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adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Child death, Slavery, Suicide
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism
I bought a cheap copy of this book only to realize that it was actually an abridged version, just as I was about to start reading it. So I donated that copy and got a full-length version from the library.
Now that I’ve read it, I rather wish I’d just stuck with the abridged one, because there’s an extremely entertaining tale in here, but it’s really bogged down by repetitiveness, objectionable (and generally completely unnecessary) comments and stories, wish fulfillment, and confusing passages that could be attributable to poor translation, poor writing, or purposeful use of contradictory language, but just aren’t explained enough to really make sense of.
Now that I’ve read it, I rather wish I’d just stuck with the abridged one, because there’s an extremely entertaining tale in here, but it’s really bogged down by repetitiveness, objectionable (and generally completely unnecessary) comments and stories, wish fulfillment, and confusing passages that could be attributable to poor translation, poor writing, or purposeful use of contradictory language, but just aren’t explained enough to really make sense of.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Kidnapping
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow what a monster of a book. Not one for the faint of heart, but it's definitely worth reading. There are some parts where it drags just a bit, but not enought to affect it being a solid 5/5. The characters were so well written that I came to empathize with both the main character and the villains at points. I do not regret all the time I spent reading this, it's definitely a great read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Murder
Moderate: Racism, Slavery
Minor: Child death
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Suicide, Suicide attempt
Minor: Racism, War
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
there is nothing I do better than revenge ~
so long, but so epic and more than worth the time. I took off 0.5 stars because it could have been a tad shorter and there were so many characters I got confused from time to time. Nevertheless, I was hooked on the drama, and there were also some great examples of how pride and greed can really fuck you up. Can't say much anything else without spoiling, but go find out yourself!
+ this doesn't really spoil anything, but Eugenie Danglars and Louise d'Armilly were lesbians in love and you can't change my mind :) <3
so long, but so epic and more than worth the time. I took off 0.5 stars because it could have been a tad shorter and there were so many characters I got confused from time to time. Nevertheless, I was hooked on the drama, and there were also some great examples of how pride and greed can really fuck you up. Can't say much anything else without spoiling, but go find out yourself!
+ this doesn't really spoil anything, but Eugenie Danglars and Louise d'Armilly were lesbians in love and you can't change my mind :) <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Child death, Drug use, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, Stalking, Murder
Minor: Racism, Slavery, Suicide
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a book that is much celebrated and I would say it is a little overhyped. Basically a fantasy book with all the ridiculous things the count does and predicts will happen, and the only character I really liked was Mercedes. Just a bit too much melodrama for me, but still a very well written book with a classic framework. I just wished I loved it like others did :/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Incest
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Age: 12+
Reading time: 28 days
Difficulty level: 3.75/5
Rating: 3/5
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas follows Edmond Dantes, a young sailor at the cusp of a very bright future. On the brink of a promising career and loving marriage, the world is his oyster, and the possibility of things going wrong could not be further from his mind. However, all is not as it seems, and, unbeknownst to Edmond and his loved ones, trouble is brewing.
Motivated by jealousy, unrequited love, and power, several men close to Edmond begin to plot against him, ultimately leading to his imprisonment. While in prison, he begins to fixate on revenge, and with the help of an unlikely friend, hidden treasure, and an eventual daring escape, Edmond will stop at nothing to accomplish what he has set out to achieve, no matter what the cost to himself may be.
Spanning countries and decades, The Count is simultaneously a heart wrenching coming-of-age tale and an epic revenge story. Intricately enmeshing politics, relationships, culture, and character, Dumas transports us to a time long past, showcasing the ins and outs of poverty, classism, wealth, and injustice through the eyes of a young man who is simultaneously a victim and a benefactor of his circumstances.
Centering on not only Edmond himself, but the people who surround him and have affected him, for better or for worse, Dumas pens a stunning portrait of a man that has been deeply wronged, not only by chance, greed, and corruption, but by the darkness that resides within him. Consumed with the desire to right the wrongs that have stolen years from his life, Edmond gives the reader a raw glimpse into a psyche ravaged by trauma, and how that trauma colors every aspect of a life.
Potentially a victim of its time, and the fact that it was originally serialized, the pacing is incredibly inconsistent throughout the novel. Dumas tends to waffle back and forth between several major events occurring in the span of a few pages, and small, minute plot points or events dragging out for upwards of twenty pages, leading to a chaotic, and at times unsatisfying, reading experience.
In that same vein, the plot in general struggles with consistency. Key plot points are ignored or glossed over in favor of long-winded descriptions, and side plots are either never wrapped up, or never become relevant to the main story. In combination with the dated language, unsatisfying pacing, and, at times, lack of emotion, The Count can be considered a bit of a slog to get through.
A true classic, The Count of Monte Cristo may miss the mark on some things, but it remains a literary window into a time that’s now long past. Combining elements of character study, thriller, drama, romance, and adventure, Dumas utilizes one man’s plight to explore 19th century French politics, injustice, classism, and, above all else, what a life lived for revenge looks like through the lens of the one who lived it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Child death, Blood, Death of parent
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Slavery