Parisa writes:
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is one of the best books I’ve read in the last year, because of its constant suspense and gripping plot. The novel is about Edmond Dantès, in 1400’s France, about to marry the girl he loves and become captain of a ship, and on the day of his wedding he is suddenly arrested and thrown in jail for the next fourteen years. During his time in the dungeons of Le Château d’If, Edmond undergoes a serious change, much like the change Spiderman or Batman go through. Before his period of confinement he is a respected young and successful man, if a bit trusting. He is the second mate on a ship full of officers all older than him, and he is a very skilled seaman, someone with a lot of potential in life. But because of this he has enemies: the treacherous M. Danglars, a shipmate and officer under Edmond, and the jealous Fernando Catalan, who is in love with Edmond’s fiancé, and Caderousse, a mercenary social climber. In jail Edmond changes completely and readers see exactly how mentally strong Edmond really is. He has a good friend in the cell next to his who tells him about a secret treasure on the island of Monte Cristo.
In one great scene, Edmond takes the place of a dead man in a shroud which is carried out of the dungeon and to the “graveyard”. The “graveyard” turns out to be a cliff overlooking the ocean, and Edmond discovers this rather suddenly when the guards tie a cannonball to his feet and hurl his shrouded body off the cliff. He screams. Equipped with a homemade knife, Edmond manages to cut himself free just as he is about to drown. He surfaces and looks up at the cliff to see the figures leaning over the edge, searching for the source of the cry. This scene is an example of the type of action and suspense combined with humor, with which the novel is packed from cover to cover.
I very strongly recommend this novel to all those who like thrilling escapes from death, a complex plot, and a handsome, compelling Robin Hood type character. I give The Count of Monte Cristo a hundred out of ten.
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So you would say this book has a good amount of action in it? Does the book only consist of his time in jail or does he ever leave to search for the treasure that his fellow inmate told him of?
ReplyDelete-Caitie
Wow! This sounds like an awesome read, and exactly the kind of book I enjoy! It's definitely going on my list of books to read this summer. :)
ReplyDeleteI like how you compared the change he makes to that of Spiderman or Batman, and I love the description of the scene at the graveyard.
Do you ever find out why Edmond is thrown in jail in the first place?
-Maeve
(For some very odd reason, your summary reminds me of a manga, Le Chevalier d'Eon... maybe because there's a dungeon involved.. Haha.)
Parisa,
ReplyDeleteThis is very high praise indeed. Especially from you-I know you read A LOT!! I'm delighted that you enjoyed this novel-it really is a classic. You've also managed to create a bit of a buzz around this title. I think a few of your classmates will read it this summer:)
Ms.M.
Thanks, Ms. Mulhall and Maeve!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, Caitie, the scene where he is thrown off the cliff is his escape, and the rest of the book is his adventures and successes. You find out why he is thrown in jail as he investigates it himself.
-Parisa