• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

GAF Book Club (Aug 2011) - "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Mumei

Member
Excellent recap, Cyan. It was rather disappointing that he couldn't have gotten to Danglars before realizing that he'd gone too far with Villeforte, but if the order had been different there would not have been the same opportunity to show that he had changed.

One thing you skipped over in your recap that I particularly enjoyed was Dantès traveling back to Chateau d'If after things got out of hand with Villeforte. It was such a different experience from the first time he traveled there - the trip itself, seeing his cell again, and hearing his own story.
 
C

CoffeeJanitor

Member
I'm gonna pick this up instead of Moby Dick since (like an idiot) I read some of the spoiler tags in my Moby Dick thread. I'll read it later.

This one for now!
 
C

Cyan

Banned
CoffeeJanitor said:
I'm gonna pick this up instead of Moby Dick since (like an idiot) I read some of the spoiler tags in my Moby Dick thread. I'll read it later.

This one for now!
Click to expand...
Awesome! Careful of this thread though if you're worried about spoilers, as some of us (me) have been throwing them around like it's going out of style.
 
E

Edmond Dantès

Dantès the White
Mumei said:
Excellent recap, Cyan. It was rather disappointing that he couldn't have gotten to Danglars before realizing that he'd gone too far with Villeforte, but if the order had been different there would not have been the same opportunity to show that he had changed.

One thing you skipped over in your recap that I particularly enjoyed was Dantès traveling back to Chateau d'If after things got out of hand with Villeforte. It was such a different experience from the first time he traveled there - the trip itself, seeing his cell again, and hearing his own story.
Click to expand...
Edmond came full circle, not only once but twice. He left behind the echoes of the past that had been haunting him.

The first stage of his life; the innocence at his home in Marseille, the sufferance at Chateau D'If, the vengeance in Paris, all left behind and he finally moved on to the fourth chapter of his life. It's left up to the reader to decide Edmond's ultimate fate, but I like to think that he achieved some semblance of peace and happiness and that he had many adventures with Haidee.


Monsieur Dumas, I salute you.
 
J

joseranulfo

Member
I finished the book in four days after reading the first half in about three weeks because I couldn't get on the net and didn't have anything elso to do.

Great recap cyan, I agree with much of what you said. But, and bear with me because I'm bad with characters names, short on memory, and english is my second language....

The chapter where the Count is preparing for the duel with Albert and receives the visit from Mercedes to beg for the life of her son, it's one of the most unbelievables from the whole book.

Starting with the offense. I don't know why Albert don't speak with his father when he finds out that Danglars is diffaming him on the paper or why Fernand doesn't lift a finger when he finds out that his son is going to risk his life to defend his "honor". Or why in fact Albert is still willing to do it when he knows everyword in the paper is the truth.

And why the fuck did the Count would be willing to stop his almost two decades old plan to get revenge just because Mercedes went crying to him. Let alone his plan. He is willing to die just because Mercedes is asking him to. I couldn't keep reading without stoping every few paragraphs and yell in my head "What are you doing?, you just need to kill her to and end her sadness!, do it! DOOO IITT!"... but no. he is already saying goodbye to his almost adoptive son Morrel and waiting for Albert to arrive for the duel.

And did my copy of the book somehow missed the chapter where Mercedes tell Albert everything?, It's hard to believe it's not included, I wonder if it was even written and just left out because there is no way to explain a proces in which Albert goes to be willing to die in a duel to defend the inexistent honor of his traitor and murderer father, to reject him, his name and his fortune when your mother tells you that he send a innocent person to prison 24 years before to marry her. I mean I know it makes it worse but not enough to do an 180 and go crying to the duel the next day and call everything off.

And the whole "Have hope and wait for me one month" that the Count uses to torture Morrel just after saving whats her name, it's just way too theatrical, especially when he finishes it with "you needed to know what it was to die to enjoy living" or something like that, I was like.. WTF, he had a fucking pistol pointed to his head a month ago, you should have given the pill there and avoid all the drama. I hate drama. But anyway.

Any book that makes me react like that is good even when I'm not happy when I finish it.
 
