A review by ashify
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

5.0

‘You are my son, Dantès!’ the old man cried. ‘You are the child of my captivity. My priestly office condemned me to celibacy: God sent you to me both to console the man who could not be a father and the prisoner who could not be free.’

What to do when you get a month long summer vacation? Of course, you get cozy with a thick chunk of a book called The Count of Monte Cristo!

What do you do when you get a month-long summer vacation? Obviously, you cozy up with a thick, juicy novel like The Count of Monte Cristo!

This one was a straight 5⭐ for me. I love a good revenge story where the enemies get smacked upside the head with karma and don't see it coming until the last possible moment. Watching each revenge plot unfold and the intricately woven spider web of Edmond’s plans was pure delight. In this, Edmond reminded me of Locke Lamora, with his impeccable disguises and masterful calculations.

‘And now,’ said the stranger, ‘farewell, goodness, humanity, gratitude… Farewell all those feelings that nourish and illuminate the heart! I have taken the place of Providence to reward the good; now let the avenging God make way for me to punish the wrongdoer!’

Despite all the scheming and plotting, I felt for Edmond when he despaired. Realizing he still had his heart and wasn’t just a heartless vengeance machine added depth to his character. I'll probably add more thoughts later, but for now, I'm just going to bask in the glow of finishing this masterpiece.