Book Reivew: Count of Monte Cristo

Are you a fan of revenge stories, where villains get their comeuppance? Do you love a good historical setting? What about complex characters by the handful? If most (or even any) of that tripped your trigger, allow me to reintroduce you to a classic book that everyone’s heard of but few have read in its entirety: Alexander Dumas’s 1846 novel The Count of Monte Cristo. 

 

I can already hear the groans. The Count of Monte Cristo? Seriously? Can’t we leave classic literature back in high school? Why, of all the classics, did you pick this one to write about, Kamryn? My answers, in order, are: Yes, seriously; No, we shouldn’t just leave classics in the dust because your 11th grade English teacher made you read Heart of Darkness or The Scarlet Letter; and most importantly, I picked it for a book review because it rocks, y’all. 

 

The main protagonist we follow is a French sailor named Edmund Dantes. In the early 1810s - a tumultuous time for politics in France, with Napoleon in exile and a monarchy tentatively in control - Dantes is on the cusp of having an excellent life. He’s 19, about to be promoted to captain on a cargo ship, and betrothed to marry a woman who’s besotted with him… then, suddenly, Dantes is branded a political traitor (a combo of bad luck and some “friends” scheming against him) and thrown into a dungeon for 14 years. His betrayers, following his imprisonment, rise to prominent positions in the French upper classes without a thought spared for their former friend. He nearly goes mad, but two strokes of luck befall him in prison. First, he becomes acquainted with his neighbor cellmate, a learned abbey, who teaches Dantes everything he knows and reveals the location of a vast fortune on the island of Monte Cristo. Second, he manages to escape the prison and uncover the treasure, allowing him to build a new and powerful identity as the namesake Count of Monte Cristo. The obscenely rich Count takes another few years to craft the perfect revenge against those who betrayed him, and it's at this point - about a third of the way through the book - that the story really takes off. 

 

The biggest turn-off I suspect people have regarding this book is its length. I won’t lie: it’s long, and that’s often synonymous with “intimidating.” That said, there’s something spectacular about a well-written, intricate plot that covers multiple decades and really allows for character growth and development. I was absolutely delighted that, despite how large the book appears on the shelf, I found myself flying through it. There were plenty of early details that would cycle back around to relevance at the end, a la Chekov’s gun, which greatly impressed me considering the story was first published in 18 installments over the course of 2 years. There’s also great representation, including a queer relationship and multiple persons of color, which shouldn’t be a shock (Dumas was Black) but still feels far ahead of its time. Dumas is one of the most widely read French authors in the world, and The Count of Monte Cristo is absolutely one of the reasons why. 

 

There are multiple ways you can read The Count of Monte Cristo through Charles City Public Library. There’s an unabridged physical copy on the shelf (pictured with this review), various unabridged copies of the ebook on Libby or Hoopla, and various unabridged and abridged copies of the audiobook on Libby or Hoopla. There’s even a manga adaptation in our collection and the 2002 movie adaptation on Hoopla, if you’re looking for a more visual experience! Check it out electronically by logging onto Libby or Hoopla, or come in or call to check out our physical copies today.

Are you a fan of revenge stories, where villains get their comeuppance? Do you love a good historical setting? What about complex characters by the handful? If most (or even any) of that tripped your trigger, allow me to reintroduce you to a classic book that everyone’s heard of but few have read in its entirety: Alexander Dumas’s 1846 novel The Count of Monte Cristo. 

 

I can already hear the groans. The Count of Monte Cristo? Seriously? Can’t we leave classic literature back in high school? Why, of all the classics, did you pick this one to write about, Kamryn? My answers, in order, are: Yes, seriously; No, we shouldn’t just leave classics in the dust because your 11th grade English teacher made you read Heart of Darkness or The Scarlet Letter; and most importantly, I picked it for a book review because it rocks, y’all. 

 

The main protagonist we follow is a French sailor named Edmund Dantes. In the early 1810s - a tumultuous time for politics in France, with Napoleon in exile and a monarchy tentatively in control - Dantes is on the cusp of having an excellent life. He’s 19, about to be promoted to captain on a cargo ship, and betrothed to marry a woman who’s besotted with him… then, suddenly, Dantes is branded a political traitor (a combo of bad luck and some “friends” scheming against him) and thrown into a dungeon for 14 years. His betrayers, following his imprisonment, rise to prominent positions in the French upper classes without a thought spared for their former friend. He nearly goes mad, but two strokes of luck befall him in prison. First, he becomes acquainted with his neighbor cellmate, a learned abbey, who teaches Dantes everything he knows and reveals the location of a vast fortune on the island of Monte Cristo. Second, he manages to escape the prison and uncover the treasure, allowing him to build a new and powerful identity as the namesake Count of Monte Cristo. The obscenely rich Count takes another few years to craft the perfect revenge against those who betrayed him, and it's at this point - about a third of the way through the book - that the story really takes off. 

 

The biggest turn-off I suspect people have regarding this book is its length. I won’t lie: it’s long, and that’s often synonymous with “intimidating.” That said, there’s something spectacular about a well-written, intricate plot that covers multiple decades and really allows for character growth and development. I was absolutely delighted that, despite how large the book appears on the shelf, I found myself flying through it. There were plenty of early details that would cycle back around to relevance at the end, a la Chekov’s gun, which greatly impressed me considering the story was first published in 18 installments over the course of 2 years. There’s also great representation, including a queer relationship and multiple persons of color, which shouldn’t be a shock (Dumas was Black) but still feels far ahead of its time. Dumas is one of the most widely read French authors in the world, and The Count of Monte Cristo is absolutely one of the reasons why. 

 

There are multiple ways you can read The Count of Monte Cristo through Charles City Public Library. There’s an unabridged physical copy on the shelf (pictured with this review), various unabridged copies of the ebook on Libby or Hoopla, and various unabridged and abridged copies of the audiobook on Libby or Hoopla. There’s even a manga adaptation in our collection and the 2002 movie adaptation on Hoopla, if you’re looking for a more visual experience! Check it out electronically by logging onto Libby or Hoopla, or come in or call to check out our physical copies today.