dad twisted my arm into getting this book over War and Peace. Headed to Mexico, I was certain that I would not come even close to finishing it. Twelve-hundred pages for seven days in Cabo?
  The second day we were there Mr. Marty the hurricane blew through. I had been up until two o'clock every night reading this - reading it while dad drank margaritas, over breakfast and in the back of the "Mexican Porche." During the night when the 'Caine raged at the windows, I was saving Morrell's life, sailing for Monte Cristo with Corsicans in tow, rescuing viscounts from the notorious Luigi Vampa, inducing Valentine to save her life through hallucination and speaking the same words four times to the enemies who locked my soul in a dungeon for fourteen years. "I am Edmond Dantes!"

  Dumas is an absolute MASTER crafter. Both my father and I found ourselves questioning the way we develop and uphold relationships and why bluntness seems useful to many in the place of eloquence and perception. The only reason that no one, excepting Mercedes, figures out who Edmond Dantes, the Count of Monte Cristo, Sinbad the Sailor, Abbe Busoni and Lord Wilmore are is because of the way the Count represents himself and 'others.'
  I think the real question that The Count of Monte Cristo is asking us today is why we have forgotten the things that were so key to the way people lived back then. Maybe we have gained in science and math, but we have lost so much! Thinking of the forgotten things is the real painfulness of this book. This one is at the very top of my list. Nothing holds a candle to this tale.
  I haven't stopped talking about it for weeks and I doubt I ever will. These guys are the stuff of Dreams! Believe me, this book will make you sing.

  SocraT

  Dad's reading it right now! ;)
  
  

• The Count of Monte Christo
  By on 2006-01-13
  The Conte of Monte Christo
  
  The Count of Monte Christo, written by Alexandre Dumas, is about a man named Edmond Dantes who experiences many twists and turns in his life. Edmond Dantes is a respected sailor who was going to marry a girl named Mercedes. Edmond was going to be the captain of his own ship and make a living. He lived in France in 1825 with his father. He is falsely accused of being a Bonapartist (a friend of Napoleon's) on the day of his wedding. Two men planned this accusation and they both benefited from his disappearance. Edmond was sent to a horrible prison and after a month an old man tunnels into his cell. The old man becomes Edmond's teacher in language, manners, and math. He also tells him the names of his two enemies, Danglars and Fernand. Edmond is filled with the power of vengeance and vows to avenge himself. Together, they plan their escape but the old man is hit by a disease. Before the old man dies, he gives Edmond a treasure map. Edmond uses quick thinking to devise a plan to escape and retrieve the treasure. Edmond gets out of jail and recovers the treasure making himself rich. He starts to do good deeds for others and changes his name to the Count of Monte Christo. The Count (Edmond) begins to slowly avenge himself while he helps out "Edmond Dantes'" loyal friends even though it is Edmond who is really helping them.
  
  My favorite quotes are "I have instilled in your heart vengeance" and "For the last four nights I have been watching over you." These quotes show the two main meanings of this book, which are Edmond getting vengeance and Edmond helping his friends. The Count of Monte Christo is a fiction/adventure book that tells Edmond Dantes life story and his adventures. Alexandre Dumas creates great pictures in my mind with his fabulous details. He made the characters consistently sound the same in their dialogue. He used wonderful language and added a little bit of humor in some parts. I was amazed how he mixed English and French together.
  
  I would recommend this book to fourteen or fifteen year olds because it is hard to comprehend and the language is old fashioned. I think that it would be hard for younger children to keep track of all the characters. The Count of Monte Christo is unlike any other book that I have read. It is the only book that has had me guessing all the way through. I would infer something and then I was completely wrong, which makes the book exciting. I would compare the Count of Monte Christo to the Lord of the Rings because they are both great adventures. They are extremely well written books and I like them both. Another book series that I compare The Count of Monte Christo to is the Clive Cussler, Dirk Pitt series because in both of the books there are great schemes. In the books, written by Clive Cussler, the people who make up the ingenious schemes are bad. In The Count of Monte Christo, the good guy is the schemer who plots his revenge. They both have good schemes but what separates them is that the good guy is outsmarting the bad guys, Fernand and Danglars. The Count of Monte Christo is the best genre it could be. Very few fantasy or mystery books that I have read matched up to it. The Harry Potter series and Eragon were also good books that I would compare to The Count of Monte Christo.
  
