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This is a dangerously fabulous read. Telling others that this novel is your favourite can reveal a malevolent side to your personality. Genius plot writer, Alexander Dumas, constructed a story so evil, so clever, and so violent that future reads will just be boring. The sum of the book can be understood in three simple words..."Pede poena claudo", or "retribution comes limping." To seek justice for the three men who so selfishly stole 14 years of his life, Edmund Dantes uses deception to emotionally and financially destroy his foes. The Count of Monte Cristo operates very much like the Russian mafia; if a wrongful act is committed, the wrong-doer's entire family and fortune is extinguished before his or her very eyes.
When this novel appeared for the first time between 1844 and 1846, it was instantly a huge success. The story speaks to the reader from the first page to the last and, although it consists of about 1600 pages, it never bores. A young ignorant sailor, Edmond Dantès, is sucked into the political games of the time just before the Hundred Days in the year 1815 that would bring back Napoleon. In prison, he discovers the truth and decides to take revenge on them. When he then finally discovers the treasure, he starts to prepare for the revenge he longed for all those years. The revenge is compelling, smart, admirably bad. Ironically the bad guys of 14 years before destroy their own lives because of the same characteristics they used to put Edmond in prison. In this book Dumas deals with very real feelings of people, addressing the treacherous circumstances people had to live in in France at the time of the revolution, but asks a very fundamental question as to justness. The book, ends on a high spiritual note.--Submitted by kiki1982
The story takes place in France, Italy, islands in the Mediterranean, and in the Levant during the historical events of 1815–1838. It begins from just before the Hundred Days period (when Napoleon returned to power after his exile) to the reign of Louis-Philippe of France. The historical setting is a fundamental element of the book. An adventure story primarily concerned with themes of hope, justice, vengeance, mercy and forgiveness, it focuses on a man who is wrongfully imprisoned, escapes from jail, acquires a fortune and sets about getting revenge on those responsible for his imprisonment. However, his plans have devastating consequences for the innocent as well as the guilty.--Submitted by Anonymous
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Duelling, horses and passports
The copy of The Count of Monte Cristo that I read had no notes. I am not that bothered, but there were several things I kept wondering about: Quite a lot of duelling take place in French society.In fact quite a lot in Europe generally at that time. In the last 13 months I have read six books where a challenge to a duel took place. It must have been a significant factor of mortality in them days. Horses: horses get tired and have to be changed at coaching inns. I have recently been reading Bleak House and there is a fair bit of coach travel in that too. So how did that work? How did the horse owners get their horses back? If you hire a team of horses at one inn, they have to be fed and stabled at another inn. This will cost money so how was it all worked out? This seems to be uniquely French, but passports just to get into and out of Paris - how long did that go on for? It seems very curious to me, Couldn't a Frenchman go where he liked in his own country?
Posted By kev67 at Sat 7 Sep 2019, 7:31 PM in The Count of Monte Cristo || 1 Reply
revenge
*** SPOILERS *** I thought it was clever the way the count repaid all his betrayers in their own coin. De Villefort, the state presector, was exposed as a criminal, and the father and husband of criminals. Fernand de Morcerf, the war hero, was exposed as a traitor, who shot himself after his son backed out of a duel with the count. Baron Danglars the banker and insider dealer, was driven bankrupt, then forced to go hungry, like the count's father had gone hungry. Caderouse was a low-life slinker, who never did anything openly. He was murdered by someone he tried to blackmail. Mercedes was punished a bit too, for not remaining true to the count's memory. Her punishment was to live alone.
Posted By kev67 at Sat 7 Sep 2019, 1:16 AM in The Count of Monte Cristo || 1 Reply
Mercedes
I can't help feeling the count was harsh on Mercedes. I expect she thought he was dead. You can't expect a young woman to grow old spend the rest of her life alone and in poverty just because her boyfriend died.
Posted By kev67 at Sat 7 Sep 2019, 12:57 AM in The Count of Monte Cristo || 1 Reply
Courteous discourse
I enjoy all the courteous language in this book. Aristocrats really were so gracious towards each other. The dialogue appears to be very well translated in my copy. I enjoyed reading the aristocrats catching up with each other in the opera intervals. It seems a bit friendlier than the operas Anna Karenina attended. I suppose that is part of the effect. If you have the ability to express yourself that well then you have intelligence. If you have the willingness to go to that effort of charm, then it might be because of being well bred, well educated and having a friendly disposition. Or it might be that you are masking your true motives and put a lot of effort in thinking of what effect you are having on others. Only aristocrats and high officials spoke in that courtly way, which meant you had money and you have had it for some time. The question may be how did you get it?
Posted By kev67 at Tue 23 Jul 2019, 11:03 PM in The Count of Monte Cristo || 2 Replies
de Villefort confusion
I am confused. In chapter XLV, The Vendetta, the Count of Monte Cristo forces his steward, Bertuccio, to describe how he killed M. de Villefort. I was a bit surprised about that, because I thought the Count would have wanted to do that himself. However, in chapter XLIX, Ideology, de Villefort visits the count at him home to thank him for saving his wife and son. So, were there two de Villeforts?
Posted By kev67 at Wed 17 Jul 2019, 11:20 PM in The Count of Monte Cristo || 7 Replies
Why is the count pale and cold?
I am about a third a way through the book. One thing I find a bit strange is Edmond Dantes strange transmogrification from pleasant young man to a sort of vampire. He's described as having a pale pallor and a cold, clammy touch. You have prison pallor when you first come out of prison, but it goes away when you've been in the sun a bit. I don't know why he'd be cold to touch. Never mind, it's only fiction.
Posted By kev67 at Tue 9 Jul 2019, 10:14 AM in The Count of Monte Cristo || 2 Replies
Chapter 23
Hey there, I have one question about the character "Lucius". My boyfriend told me that he read once a version with that character and could never find it again. When I read the book I could not recognise that character either. Are there different versions and does anyone know which version has that character? I would like to find his favourite version from that book, but I cannot really find anything in the internet. Thanks for helping! C I accidentally forgot the Tags. It is about the book "the count of monte crist" from Alexander Dumas.
Posted By Lavazza at Thu 14 Jun 2018, 8:51 PM in The Count of Monte Cristo || 0 Replies
Any Similar Book Recommendations?
The Count of Monte Cristo is my favourite book, and I was wondering if anyone had read anything else enjoyable with the similar theme of revenge that they'd recommend? I don't mean parody versions like the Stars' Tennis Balls, but actual books which you think are a good choice for a person that loves the novel. Thank you!
Posted By NienorNiniel at Wed 28 Dec 2016, 4:37 PM in The Count of Monte Cristo || 1 Reply
If done as a series of movies, a miniseries.
Where would the breaks be if the book was done, faithfully to the book? For example, IMO, the first movie would end with Edmond meeting the Abbe. He is at the crest of despair and then finds a reason to live. The next would end with the finding of the treasure. How many two hour movies would it take to do it? Input?
Posted By rose62 at Thu 14 Apr 2016, 2:39 PM in The Count of Monte Cristo || 0 Replies
Yacht
Where might I find an image that would be a fairly accurate representation of the vessel bought by the Count?
Posted By rose62 at Thu 14 Apr 2016, 2:27 PM in The Count of Monte Cristo || 1 Reply