Reviews

4.5 A solid plot of patient revenge that stood the test of time well. Strong themes of honor and justice. Is it fair to take matters into your own hands when others ruin you? Definitely some orientalism—was not a fan of how Haidee’s character was portrayed especially. But I found the female characters very interesting and quite independent in many regards-- surprising for the time. Madame Danglars taking her fortune into her own hands, Eugenie Danglars choosing her own happiness over her family’s, Madame Villefort doing what she thought best for her son…etc. Interesting bits of commentary about the government’s jurisdiction of justice and what it means to be a global citizen, which are an interesting perspective in these globalized times. The actual action and dialogue played well but some description were a little superfluous for my taste, making it a touch long winded (and over a thousand pages). Still, the narrative was patiently woven together and it's no small feat to bring all those storylines together.

drplantwrench's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

I had hear great things about this book, but the length and age of it was daunting. But at the insistence of a friend, I decided to take it on. And man, it is a great page-turning revenge story. I suspected it would take me months to finish, but in actuality, it took only three weeks. For anyone who has been avoiding this book because it is daunting, I really recommend you to take the plunge - you won't regret it.

It is a roller-coaster of a book, with well conceived plot twists, even if some of those can been seen from a mile away. It is equally cathartic, melodramatic, and racing. There are some flaws, but they are easy to dismiss given all the great things about this book. (I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5, but absent half stars, would definitely round up).