  This book was really addicting and I read the whole thing in three days. I was completely hooked by the twentieth page because of the author's detail. I could not put down the book; I even brought it in the car for a two minute drive. The book ended with a twist that I never saw coming.
  
  
  
• My Favorite Book of All-Time
  By A20Z1PKIH0PFUF on 2007-04-19
  Just finished reading this classic novel again for the second time. I read it the first time over fifteen years ago and at that time I considered it to be my favorite novel ever. Since then, I have probably read close to a thousand books (which is about as many as Harriet Klausner reads in a month) in the past decade and a half, and I still have to put this one alone at the top. It's the best! Reading it a second time made me appreciate it even more.
  
  I have seen all of the movies that have been made from this incredible book. None of them have even come close to doing the novel justice. It is great to see that most of the Amazon reviewers concur! At the time I am writing this review, there have been 80 reviews of this book and it still is able to retain a five-star rating. That says a lot. Most of the classic novels that have been reviewed on Amazon have 4 and a half stars. However, not this one!
  
  A lot of novels (particularly ones that are considered classics) take a while for the reader to really get into them. Not this one folks. From the first chapter on, the novel takes hold of you and just never lets go. Believe me, once you start reading this it's almost impossible to stop. You don't want to sleep, you don't want to eat, you don't want to talk to anyone, etc... all you want to do is continue reading on about the life story of our hero Edmund Dantes. The book may look a bit long, but believe me, you will be wishing that it was a hec of a lot longer once you are finished with it.
  
  So order this now and I promise you won't be disappointed. It's a masterpiece!
  
  
• Startling, refreshing, unpredictable and soulful--
  By ALU0RDKADVJA on 2005-12-31
  I keep hearing that The Count of Monte Cristo is a great swashbuckling book of vengeance. I keep wondering if same said "readers" actually read the book. Au contraire, Dumas' serialized story that we now receive in a 1200+ page novel is actually an intricate waltz of a character study, that when read with patience and expectation almost feels as if the reader has been supernaturally imbued with the wisdom and experience of the 24 years that the novel covers.
  
  The story opens with an innocent Edmond Dantes who is brutally betrayed by those who abuse their positions, and it continues with ever increasing progression of Dantes' understanding: his understanding of suffering, of evil; his understanding of wisdom from the dear Abbe; his understanding of the abuse of position that originated his personal hell, his understanding of others' human natures, both good and evil; and finally, his understanding of his own self. After multiple sub-plots that orbit the Count and illuminate both the characters that revolve around him, as well as himself, Dumas wraps up the novel with a fitting and satisfactory conclusion that flirts with the philosophical.
  
  The novel's pace more than makes up for its daunting length-there are rarely slow moments. If it seems like Dumas is about to do something predictable, keep reading: his follow-up is always unexpected. I can only criticize Dumas for trivial concerns, which I won't get into here, but his handling of the plot is beyond reproach.
  
  What sticks beyond the reading itself, however, is the study of people that Dumas puts forward, replete with a sweeping spiritual hypothesis on the nature of humanity itself that can only be proposed using the method of the adage, "show, don't tell." There are so many characters that we get to know well, who stay with us, reinforcing Dumas' observations. From the evil, such as Fernand and Danglars, to the pathetic, like Caderousse, to the unexpected--in Nortier, Albert, Eugenie--and even the angelic, Morrel, Haydee, the Abbe, we see a great slice of humanity parade before us in the vivid pages. And every one of them is somehow kindled by Dantes, the sparkling youth, then the supernatural catalyst and demigod, and finally, simply and totally, the man, soul bared and naked before his God. It is a breathtaking epic far deeper than the adolescent revenge romp that its literary reputation has been reduced to.
  
  Robin Buss' translation, notes and introduction are essential and very well done, worthy of the work itself, and sure to be the preeminent English version for a very long time. In short, this is not one of those books that you check out from the library and return: this is a work to be bought in hardback, to be read, re-read, and passed down.
  
