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 assume that Edmond has set up the whole kidnapping with Zampa. He has used the situation to gain Albert's trust and eternal friendship so he can get access to Fernand and Mercedes.

The situation with Franz is stranger, why would he set up the encounter on Monte Cristo but then never refer to it, or acknowledge that it happened?

I think Dumas is having a lot of fun depicting the colour and exoticism of Italy.

It's funny isn't it, France and Italy are both catholic countries that are very physically close with lots of trade between them and you'd think that would mean there is less exoticism but it's still there. Although Mary Wollstonecraft's travel diaries from Scandinavia and Germany are full of the colourful differences with England so maybe we've just forgotten how we used to view even our closest neighbours.

I am firmly of the opinion that the Count has planned everything that is happening to Franz and Albert.

Shmoop is all over the place the last few chapters so no idea about chapter numbers but here's today's summary:

The Guests

• The Count asks Albert if Albert would show him around town when he comes to Paris in a few months, and Albert is all, "heck yes."
• But Franz is a little weirded out by the Count and his mysterious island-palace, drug-giving, bandit-saving ways. Franz is like, "Dude, I don't trust this guy – he's weird and he gets all shivery when he has to shake your hand." And Albert responds, "Are you kidding? He's awesome!"

It does feel a bit like we're being hit over the head a bit with the transformation of kind, trusting Edmond Dantes through fairy godfather Sinbad the Sailor, through to the scheming, manipulative Count.

It felt initially as if the stories of gang rape by bandits, and then the execution scene were shocking for their own sake, but they're really underscoring that this is who Dantes has become, through his associates & what he pushes Franz & Albert to watch.
Of course, the question is, does he follow through? Or will we see yet another transformation (I can't remember, too long since I read it!)

Interesting post, Sadik!
I don't trust Edmond right now. Maybe it's his persona and it doesn't* *reflect on who he is as a person, but he seems capable of doing violence.

The shudder he gave while shaking Albert's hand was presumably because he remembered that he is Fernand's son.

My next chapter is Chapter 39. The Guests The Count still messing with Franz and Albert's heads. Is that about right?

It appears that the enormously wealthy count chooses to associate entirely with those on the fringes of society - smugglers, bandits and thieves.

However, when you bear in mind that his original downfall was brought about by the most respectable Villefort (apart from the rebel dad) and the two other people who most harmed him are now highly respected and wealthy, perhaps it's not surprising that he prefers the company of bandits who are portrayed as loyal to him.

Re the differences between France and Italy, I have often visited the Côte d'Azur and I am always amazed that when you cross into Italy you are immediately aware you are in a different country, they look so different.

Yes @EineReiseDurchDieZeit that's right. This is about the Count visiting Albert in Paris, I think.

Thanks!

I wondered the same. Dantes had shuddered earlier in the novel when Faria had told him how long he (Faria) had been imprisoned. Perhaps this more recent shudder is to indicate anxiety beneath Edmond's composed exterior. It has given Franz cause for doubt though so maybe the shudder was done deliberately but why would Edmond want to risk Franz being suspicious?

Also at the time the book is set, Italy was not one unified country yet whereas France was and had been for a long time.

@TonTonMacoute after your mention of bandits etc I now have Cher’s “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves” on the brain…

I think Edmond sees himself as a bit of a protector of whose who have fallen foul of the law, an anti establishment figure, maybe even out and out alienated from society. His execution speech is interesting because he seems to be applying Old Testament hard justice to the criminal he thought deserved it, whilst rescuing Peppino who is portrayed as relatively innocent, just passing on food, rather than a murderer - yet their fates would have been the same, which can’t be right. And although Vampa took over the bandits, there’s no evidence he’s a rapist - he killed the other guy (ok he does kidnap and kill rich people).

It’s complicated isn’t it. I agree that the external view means we’re seeing him in the third person now, and he has definitely changed, and while he might be technically in the right, we’re not sure we like him anymore…

Even after reunification I think Italy was considerably poorer, and life much harder (especially rural life) than in France.

