| Author: Alexander Dumas Book Review By: Adnan Yunus Class: 8 |
The Count of Monte Cristo
My book review is on one of the most popular books of all time, The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexander Dumas. The plot is a mix of drama, adventure, mystery and revenge. It is a long book and I read the abridged version. Even if this is an old classic, the book is exciting because the reader is drawn to the characters and the events.
When the book opens, the hero, Edmond Dantès, is a nineteen-year-old sailor who has just been made captain of his ship. He is happy and planning to marry his sweetheart, Mercédès. But his life is turned upside down when two jealous people accuse him of supporting Napoleon Bonaparte. The public prosecutor, Villefort, knows Dantès is innocent but thinks that sending him to prison will help him become more well known in his job and also keep his father’s connection to Bonaparte a secret.
Dantès is sent to a fortress prison, Château d’If, for fourteen years. There, his friendship with an Italian priest called Faria saves him. The priest teaches him a lot of things, including languages. He helps Dantès realise who betrayed him. Unfortunately, Faria falls sick. He knows he will not live long and shares the secret location of a huge treasure hidden on the island of Monte Cristo. When Faria dies, the grief stricken Dantès makes a daring escape by pretending to be his dead body.
Slowly, Dantès finds his way to Monte Cristo and finds the treasure. Now, he is not an ordinary sailor but transforms into a rich man who knows how to move in society. Faria’s teachings come in handy. For, when he returns to Paris as the Count of Monte Cristo, people are impressed and curious about the mysterious Count.
In all this time, Dantès has not forgotten the people who sent him to prison. He learns that his enemies are successful and powerful. So he meets them and plots to destroy them. They find out who he is only when they are dying.
The story was first published as a serial in a newspaper. It has many other characters as it is such a long book. Even though there is so much violence and revenge, I am on Dantès’ side. I think that is the secret of this book. The reader doesn’t get the feeling that he is overreacting. Well, maybe a few will think about forgive and forget and all that. But you do feel for him because somethings have changed forever. The woman he was going to marry, Mercédès, is married to Fernand, one of the men who wrongly accused him. He gets revenge on Fernand, but he likes Albert, their son. It gets complicated here because Dantès starts to question if he was right to think only about revenge. What about the others who are affected by his actions?
I suppose if someone does us a grave injustice, we too, would be single minded like Dantès. It is one of those grey lines when it comes to books with an avenging plot. Give the Count of Monte Cristo a read, for it will certainly entertain you!
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