  
  
• A Fantastic Book
  By A2QQGMM8CBZR1J on 2006-06-19
  I read the Count of Monte Cristo after the movie had already come out. As a 14 year old I set high standards for it because the storyline in the movie really pulled me in. What I got was a book that completely shattered those high standards and raised the bar still higher! The Penguin Classics version has a great translation and you feel as though Alexandre Dumas' words and lines are living. You feel as though you are living in the Napoleon era and can witness all these heart stopping adventures in the process of exacting revenge. I would highly recommend this book to action, suspense, adventure, and even romance story lovers. This book is on my top 5 list. I'm even re-reading it! I started to read the abridged version but I don't recommend this because comparing it with the unabridged you find it hasty, vague and not as engrossing. Unless you are younger or want an ok book that reads faster then you should try the abridged version. So go out and buy this book but don't be intimidated by the size because by the end you will wish it was three times as thick!
  
  
• A brilliant work of fiction
  By A3HCEWHK9WIRE9 on 2006-05-16
  This is a brilliant work of fiction. Every one of the 1300 pages has meaning. Every character, every event, and every other detail of the story are connected. The story is totally unpredictable and makes you want to turn to the next page. The author has an incredible sense of time, place, and human nature. Every scene is developed with great eloquence and artistry. This story is simply brilliant.
  
  Stories like this put writing to shame. It makes me wonder, is it even possible to write a great novel anymore? (not that writing is some big competition or something). There is nothing about this book that could have been better. It is as close to perfection as you could get. The writers intimate knowledge of paris, life, and people is unparalleled. If you want to be a writer or simply want to see the artwork of writing at the height of it's powers, here it is. This has the power of a mozart symphony or a charle parker solo. I thought les miserables was great and that it couldn't get any better. It just did!
  
  
• Just Awe-Inspiring
  By A3MADEFLE1QN0 on 2007-02-24
  In the same spirit of challenge that led me to read Pride and Prejudice and A Tale of Two Cities (and find that they have become irreplaceable parts of my bookshelf) and that will lead me to read others like Don Quixote, Ivanhoe, and The Three Musketeers, I have now officially read The Count of Monte Cristo, and I can say that it was the easiest and most thrilling of all the classics I have yet read.
  
  Oh, sure, A Tale of Two Cities was tearjerking and triumphantly sad, and Pride and Prejudice just made you want to squeal in happiness, but The Count of Monte Cristo makes you think, makes you tear up (not out of sadness, at the wonder of the dialogue and the love you have for the characters -- and this is a translation!) makes you wonder, and finally, makes you go to this page to write a glowing 5-star review for one of the greatest books ever written in any language.
  
  If you're not fluent in French you'll do fine with this book, though without a basic knowledge of just a few words you might have a little trouble with it, and without having heard of some of the places or having been to France, you might not know exactly what the Champs-Elysees or Chateau d'If is. It doesn't matter. Those aren't the focal points of the book. The story is Edmond Dantes, happy and fortunate young sailor, about to become captain of his own ship, marry his beloved Mercedes, and live happily ever after. Then success is snatched from his hand and he is unjustly thrown into the monstrous prison of Chateau d'If, where he spends fourteen years vowing to avenge himself.
  
  He gets out eventually, in one of the most dazzling and vivid scenes ever written, and makes his fortune finding buried treasure on the tiny island of Monte Cristo. Henceforth he is known as the Count of Monte Cristo: Enigmatic, a little surreal, and ready to exact perfect reward for those who did him well -- and perfect justice for those who did him evil.
  
  But there are complications that even the mighty count couldn't have foreseen: the son of his ex-fiancee and his bitter enemy befriends him, the son of his dead benefactor is in love with the daughter of the man who sentenced him to life in prison to protect his career, and the question comes up: When is revenge right, how far do you go, and do humans even have the right?
  
  It's a fantastic story, a memorable and fast-paced story, and, unlike a few books I could mention, truly deserves its label of classic. For those who like action: This book has prison, escape, treasure, poison, love, cruelty, redemption, revenge, forgiveness, ambiguity, sadness, triumph, and hope. Don't be daunted by the page count. It's a true work of art.
  
  Has anyone got a copy of the Three Musketeers?
  
  Rating: Masterpiece
  
  
• A Fantastic Classic, but Has Many Flaws
  By A1UBV9BY9HU6JP on 2008-05-10
  Of all the books I've ever read, this is one of my favorite. But all my good memories of it come from the first third of the book. Up until the end of chapter 30 I'd give the book five stars, but after that it's pretty long-winded and drawn out (And that's 87 more chapters!) . Furthermore I didn't even like any of the characters introduced after the first 30 chapters, except two I'll mention below, two of which were very minor characters.
  
