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!

I only know the story from the Depardieu TV version and the 2024 film - neither of those versions seem to touch on this interlude in Rome at all! So although I roughly know the story arc, this bit is all new to me. As everyone else says I’m assuming it’s showing us background to the later revenge bits.

Goodness, no! I have finished volume 2 of the version I had downloaded, which was at the end of chapter 38, so I'll probably wait to read on until people catch up at the weekend.

I had assumed that all versions were divided up into the same number of volumes, but apparently not, there are editions with 2,3,4 and even 5 volumes. I checked back to the OP and there are 118 chapters, so a way to go yet. I'm going to be bereft when I do finish.

I'm rather baffled by all the new characters and how they fit but hopefully all should become clear soon
I tend to miss things like '10 years passed' etc

What chapter is everyone reading up to for tomorrow? I have read up to but not including La Mazzolata Chapter - XXXV.

I thought it was up to 35!

I've read up to La Mazzolata but not read it. So Franz and Albert have just met Edmund in his apartment.

I have got a bit lost now as to where we are up to. I have been reading and lurking on the thread. I think I read further than I was meant to. I have finished chapter 36 - The Carnival at Rome.

I’ve finished la mazzolata. Grim ending, and I agree with @TimeforaGandT about Dantès’ personality transplant! Hoping it gets better from here tbh…

I’m still doing a chapter a day so I’ve finished the Rome section (last bit is The Rendez Vous or the Appointment). Stick with it, the jigsaw is coming together!

Checking in though I have been a bit lax in posting. My chapters seems very different to other people's - they've just been to the Opera. It's fun, but I do miss Dante the Avenger running around writing prior wrongs. I expect he will be back soon.

This is the chapter I think we’re supposed to be meeting up at the end of on Sat, if we can.

Chapter 34 Summary (or 35 - edition dependent)

The Colosseum

• OK, now we're back in real-time Rome, and Franz is having a little touristy jaunt to the Colosseum. Suddenly, he is intrigued by a conversation between two men – one of the men he recognizes as his host on the island of Monte Cristo (you know, the one who gave him good food and good drugs?), and the other man's name he learns is Luigi Vampa (gasp).
• With masterful eavesdropping skills, Franz learns from their conversation that an innocent shepherd named Peppino has been sentenced to get his head chopped off in front of the whole world. Peppino is accused of having helped bandits, but, really, he just gave them some food. Franz's host (a.k.a. our very own Edmond) promises to buy Peppino's freedom. Luigi practically does back flips upon hearing this.
• The next day, Franz and Albert (call them Thelma and Louise) go to the opera, and, there, they see Franz's host (a.k.a. our very own Edmond, a.k.a. "the count of Monte Cristo") with a gorgeous lady on his arm. The lady's name is Haydée and she has a face that could launch a thousand ships.
• The next day, Franz and Albert discover that the Count of Monte Cristo has lent them his coach for the day so that they can live it up at the carnival.
• Overjoyed, the two pay a visit to the Count to thank him, and Franz realizes that the Count is the very same man who he encountered on the island.

Thank you Orlando. That's where I'm at. * *

@Orland0 thanks for getting us up to speed.

I am left wondering why the Count's beautiful Albanian companion has not, according to the Countess G-, missed a single performance at the theatre.
Edmond is coming across as a bit of a puppet master!

Just to check because I've become confused is 35 today or tomorrow

I'm reading chapter 35 today.

I’m so bloody far behind. I am hoping that after dinner I can sit down and read all of them and catch up and then get back to reading it post dinner/bed.

They are long chapters to be fair!
I am enjoying it but it's quite a commitment.

Have just read ch 35 - the one about the execution. Bit grim.

Chapter 36 The Carnival at Rome
(Or Chapter 35 La Mazzolata if you're reading Robin Buss)

Because it's always good to start your day off right, the Count suggests that he and Franz and Albert watch a public execution before breakfast.

Three men are on the chopping block, as it were, and one is given his freedom at the last minute. Who is it? You guessed it. Peppino, the fabulous shepherd.

I listened to La Mazzolata yesterday (working today). It struck me when Albert and Franz are having breakfast with the Count how angry Edmond is. He is definitely not the innocent, loving and loyal young man who went into the prison: understandably so. The talk of the executions and justice is not really about the immediate prisoners for him is it? Funnily enough I’ve recently finished another book which had several sections about what public spectacles executions were in the nineteenth century - usually hangings in Britain though. I’m not sure what this says about my reading choices 🤔

That was gruesome.

Public executions in France continued until 1939, the last one was secretly filmed and the subsequent outcry at the spectators behaviour lead the then president to stop them.

I was surprised to learn that executions were a feature of the Carnavale and that the scaffold was at the centre of the festivities. I didn't know that. Grim, but interesting.
Edmond sounds scary.

All caught up, and wow, what to say. Edmond has gone so very dark. I would be petrified if I was Franz. Edmond has his finger in so many pies, knows so many people and seemingly has the ability and wealth to influence anyone at all.

Last person to be guillotined in France was 1977 😱 that is during my lifetime!

Gosh that's mad! 1977!! I thought they threw the guillotine away once the revolution was over. I hadn't known either that the Italians used it or developed their own version.