Phewf!! It is a thick read, but it has it all - love, loss, fear, freedom, murder, mystery - a classic tale. A strange-raveled story with many threads that seem individual but are all knitted together and rolled up ball of yarn that needs to be unrolled to understand all the characters. Once you get past the traditional speaking, you find Edmond, Mercedes, Fernand, Danglars, Villefort, Count, and other characters colourful and will want to know what happens. A classic read.

The Count of Monte Cristo shows the capabilities (both horrible and wonderful) of a man motivated to achieve his fullest potential (albeit motivated by ire). Loosely based on a true story, Alexandre Dumas transforms the idea of a wrongfully accused exacting revenge from a real-life occurrence to an epic tale that engages the mind to the utmost. The book teaches many powerful lessons on many aspects of life. It will change the way you think about the world around you. "He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness."

Heartfelt and tragic, it really is a story about the triumph of the human spirit. Although the size of the book may be daunting, it is actually a quick read. As I am a chapter to chapter reader and the chapters are small, I actually felt like I was flying through it. An excellent read!

This is the most I have been into a classic novel in a long time. You can't help but feel for Edmund Dantes, once he's thrown into jail for a crime he didn't commit, and you root for him the whole way along. Definately worth the read.

this was suuuch a good book!!! it was a bit long but it was awesome all the same! it had everything action, revenge, romance sooooooooooooooo awesome

Well, as you can see from the reviews below mine, this is an amazing book. So go purchase it instead of just pondering about it. But let me give some tips: don't get the abridged version (which means it's edited and drastically changed to be an easier read) since sometimes they're half the length of the real version. The most important thing to look at are the endnotes, which enable you to understand the historical aspect of it; so pay careful attention to that. I got a Wordsworth edition for a mere $5, which includes amazing endnotes, so consider it as a good choice (the only problem is that the font is quite small to make the price cheap). Anyway, this is certainly one of the greatest adventure novels ever written, with a great cast of characters and a gripping plot. Edmond Dantes, a sailor, is wrongfully accused of treason and imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit on his wedding day, and after escaping a prison surrounded by the sea on all sides, acquires a hidden fortune and seeks revenge on his betrayers. The plot is quite modern , and more exciting than the latest movies out now. Believe me, you'll love it. It has tons of action, adventure, romance, and everything you could ask for in a book or movie. But just get the right edition.

At first I thought this was going to be a dull, long read because it was a classic. I was wrong. Dantès was well developed, and the plot progressed smoothly. You can almost forget how old the book is. The fiction in the book was amazing for its time, and still is for ours. Read it.

i read the 1946 version of this, and all i have to say is WOW! Alexandre Dumas has crafted an incredibly in-depth and involved plot no modern author could ever hope to equal. The tales, though sometimes seeming separate are all interconnected by a stunningly crafted series of events. Edmond Dantes' character is hugely dynamic and well developed. M. L'Abbe faria is also well done. The movie , though an excellent piece, does not do the book justice. Niether do the newer versions of the novel. If you've got time on your hands and are a good reader, this book is definitely your friend.

If you haven't read this book, what are you waiting for? It is beautifully written, and the character developement is of the likes of which I have never seen before. The story grabs you and will not let you go until you have read the last word on the last page of the last chapter. If you haven't read this book yet, what are you waiting for?

This book is a real adventure! It may start off a bit slow, but once you get into it, you can't put it down. I would consider it one of the best books I have ever read.