  The first thirty chapters deal with Dantes being unjustly imprisoned and spending a miserable 14 years in the Chateau d'If. The story of his imprisonment, escape, and coming to riches and power culminates in his saving his old boss from financial ruin and suicide. It's a fantastic story but after that it's on to a long, drawn out, extremely wordy, and ultimately not-very-satisfying revenge on those who put him in prison. The main characters during these 87 chapters, aside from Dantes, his woman, and the four men who put him in prison are Haydee (the beautiful, but disturbingly reclusive Greek woman), Albert (the hotheaded son of Monte Cristo's old rival Fernand), Madame Danglars (the shrewish wife of Danglars), Héloïse de Villefort (the one-dimensional murderer whose love for her child is her only emotion), Franz d'Epinay, (a nice guy, but forgettable), and a host of other forgettable characters. Finally, there are Valentine de Villefort and Maximilien Morrel: two annoying and sappy lovers who remind me exactly of Cosette and Marius from Les Miserables. If you liked those two you'll love the latter half of the book. I detested them and the latter half of the book gave them an unfortunately large amount of sappy-time.
  
  So that's the principle problem with the last 87 chapters: I don't like any of the characters. I wasn't even all that fond of Dantès during this part. The only characters I even remotely liked were Ali, Monte Cristo's slave, and Noitier de Villefort, who talks by blinking. Everyone else is either annoying or forgettable. This means that the almost the entire last 87 chapters are dedicated to conversations among all these annoying or forgettable people, very little of which was interesting.
  
  Still, my memories are mostly fond. It's only when I put on my critic's hat that I began to realize how bored I was during the last two-thirds of the book. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants a good long read. The abridged version would probably be better for the non-OCD type, as it'll cut out a lot of the superfluous stuff.
  
  
  
• The BEST book I've ever read. I'll miss it.
  By A3AX3QPLTJI4ZW on 2003-09-23
  Monsieur Le Comte is incredible!!!! The best book I've ever read; I'll miss it... I could not tear myself away from this book... My two year-old recognizes it as "papi's book" because I could not put it down.... I kept my wife up with the story and got a chance to relive it that way. She loved it too.
  Dumas makes you fall in love with his characters, with Mercedes, Edmond Dantes, Abbe Faria, Valentine, Haydee, M.Morrel.... and he makes you hate the bad guys, Danglars, Villefort, Morcef... But in the end you end up doubting just like M. Le Comte.... Every character has an incredible story and every story will take you deap into the time and place and the feeling of it all....

  This book cannot be described. It must be read. If you will only read one good book in your life; make sure it's this one.
  
  

• Absolutely wonderful!
  By A3MILVWG7BO2SI on 2004-07-20
  For the past year, I have thought that Austen's Pride and Prejudice would remain my all-time favorite book, but now I see that I am mistaken, as The Count of Monte Cristo has DEFINITELY topped P & P on my list.
  This book, about the transformation of Edmond Dantes from an unsuspecting, guileless, innocent young man into a vengeful, dark, and clever man, and how the newly born Dantes uses his fortune and wit to avenge his past life, is one book that I shall never forget. I simply could not put this book down, and was even scolded by my family for neglecting my meals, sleep, and work to read this enchanting story. The details, the plot thick with intrigue and secrets...all of this and more were combined by Alexandre Dumas to create a masterful work of literature that one will surely come to appreciate greatly. I urge you, READ THIS BOOK! You shall not regret it!
  
  
• Don't read the abridged version!
  By A1DM3A2RLDW0VI on 2005-03-15
  While I really enjoyed The Count of Monte Cristo, I felt that there was something missing. Imagine my shock when I came here and read the reviews stating that the unabridged book is 1400 pages long; and I realized that I had read the ABRIDGED version at 472 pages long!! Obviously, they cut a lot out of the abridged version. While it was still very good, it was lacking and I felt there were "holes" in the story (now I know why). I'll definitely be buying the unabridged version so I can re-read it.
  
  
• a count, and that is going to be breath--taking
  By on 2003-09-06
  What a book to cherish, this is one count who simply will not give up on what he believes is right, and what he believes is true justice, this man will do anything, and he is simply the kind of person that is so influential as his hidden self is shown, though the abbe helped him out, it was still mostly to himself. He is way too two-dimensional.

