Holy shit! This book is insane. I’m half way through it, and I can’t even express how I feel about this book. Masterpiece? Doesn’t give it justice. I’ve never done this in my life over a book (and I’ve read well over 500 books for the last 30 years), I got emotional during some parts of this book. I have ADHD and it’s very hard for me to focus when reading, unless it’s an extremely good book like this I guess. This probably sounds silly to some. The reason why I’m only just finding out about this book is because I’m new to the West. An immigrant if you will, and never heard of this book until a couple of weeks ago. If you haven’t read this book; I highly recommend it. Alexandre Dumas is a genius.
This is one of those books that seems cliche until you realize that it’s the origin of the tropes.
I do enjoy seeing the ‘oh, this is why’ feeling in people. I got much the same reading Dracula, and I recommend it if you have yet to have the pleasure. You might think you know it, but trust me, give it a go.
for any Dracula enjoyers https://draculadaily.substack.com/about is fantastic! since the book is journal format you get an email with that days journal entry on the dates they happened
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is an epistolary novel - it’s made up of letters, diaries, telegrams, newspaper clippings - and every part of it has a date. The whole story happens between May 3 and November 7. So: Dracula Daily will post a newsletter each day that something happens to the characters, in the same timeline that it happens to them.
That sounds really cool, although we’ll have to wait until next year to experience it from the beginning.
I know folks who do it every year since the amount you have to read on any given day is so small!
Ah that one has been on my list for a while. I need a new book - maybe I’ll finally see what the fuss is about Dracula.
Btw same thing for Frankenstein imo. Ya we all know the story, but man the book delivered so much more than what I thought I was in for.
Frankenstein is sooooooooo good.
It’s been a long time since I read Dracula but I remember really struggling with the start. Nearly quit a few times and it was slow going. At some point it flipped and I think I pretty much finished the book in one sitting. Anyway, it is great and was worth the rough start I had with it.
That’s how Fellowship of the Rings was for me. It took 4 or 5 times starting it before it finally clicked and then I absolutely loved it.
For anyone looking to read in English I highly recommend the Robin Buss translation. It has endnotes throughout the book explaining various references that would not be obvious to modern readers, such as references to real people that don’t get named to avoid libel issues but would’ve obvious to readers in the 19th century, or how certain artists reveal that someone has good taste or bad taste.
Don’t be intimidated by the size; it quickly becomes a page-turner. It was originally published serialized in newspapers, like a modern TV show, one chapter each day. Most chapters end on a cliffhanger so people would buy the next day’s paper, making the book hard to put down.
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I second this thank you!
Thanks for the recommendation, I just snagged a copy.
Is that the unabridged, longer version? I has read the shorter version a few years ago and got the Unabridged about a year ago with three intent to tackle it. The name Robin seems familiar
Yes, it’s unabridged
I found my copy (which was staring me on the face) and I have three Robin Buss one
I fully support you in this endeavor.
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To anyone who hasn’t read it yet: don’t let yourself be intimidated by the fact that it’s a huge book. It is equally rewarding!
Another poster suggested keeping track of the names. That’s not a bad idea.
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It reads fairly easily though. I think i read it in around a week during summer vacation in HS (I pretty much spent all day reading)
My favorite thing about reading with an ebook reader has been the ability to quickly highlight and take notes as I read. New character? Highlight the first appearance of the name and when they re-appear later you can flip back to refresh your memory. Or search through the entire book for their name. I’ve also taken to making a note in my Agatha Christie reads when I first have a good guess about the murderer.
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With magnificient art style and music!
cannot agree more, i love this book and am so glad to see a post about it.
talk about an epic tale
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Great point, the different disciplines coming together to create such a cohesive and complicated story is so satisfying.
It’s actually been a few years since I read it, I would not turn down a reread at all.
I remember being riveted and pretty much doing nothing else while I read that book.
I love this book! it’s long but dense, it’s trashy but it’s also high art, it’s tragic but it’s also inspirational. I’m glad Dumas was paid by the word, because it means he wrote as much. You should check out the musketeers books if you haven’t already, I think Count is a stronger book but they’re all written in the same engrossing style.
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Having read both, I recommend the three musketeers, but don’t expect it to be quite as good as the count of Monte Christo
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Just the first book or the series? All “3” are fairly long between them
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Book three is so massive it’s usually split up into between 3-5 volumes, in total it has 268 chapters
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I got halfway through your post and ordered the book. Here’s hoping it lives up to its reputation. I think it will.
