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

Ooh I think there is one more spoiler in there! Just don’t look at it too closely for a bit…

I’m keeping up with who’s who and I’m a bit ahead as I’m in another readalong on Instagram as well and that group is sticking to a chapter a day, so I’m a week ahead I think.

I agree though that the characters are so different after all this time. I think this is one of the themes - that people don’t really change, that appearances can be deceptive, that Dantès’ revenge is slow and implacable, what does it cost him, etc. It is certainly hard to relate the Comte de Morcef with the useless, jealous Fernand we met back in Marseille…

I am quite enjoying all the young people though who are “innocent” of what happened a generation ago. Rooting for them too!

I read quite a lot of classics but I am finding this one really confusing! Glad I am not the only one. I work up at 3am and read it a bit on my Kindle under the duvet and really wanted to get up and get my character list out! I am finding Danglars family particularly difficult at the moment. I think partly the problem is that the early characters have come up in the world so much that my brain is finding it difficult to reconcile these pillars with society with the losers we met in the first few chapters.

I've got one chapter and I am all caught up.

I need a character list. I think I will need it open on my laptop while I read my kindle. I have completely forgotten Mercedes family name, who is marrying who, Fernand cropped up again recently and I can't remember him!

I can't decide if I'm a bit thick, if this was the style back then and everyone just followed it, or if it's too confusing and he's not actually a great author? It's an action packed storyline I need to know the end of, but I feel like I should have kept notes....

'The Promise' was an exciting chapter and didn't drag at all.

I'm going to read 'The Promise' over two days, unless I find it so good that I'll read it in one go :)

I liked the chapter where Villefort went a-visiting. Very clever, very funny.

For me, the best part of the book was early on; Edmond's arrest, his imprisonment, meeting Abbé Faria and his escape. That was so good. Still, it's an enjoyable tale in spite of being a bit slow in parts.

Thanks for the heads up about The Promise, I'll definitely get a head start on that!

Yes I think TCOMC is being very harsh on Mercedes.

As a character he is unrecognisable to the young man in the opening chapter to me. All edges with little empathy for anyone bar himself.

Obviously I meant 1815! 🤦‍♀️

I've read ahead and it's an exciting chapter though!

I think The Promise is 30 pages compared to the usual 10 or so, so be prepared for extra time!

Enjoy Agualusa

Agree it’s a really enjoyable part. I’ve been able to engage with the audiobook again, which I can’t do in the harder going sections. I really enjoy seeing the Count and Mercèdes too, as well as the Count’s changes of character.

@AgualusasLover enjoy!

I very much agree with you all!
He's being hard on her.

I agree, the Count is being quite hard on her.

I do like the fact that she's the only character who has recognised the Count so far, and that they both know she knows, but are speaking enigmatically to each other. Very tense.

I'm enjoying the novel a lot right now and am tempted to read ahead, but I'm trying not to! Although I may get started on Monday's chapter, The Promise, as that looks very long.

She was a very young woman, left totally alone, in 1915 South of France. What else was she supposed to do?

Poor Mercedes 😥I don't think it's unreasonable to marry when your fiancé disappears off the earth. Did he really expect her to wait for him forever?

I'm still wondering if the Count likes Albert because he's Mercedes' son or if he dislikes him because he's Fernand's son and is just using him to get close to the Morcefs. This is at least the second time we've seen Albert be a snob about something so I suspect that's going to be part of the way the Count gets his revenge on Fernand.

Exactly! He seemed remorseful and like an ordinary person with feelings. Hmm!

Yes Albert’s a bit of an entitled git!

I’m wondering whether Villefort knew all along that the baby was still alive when he buried it, but wanted to get rid of any evidence of the affair - or is that making him more of a villain than he actually is? (He’s bad enough without that, I know)

I don't think Albert comes across well with his attitude to Mlle Danglars. He doesn't like the girl and basically can't abide her. He shudders at the idea of marrying her but would take her as his mistress?!

Not very nice! I can understand why he might not want to marry her but why have a relationship with her if she is that odious? That's off-putting. It's like using her. I quite liked the count's comment of 'snob!' I would add a few other words!

A relationship like this wouldn't have been at all unusual at the time, but discretion was vital.

Also, I don't think any relationship would be that open that you would admit to burying a stillborn child in the garden - which is what Villefort and Madame D are most concerned about here.