  Okay, that was a little fast for you, perhaps, but that is basically everything this book is amazing in, and lacking in. But you can't miss either if you want such an age--defying novel. Now, to start, I can't think of any other French novels worthy of being compared to it. Jean--Christophe, comparable if not better, The Wandering Jew, a breath--taking novel that might be the only other French novel that can say is better than this one without hesitation. Les Miserable, comparable, and the musketeers, surely rival the count. However, this novel is very singular, and though there are several novels in its class( betrayal then revenge ), this novel, in some incredulous way, pushes the rest away( sorry Kidnapped, but you'll have to understand ), and gives itself more room, more space. It deserves a genre of its own.

  The lenghth and added strenghth of this heavy book, both physically and spiritually, gives it more room for flourishes, for explanation, but most of all for perfection. Let's compare this book to a cake, like I normally do, and we'll see that the cake, as I shall refer the book, needs the ingredients. Add a little something not that good, the bad guys fits that perfectly. Now add something unreal, but truly something of your dreams, Edmund Dantes fits that description without hesitation. Now add the creamy stuff, for example, the romance, the ignorance, the jealousy, and the stubborness. Of course, the last ingredient, the most important thing you need on a cake, or else it's an amateur's work, is the CHERRY( if you eat yours with a cherry )! That, is the Count of Monte Cristo's ace in the hole, it's plot. This book takes a humble old--fashioned genre in fiction to a whole new level, it's got more details, its got more flavor, it's more of a good cherry. So now you see how expertly Alexandre Dumas picks his ingredients.

  Having the ingredients is one thing, but how to make it, I don't know how to bake a cake, so I'm just guessing, you would want to notice how the chronicle of Edmund Dante is actually an interesting one if you read it as a map, instead of reading it like: enemy beats you, face consequences, got a helper/mentor, survive, and get revenge, you read it as something like this, like on a map: face a dangerous cliff, fall, get a life--saver, with an effort climb up from the bottomless pit, seek, goal, go back to dangerous cliff, master it. If you observe it that way, you will see an even moreold--fashioned style, brought to another genre, and becomes something completely new. Thus, I conclude by saying that Dumas did something, whether he knew it or not, or did that through another pass with his genius, like that, which is kind of making a cake based on a hypothesis, using a new way with a little bit less risk, and being successful! Dumas did just that, except in literature, it's not so risky( I wouldn't do that for a cake though, one: it's too risky, and two: it might ruin the cherry! ). So Dumas successfully manuverered through the "baking" process.

  Alas, the cake is made! Now for the critics to make their comments/harsh and absolutely unfair remarks, or criticisms. The book might be better if Alexandre Dumas had just made the character more three dimensional and still be able to master all the harshness in his way. Then, the book will be even more the genius it is, and if Alexandre Dumas doesn't have the genius to do that, then leave it to Romain Rolland, or some other better unknown chef in the near future! And second of all, this should've been done more old--fashioned like, make the lady stay true to Dantes all the story long. If the reader look at it that way, that might be able to leave more space for stories for times gone by than before! Man, not old--fashioned when not supposed to--and old--fashioned, never!

  Oh, whoever said the above, and especially the last sentence, tell me, I'll go give him a piece of my mind.

  The text is wonderful, barely or never any spelling errors, the paper is thick for classics of its size, and it's still able to fit the entire book in one volume. Able to rival the Modern Library Giants or the company that published Harry Potter. Really!

  So, this review ends. I hope it's not too long for the reader, and I hope you like THIS small cake. Alexandre Dumas was a great writer of many novels, and The Count of Monte Cristo is not his only masterpiece. No doubt people at that time is calling The Count of Monte Cristo a "coming of age--story", like their calling Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix right now! He had a lot of literary friends, and many of my French favorites. So enjoy! And if you've already done that, enjoy again! Read more about his life. Trust me, it'll be worthy of your time. All in all, Alexander was a coming of age author, and he is one of the greatest novelist, etc. right now. His novels are timeless, pure arkenstones, never to be forgotten, leading leaders in literature right now, and have the words: big classics written, engraved/burned all over it. Your favorite, Steven Cong, ADIOS( with a deep, long bow, and a smile after )!
  
  

• Absolutely Riveting Tale!
  By A369SQ6E2IP3G5 on 2004-07-08
  This is honestly one of the greatest novels I have ever read. I absolutely loved this book. I could not put it down! This is a must read for anyone.When I first started into this novel, I had in my memory the 'movie' that was made for the big screen. So of course, I expected the book to be very similar to it. Well, I was very wrong! Other than Edmond Dantes being betrayed by his 'friends' and finding the treasure, this book takes on a different route.

