The Count of Monte Cristo book - Alexandre Dumas

The Count of Monte Cristo - by Alexandre Dumas - book review

The Count of Monte Cristo book - Alexandre Dumas, and the fascinating Edmond Dantes character

"Love for books" is in the air, and cannot take my mind away from Alexandre Dumas's "The Count of Monte Cristo", one of my all-time favorite books from classic literature that I strongly recommend to you and your children.

The Count of Monte Cristo (the original name in French "Le Comte de Monte-Cristo" published in 1844) is a wonderful adventure novel written by well known and prolific French author Alexandre Dumas.

The whole story around this beautiful and heart-breaking novel reveals the painful love a young and successful merchant sailor, Edmond Dantes, for Mercedes - his fiancee Mercedes, his turmoil in jail while being imprisoned to life due to a miserable conspiracy and wrong decision without trial, and his revenge over years.

The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas - Flickr Robert

Count Monte Cristo/ Le Comte de Monte-Cristo is one of the most famous classic fiction literature books - my favorite genre of books - excellent written in Alexandre Dumas specific flawlessly and captivating narrative way recommended for all ages.

This is a perfect read at the office in a lunch break, at home cuddled into your favorite armchair, or while soaking in the bathtub! : )

I loved Monte Cristo's book from the first page that I read!

And it is one of my very favorite pieces of classic epic literature that I read it twice, mostly for the powerful storyline that catches your mind.

The Count of Monte Cristo is an impressive adventure novel written by Alexandre Dumas (father), a French author, describing the life of a young and successful merchant sailor, Edmond Dantes, that spent 14 years in jail without being guilty.

Dantes story is taking place at the beginning of the 19th century, in Europe (before the Hundred Days of Napoleon) between France, Italy, Mediterranean islands and the Levant, and describes so thoughtfully human being characters under certain circumstances – from love to hate, hope and mercy, justice and revenge, forgiveness…

Edmond Dantes was wrongly imprisoned to life as a result of few people around him, for jealousy on his quick rise as sailor captain, unshared love for his fiancee) and for political reasons by Danglars, Fernand (Mercedes cousin), Caderousse (neighbor), Villefort (deputy crown prosecutor of Marseille).

While Edmond Dantes was imprisoned for 14 years in the Chateau d’If, he became very good friend with an old man – Abbe Faria (known inside the jail as “The Mad Priest”), that was like a teacher and mentor to him, offering a strong education with paramount knowledge and excellent rhetorical power, and let him an important treasure on Monte Cristo that helped Dantes achieve his plans – first buying the island of Monte Cristo, then a Count title from Tuscan government, becoming The Count of Monte Cristo.

Then, one by one, he’s following his plans ruining his enemies: Caderousse, Fernand, Danglars, and Villefort.

Dantes, now The Count of Monte Cristo, finds out that his fiancée got married to the man that sent him to life jail and was crushed, looking also for revenge against her.

In Paris, he meets Albert, the Viscount de Morcerf, son of his fiancee Mercedes and Fernand, with whom he started a special friendship without knowing that is his own son, but thinking that is his enemy’s child.

After a lot of struggle, Dante's enemies were punished and he finds his peace, reuniting with family and leaving for a new place to build a new life.

From 1934 up to 2011, in "Monte Cristo" played famous actors from different countries like Richard Chamberlain, Gerard Depardieu, Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Pablo Echarri, Paola Krum.

The Count of Monte Cristo - Château d'If - Flickr Regis Dubus

Edmond Dantes vs. Robinson Crusoe characters

The Count of Monte Cristo novel describes further Edmond Dantes‘ struggle to survive for 14 years in prison while planning his revenge against the ones that sent him to jail, the escape from the Chateau d’If, Dantes jail and his humongous transformation based on a fortune got from his friend from jail and his determination to follow his plan without a second thought, with dramatic impact and result for innocent people as well as for the ones guilty for his imprisonment.

Montecristo was my secret hero for years, in childhood, and I was fascinated with the multitude of inner feelings brought up to the surface while reading that book, from the most innocent and pure ones to the darkest ones, all revealed by vanity and the power of love, in fact.

I may add here also Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe – both characters (Edmond Dante & Crusoe) passed thru a lot of painful trials and, at the end (after years of loneliness, tribulations, and unfair situations that pushed them to the edge of humankind tolerance and survival), they turned out the situation into their favor… with dignity.

Yes, both of them representing very rare and brave characters!…

Trivia about The Count of Monte Cristo book and name:

- The Count of Monte Cristo, along with The Three Musketeers, are some of Alexandre Dumas's most popular works, so thoughtfully written and enjoyable.

- The Count of Monte Cristo novel turned into films and other products.

- Since its appearance up to nowadays, Alexandre Dumas's novel The Count of Monte Cristo was translated into different languages and the story served as a scenario for various playing theaters, movies, soap-operas worldwide.

- "Monte Cristo" became a catchy name for streets, bars, Cuban cigars. It was even created a Savory Monte Cristo Sandwich recipe, a delicious fried sandwich contains turkey and ham.

"When you reread a classic, you do not see more in the book than you did before; you see more in you than there was before" - Cliff Fadiman