D

D6AMIA6N

Member
HOLY CRAP! Started reading this on my Kindle for the first time in my 33 years. Had no idea there was a GAF book club! Love it so far, about 41% through. What a coincidence!
 
M

Mumei

Member
joseranulfo said:
Starting with the offense. I don't know why Albert don't speak with his father when he finds out that Danglars is diffaming him on the paper or why Fernand doesn't lift a finger when he finds out that his son is going to risk his life to defend his "honor". Or why in fact Albert is still willing to do it when he knows everyword in the paper is the truth.

And why the fuck did the Count would be willing to stop his almost two decades old plan to get revenge just because Mercedes went crying to him. Let alone his plan. He is willing to die just because Mercedes is asking him to. I couldn't keep reading without stoping every few paragraphs and yell in my head "What are you doing?, you just need to kill her to and end her sadness!, do it! DOOO IITT!"... but no. he is already saying goodbye to his almost adoptive son Morrel and waiting for Albert to arrive for the duel.

And did my copy of the book somehow missed the chapter where Mercedes tell Albert everything?, It's hard to believe it's not included, I wonder if it was even written and just left out because there is no way to explain a proces in which Albert goes to be willing to die in a duel to defend the inexistent honor of his traitor and murderer father, to reject him, his name and his fortune when your mother tells you that he send a innocent person to prison 24 years before to marry her. I mean I know it makes it worse but not enough to do an 180 and go crying to the duel the next day and call everything off.
Click to expand...

I think that part of what you are missing is the importance of honor (God, I'm starting to sound like a certain post) for the characters. While I am decidedly not an expert on nineteenth-century French culture, I think it can be gleaned from the text that one's sense of personal and family honor was very important and was considered an issue worth dying for. It doesn't matter that it's true; what matters is that his father's honor (and by extension his own honor) was being smeared and that he knows who is to blame for it. Of course, when he finds out why Dantès did what he did, he relents because the circumstances have changed - even though his honor will still suffer. Similarly, Monte Cristo cannot not duel Albert after such a public insult and challenge.

The reason why Monte Cristo changes his mind is quite clear - he says after Mercédès leaves that he had thought that his heart had become numbed, even dead, and yet it had awoken 'by the voice of a woman' Of course, he decides that he cannot simply allow Albert to kill him (since they would never believe that it was suicide), so he must leave a note. The thing that is more important to him isn't whether he lives or dies, but whether people believe after he is dead that he died of his own volition or because Albert killed him. On another note, it's also the reason why Dantès cannot get back together with Mercédès. Yes, she loves him. Yes, he still loves her. But in his mind, she was unfaithful and he cannot abide that. (I remember a poster somewhere - it may have been someone in this topic - making a comment that he wanted to tell Dantès to stop being so stupid and French with regards to that).

And I think the reason that a chapter in which Mercédès explains things to Albert and he changes his mind wasn't included would be because at the time it was written, it would have been understood implicitly by the audience that this is how things are done, and they would have understood what an enormous sacrifice Albert was making by calling the duel off.

That said, I agree with you that they were all acting stupidly. I just think it is understandable if you try to look at it from the characters' point of view.
 
J

John Dunbar

correct about everything
So what was wrong with Villefort's genes? Benedetto was clearly a sociopath, and Edward was definitely heading that way, the little prick.

Also, I was left a bit confused about what exactly happened to Benedetto. After learning Villefort was his dad, I would have thought the most reasonable course of action would have been some way of informing Villefort of it, and blackmailing him into helping. As far as I can tell, he's going to be tried and executed anyway now, so whatever satisfaction he got from the public shaming of his dad doesn't seem that great under the circumstances.
 
M

Mumei

Member
John Dunbar said:
So what was wrong with Villefort's genes? Benedetto was clearly a sociopath, and Edward was definitely heading that way, the little prick.

Also, I was left a bit confused about what exactly happened to Benedetto. After learning Villefort was his dad, I would have thought the most reasonable course of action would have been some way of informing Villefort of it, and blackmailing him into helping. As far as I can tell, he's going to be tried and executed anyway now, so whatever satisfaction he got from the public shaming of his dad doesn't seem that great under the circumstances.
Click to expand...