  Believe me, the book is much more superb. The way the Count exacts his revenge is astonishing. I cannot fathom how Dumas came up with such a scheme. At times, one cringes for the those who wronged the Count.

  This book made me laugh and cry. There are many poignant moments throughout the book that make you feel good. Anyone who says that Dumas is not up there with the 'classic' writers, does not know what they are talking about. This book is rich in dialogue, mystery, suspense and storyline. All in all, this is an amazing classic, and I recommend it to anyone wanting a good read.
  
  

• The best book ever written
  By A2KZEJY87LI99E on 2004-12-19
  I know this seems a little over the top perhaps but Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Christo is just that in my opinion. The scale, the depth, the characterisation, and ultimately the story underpinning it all- a tale of a virtuous young man, wrongly imprisoned, mentally and physically due to the jealousy of others, and his resurrection from the abyss as an avenging angel to exact his revenge on those who inspired it- add up to a breathtaking picture spanning 1200 or so pages. In Edmond Dantes, Dumas has created a character which deep down we can all identify with as our pure inner self. All of us can remember our childhood when everything was a lot more natural and bereft of worry. He is careful to highlight Dantes strengths and flaws early on in the novel, so as we can appreciate this person against who this terrible act has been aimed. His transgression from innocent, naive but virtuous boy into the cold blooded man of the world, is excellently handled, and fits with the gap of years between his escape from the chateau d'if until his re-appearance as the chameleon he has become. The way that the plot comes together shows the time Dumas must have spent creating the jigsaw, and the ending is everything you could want and more. I implore you to read this book- the length of the script will keep you busy for some time admittedly- but the end result and the fact you will be able to look back afterwards and remember its message for a long time, should make this top of your to-read list. And amazingly it was based on a true case.
  
  
• BRILLIANT!
  By A2F540P3L6P5CL on 2006-06-26
  A stunning book, absolutly chock full with DELICIOUS plot twists. There were times when I would start a new chapter and wonder where the heck this part was going, but everything was pulled together into one compelling, gripping story of love and revenge and the consequences of trying to play god with people's lifes. Highly recommended -- I intend to search out and read as many Dumas books as I can find.
  
  
• A MUST READ.
  By A2QF6HZ3N3F912 on 2003-07-09
  Ok, so the first time I read this book was when I was a senior in high school. Being the fact that I am a sucker for those love stories where the guy gets the girl in the end, it was only natural that I would enjoy this book. But the best part about it is the twist in the plot and how eventually The Count of Monte Cristo reveals himself to those who knew him before the self-appointed title.

  Its a classic by Alexandre Dumas and I do believe that this is one of those books (like "Catcher in the Rye") that you just have to read in this lifetime!
  
  

• Awesome book!
  By A32KCX3HQ1HXR2 on 2004-07-05
  Wow, where to start on this? If you haven't seen the movie starring Jim Cavaziel and Guy Pearce yet, I suggest watching it before reading the book. The movie was a great movie also, but completely butchers the book, so to enjoy both, watch the movie first. My fiance bought this book for me, when I told her it was my favorite movie and I would like to read the book. When I first recieved it, I was intimidated. 1243 pages of pure classic literature! I was afraid that since it was a classic novel, it would confuse me greatly with the writing style, but Robin Buss (the translator) did a spectacular job of making it easy to understand. Also in the back of the book, he has included notes of certain words and phrases that are used to help clarify even more. The book is quite enjoyable to read, and I find myself laying in bed until one in the morning reading it. I have to force myself to put it down so I can sleep. Basically, a well written, very gripping book that I recommend to anyone. This is not my normal style of reading, but I have enjoyed it greatly. Again, watch the movie first so you can get the best of both worlds.
  
  
• Swashbuckling action from cover to cover
  By A77DS5KIS9C2V on 2004-11-12
  The Count of Monte Cristo begins as Edmond Dantes lands in Marseille, ready to marry the love of his life, Mercedes. Within 24 hours his world will turn upside down; punished for a crime he did not commit, he'll be imprisoned in the Château d'If for life, stripped of everything he held dear. And so the stage is set for the greatest revenge novel ever written.
  
