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

984 replies

AgualusasLover · 15/11/2024 13:18

Following the success of the continuing Dickensalongs, Fallen Women and various other classics, please join The Count of Monte Christo read-a-long, kicking off on 1 January 2025.

The ultimate tale of revenge, with swashbuckling, chicanery and bare faced lies - The Count of Monte Christo has it all.

Editions: most important point is an unabridged version, coming in at just over 1,200 pages. This thread discusses the various translations – the Penguin Classics, trans by Robin Buss is very popular and the one I am reading but what you have already is likely fine and the nuances of translation are always fun to discuss.

What’s the best translation of The Count of Monte Cristo? • We Love Translations

I’ve been thinking about the best way to read-a-long. There have been red-alongs by the day, in chunks and every which way.

I think we have two options:

There are 118 chapter and my proposal is we do one a day, starting on 1 January, 2025. (W&P and all the Fallen Women books worked well this way)

We could also convene weekly e.g. no spoilers until Sunday and read it as it was released, in 18 parts c.65 pages per week. (I remember The Woman in White worked well this way and so do the Dickensalongs)

For now, I have assumed a chapter a day as it has served us well so far, if the majority strongly object, I have put placeholders in my copy breaking it down and can update in readiness for January.

Schmoop very handily has chapter by chapter breakdowns. Here is the Intro https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/count-of-monte-cristo/

MN meet up in Marseille 2025!

Bienvenue à Marseille | 2025 The Count of Monte Christo, read-a-long
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JaninaDuszejko · 02/01/2025 15:21

@TonTonMacoute I think that seems perfectly reasonable. They are such textbook baddies aren't they!

Forgot to say yesterday that I liked the mention of the isle of Monte Cristo in the first chapter. Little hint of what is to come.

TonTonMacoute · 02/01/2025 14:10

Love the fact that Danglars and Caderousse's idea of a good time is to sit and have a drink while waiting to see Edmond have a falling out with his girlfriend.

BiscuitsBooks · 02/01/2025 14:09

In just a few pages I start to see Dantes as being diligent, fair, and loving with a keen sense of right and wrong. A perfect young man. I was beginning to think Dantes might be a beautiful and idealistic yet naive soul - up to the point that he fibs to Caderousse about the money which is on display as belonging to his father. After Dantes fibs I realise that he is not so naive at all and is really quite shrewd when it comes to character appraisal - perhaps? This white lie scene made me re-visit what Dantes had said earlier about whether or not the captain had given him a letter. I hadn't realised how well crafted a response it had been.

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AgualusasLover · 02/01/2025 12:59

I think wine was a common remedy back in the day. I’m just reading Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park and when Fanny is feeling upset and tired Edmund gives her a glass of Madeira.

@AwardGiselePelicotTheNobelPeacePrize shhh, no spoilers. Got to agree though, we are in for a good time!!

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lifeturnsonadime · 02/01/2025 12:45

Loving the fact that Dantès response for his seemingly ailing father was to perk him up with wine!

Im also finding it an easy read so far. Dumas manages to get quite a lot of info into a very few pages.

AwardGiselePelicotTheNobelPeacePrize · 02/01/2025 12:44

Read this a couple of years back. Hoo boy you are in for a treat! It is a mega banger with a surprise lesbian lovers subplot.

Orland0 · 02/01/2025 11:10

Right, well. I made a terrible start, by putting on the audiobook and then promptly dosing off on the sofa yesterday, woke up much further into the book than I should’ve been with no idea what was happening 😳 So, I’m starting over today: going for a walk to listen from the start!

IVFmumoftwo · 02/01/2025 10:52

I am finding it quite easy reading. Certainly more than Dickens!

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AgualusasLover · 02/01/2025 09:22

Chapter 2 : Father and Son
• Dantès bounds up the stairs and into his father's apartment.
• He's in the middle of telling him all the news – how the captain died, how he's going to be the new captain and make lots more money, how life's going to be a lot more comfortable from now on – when he notices that his dad is looking worn out.
• Dantès looks around, realizing only then that the apartment is bare – there's not even anything to eat or drink.
• Turns out dear old Dad used most of his 200 franc allowance from Edmond to pay back a debt to Caderousse, their neighbor; he's spent the last three months living on next to nothing.
• Dantès is heartbroken – he hates to see his father suffer, and he's in the middle of explaining this to his dad when who should appear but Caderousse.
• Caderousse and Dantès exchange some less than pleasant pleasantries; Caderousse is particularly excited when he sees some coins (a portion of Dantès' pay) dumped out on the table.
• Dantès reveals that Morrel has invited him to dinner. His father is disappointed to hear that Edmond has turned down the offer, but he understands better when he mentions a certain Mercédès. He sends his son off to see her.
• Before he can go, however, Caderousse warns Dantès that a girl like Mercédès will attract many followers; Dantès doesn't really pay attention to this.
• Outside the apartment, Caderousse meets up with Danglars and tells him what he's learned upstairs; he also tells him that he's seen Mercédès hanging around with one particularly big Catalan dude.
• Danglars thinks about this for a bit – no doubt rubbing his hands together and grinning menacingly – before suggesting that he and Caderousse go hang out at a tavern down by Mercédès' place, you know, to see how the big reunion goes.

