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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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15
highlandcoo · 01/01/2025 15:08

What a great opening chapter! Really sets the scene.

It struck me that Dantes is so young to be seriously considered as captain of the ship. I can't picture many of the 18-20 year olds of my acquaintance in such a responsible position.

lifeturnsonadime · 01/01/2025 13:20

Enjoyed the opening chapter, gives a real sense of Marseilles as a seaport and intrigue about the relationship between Dantès and Danglars.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 01/01/2025 12:29

Ok cool

Original poster
AgualusasLover · 01/01/2025 12:26

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit since we are reading each day, feel free to discuss as we go. Up to you how you want to manage - brain dump after a few chapters, smaller observations daily or anything in between.

The assumption being that once it hits midnight there may be spoilers for the days chapter as people read it.

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EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 01/01/2025 12:10

When is the first "discussion day" please?

BiscuitsBooks · 01/01/2025 11:52

Oh dear, Danglars certainly has it in for Dantes!

Thank you for hosting this thread @AgualusasLover . A read-along is really the only way I will be able to finish this mighty work.

LuckyMauveReader · 01/01/2025 11:51

Hi all!

I have never joined a group like this before or done a read along. When I saw the size of the book I had to take a deep breath.

Breaking this size of book down to a chapter a day will be so helpful to me to complete a book of this size.

I have just finished the first chapter so ready for tomorrow. I doubt I'll post much but will follow the discussion on the thread.

CutFlowers · 01/01/2025 11:35

Thank you - summary was very helpful

FuzzyCaoraDhubh · 01/01/2025 10:26

Thank you AgualusasLover!
Looking forward to this!

Original poster
AgualusasLover · 01/01/2025 10:23

Salut everyone! Welcome to Marseille.

https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/count-of-monte-cristo/chapter-1-summary.html

Schmoop chapter summary here. I can’t copy and paste it on my phone properly. Not one of their wittier summaries.

I’ve read the book before, but I am looking forward to the detail such a slow read allows.

My overwhelming sense is of Marseille and the harbour.

The Count of Monte Cristo Chapter 1 Summary | Shmoop

Free summary and analysis of Chapter 1 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-1-summary.html

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MotherOfCatBoy · 01/01/2025 08:39

Here we go! Just read Chapter 1. Sets the scene nicely, lots of mystery already. Danglars is clearly a bad’un, Dumas doesn’t hold back on that!

Original poster
AgualusasLover · 30/12/2024 18:59

Probably a good moment to go over what happens.

  • one chapter a day
  • start on 1 Jan
  • I will try to post the schmoop chapter breakdown each day (but not precious if I am late if others do it)
  • discussion is at reading pace (though if you do skip ahead we still would love your input)
  • so, you effectively can post about each chapter on the day or whenever else suits you

Looking forward to some swashbuckling, intense and protracted revenge.

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Orland0 · 30/12/2024 17:07

As I haven’t done one of these before, have I got this right - one chapter a day, with a bit of a discussion of progress, thoughts, whatever on a Sunday?

highlandcoo · 30/12/2024 13:18

Planning to have yet another bash at a Readalong having failed dismally with Ruth when I got bored with the overly moralistic stuff, and War and Peace when I got impatient, dashed on ahead and finished it in a couple of weeks.

I was one of those childlren who couldn't bear the painfully slow pace of class reading out loud in primary school. So boring! I kept trying to read ahead under the desk and getting into trouble.

But like @TimeforaGandT I have the lovely clothbound version and looking forward to getting started tomorrow!

Buttalapasta · 30/12/2024 09:51

I've just remembered that I read this from the school library copy forty years ago, really enjoyed it...and then found out it was only volume 1 and they didn't have volume 2. 😄 Looking forward to reading it all this time round!

FuzzyCaoraDhubh · 30/12/2024 09:25

That's lovely Pepe!
Looking forward to getting started.

PepeLePew · 30/12/2024 07:32

Checking in - I've got the Buss translation on my Kindle and am looking forward to it. It's my mother's favourite book so I'm going to suggest she re-reads it too so we can discuss it when we see each other.

Original poster
AgualusasLover · 29/12/2024 22:23

Looking forward everyone. Only a few days before we begin.

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Orland0 · 29/12/2024 13:50

I’m going to give it a go, via an audio version, as just the sight of the tome is enough to make me feel faint 😅 Annoyingly, there were about 10 different versions to choose from, with different narrators - not one mentions the translator! Never mind, I picked the longest one (nearly 53 hrs 😮) so unabridged, with the voice of the reader being the one I liked most. I’ve always wanted to read Dumas, but have been too intimidated by the size of them, hopefully an audiobook and read-along will be a nice introduction.

IVFmumoftwo · 29/12/2024 11:28

I might give this a go too!

TheABC · 22/12/2024 17:23

I'm in. Off to order it now...

MotherOfCatBoy · 22/12/2024 17:18

Watched the new film with the family last night. Visually magnificent and emotionally quite dark. The plot is very complicated and DH tells me they left loads out!
Would like to try to read French with English next to it but have to get hands on a French copy.

edited to put right bloody autocorrect’s wrong guesses!

TonTonMacoute · 19/12/2024 13:05

Yes, I'm in. Never done a read along before!

I've had a look at the French version and it looks straight forward enough for me to read, so downloaded and ready to go!

babybythesea · 16/12/2024 18:16

I’m in.

Ive fallen off every read along so far! I did finish both Ruth and Dangerous Liasons but a couple of months after everyone else despite starting at the same time with lots of good intentions. The advantage of it being online is that I can still read all the comments so even though I failed at keeping up, I can still add to my understanding. It does mean I’m not a prolific poster though!
I joined the Bleak house read along but life happened so I’ll have to go back to that one (I love Dickens but haven’t read this one).

I’ve had The Count for years and haven’t got round to reading it so I’ll give it a go. I’m going to work much harder to keep up and post my thoughts.
This is my version:

Bienvenue à Marseille | 2025 The Count of Monte Christo, read-a-long
Original poster
AgualusasLover · 14/12/2024 21:57

I also have both. There is something very satisfying at seeing the physical process through a book like this.

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