The Benedetto thing felt almost like he was just adding insult to injury at that point.
 
C

Cyan

Banned
So, time to figure out what we're reading next month!

So far we've got Dubliners and Shadow of the Wind. Any other suggestions?

John Dunbar said:
So what was wrong with Villefort's genes? Benedetto was clearly a sociopath, and Edward was definitely heading that way, the little prick.
Click to expand...
Well, Valentine seemed ok, aside from the extreme wishi-washiness. I think it's actually meant to be more nurture than nature--it's made clear that Benedetto was extremely spoiled by Bertuccio's sister, and Edward is getting spoiled to shit as well.

Also, I was left a bit confused about what exactly happened to Benedetto. After learning Villefort was his dad, I would have thought the most reasonable course of action would have been some way of informing Villefort of it, and blackmailing him into helping. As far as I can tell, he's going to be tried and executed anyway now, so whatever satisfaction he got from the public shaming of his dad doesn't seem that great under the circumstances.
Click to expand...
I think that a) he loves theatrics and b) he's still mad his dad abandoned him.
 
D

Dresden

Member
This is a little selfish but I'd like to nominate a book I was going to read next month (and because I'd like to get back into the gaf book club - I've already read both of the other possible choices):

QdL1z.jpg


Never read it before so I'm looking forward to it, and it's got good buzz and all being considered a classic and whatnot.

Although I'd totally be down for a re-read of this:

cormac_mccarthy_blood_meridian.jpg


I'm more curious about what you dudes might think of it.
 
C

Cyan

Banned
Dresden said:
This is a little selfish but I'd like to nominate a book I was going to read next month (and because I'd like to get back into the gaf book club - I've already read both of the other possible choices):
Click to expand...
Selfish? Heh. That's pretty much what I do every month!
Although I'd totally be down for a re-read of this:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1srkLdumHqI/TMCTFNDDSKI/AAAAAAAAACY/jEXXgJz9VDk/s1600/cormac_mccarthy_blood_meridian.jpg[IMG]

I'm more curious about what you dudes might think of it.[/QUOTE]
Interesting! Never read any of his books, though my dad continually tries to get me to do so. :)

If anyone else wants to nominate a book, please do it by 7 PM this evening, and then we'll start voting.
Click to expand...
 
E

Ezalc

Member
Wow I didn't even know gaf was doing this, or even had a book club thread. I just finished reading this on the 25th, I started way back in March and only took so long to finish because I kept taking breaks for long periods of time. Definitely one of my favorite books now, I loved a lot of the novel but seeing that I actually watched the anime before reading the book I only got the full details of how the Count came to be only just now when going through the novel. I honestly recommend watching the anime first and then reading the novel, it makes it way more exciting. So subsequently I enjoyed that the anime gave the Count a true air of mystery which was only hinted at in the book. Besides that one little complaint I have to repeat that I truly loved reading through it, even if it was one of the most likely really crappy versions that I got for free from my ipod. Either way this book has motivated me to start reading more since I barely do it now and to one day have my very own big library of books in my house. I'll keep a watch on gaf book club threads and join in when I can.
 
C

Cyan

Banned
Ezalc said:
Wow I didn't even know gaf was doing this, or even had a book club thread. I just finished reading this on the 25th, I started way back in March and only took so long to finish because I kept taking breaks for long periods of time.
Click to expand...
Good stuff! Guess it was a Monte Cristo kind of month. :)
 
S

Scrow

Still Tagged Accordingly
i really enjoyed the first part of the book from
the plot being hatched, to imprisonment, and then finally the escape.... but then everything following the escape
plodded on and bored me senseless. i also didn't like the protagonist anymore.
 
H

HamPster PamPster

Member
Do we vote here? I recall The Shadow of the Wind getting some pretty strong reactions, both positive and negative, in the monthly book thread (although I might be wrong) so I vote that one.
 
