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s.penkevich's Reviews > The Count of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo
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While revenge is a dish best served cold I prefer my Monte Cristos to be toasted and warm.
But maybe thats why he's the Count and I'm the customer.
All jokes aside, this book is incredible, reads at lightning pace, and is full of great and nuanced looks at concepts of redemption, debt, happiness and the limits of Justice. A novel that dives into the the gaping cracks in legal and societal justice only to discover a path of personal vengeance is less fulfilling than desired, Dumas weaves an intricate tale of crime and punishment that nets multiple generations in its narrative and delivers a book truly worth its status as an enduring classic. It plays out with the sensibilities of a swashbuckling adventure ripe with treasure and death at the end of a blade amidst the fraught political landscape during Napoleon’s island exile. It is a time where �the difference between treason and patriotism is only a matter of dates,� where loyalties are advantageous but leave you vulnerable and betrayal festers even in the hearts of those you hold dear. Dumas extols the virtues of education, training and persistence but advises that true retributive Justice is beyond the scope of humans. Ultimately, it is a big book worth every word that will fill your heart. Read it, you’ll love it.
� Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome. Do your worst, for I will do mine! Then the fates will know you as we know you.�
But maybe thats why he's the Count and I'm the customer.
All jokes aside, this book is incredible, reads at lightning pace, and is full of great and nuanced looks at concepts of redemption, debt, happiness and the limits of Justice. A novel that dives into the the gaping cracks in legal and societal justice only to discover a path of personal vengeance is less fulfilling than desired, Dumas weaves an intricate tale of crime and punishment that nets multiple generations in its narrative and delivers a book truly worth its status as an enduring classic. It plays out with the sensibilities of a swashbuckling adventure ripe with treasure and death at the end of a blade amidst the fraught political landscape during Napoleon’s island exile. It is a time where �the difference between treason and patriotism is only a matter of dates,� where loyalties are advantageous but leave you vulnerable and betrayal festers even in the hearts of those you hold dear. Dumas extols the virtues of education, training and persistence but advises that true retributive Justice is beyond the scope of humans. Ultimately, it is a big book worth every word that will fill your heart. Read it, you’ll love it.
� Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome. Do your worst, for I will do mine! Then the fates will know you as we know you.�
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The Count of Monte Cristo.
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Reading Progress
Finished Reading
August 29, 2012
– Shelved
May 5, 2024
– Shelved as:
classics
May 5, 2024
– Shelved as:
redemption
Comments Showing 1-44 of 44 (44 new)
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message 1:
by
Karen
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
May 04, 2024 08:51AM
Wow! So this is the Steve reviewer of the past - short, sweet, toasted and warm! Love this style, too! ♥️
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A light dusting of powdered sugar too, but don’t overdo it.
Karen wrote: "Wow! So this is the Steve reviewer of the past - short, sweet, toasted and warm! Love this style, too! ♥️"haha thank you!
Chris wrote: "A light dusting of powdered sugar too, but don’t overdo it."Ooooo YES that is the real key!
I think maybe if he had a nice, hearty, warm stew, he would be fiiiiiine
so true!!! (i had to google what a monte cristo is and also i can't eat gluten)
Ruxandra Grrr wrote: "I think maybe if he had a nice, hearty, warm stew, he would be fiiiiiine"HAHA Thats it! Dantès didn't need revenge, he was just a little hangry!
Liv � wrote: "so true!!! (i had to google what a monte cristo is and also i can't eat gluten)"I think that means you are allowed a little revenge. As a treat.
I prefer Tony Soprano's quote, "Revenge is like serving cold cuts."
Let’s switch it up and make revenge hot and Monte Cristo Cold.
For a tome that was quite a hefty edition in our school library, I love how succinctly, if not perfectly you described it, S.! Glad that it was also an enjoyable read for you. 😊
Hahahaha love the irony of this being such a short review for such a huge tome� some over the top revenge but so much fun, so toasted and warm and delicious and above all, successful, that it was well worth it!
