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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I really enjoyed this book. Dumas really knows how to develop characters and make you intimately acquainted with them. Loved the adventure, plot twists and intrigue. A great book for teens (male or female) and up. I read Count of Monte Cristo before this one, so now I'm thinking of reading another one of his books, Man In the Iron Mask.
Obviously this is a great book, so it feels weird to review it. I will say though that it takes a sharp turn about two-thirds in and goes from a being swaggering tale of four friends who can't stay out of trouble to a much darker story of conspiracy and vengeance. And I liked that part the best. Beautiful writing - I blazed thorough the last few hundred pages.
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
adventurous
funny
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:
N/A
This is basically everything you would expect from everything you've ever heard about the Musketeers: high romance, sword fights, camaraderie among men at arms, duels, honor, more sword fights, mysterious men, lovely ladies and femme fatales, love and tragedy... more sword fights... It set the template for so many of the romance novels that came after it. Thankfully, it contains more political intrigue and psychological drama than your average romance novel, but it never takes itself seriously enough for me to take it seriously. It's fun, not deep. Not to mention, the familiarity of these themes from my exposure to its countless imitators has taken away my potential to be surprised.
This isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it. Sure, it did move a bit slowly in the beginning to establish the setting and the characters, but it gets far more interesting in the second half. Despite myself, I was quite moved by d'Artagnan's boyish infatuation with Mme. Bonacieux, and I loved Lady de Winter as the wonderful villain she was: her acting was so superb that it basically turned into comedy gold. My mental image of her switching back and forth from poor damsel in distress to gnashing-teeth-demoness is priceless, and at times I found myself rooting for her over the Musketeers just because she was so damn entertaining.
But wow, this book is problematic, de Winter included. (I mean, she pulls the old "pretending she had been raped" card, for Christ's sake.) Maybe others can love the Musketeers for their faults (and I won't begrudge that), but I and my contemporary eye had a hard time looking past them. The Musketeers are vain, petty, capricious, and cruel... they get into duels and kill men for the pettiest and stupidest things (like when d'Artagnan duels the man from Meung for insulting a horse that he ends up selling a few days later anyway); they intimidate their landlords and hosts for daring to ask for their rightful due; they are so obsessed with honor that they would take a man's life without a thought; one of them seduces a woman for money... honestly, their "bro" code of unquestioning trust reminds me more of stereotypical frat boys than of the honorable ideals that they are supposed to represent.
I understand that they have their virtues, and I can understand why others find them lovable--d'Artagnan and Athos, in particular. The former, for his endearing naivete, intelligence, and leadership; the latter for his cool-headed calm, his tortured past, his nobleman's brevity... but as for myself, not being as much of a romantic as some others, I suppose the negative aspects of their personalities are far more prominent for me than their positives. For all their unwillingness to kill a woman, they seem to have no qualms with manipulating or insulting the many who lack the protection of a noblewoman's honor. (Which reminds me that there is literally a character named "Kitty" in the book. How can I possibly take that seriously?) Lady de Winter certainly got what she deserved, but the Musketeers are no saints either. While great characters do not have to be saints to be lovable or even need be lovable at all, I just don't find enough redeeming qualities in them to admire. For all the plot's twists and turns, the real appeal of the book lies in its characters, and if I can't love them, then much of the book's magic is lost upon me.
This isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it. Sure, it did move a bit slowly in the beginning to establish the setting and the characters, but it gets far more interesting in the second half. Despite myself, I was quite moved by d'Artagnan's boyish infatuation with Mme. Bonacieux, and I loved Lady de Winter as the wonderful villain she was: her acting was so superb that it basically turned into comedy gold. My mental image of her switching back and forth from poor damsel in distress to gnashing-teeth-demoness is priceless, and at times I found myself rooting for her over the Musketeers just because she was so damn entertaining.
But wow, this book is problematic, de Winter included. (I mean, she pulls the old "pretending she had been raped" card, for Christ's sake.) Maybe others can love the Musketeers for their faults (and I won't begrudge that), but I and my contemporary eye had a hard time looking past them. The Musketeers are vain, petty, capricious, and cruel... they get into duels and kill men for the pettiest and stupidest things (like when d'Artagnan duels the man from Meung for insulting a horse that he ends up selling a few days later anyway); they intimidate their landlords and hosts for daring to ask for their rightful due; they are so obsessed with honor that they would take a man's life without a thought; one of them seduces a woman for money... honestly, their "bro" code of unquestioning trust reminds me more of stereotypical frat boys than of the honorable ideals that they are supposed to represent.