Books like Christ Stopped at Eboli, written in the 1930s describe extreme rural poverty. And even in the 1970s there were still some villages in certain remote regions who supplemented their very meagre incomes by kidnappings. Those of us who were around at the time must remember John Paul Getty III, who was the most famous victim (principally because his ruthless grandfather refused to pay the ransom, which dragged things out) but there were quite a few others and many wealthy Italians left Italy at that time (including the family of Carla Bruni).

This extremely poor way of life, with landowners and and aristocrats who cared little for the people on their lands, eventually gave rise to the mafia which appears to have started as a sort of co-op and self protection organisation although in time evolved into something else.

Phew - bit of a lecture there, apologies for that. But Dumas seems to have been won over by the rather dangerous and exotic Italy and wanted to write about it.

I loved that Cher song - haven't heard it for ages!

So interesting! I hadn’t thought of it that way and the possible continuation of this behaviour into the 20thC.

I’ve had a crazy few days in work, and regrettably fell asleep listening to the Carnival chapter last night 🙄 Bugger! I’ll get caught up in the next few days, I’ve got some time to myself. I must stop listening to it when I’m tired, I want to give it the attention it deserves. Seems like Albert continues to be a bit of a knob, and Edmond is starting to channel the God of Vengeance 😁

That’s really interesting @TonTonMacoute , thank you for the insight! And yes, as you mention in your earlier post, there’s a real difference between Italy and France along the coast - it’s much more sedate (especially the driving style!) in France, but I think more friendly (and better food) in Italy!

Now I’d better actually go and read the chapters for yesterday and today or I’ll get really behind…

I thought the shudder was to do with Albert being the offspring of Mercedes and Fernand (and maybe Edmunds later plans).

I'm finally caught up. I've got back into it a bit, I felt a bit lost to begin with in the build up to this section and wasn't enjoying it as much.

Thanks for the interesting insights re France vs Italy at the time. Sorry to be dim but I am a bit lost as to what chapter we are on today?

I’ve been reading ahead so I’m on a the House at Auteuil.. maybe we’re on the Breakfast now? Not sure?

I was ahead and took a day off. I am on The Breakfast.

I am being a terrible host.

At the weekend, I’ll take some time to split things up and look ahead to longer chapters and a plan for the next two weeks of so.

Chapter 39 today, I think.

I'm on 39 and it's The Guests

Breakfast is next

Perpetually Confused

I think Shmoop is confused at the moment and is putting the summaries with the wrong chapter titles. So when Shmoop says it's giving the summary of Ch 39, The Guests, it's actually giving the summary of the previous chapter (which is called The Compact or The Rendez-vous). So the actual summary of 'The Guests' is the following Shmoop summary (incorrectly listed as Ch 40, The Breakfast).

So you're not the one who is confused, @EineReiseDurchDieZeit , it's Shmoop!

Basically I think we should just look at the Shmoop summaries, which are fine, but ignore the chapter and title as listed by Shmoop (because they're WRONG).

Maybe Shmoop will get back on track with the right chapter titles at some point, I don't know!

Shmoop:

• Three months have passed, and we're now at Albert's house in Paris, waiting for the Count to arrive for his visit.
• Albert is super excited. He has invited all of his friends, including Lucien Debray and Beauchamp.
• Lucien is the secretary to the minister of the interior.
• Beauchamp is a journalist.
• The Count's welcoming party gets bigger. The Baron of Chateau-Renaud (basically a rich dude with a title) and Maximillian Morrel (remember him?) arrive.
• Max and the Baron go way back. Max saved the Baron's life in Constantinople once on the anniversary of the day when his father's life (Morrel Sr.) was saved by the miraculous kindness of a mysterious benefactor. Max tries to commemorate that great day by acting like Spider Man. Or any superhero. And that's how he came to save the Baron's life.
• The Count arrives in style! And he's a big hit. He tells stories about bandits, and everyone thinks he's pretty rad.The Count is totally intrigued by Max (Maximillian) Morrel.

The tension is building. All I can think of now is; when will Mercedes see The Count and, will she recognise him?!