Josh wrote: "I prefer Tony Soprano's quote, "Revenge is like serving cold cuts.""Haha okay yea that’s a good one. Is the original line Star Trek?
Luh wrote: "Let’s switch it up and make revenge hot and Monte Cristo Cold."Hot Revenge is the new romcom genre we all deserve!
Did you see the anime sci-fi retelling of this? It is deliciously queer and so underrated.
Oooh! So happy to see this rating, Steven! It's one of my all-time faves. :)By the way, if you want to know the true story that inspired this book, I recommend "The Black Count" by Tom Reiss, if you haven't read it already.
Wait. That’s brilliant. A rom-com with a revenge plot then the main character starts killing everybody and turns it’s into a slasher.
One of my top 5 favourite books ever!
Amina wrote: "For a tome that was quite a hefty edition in our school library, I love how succinctly, if not perfectly you described it, S.! Glad that it was also an enjoyable read for you. 😊"haha thank you! this is a big one, though i feel it read surprisingly fast? though i was also in college with a lot more disposable time when i read it too. its so good
Annie wrote: "Hahahaha love the irony of this being such a short review for such a huge tome� some over the top revenge but so much fun, so toasted and warm and delicious and above all, successful, that it was w..."Haha thank you! Sometimes gotta just cut to the point. I had a Monte Cristo for lunch yesterday and was like wait I have to make a bad joke
Nocturnalux wrote: "Did you see the anime sci-fi retelling of this? It is deliciously queer and so underrated."Oooo no but now I need to! There was some sci-fi-ish(? Maybe, I only glanced at it) graphic novel retelling that recently came out too.
Marquise wrote: "Oooh! So happy to see this rating, Steven! It's one of my all-time faves. :)By the way, if you want to know the true story that inspired this book, I recommend "The Black Count" by Tom Reiss, if ..."
It’s so good! 5 stars for sure (I had somehow bumped it to 4 when posting? Fixed it) but thank you that sounds awesome, I’ll check that out for sure!
s.penkevich wrote: "Liv � wrote: "so true!!! (i had to google what a monte cristo is and also i can't eat gluten)"I think that means you are allowed a little revenge. As a treat."
I mean I am legally obligated a little treat and if revenge is the only gluten-free thing on the menu? how can i refuse?
Luh wrote: "Wait. That’s brilliant. A rom-com with a revenge plot then the main character starts killing everybody and turns it’s into a slasher."Haha YES. Someone tell Stephen Graham Jones!
I still think that, in honor of Hazelwood’s Bride, romance writers should be assigned a random monster and have to write a romcom about them.
Jazzy wrote: "One of my top 5 favourite books ever!"Ooo great choice! It’s SO fun!
rachael (hiatus) wrote: "you are the sole person who can convince me to read a book written this long ago. but honestly crime and treasure? count me in."Haha yay! It’s honestly super good! Lots going on but it reads wildly fast for a big book. Hope you enjoy if you read it!
Liv � wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "Liv � wrote: "so true!!! (i had to google what a monte cristo is and also i can't eat gluten)"I think that means you are allowed a little revenge. As a treat."
I mean I am le..."
Haha exactly! A gluten-free retributive justice.
s.penkevich wrote: "Josh wrote: "I prefer Tony Soprano's quote, "Revenge is like serving cold cuts.""Haha okay yea that’s a good one. Is the original line Star Trek?"
Who knows. I watched 'The Sopranos' a couple times over the years and that quote always stuck with me.
s.penkevich wrote: "Nocturnalux wrote: "Did you see the anime sci-fi retelling of this? It is deliciously queer and so underrated."Oooo no but now I need to! There was some sci-fi-ish(? Maybe, I only glanced at it) ..."
Gankutsuou, a very offbeat anime which is probably why it was not a big hit, sadly. It has some really interesting visuals, on top of everything else, and really stands out. Think Klimt, in anime form.
It is a shame that originality is often punished.
Josh wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "Josh wrote: "I prefer Tony Soprano's quote, "Revenge is like serving cold cuts.""Haha okay yea that’s a good one. Is the original line Star Trek?"