W

WascallyWabbit

Member
Read this awhile ago and I really enjoyed it, just wanted to say happy reading to all involved, I wish i had time to read it again. But, frankly, it's freaking long lol
 
E

Edmond Dantès

Dantès the White
The Master and Margarita is a wonderful book, I recently read it and have to say that it is one of my favourite pieces of Russian literature. In fact I enjoyed more than War and Peace.
 
J

joseranulfo

Member
I didn't want to say it, but I love trashy books to read as senseless entertainment. I don't like to think to much. Everyone can hate me now.

That said, I vote for Shadow of the wind because it seems like that the other books will put me to sleep.
 
N

nakedsushi

Member
joseranulfo said:
I didn't want to say it, but I love trashy books to read as senseless entertainment. I don't like to think to much. Everyone can hate me now.

That said, I vote for Shadow of the wind because it seems like that the other books will put me to sleep.
Click to expand...

Don't be ashamed of it! Embrace your love of trashy books. The majority of the books I read are pretty low brow. One of the best things about being an adult is being able to read what you want. Reading is entertainment, plain and simple.
 
D

Dresden

Member
joseranulfo said:
I didn't want to say it, but I love trashy books to read as senseless entertainment. I don't like to think to much. Everyone can hate me now.
Click to expand...
Blood Meridian is the most violent novel I've ever read. There's action in every page! Rape, murder, butchery everywhere. <3 It certainly won't bore you.
 
J

joseranulfo

Member
nakedsushi said:
Don't be ashamed of it! Embrace your love of trashy books. The majority of the books I read are pretty low brow. One of the best things about being an adult is being able to read what you want. Reading is entertainment, plain and simple.
Click to expand...


Yeah, I know. I have no problem with that.

But, when you live in a country where the national average of books read per year per person is 3, and most strangers you meet on the street and even your family assumes that the book you have under your arm is either the bible or a textbook, its sometimes hard to answer the "What are you reading?" question with "it's about a serial murderer that the cops can't catch" or "about this lonely child trying to catch a dragon to save his village" or something like that.

They just look at you like you are crazy and leave you without saying almost anything after that. So forgive me if I have some misgivings about it. I love reading, but when everyone else you know only read when they need to learn or know something and don't relate to books the same way as you do, it's easier to keep to yourself about the books you read than to try to explain why you read for fun instead of watching tv or playing games.
 
C

Cyan

Banned
Right! Looks like we're reading The Master and Margarita. I'll pull the thread together later today.

Going to experiment with no milestones this month, and see how it goes. Unless there's great public outcry for them. :p
 
N

nakedsushi

Member
Yeah I'm still barely halfway through with Monte Cristo. That Dumas is a wordy mofo! Hopefully I'll get it done by this weekend and join you guys for M&M
 
N

nakedsushi

Member
Ah, I finally finished this last night. Great pick for a bookclub read. I don't think I ever would have picked it up otherwise, but man, WHAT a ride.

I was about 75% of the way through the book when my friend noticed I was reading the old, crappy translation and recommended the Robin Buss one. @$@#!#! That new 1996 translation is WONDERFUL. It flows so much better than the other one I was reading. In a few months, I may go back and re-read the beginning of the book with the new translation.

One thing that irked me about the book was just how everyone just happened to be tied together in the last half of the book when the action kicks in. I guess Paris is THE place to be.

About Eugenie Dantes:
so was she lovers with her music teacher? That's what I thought...but isn't that pretty risky for that time?

About Haydee:
I felt a little icky about her at the end in a Woody Allen incest with the adoptive daughter kind of way. It felt a little tacked on.

During the book, I kept thinking, "Edmond is f-ing BATMAN!" Is there anything he CAN'T do? I was annoyed with his naivete during the beginning and in prison, but I'm glad he got over that =)
 
C

Cyan

Banned
nakedsushi said:
Ah, I finally finished this last night. Great pick for a bookclub read. I don't think I ever would have picked it up otherwise, but man, WHAT a ride.

