Today we will be reviewing the classic adventure novel, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. It is one of my favorite books and still very popular to this day. Keep reading for a summary as well as why you should read this epic novel next!
The Count of Monte Cristo Summary
Edmond Dantès has just been named the captain of the ship Pharaon and has plans to propose to his girlfriend. That never happens as Dantès is accused of treason and locked up in an island fortress near Marseille.
Dantès and his new friend in prison work together to escape from prison located on an island. After escaping, Dantès go searching after hidden treasure that his cellmate hid before getting arrested. With new-found wealth and fame, Dantès seeks to get revenge on the people who falsely accused him and ruined his life.
The Idea For The Count of Monte Cristo
The story idea written by Dumas is what makes the book so riveting. But alas, it was not his own idea but an idea he built upon. The inspiration came from a French police archivist named Jacques Peuchet. In Peuchet’s novel, a shoemaker was engaged to marry a rich woman when three friends of Picaud, falsely accused him of being a spy.
Picaud was arrested and put under house arrest where he served as a servant to a rich Italian cleric. The cleric took a liking to Picaud and when he died, the cleric left his fortune to Picaud. After that, Picaud spent years planning his revenge and killed his three friends, one of whom married his fiancé.
There are a lot of similarities but still quite different. Dumas built vastly upon the premise and was able to turn it into a classic. I thoroughly enjoyed The Count of Mount Cristo and recommend it to anyone who loves a great adventure book or the classics but isn’t sure which ones to read.
Conclusion
This novel is popular till this day and it is easy to see why. The story is well written and while the plot is simple, it is told in a way where you can’t stop reading it. If you like adventure novels, then this is a must read. Happy reading!