https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/count-of-monte-cristo/chapter-2-summary.html

The Count of Monte Cristo Chapter 2 Summary | Shmoop

Free summary and analysis of Chapter 2 in Alexandre Dumas's The Count of Monte Cristo that won't make you snore. We promise.

https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/count-of-monte-cristo/chapter-2-summary.html

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Bagpussnotbothered · 01/01/2025 23:26

I love the precision of the opening lines - that's a massive clue right there as Dumas does not waste his details. Trying not to be spoilery; this feels like the start of a banquet and we all get to tuck in.

naemates · 01/01/2025 23:25

I read the first chapter around six hours ago and have only just realised I thought it was Don Quixote that we were reading Blush

2old4thisshit · 01/01/2025 23:14

Would love to join in, never done a read along before and not read this book before either. I have read the first chapter twice and listened to the Spotify audiobook. I’ve not watched the film, so I have no inkling of the story outline at all.

RazorstormUnicorn · 01/01/2025 22:15

Just going to read the opening chapter now, before bed.

MamaNewtNewt · 01/01/2025 22:06

I enjoyed the opening chapter, like others have said there is some intrigue with the reason for Danglars's hatred and the dying Captain’s message. I'm grateful for the summary as I'd somehow totally missed that they were referring to Napoleon!

FuzzyCaoraDhubh · 01/01/2025 21:57

I've found 'The Count' on Spotify as well. I think it's useful to have an audiobook alongside a printed book. I liked my audiobook for 'Liaisons'. It was handy!

Chapter one was a good strong opening.

I looked up 'grognard' (trooper).
Apparently a 'grognard' was a soldier in the old guard for Napoleon 1. This was Morel's uncle with the strange name, Policar. I was curious because I know that 'grogner' is to growl or complain, but that's incidental.
Dh says that 'grognards' are old veterans in general as well.

I liked the inclusion of Napoleon in the story. He put in an appearance in 'War and Peace' which I thought was fascinating at the time I read it.

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AgualusasLover · 01/01/2025 21:14

I’m probably not best placed to comment on audio, but my very minor successes have been about the narrator, so maybe have a dabble with the samples and see if any click?

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CornishLizard · 01/01/2025 20:52

Thanks for running this Agualusa, looking forward to reading along with everyone. As everyone has said, chapter 1 is reassuringly intriguing and readable, and evokes the ship’s entry to Marseille beautifully.

I’ve got this Everyman edition - apparently a revision by Peter Washington of an anonymous 1846 translation. I’ve swerved the introduction for now too - on the one hand to avoid spoilers, on the other as being by Umberto Eco I fear if I start it with 0 knowledge I might finish it with negative understanding.

Is anyone going audiobook? I have a 3 months of audible offer so wondering about taking it up as having an audio option some days might be useful. I see there are a couple of options available, not sure which I’d pick?

Bienvenue à Marseille | 2025 The Count of Monte Christo, read-a-long
TonTonMacoute · 01/01/2025 19:04

I skipped the introduction as sometimes when I have read these in the past they have contained plot spoilers. Has anyone read the introduction who can report?

I always read the Introduction afterwards, unless I have read the book before.

InTheCludgie · 01/01/2025 18:22

Just checking in and ready to read the first chapter. Thanks @AgualusasLover for posting the Shmoop summaries, which are highly entertaining at times

JaninaDuszejko · 01/01/2025 18:00

Well our Hogmanay visitors have just left and I've finally had a chance to read the first chapter. Love the high stakes start with mysterious parcel being delivered to Napoleon.

DuPainDuVinDuFromage · 01/01/2025 17:22

@highlandcoo and @TimeforaGandT the introduction is very spoilery so you were right to avoid it! I’ve read the book before so read the introduction this time - but I’ve realised I have no recollection of the characters or much of the storyline (it was decades ago that I read it!) so I have actually been somewhat spoilered by the introduction after all!

Nice first chapter, it’s got me interested and looking forward to reading tomorrow!

FuzzyCaoraDhubh · 01/01/2025 17:04

He's writing off today @highlandcoo 🙄
Currently lying down in a dark room.

highlandcoo · 01/01/2025 17:02

@FuzzyCaoraDhubh Grin at the delicate flower

@TimeforaGandT I've avoided the introduction for the same reason.

TimeforaGandT · 01/01/2025 16:13

I think people grew up and were treated as adults at a much younger age historically. Dantes would probably have been working on boats for several years already.

Great opening chapter which really drew me in and left me wanting to know more about the characters and whether there was/wasn’t a letter.

I skipped the introduction as sometimes when I have read these in the past they have contained plot spoilers. Has anyone read the introduction who can report?

FuzzyCaoraDhubh · 01/01/2025 15:28

My ds who is nearly 19 woke up today after his NYE party and declared that he felt like 'a delicate flower' so...no, I don't think so :)