I understand that they have their virtues, and I can understand why others find them lovable--d'Artagnan and Athos, in particular. The former, for his endearing naivete, intelligence, and leadership; the latter for his cool-headed calm, his tortured past, his nobleman's brevity... but as for myself, not being as much of a romantic as some others, I suppose the negative aspects of their personalities are far more prominent for me than their positives. For all their unwillingness to kill a woman, they seem to have no qualms with manipulating or insulting the many who lack the protection of a noblewoman's honor. (Which reminds me that there is literally a character named "Kitty" in the book. How can I possibly take that seriously?) Lady de Winter certainly got what she deserved, but the Musketeers are no saints either. While great characters do not have to be saints to be lovable or even need be lovable at all, I just don't find enough redeeming qualities in them to admire. For all the plot's twists and turns, the real appeal of the book lies in its characters, and if I can't love them, then much of the book's magic is lost upon me.
On ne présente plus Les Trois Mousquetaires, titre de roman connu dans tous les pays et possédant de nombreuses adaptations. Mais après être passée entre tant de mains différentes, que reste-t-il de l'œuvre de Dumas ? Un petit retour aux sources ne fait jamais de mal.
Les adaptations ont tendance à se focaliser sur l'affaire des ferrets de la reine, peignant nos protagonistes comme des héros exemplaires, un vernis qui ne peut s'éloigner davantage du véritable croquis.
En soi, le premier point n'est qu'un prétexte pour développer et mieux comprendre les personnages, car finalement, c'est la révélation qui arrive après ce voyage qui déclenche les enjeux les plus importants du roman.
Le deuxième point passe à côté de ce que l'auteur démontre dans son roman, à savoir le déclin de la chevalerie. Nos chers mousquetaires sont loin d'être immaculés moralement, bien au contraire, ils sont pétris de défauts. Mais malgré cela, le récit parvient à les rendre attachants et divertissants.
Pour cela, Dumas se repose sur son humour. On peut remarquer que chaque mousquetaire représente une classe sociale et s'illustre dans des vices particuliers. De plus, ils possèdent chacun un valet qui reflète la personnalité de son maître, ce qui nous plonge un peu dans un comique de théâtre. Si l'on ajoute à cela du comique de situation, des dialogues délectables, et la narration qui n'hésite pas à saupoudrer le tout d'une pointe d'ironie, on obtient le cocktail parfait pour passer un bon moment.
Un petit mot que le personnage de Milady, qui est tout simplement la meilleure antagoniste possible. Intelligente, charmante, sachant tirer partie de toutes les situations, elle est l'ennemi le plus redoutable de l'histoire. Voir une telle représentation de femme forte au XIXe siècle est une agréable surprise.
Les adaptations ont tendance à se focaliser sur l'affaire des ferrets de la reine, peignant nos protagonistes comme des héros exemplaires, un vernis qui ne peut s'éloigner davantage du véritable croquis.
En soi, le premier point n'est qu'un prétexte pour développer et mieux comprendre les personnages, car finalement, c'est la révélation qui arrive après ce voyage qui déclenche les enjeux les plus importants du roman.
Le deuxième point passe à côté de ce que l'auteur démontre dans son roman, à savoir le déclin de la chevalerie. Nos chers mousquetaires sont loin d'être immaculés moralement, bien au contraire, ils sont pétris de défauts. Mais malgré cela, le récit parvient à les rendre attachants et divertissants.
Pour cela, Dumas se repose sur son humour. On peut remarquer que chaque mousquetaire représente une classe sociale et s'illustre dans des vices particuliers. De plus, ils possèdent chacun un valet qui reflète la personnalité de son maître, ce qui nous plonge un peu dans un comique de théâtre. Si l'on ajoute à cela du comique de situation, des dialogues délectables, et la narration qui n'hésite pas à saupoudrer le tout d'une pointe d'ironie, on obtient le cocktail parfait pour passer un bon moment.
Un petit mot que le personnage de Milady, qui est tout simplement la meilleure antagoniste possible. Intelligente, charmante, sachant tirer partie de toutes les situations, elle est l'ennemi le plus redoutable de l'histoire. Voir une telle représentation de femme forte au XIXe siècle est une agréable surprise.
2.8/3 stars, full review to come! Alexa, play The Man by Taylor Swift.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Pacing: 2/5
Writing: 3/5
Enjoyment: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Pacing: 2/5
Writing: 3/5
Enjoyment: 3/5