Your library definitely has it. Hell, its so old it might be on project gutenberg
Yeah, if you’re ever looking for a book and see online listings with tons of different looking books and a wide range of prices, there’s a good chance it’s in the public domain and available free somewhere.
Yay thanks!
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3380 pages
Holy shit.
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The longest book I’ve read was around 900 pages. I had to pause for a few months at 600. But this was a in-depth analysis of WWII, so that also was a factor.
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Make sure you’re reading the unabridged version. I’ve heard there’s subpar versions out there.
It’s been on my list for a while, I’ll get to it one day. I’m also planning to watch Gankutsuou afterward, which is an anime retelling set in the far future, and is supposed to be good
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1 season, 24 episodes. That’s the limit of my knowledge about it though. I just heard about it from some else’s recommendation lol
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I read that last year and it was fantastic. Top 5 for sure, I think my all time #2. It was like game of thrones, where you’ve got all these people showing up, and this spiderweb of seemingly unrelated stories gets told. But unlike game of thrones, it actually threads back together from chaos into a satisfying, well wrapped up conclusion. It is a masterpiece.
Honestly, half way through? That would be considered “the boring part”. It only gets better from there. You’re in for a wild ride. Enjoy!
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Ya, like you probably met Albert at this point? You’re like “who the hell are these people - I think another book got printed into this one by mistake!” “This isn’t even the same story!” :) Same thing with other families and bandit gangs etc. And then you slowly realize it was all planned out and all has a purpose.
Isn’t there a saying or writing thing about only introducing things that have a purpose? Like if you introduce a gun into the story, then it has to be used. Anyways, there are no “guns” introduced without a purpose.
Do yourself a favor and make sure you keep track of all the people and their names. I’d go so far as to make a list on the side as you meet people (and try to write down all the people you’ve already met). That’s maybe the only flaw of the book in my opinion - it requires the reader to pay attention to get the full effect. Sometimes very important details or a plot twist are revealed in a single sentence - usually centered around who is who.
Man, maybe I’ll read it again! So good!
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Once you’ve finished it, read the character flowchart on Wikipedia.
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The Count of Monte Cristo will always hold a special place in my heart because I read it as a kid and it was the first real “grown up book” I ever read, and it absolutely hooked me. I was reading it under the covers with a flashlight when I was supposed to be asleep. It has the vivid, detailed descriptions you find in the classics, but without slowing down the pace. There’s a bunch of different threads and subplots to follow, and I generally feel like most adaptations don’t do it justice, because it takes more than a movie or miniseries to tell the story - the one exception being Gankatsuo (as mentioned here already) which changes the setting but follows the story pretty faithfully, giving it a full season and starting midway through.
On top of the action, adventure, and schemes, it also has social commentary, philosophy, and interesting characters. The count occupies this unique position in the upper class in that he’s not old money and not tied to the aristocracy, but not exactly new money either, in that he’s not a merchant or capitalist. He’s just this free agent with his own agenda and values, and nobody knows what to make of him.
It’s fun, it’s very thought-provoking, and the imagery is striking. Big fan.
It’s a bit of a leap, but I think there’s some similarities with another one of my favorites, Crime and Punishment. In fact, looking back at what I wrote, “On top of the action, adventure, and schemes, it also has social commentary, philosophy, and interesting characters” is exactly on point for it too. It feels more modern that the era it was written, I’ve seen it described as a thriller and I think that fits.
I was considering picking this one up. Good to know it lives up.
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Spoilers below so don’t read if you haven’t read a book published 180 years ago
It is the greatest story of vengeance ever written.
Not revenge, vengeance.
The book is bat shit wild. There are parts where you will remember after you finished and think ‘was that a fever dream?’
There was a cross dressing lesbian couple or did I imagine that?
Did he really just burn down the whole house?
How did he survive the poisoning?
Who is that bandit again?
What was buried in the yard?
So many tangential story lines that culminate in an amazing climax.
So many moments that are little vignettes which explain pivotal moments in the characters.
The crazy Abbes relief when Dantes believes him.
The live fish being delivered in barrels
The fact no one escapes the Counts wrath.
Wait and Hope Baby. Wait and hope.
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