Bienvenue à Marseille | 2025 The Count of Monte Christo, read-a-long

NEW THREAD when we are ready.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/what_were_reading/5305270-bienvenue-a-paris-the-count-of-monte-christo-thread-2

Hello, I’ve been very quiet on the thread as I’ve been running behind but I’ve managed to catch up this weekend. It’s getting really good! Thanks @AgualusasLover for the chapter lists.

Rooting for Noirtier, Valentine and Morrel!

I had to put Monte Cristo down briefly to finish my other book, tried to catch up a bit and am surprised to see as long as I read 'A correspondent writes from Janina' I will be right on track!

Still muddled! I hadn't spotted the incestuous marriage that is potentially being lined up, as I hadn't remembered the tangled relationships. I am dying to see how it all plays out.

Not yet @LuckyMauveReader!
Agua will set one up soon!

Have we started a new thread yet? I wouldn't want to miss it.

Thanks @AgualusasLover
Im ahead as keeping up with other reading group, but popping in here for discussion.

All I can say is, it accelerates from here and gets very exciting!

Yes, they are happy to be off the hook and not get married, but I feel sorry for them that they have to deal with the fact that their father and grandfather have committed serious crimes in the past. Particularly for Albert, if Fernand's crimes become public.

Ah! Maybe I'm a bit soft :)

Gosh, the 'Lemonade' chapter is a riveting read. Yikes.

I thought that Albert seemed overjoyed at the prospect of being replaced by Cavalcanti/Benedetto. In the Italian chapters Franz showed no particular fondness for Valentine either.

I have to admit that I'm about a week ahead now - partly because things are hotting up now and it's getting quite exciting and even more bonkers, but also because I really need to finish it now.

Same! Hopefully not.

I'm feeling sorry for Albert because of the duel. Hope he doesn't die.

Thank you all for the updates - unbelievably I am actually ahead.

Fuzzy I am not feeling too sorry for Albert and Franz as it's not a love-match for either of them and they will probably both be quite relieved to escape from the engagements (even if they do suffer slightly bruised egos).

I thought it was Correspondence from Janina today so the chapter behind @FuzzyCaoraDhubh .

The Promise was Monday
The Villefort Family Vault was Tuesday
A Signed Statement was Wednesday
Progress of M. Cavalcanti the Younger was Thursday
Haydée was Friday
We Hear From Yanina today
(Chapter headings from Shmoop, slightly different in the Robin Buss translation).

Then tomorrow (Sunday) off before Lemonade.

I'm on 'Lemonade' today, TimeforaGandT.

What a tangled web indeed. I really got myself tangled up in knots.

I'm feeling sorry for Albert and Franz that they are being impacted by the sins of their fathers, in a manner of speaking.

What a tangled web.....!

I have no idea what chapter I am meant to be up to - any enlightenment gratefully received. I think for once I am roughly on track having just read "The Accusation".

Ahh...thank you DuPain. That's* *where I was getting mixed up. Yup, that's awkward!

@FuzzyCaoraDhubh Danglars’ wife isn’t Villefort’s daughter, but is the person who Villefort was having an affair with (which resulted in Benedetto, AKA Andrea Cavalcanti). So Eugenie is Benedetto’s half-sister - they have the same mum.

It seems that Mme de Saint Méran was poisoned, although you would wonder why anyone would harm her.

I'm trying to work out the relationships here. M. Danglars is married to M. de Villefort's daughter. (Is that right?!) Their daughter is Eugénie. Mme Danglars had an affair with Villefort. Their son is Benedetto/Andrea. So, what's the relationship between Eugénie and Benedetto? Sorry to be dim but it's melting my brain.

I think Madame de Saint Meran was definitely poisoned… but not sure about her husband, as he died on the road from Marseille.

Well, the doctor tells Villefort that he thinks the grandmother was poisoned, although he stresses this was not necessarily deliberate. Granny reported seeing a white figure in her room. We know Madame de Villefort has a keen interest in poisons, but how could she have got to the grandfather, and what would be her motive? 🤔

I'd like to know if the grandparents died/were killed? They seemed to have the same condition as the Abbe, or at least that is how the description sounded. Any thoughts?

Valentine's grandmother dying so soon after she stated she would like Valentine to marry quickly made me think.

Am really enjoying Noitier - such a great character with his magic eyes.

Slightly uneasily wondering though - there’s such a theme of poetic justice in the book - could his paralysis have been written as his divine punishment for the duel/previous misdeeds?

Inadvertent incest klaxon today! 😲 Ick. I guess it’ll end up with the big reveal just at the perfect moment to really drop Danglars in it - looking forward to that! And it sounds like Eugénie will be quite happy with her best mate Louise so won’t be bothered by it 😄

Yes that's right. I remember he had a cane and he was a dapper chap.

I had to look it up to remember the duel scene in W+P. I had forgotten it!