Door Stop: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

It has once again come time for me to tackle a door stop, and any book that is longer than 500 pages qualifies for that category. When I make a point of seeking one of these monsters out, I usually gravitate towards the classics, though there are many modern novels of this length that are worthy of our attention (1Q84, I am looking in your direction). Today's focus will be on The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, a tale of revenge and adventure in 19th century France.

The Situation: Young Edmond Dantes is in the prime of his life. Not only is he close to being promoted to the position of Captain on a merchant ship, despite his young age, but he will also soon be marrying Mercedes, the love of his life. Fortune has certainly smiled upon young Edmond, and those around him have noticed, especially the envious and spiteful. There is Fernand, the cousin of Mercedes who is miserable knowing she is about to marry Edmond, and then there is Danglers, a shipmate of Edmond's who is incredibly envious of his success. It is not long before a plot is hatched, and Edmond's life is turned upside down. In a matter of hours, everything is lost, and he finds himself thrown in jail, where he will languish for 14 long years on a made up charge. It is only thanks to the acquaintance of a fellow inmate that Edmond manages to hold onto hope, and later obtain his freedom. 

The Problem: Edmond may have done the impossible and escaped from prison, but his adventure (and second life) is truly just beginning. After styling himself as the wealthy and eccentric Count of Monte Cristo, he begins the long and careful process of avenging himself. But the revenge will not be swift, and involves many moving pieces. The people who have wronged him are now living off their achievements and schemes of the past 14 years. If the Count is to play the long game, and thoroughly ruin lives while maintaining his real identity, then patience is in order, and emotions must be contained, especially in the presence of the now married Mercedes. A singular focus on revenge calls for a lack of mercy, and when it comes to those who were not involved in the events of the past, their lives may also be in peril, if only because of who their parents are. Edmond must decide how far he is willing to take his plans, and if he will allow his pursuit of justice to turn him into a villain. 

Genre, Themes, History: This is a classic tale of high adventure, focusing for the most part on Edmond Dantes, who will later call himself the Count of Monte Cristo. Following Edmond's imprisonment and escape is one of the longest and most intricate plots of revenge in all of literature. The lengths to which the Count will go to see those who wronged him fall is nothing short of incredible. Largely due to the incredible riches that come into the Count's possession, he is able to achieve any aim, and is seemingly unstoppable. And by hiding his identity, his enemies never see him coming. It also does not hurt that many of his enemies do not do themselves any favors and often end up in situations of their own making. As for the historical context, it is during Edmond's imprisonment that Napoleon makes his return to France, and the conflicting feelings towards the Emperor certainly play a part throughout the story. 

My Verdict: This book is long, like War and Peace long. And it is involved. It is one of those books for which I was tempted to create one of those intricate and detailed charts that shows all of the characters and how they relate to each other. There are the obvious people whom the Count is seeking revenge against, but then there are countless others who become involved, some of which are villains in their own right. What is quite possibly the most remarkable thing about the story is that it almost never boring. Sure there are parts that seem unnecessary, but even those are engaging and at least end up leading to some bigger event that the reader may not have seen coming. I mean, there are revenge fantasies, and then there is what the Count manages to accomplish in this book.  

Favorite Moment: When Albert, Mercedes' son, and the Count are able to resolve a heated dispute without causing anyone any injury.  

Favorite Character: An older gentleman by the name of Noirtier is the grandfather and protector of a young woman named Valentine. By the time Edmond has escaped prison and become the Count, Noirtier has become paralyzed and wheelchair-bound, only able to communicate with his still expressive eyes. Even so, he maintains enough of his mental capabilities to carry out his own intricate plans against those who would dare put Valentine in danger. 

Recommended Reading: Years ago I read The Three Musketeers, which is also long, but less than 1000 pages. It is just as engaging and fast-moving as this one, with possibly even more adventure and heartbreak squeezed into fewer pages.