  Swashbuckling novels are a sub-genre of historical fiction. Too easily, the whole genre is dismissed as juvenile reading. The Count of Monte Cristo features two cases of infanticide, a serial poisoner, a stabbing, three suicides, torture, execution, drug-induced sexual fantasies, illegitimacy, transvestism, lesbianism, dramatic soliloquies, references to classical history, the effects of hashish, all in about 1300 pages. Juvenile? I don't think so....
  
  This is my favorite book of all time. The unabridged version is the only way to go. The movies have never done it justice. I can guarantee you won't put it down!
  
  Once you've finished it, check out The Three Musketeers... the unabridged version ;)
  
  
  
• Great Book
  By A23RD37UQ4PY8E on 2005-08-03
  When I was in fourth grade I read an abridged version of the count of monte cristo, and I loved the story. I was determined to read the original when I was older. Now after finishing my junior year in high school, I have finished the full version. Once again, I was thrilled with the story. Though the length of the novel may appear daunting, don't let this stop you from reading the book. This truly is one of the best books I've ever read, and I strongly recommend it.
  
  
• A great read!
  By AKHHLGK1PFO2X on 2006-01-31
  All is well for Edmond Dantes life: he has a beautiful girlfriend, plenty of money, a loving father, and a good job as a sailor, soon to be captain. That is, until he is accused of being part of the Bonapartist party. On the day he was to marry is fiance, Mercedes, he was taken to the worst prison in the area, The Chateau D'If. No one has ever escaped this prison. He is sentenced to life and spends over 15 years in a cell until he plans an escape. After escaping he goes on to find a treasure he was told about from a man he met in prison. After finding the treasure, he begins helping people around the world, being known as The Count of Monte Cristo.
  I loved this book, although it was a bit long. The storyline was very exciting and the characters are so real. It's amazing how a man goes from sitting in a prison cell for years with no money at all, to becoming one of the richest people in France. I would definately recommend this book to readers of all ages. If you're looking for a good, exciting book then this is the one for you. The only thing I can complain about is every few chapters it starts getting a little boring, but hang in there becuase it only builds to something even better!
  
  
• A Treasure in Literature
  By on 2006-10-15
  Do not be dissuaded to read my review because it is a children's review; I do not have an amazon account. On a more relevant note, the Count of Monte Cristo is one of the best novels I have ever read. Period. I have always been an avid reader, and since high school I have been required to read rather tedious books, some from the same era as Dumas. However, the Count of Monte Cristo stands above the rest from its time; it is an amazing story, and to not read it due to its size is a terrible decision. In fact, the intricate, detailed, and entertaining plot of the book necessitates more pages to explain. This translation is superb. It keeps you awake, and it has a modern feel to it, as it should, all the while retaining the feel of the orginal transcript. One note I should make is as such: do not, and I repeat, DO NOT attempt to read this book over an extended period of time, as there are many characters and plot points you ought to remember throughout the course of the novel.
  
  
• Get the Penguin Classics edition
  By A7193P2ZL52I8 on 2007-04-23
  I enjoyed this translation of the book. It dispenses with the antiquated language from earlier translations and the inverted "said he" dialogue. However, as for the work itself I admit to being a bit disappointed by this "classic." I'm a big fan of heroic stories, and Edmond Dantes almost fits the bill. But too many times in this epic story I found it difficult to empathize with or even feel anything for this character around which the entire story revolves. I'm normally not one to ever read an abridged novel, but I'm thinking Monte Cristo could be that rare exception.
  
  
• Amazing
  By A3E5Y1LEEFG7J3 on 2007-05-14
  Without a doubt, this is the best work of fiction I have read in a long time. The depth and detail is just stunning. People don't write like this anymore. I'm only about halfway through this (it's over 1,300 pages), but I haven't tired of it at all. This is really a character study on the nature of man at its core. The author's observations in this respect are sprinkled throughout the story and are both deep and humorous at times. Truly a classic work of literature. This unabridged translation is very well done, and maintains a "classic" feel - slightly challenging and not at all dumbed down in the language. I would recommend it to any mature adult. However, it is not for children or adolescents, due to the wide ranging and at times harsh situations.
  
  

• Les Misérables (Signet Classics)
• The Three Musketeers (Signet Classics)
• The Count of Monte Cristo
• The Man in the Iron Mask (Penguin Classics)
• The Three Musketeers (Barnes & Noble Classics)