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

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Could this be my favorite classic? I think it's certainly in the running. One could not contend that it's simply the best revenge story ever created. It's patient. It's creative. It's singular yet universal. Dumas created a set of characters so perfectly brought together by their deeds that we left amazed at the brain power of both the author and our protagonist. 

One problem I usually have with classics is the relevance to my own life; The Count of Monte Cristo is timeless as friendship, greed, hate, love, redemption, and suffering. And because of that fact, this tome will stand the test of time. Moreover, it's use of language is not difficult to the present times. Where some classics lose a modern reader in its endless spirals of archaic vernacular, Dumas achieves eloquence and utility equally. 

If you're on the fence with reading this book because of its length, I would implore you to push on with confidence that you're about to read one of the best books of your life. One that you might wish had a second half of another thousand pages to consume by the time you read the final words:
wait and hope
. 
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