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loyaultemelie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I had a bit of trouble trying to rate this book. In terms of readability Dumas deserves every laurel he ever received. This book is so eminently readable it's almost ridiculous. Twice I read 200 pages in two days. As the story progressed the pace only picked up, so at times it felt the reader - like the musketeers themselves - was on a horse riding towards some exciting destination.
Dumas is also superb in balancing comedy and seriousness. I thought that the tone would be the biggest problem of the novel. I found myself pleasantly surprised, it did not seem too much of a problem. Though perhaps this is because, by my interpretation, I think Dumas means for us to laugh at the musketeers more often than not. Even Athos, a character that I loved, felt the subject of satire on more than a few accounts. Still Dumas obviously loves these characters he has created, and it is this love that manages to make the ups and downs of emotion not nearly as jarring as they might have been. That and undeniable skill as a writer.
So why isn't this five stars, since I have so much praise for it? I do think that the Three Musketeers is not necessarily a book that changes a person in the way that heavier books like Les Mis does. I don't think the Dumas was going for that either. I find this book hard to rate because I think for what it set out to do it did it masterfully. Not only is it incredibly entertaining, but it has quite the scope of history, and a wonderful ear for drama. I was not unmoved by our characters - ridiculous though they are. I shuddered at Milady de Winter, and I genuinely felt D'Artagnan's excitement and naivete, all without irony. But I do not know if this book has really changed me in a way that I think five star fiction should. This rating may change if I feel the story stick with me for a while - I think five star books are mostly rated by their longevity than anything else - so for now I will stick to four.
I will say, I have rarely had so much fun reading a book and talking about a book to others. And evil and despicable and even disgusting as Milady de Winter was sometimes, boy did she girlboss.
Also shoutout to Aramis for either being in love or considering the convent. Me too buddy. Me too...
Dumas is also superb in balancing comedy and seriousness. I thought that the tone would be the biggest problem of the novel. I found myself pleasantly surprised, it did not seem too much of a problem. Though perhaps this is because, by my interpretation, I think Dumas means for us to laugh at the musketeers more often than not. Even Athos, a character that I loved, felt the subject of satire on more than a few accounts. Still Dumas obviously loves these characters he has created, and it is this love that manages to make the ups and downs of emotion not nearly as jarring as they might have been. That and undeniable skill as a writer.
So why isn't this five stars, since I have so much praise for it? I do think that the Three Musketeers is not necessarily a book that changes a person in the way that heavier books like Les Mis does. I don't think the Dumas was going for that either. I find this book hard to rate because I think for what it set out to do it did it masterfully. Not only is it incredibly entertaining, but it has quite the scope of history, and a wonderful ear for drama. I was not unmoved by our characters - ridiculous though they are. I shuddered at Milady de Winter, and I genuinely felt D'Artagnan's excitement and naivete, all without irony. But I do not know if this book has really changed me in a way that I think five star fiction should. This rating may change if I feel the story stick with me for a while - I think five star books are mostly rated by their longevity than anything else - so for now I will stick to four.
I will say, I have rarely had so much fun reading a book and talking about a book to others. And evil and despicable and even disgusting as Milady de Winter was sometimes, boy did she girlboss.
Also shoutout to Aramis for either being in love or considering the convent. Me too buddy. Me too...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Death, and Murder
hjb_128's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Violence, and War
Moderate: Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Rape
Minor: Alcohol, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
soph22's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This book was great, but never lived up to the hope I’d built around following reading The Count of Monte Cristo. It’s adventurous and in some parts really fun, but was slightly ruined for me by the way women are used and portrayed I also believe that some of what D’Artagnan did would constitute as rape with today’s morals - it should have done them too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcohol, War, Physical abuse, Slavery, Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, Rape, Violence, Murder, Sexism, Animal death, Gun violence, Classism, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Antisemitism, Blood, Misogyny, and Sexual content
deparme's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: War
Minor: Death
kim_lommaert's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and War
Moderate: Grief, Infidelity, Death, Blood, Kidnapping, and Alcohol
Minor: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
giohebe's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Un classico, che racchiude azione e storia. La scrittura di Dumas è incredibile, nonostante la mole del libro, che può spaventare, è di facile lettura, ogni capitolo ti porta a voler leggere il successivo. Non mi ha mai, mai annoiata, il che, su più di 700 pagine, è dire tanto.
