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

[AgualusasLover]

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!

Checking in!

So 7 chapters a week then?

I quite fancy this one and haven't tried one of these readalongs so I will join if that is ok x

Checking in! I've also got the Robin Buss translation. I read it as a teenager when I had a big Dumas phase & read most of his novels, so it'll be interesting to re-visit it.

Yep. Which is similar to 65 pages, I sort of split it broadly in places where it looks like there is a cliffhanger of sorts.

But a chapter a day is broadly equivalent unless we felt we needed longer than a week for 65 pages.

Anyway, I think I’m over complicating 😀

Thank you - I need to buy a copy!

I think approximately 65 pages a week should be doable (assuming it’s not really hard work…..).

@TimeforaGandT I absolutely devoured and loved this the last time I read it. I would count down the mins until lunch so I could go to a cafe and read for an hour.

p.s. this is Agualusa -but I cannot remember my log ins so have this alter ego with new log ins that only work on my laptop.

I might join you , if ok, listening on an unabridged audio book.

Thanks for this @AgualusasLover looking forward to it and I'm determined not to fall off this one!

@AgualusasLover @LeylaOfCircassia - now you’re really confusing me!

But pleased to hear, I should be able to keep up.

I'm in please! I've just bought the Buss version on kindle. Thanks @AgualusasLover

@lifeturnsonadime audio is absolutely fine - will bring another element to the discussion

I'd love to join please

Thank you@AgualusasLover!
I'm looking forward to this very much.
I might read it in French and English.

Thanks @AgualusasLover , I'm dyslexic so it's the easiest way for me to enjoy books! The trick is finding a good narrator. I've looked on audible it's a 52 hour and 41 minute listen!

Looking forward to this!

Merci beaucoup @AgualusasLover ! Looking forward to this 😊

Let’s not forget that this is also a reason to watch the various adaptations. I like Gerard Depardieu (well, obviously I really bloody don’t) because it is in French!🇫🇷

Thanks for organising @AgualusasLover @LeylaOfCircassia . Was meaning to read this last year but never got round to it so looking forward to it. As I said in Manchester it's one of just two books DH raves about (he's not a big reader).

Now have the Buss version on Kindle so good to go!

@FuzzyCaoraDhubh - very impressed if you do read it in French!

I think I would have to lean a lot on the English version though @TimeforaGandT! I'll see how it goes! Might be fun :)

What's the other one @JaninaDuszejko ?!

Was also wondering this 😄

Lord of the Rings 😱

I can't be the only one who much prefers the films!

I took DH on a date to one those films as he is a fan, and promptly fell asleep. But, I also fell asleep during Kill Bill, so I am a poor example.

I watched one of them (can't remember which) in the early stages of labour with DC1 - sitting on a towel as my waters had broken!