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.