Ho visto recensioni lamentarsi di alcuni argomenti abbastanza forti, consiglio a proposito di leggere i trigger warning, ma sinceramente il libro va contestualizzato al periodo storico in cui è stato scritto e soprattutto a quello in cui è ambientato. Ovviamente se leggessi di determinati argomenti sul giornale sarei disgustata, ma ripeto, parliamo di un libro dello'800 ambientato nel 600, quindi non si può, e non si deve giudicare un periodo storico con la mentalità di un altro.
Detto questo lettura assolutamente consigliata se si vuole un classico un po' diverso da quelli sempre consigliati. Da recuperare tutti gli altri libri di Dumas padre, perché è un autore brillante.
Ho visto recensioni lamentarsi di alcuni argomenti abbastanza forti, consiglio a proposito di leggere i trigger warning, ma sinceramente il libro va contestualizzato al periodo storico in cui è stato scritto e soprattutto a quello in cui è ambientato. Ovviamente se leggessi di determinati argomenti sul giornale sarei disgustata, ma ripeto, parliamo di un libro dello'800 ambientato nel 600, quindi non si può, e non si deve giudicare un periodo storico con la mentalità di un altro.
Detto questo lettura assolutamente consigliata se si vuole un classico un po' diverso da quelli sempre consigliati. Da recuperare tutti gli altri libri di Dumas padre, perché è un autore brillante.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, Blood, Classism, Alcoholism, Death, and Sexual assault
misskitty14's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Let me first say that there are a lot of issues with the story, specifically the rape of Milady (our "hero" tricks her into sex using a fake identity) and the general disposability of women throughout. I was also quite surprised by the casual violence even when accounting for the period.
Having said that, I did thoroughly enjoy the adventure. Dumas has a wonderful narrative style that I found quite modern. The characters are deeply flawed but there is just something fun about them. They are the true embodiment of "swashbuckling."
I grew up loving the 1993 film and was surprisedto discover that the central villain is Milady, while the Cardinal, impressed by the bravado of the musketeers, sort of becomes an unlikely ally. I wonder how much of this stems from the status of the church during Dumas's time. While we can certainly critique the mistreatment of Milady, I will say that the most thrilling chapters of the book center around her (that ending!)
Having said that, I did thoroughly enjoy the adventure. Dumas has a wonderful narrative style that I found quite modern. The characters are deeply flawed but there is just something fun about them. They are the true embodiment of "swashbuckling."
I grew up loving the 1993 film and was surprised
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Classism
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, War, Violence, and Sexism
lizzye33's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Death, Gun violence, and Police brutality
Minor: Grief, Alcohol, Gore, Alcoholism, Blood, Suicide, Classism, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Kidnapping, War, and Vomit
s_mivsek's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol, Death, Kidnapping, War, and Confinement
Minor: Rape and Blood
jhbandcats's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Three Musketeers is full of adventure and swagger, and it’s quite funny, but it’s also tragic. Love, honor, and death form the lives of our heroes.
The Musketeers and their newfound friend who joins the King’s Guard are fondly delineated - Dumas clearly loved Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D’Artagnan. Their word is their bond - they truly believe in death before dishonor. They will always fight for one another.
As expected, the callow D’Artagnan goes through the change from unsophisticated rube to gallant Musketeer. The growth that is more illuminating, though, is that Athos goes from a self-destructive drunk to a man with a firm hold on his future. Instead of spending his time and money in foolish pursuits he matures to have a more serious outlook. The scene of him locked in a wine cellar for a week, drinking everything within, is really funny but the Athos at the end of the book wouldn’t behave as irresponsibly.
I’ve loved these characters for years and and am happy I again chose to go through 800 pages of their adventures.
The Musketeers and their newfound friend who joins the King’s Guard are fondly delineated - Dumas clearly loved Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D’Artagnan. Their word is their bond - they truly believe in death before dishonor. They will always fight for one another.
As expected, the callow D’Artagnan goes through the change from unsophisticated rube to gallant Musketeer. The growth that is more illuminating, though, is that Athos goes from a self-destructive drunk to a man with a firm hold on his future. Instead of spending his time and money in foolish pursuits he matures to have a more serious outlook. The scene of him locked in a wine cellar for a week, drinking everything within, is really funny but the Athos at the end of the book wouldn’t behave as irresponsibly.
I’ve loved these characters for years and and am happy I again chose to go through 800 pages of their adventures.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Classism, Rape, War, Murder, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual content, and Violence