The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

[goodreads]

Title: The Count of Monte Cristo
Author: Alexandre Dumas
Genre: Classic
Rating: 4.5/5
# pages: Audiobook ~50hrs
Date read: April, 2010

For nineteen-year-old Edmond Dantes, life is sweet. Soon to be captain of his own sip, he is also about to be married to his true love, Mercedes. But suddenly everything turns sour. On the joyous day of his wedding he is arrested and--without a fair trial--condemned to solitary confinement in the miserable Chateau d'If! The charges? Faked! Edmond has been framed by a handful of powerful enemies. But why?

While locked away, Edmond learns from another prisoner of a secret treasure hidden on the island of Monte Cristo. Edmond concocts a daring and audacious plan: escape and find the treasure! But it is years later--long after Edmond has transformed himself into the Count of Monte Cristo--that his plan for revenge begins to unfold.Disguised as the wealthy count, Edmond returns to his native land to find his enemies--and make them pay!

A good book that would have been great - even excellent - had it been properly edited. Dumas was paid according to length, and at times it shows. Had it been half, or even two-thirds the size I think it could have become one of my favourite books. As it was, I felt that there were some plotlines that were superflous and which I then naturally cared less about than the others. Also there were very few twists I hadn't guessed ahead of time.

It took me a bit to get thoroughly captivated by the book, and I almost gave up on it several times. I'm glad I stuck it out though, because it ended up definitely being worth the time spent on it, and it's one of those books I'm glad to be able to say I've read.

It didn't work too well as an audiobook though. First of all it was difficult to keep the names apart. Secondly the audiobook I'd found was read by multiple readers from Librivox, so the pronounciations of the names weren't consistant (which made it even more difficult to keep them apart), and some of them unfortunately had such strong accents that I found it difficult to understand them. If I ever choose to reread it, I'll pick up the physical book next time.