|
|
| |
Book ReviewsThe Count of Monte Cristo |
|
|
Book: The Count of Monte Cristo
Written by: Alexandre Dumas |
Publisher: Longman Group United Kingdom
Average Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5
|
|
A literary masterpiece....
Rating:
5 / 5
This is a story that must be read to be truly appreciated.
Set at a time of political turmoil in France, with Napoleon in exile,Edmond Dantes is an ambitious young sailor with prospects, and a beautiful fiance, Mercedes. Three people conspire against him to ruin his life, one wants his girl, another his position. He is banished to the notorious Chateau d'If, and is believed by his friends to be dead.
In prison he meets the Abbe Faria, who becomes his teacher, and together they plan to escape. Edmond escapes with a treasure map 14 years later, claims the fortune, and becomes the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo, bent on getting revenge against those who wronged him. With his new found fortune he effortlessly penetrates the highest levels of society, and unrecognisable to his enemies, he now befriends them.
The revenge comes slow and sweet, as he plots the downfall of his enemies. He is ruthless, deliberate and unrelenting, and appears to know everyones dark secrets, although we don't always know how he knows.
There are many sub characters and subplots that are not in the movie versions of the story. There are some genuinely good characters whose path to love is blocked, and he is in the background pulling the strings to work the situation for those he loves. He is also pulling the strings on those he is out to get.
He refers to himself as providence, as he takes the archetype role of flawed hero avenger, and wreaks his awful vengeance. He mysteriously appears everywhere, and knows everything, and uses it. He is karma incarnate.
The society and manners of the time are brilliantly evoked by the beautiful writing of Alexandre Dumas. As the words leap from the page into your imagination, you see the characters, you hear their words, and feel their emotions.
Most of all, you feel for Edmond Dantes. Will revenge bring him some measure of satisfaction, and make him happy? Or, will he be forever unable to forgive, and be happy. In some respects his life is our life, as you hope for some measure
of transformation in his experience that you can apply to your own.
Will he reunite with his beautiful fiance, now married to one of his enemies? Can he get revenge, and be forgiven by her?
This is a story to be savored. So, go for the unabridged version.
If you have seen the original movie with Robert Donat, and the more recent one with Jim Caviezel, who subsequently went on to play the contrasting role of Jesus Christ, I love both of the movie versions.
There is way more in the book than can be conveyed in a two hour movie, and so the story is condensed and some of the characters altered to make the story more movie friendly. So, if you are like me, and enjoyed the movie, you will love the book.
I hope you find this review helpful, and, if you do, please click yes.
Some Classics really are classic
Rating:
5 / 5
Sometimes books are listed as Classics, and you have no idea why. English teachers are an odd lot as a whole, and I guess they're the ones who more or less determine what is considered classic. Some are clear choices, however, and to me "The Count of Monte Cristo" falls into that category.
To begin with it is immensely readable, a point of necessity often overlooked on modern lists. It is a page-turner of the highest order, with romance and intrigue, suspense and drama, and as complicated a morality play of revenge and justice as one could desire. And the reader isn't harmed by a decent dose of French history in the process. There was an old movie version, with Tony Curtis of all people as the Count, that was amazingly true to such a long and complicated story. The more recent movie was forgettable, and if you don't recall it don't feel bad.
Back to the story. It is well worth the reading, or re-reading, and personally I enjoyed it far more even than the Three Musketeers. It starts a little slowly, but if you stay with it through the point of Dante's (the Count) imprisonment, you'll be rewarded with a story you can't put down.
Easily one of the top 10 fiction novels ever
Rating:
5 / 5
As the other reviews clearly indicate, this book is one of the best ever but one word of warning. Take care not to accidentally get an abridged version of the novel. All the abridgements I've seen have completely destroyed the story and should be avoided at all costs. The book you want should have between 800-1400 pages. Anything less and you're asking for trouble.
Ratings Breakdown:
Appropriateness for Children: 4/5 [Mild violence]
Strength of Story: 5/5
Textual Readability: 5/5
Originality of Story: 5/5
Ratings by Demographic:
Children (Under 13): 2/5
Teens: 4/5
Adults: 5/5
Men: 5/5
Women: 3/5
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|