The count of monte cristo, Alexandre Dumas
Rating: 
The sheer size of this book can understandably be off-putting, but perhaps comfort can be found from the knowledge that the first half is easily one of the most exciting stories to be found in its genre. In The Count of Monte Cristo we encounter a clear divide in mood, tone and action between the conspiracies lodged against its protagonist, Edmond Dantes, and his long and ridiculously complicated revenge. However, once Dumas has entirely captured our attention with the violence and romance of Dantes’ early experiences, we cannot help but read on, encountering a huge transformation in our hero – he is now ‘the Count’. We are no longer his confidants; he has become distant, exotic and mysterious. In this way the second half is saved from complete drudgery, for we are as much in the dark as Dantes’ enemies.
This is the perfect book for a long, lazy holiday. Eloquently written and steeped in contemporary culture and politics, it is saved from being a dull or weighty classic because, at its core, it’s a good old-fashioned adventure story.
publisher: penguin classics
price: £9.99
