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A review by msbookmarked
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
5.0
4.5/5 rounded up
Do not be terrified of this beast of a book or its label as a classic. It's surprisingly readable, and it will take you on for a ride.
Like most old classics, the characters lean towards a rather dramatic flair in their actions and dialogues. Yet its beautiful prose over the smallest revelation or emotions makes reading them very enjoyable. I also loved that various historical and cultural elements were sewn through the story, either as a plot device or little Easter eggs, making it seem more realistic and I learned a lot through reading the notes as well. The story, while taking its time to set things up, never felt like it's dragging or filling pages, and it's clear that there's a purpose for each scene presented. This leads to a rather satisfying revenge arc, but what I loved most was the exploration of how personal revenge affects the innocent and one's outlook in life. It gave the book more complexity and a reflective aspect for readers as well.
Sometimes you do get whiplash as the change in POV can be rather abrupt, given that it was published in installments back then. And then there's, of course, the occasional sexist and racial moments that I side-eyed, despite knowing the publication date. I do appreciate that it was kept in to preserve the social atmosphere of that time. To erase that is to erase history.
Overall, this behemoth of a book took me a long time to finish, but it was completely worth my time to fully immerse myself, soak in the story and digest its words. It is a masterpiece of patient story crafting and I hope that you will give it the time of the day as well.
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Do not be terrified of this beast of a book or its label as a classic. It's surprisingly readable, and it will take you on for a ride.
Like most old classics, the characters lean towards a rather dramatic flair in their actions and dialogues. Yet its beautiful prose over the smallest revelation or emotions makes reading them very enjoyable. I also loved that various historical and cultural elements were sewn through the story, either as a plot device or little Easter eggs, making it seem more realistic and I learned a lot through reading the notes as well. The story, while taking its time to set things up, never felt like it's dragging or filling pages, and it's clear that there's a purpose for each scene presented. This leads to a rather satisfying revenge arc, but what I loved most was the exploration of how personal revenge affects the innocent and one's outlook in life. It gave the book more complexity and a reflective aspect for readers as well.
Sometimes you do get whiplash as the change in POV can be rather abrupt, given that it was published in installments back then. And then there's, of course, the occasional sexist and racial moments that I side-eyed, despite knowing the publication date. I do appreciate that it was kept in to preserve the social atmosphere of that time. To erase that is to erase history.
Overall, this behemoth of a book took me a long time to finish, but it was completely worth my time to fully immerse myself, soak in the story and digest its words. It is a masterpiece of patient story crafting and I hope that you will give it the time of the day as well.