Reviewed by Rupert
Edmund Dantes is innocent. He is thrown in prison for unknown reasons, after the judge promised that he would be set free. Now he is lingering in a grimy dungeon, with no will to live.
Le Comte de Monte Cristo (The Count of Monte Cristo) is a book by Alexandre Dumas set in France in the aftermath of the Napoleonic War. Edmund Dantes is living the life. He is first mate aboard the Pharaon, poised to become captain, and sailing back to Marseille and a waiting fiancee. For an unknown reason, he is thrown in prison for life, as a Bonapartist agent. He must overcome the hardships of prison life, discover the truth of his imprisonment, and come back to wreak revenge on those responsible.
This book is an excellent example of French literature from the 1800’s, with a historical theme and illustrative phases, even in its translated version. I believe that this book is a superb educational tool. I personally loved this book, for its historical fiction and setting right after the Napoleonic Wars. This was very realistic and gave a huge insight to life in those times, and cutthroat politics.
I also found very funny coincidences throughout this book. There is a lot of irony and backstabbing throughout this read. This strikes me as a hilarious tangle of characters, although it may be viewed as unrealistic. For instance, his fiancee marries one of the people who played a role in his imprisonment, and their son he meets in Rome, Italy. All of the characters he meets are somehow connected. However unrealistic it may seem, I believe this adds a funny twist to the otherwise serious storyline.
Although its large length makes it rather unwieldy, I recommend this book and would give it a 10/10. It is an enjoyable read for people who are interested in history and want to learn more about this time period and the writing style. This book is an interesting example of Alexandre Dumas’s books that I could just not put down!
Penguin Classics, 1243 pages.
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