I was about 75% of the way through the book when my friend noticed I was reading the old, crappy translation and recommended the Robin Buss one. @$@#!#! That new 1996 translation is WONDERFUL. It flows so much better than the other one I was reading. In a few months, I may go back and re-read the beginning of the book with the new translation.
Click to expand...
Dude, it was in the OP! :p

About Haydee:
I felt a little icky about her at the end in a Woody Allen incest with the adoptive daughter kind of way. It felt a little tacked on.
Click to expand...
Yeah, and there was the sort of protests-too-much thing. "Oh, I don't know Haydee, I kind of think of you as my daughter." "But Edmond, I love you sooooo much! No, for reals, like in a sexy way!" "But I'm still not sure." "No, you don't understand, I love you like infinity plus one!"

All right, all right, we get the idea.

During the book, I kept thinking, "Edmond is f-ing BATMAN!" Is there anything he CAN'T do? I was annoyed with his naivete during the beginning and in prison, but I'm glad he got over that =)
Click to expand...
Hahaha, that was my reaction too. I was reading the book, and at one point looked up and said to my cousin, who was sitting nearby: "Dude! I just realized! Edmond Dantes is Batman!"

He looked at me, nodded slowly, and said, deadpan serious, "I know."
 
S

SCULLIBUNDO

Banned
BU-UMMMMMMP

Finally decided to reread this. It's probably been around six years since I first read it. Just hit Open Sesame.

Fuck I missed this book.
 
S

SCULLIBUNDO

Banned
And now, farewell to kindness, humanity and gratitude… I have substituted myself for Providence in rewarding the good; may the God of vengeance now yield me His place to punish the wicked.
 
P

Prez

Member
I had to read the French abridged version for school last year. I knew it would ruin the book and I didn't have time to read the unabridged version so I didn't read it and took the loss in grades.

I still haven't read it now...
 
E

Edmond Dantès

Dantès the White
Stabbie said:
I had to read the French abridged version for school last year. I knew it would ruin the book and I didn't have time to read the unabridged version so I didn't read it and took the loss in grades.

I still haven't read it now...
Click to expand...
I'm proud of you, now go read my story in full.
 
S

SCULLIBUNDO

Banned
I really would have loved to have seen Coppola shoot a Monte Cristo movie back in his day. I think he would have knocked it out of the park.

Of course I've just finished going back through Luigi Vampa's tale.
 
M

Mumei

Member
nakedsushi said:
Ah, I finally finished this last night. Great pick for a bookclub read. I don't think I ever would have picked it up otherwise, but man, WHAT a ride.

I was about 75% of the way through the book when my friend noticed I was reading the old, crappy translation and recommended the Robin Buss one. @$@#!#! That new 1996 translation is WONDERFUL. It flows so much better than the other one I was reading. In a few months, I may go back and re-read the beginning of the book with the new translation.
Click to expand...

Oh, you poor thing. The Robin Buss translation is amazing. You should reread it; the prose in that translation is a huge part of the appeal for me. It is just so eminently readable and feels like a book that is half the length it really is.

About Eugenie Dantes:
so was she lovers with her music teacher? That's what I thought...but isn't that pretty risky for that time?
Click to expand...

There are a lot of elements (lesbianism, drug use, sexual fantasies produced by said drug use, etc.) that were excised or had references removed in the old 1840s translation because of Victorian British audiences' sensibilities. And as I understand it, that translation is usually pretty abridged in most editions.

During the book, I kept thinking, "Edmond is f-ing BATMAN!" Is there anything he CAN'T do? I was annoyed with his naivete during the beginning and in prison, but I'm glad he got over that =)
Click to expand...

No way. Batman is Edmond Dantès. Just not as awesome.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

  • Locked
The Count of Monte Cristo as Retold by Sherlock Holmes
4
1K
Horseticuffs replied
  • Locked
GAF Book Club (Sept 2014) - "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius
39
5K
Cyan replied
  • Locked
GAF Book Club (Mar 2014) - "Mother Night" by Kurt Vonnegut
39
4K
Cyan replied
  • Locked
GAF Book Club (Apr-May 2014) - "The Making of the Atomic Bomb" by Richard Rhodes
43
4K
Javaman replied
  • Locked
GAF Book Club (Feb 2014) - "Blindness" by José Saramago
2
94
8K
Tragicomedy replied
Top Bottom