The Count of Monte Cristo

Totally worth how long it took to read this one. I already can't wait to reread it (someday in the future) because I know I definitely missed things. Dumas is the father of the soap opera, dramatic irony, everyone being related somehow, having a god complex, and being a master of disguise. I wish I had a dollar for every time I gasped aloud so I could purchase my own copy of this novel

The Count of Monte Cristo is an absolutely incredible novel and undoubtedly the greatest of the classics. This remarkable tale of the successful sailor Edmond Dantes is fraught with tragedy, peril, death, and revenge. The young man’s life takes a shocking turn when three men, out of jealousy, hatred, and even convenience, plan to unjustly convict him of treason. After spending nearly fifteen years in prison, Dantes escapes and plots revenge on those who wronged him, taking on many aliases, the most famous of which is, The Count of Monte Cristo.

Alexandre Dumas is unbelievably skilled, carefully constructing a beautiful novel with dozens of characters and intricately intertwined plots. The sheer magnitude of detail and suspense will grab the attention of any reader and hold it until the end. This 500+ page novel is a literary masterpiece and possibly the greatest story ever written.

If I could, I would give this book 10 stars instead of just 5! Besides Les Misérables, this is my all-time favorite book! Such a beautiful story of love, death, misery, compassion & revenge, amongst others! And beautifully written too! Very much highly recommended! Don't let the thickness of the book ( 1200+ pages) scare you, it is so worth the read! I couldn't put this book down, and I didn't want it to end! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book! Hurry, go read it! And like I always like to do, it's great to have an atlas handy so you can see exactly where the action takes place!

Count of Monte Cristo is a well written revenge story following Edmond Dantes, a very successful sailor at a young age. He is about to get a promotion, and he is set to wed a beautiful lady named Mercedes. However, this success was followed by severe misfortune. On the day of his wedding he is arrested and taken to prison. The rest of the story is formed on how Dantes takes his revenge against his wrongdoers.

Personally, I feel like this book is one of the best classics that can be read and understood well at the middle school level. The method of writing and the deep imagery used by the author engages the reader and makes this book a real page turner. The thing that is a drawback to this novel (hence the 9 rating) is its predictability.

1844 - 4.25

The Count of Monte Cristo, despite its size, is one of the best classic revenge stories that has ever been written. It follows the main character, Edmond Dantes, a sailor aboard the Pharaon who has been falsely imprisoned by his crewmates. In the prison, his cellmate, the Abbe Faria, tells him about a treasure hidden on the island of Monte Cristo. After escaping, Dantes recovers the treasure and re-enters French society as the Count of Monte Cristo, ready to wreak havoc on the lives of those who put him in prison. This novel is exceptional, mainly because of Dantes’ clever plans and his big reveal at the end. It is engrossing all the way through, which makes it one of the most satisfying and interesting stories that has ever been written.

Loved every single minute of reading this 1243 page masterpiece: it was a page turner - couldn't put it down: my first passionate reaction when I finished it: I will read it again

A fabulous classic featuring revenge, love, and identity switches, The Count of Monte-Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is a lusciously written story. While it is not without grim and slow-paced scenes, this book contains some fantastic observations about the darkness of the human mind.
Introducing a handsome, hardworking young sailor, Edmond Dantès, with a loving father, a promising career as a future captain, and a beautiful girl engaged to him, the novel starts off innocently enough. However, this happiness is not to last. Jealousy spurs two men into action, and Dantès is thrown and locked into a dungeon from which, despite the anguish of his loved ones, he will not emerge for over a decade. Fourteen years later, reappearing into life as the mysterious count of Monte-Cristo, Dantès seeks revenge on the men who stole his youth and happiness.
The language is intense, passionate, and frequently, difficult to interpret. However, beneath its complexity and bewildering plot lies much in-depth insight about how far a person may ethically craft revenge on another, as well as realistic portrayals of struggles with forgiveness and love. The Count of Monte-Cristo is a satisfyingly intense read with admirable character development and philosophical questions about human nature.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
@StarRead of the Hamilton Public Library's Teen Review Board

This main character is wishy washy, one minute he thinks God has saved him and 5 minutes later after something bad happens, and by the way "the bad things that happen" can include imprisonment or just a papercut seemingly and then he's crying "WHY???!!! Whyy? God has forsaken me!!". I read this book to hear a classic tale of honor, love, sword fights and revenge. It's just a guy crying for half the book and then the book just keep on going on and on without getting to much plot. This is a classic story, just the way it's written doesn't work for me. And the protagonist didn't get me invested in much.

Best final chapter ever!