Who knows. I watched 'The S..."
I am overdue for a Sopranos rewatch, now I really need to
Nocturnalux wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "Nocturnalux wrote: "Did you see the anime sci-fi retelling of this? It is deliciously queer and so underrated."Oooo no but now I need to! There was some sci-fi-ish(? Maybe, I ..."
Ooo okay so Klimt in anime form sounds incredible so I googled it and that is such a spot on description. Wow that looks gorgeous I need to check that out for sure! Thank you!
Haha that’d be so great. That’s an excellent Idea. What would be Emily Henry monster? Frankenstein?
And on similar note , horror Authors could give a try on Rom-coms haha.
But now related to the book. Is it worth the 1000+ pages?
s.penkevich wrote: "Nocturnalux wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "Nocturnalux wrote: "Did you see the anime sci-fi retelling of this? It is deliciously queer and so underrated."Oooo no but now I need to! There was some sc..."
Glad you liked what you saw of it! It is very different from the usual anime- in a good way- and I'd love know what you make of it. Do let me know if you get around to it.
Luh wrote: "Haha that’d be so great. That’s an excellent Idea. What would be Emily Henry monster? Frankenstein?
And on similar note , horror Authors could give a try on Rom-coms haha.
But now related to the..."
Oooo yes! Great idea. Someone definitely needs to do a chupacabra one too. I’ve got Colleen Hoover penciled in for zombies.
Ha perfect! SGJ can do the serial killer romcom, Brian Evenson can do his eco horror with a STEM romance, and I feel like Grady Hendrix is already on board without being asked and Carmen Maria Machado has the sapphic story waiting already haha
It is! I read it in college when I had WAY more disposable time (I just ordered a Monte Cristo at lunch the other day and had to post the dumb joke haha) but it’s one you can actually soar through. It’s super readable and intricate. Like SO many plot lines that pull together in a really cool way.
Nocturnalux wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "Nocturnalux wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "Nocturnalux wrote: "Did you see the anime sci-fi retelling of this? It is deliciously queer and so underrated."Oooo no but now I need t..."
Yea let me see if I can stream it somewhere. Watched that kind of terrible but kind of great Guy Pearce version of this tonight. Didn’t realize a super young and adorably dorky Henry Cavill is in it.
Wow, you’ve made me want to find out more about this, a book is heard of and never, ever considered reading, until now!
Lisa - OwlBeSatReading wrote: "Wow, you’ve made me want to find out more about this, a book is heard of and never, ever considered reading, until now!"Oh yay that makes me so happy! It's honestly great. I think its often thought of as like...old dusty novel but this book just rips haha. I hope you enjoy if you get to it!
s.penkevich wrote: "Lisa - OwlBeSatReading wrote: "Wow, you’ve made me want to find out more about this, a book is heard of and never, ever considered reading, until now!"Oh yay that makes me so happy! It's honestly..."
Thanks! 😁
It seems I have another book to buy lol. Thanks for the review, love it!!
marv wrote: "It seems I have another book to buy lol. Thanks for the review, love it!!"Yesss I hope you enjoy! It's so much fun!
Beautiful review, Penkevich. A masterpiece right here, I wish I could read it again as if it was the first time. Such good memories reading this book. :)
Axl Oswaldo wrote: "Beautiful review, Penkevich. A masterpiece right here, I wish I could read it again as if it was the first time. Such good memories reading this book. :)"Thank you so much! YES glad you loved this one too. Its so fun.Isn't that the best when a book is associated with memories of a time and place? I just rewatched that 2002 film version starring Guy Pearce's cheekbones and a young Henry Cavill which is pretty fun (but cuts out half the characters).
YES!!! THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES!!!! 🥹🥹🥹🥹 And hahahhahahaha that opening joke
PB wrote: "YES!!! THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES!!!! 🥹🥹🥹🥹 And hahahhahahaha that opening joke"
YES ITS SO GOOD! I always tell people I swear this is an amazing adventure even if its so big haha. And thank you! I was embarrassingly proud of that one haha
