Rating: 
Summary: The Best Book I've Ever Read
Review: This book is amazing. I've never read a book this long that has kept my attention every minute throughout the entire book. No matter what kind of literature you prefer, you can't go wrong with this book. It's what I call an everything book, meaning it has a little bit of everything in it: adventure, romance, mystery, humor, etc. The way the characters develop is very interesting and the way that each chapter leads so well into the next just makes you want keep the book in your hands at all times. Whatever you do, don't read an abridged version. I don't see how anyone could take even one chapter out of this book. Highly recommended to everyone, no matter what type of literature you're most interested in.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Read
Review: This book keeps a reader going from the get go. The story is incredible and even though the text is fairly long, it never loses its momentum. This is one where you can't do it justice in any amount of words, it just has to be read. For fans in the adventure genre, this book is for you.
Rating:
Summary: ssoooo good!
Review: This is a great book full of betrayal and deceit. It may be long but it's definitely worth reading.
Edmond Dantes was a sailor from Marseilles, poised to be married to Mercedes, a beautifl village girl. However, enemies of Dantes plan his arrest on the day that is planned for his wedding and he is condemnned to imprisonment on a desolate island in the dreaded Chateau D'If. Here, he meets the priest Faria who helps plan Dantes' escape and tells him of a treasure on the island of Monte Cristo. Edmond escapes the prison and goes to retreive the treasure and changes his identity. Now he is called the Count of Monte Cristo. He goes back to the mainland to retreive his love and seek revenge on his betrayers.I used a copy by signet classics, the editing was terrible and I found at least five typos; it was kind of distracting. I do highly recommend reading the book though!!!
(only get a different version)
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Riveting Tale!
Review: This is honestly one of the greatest novels I have ever read. I absolutely loved this book. I could not put it down! This is a must read for anyone.When I first started into this novel, I had in my memory the 'movie' that was made for the big screen. So of course, I expected the book to be very similar to it. Well, I was very wrong! Other than Edmond Dantes being betrayed by his 'friends' and finding the treasure, this book takes on a different route. Believe me, the book is much more superb. The way the Count exacts his revenge is astonishing. I cannot fathom how Dumas came up with such a scheme. At times, one cringes for the those who wronged the Count. This book made me laugh and cry. There are many poignant moments throughout the book that make you feel good. Anyone who says that Dumas is not up there with the 'classic' writers, does not know what they are talking about. This book is rich in dialogue, mystery, suspense and storyline. All in all, this is an amazing classic, and I recommend it to anyone wanting a good read.
Rating:
Summary: This is the book I'm reviewing!
Review: This is the book of the classical type by the writer Alexandre Dumas. It is the book that is mentioned in the movie "The Shawshank Redemption" and the author is called in that one "Alexander Dumb-ass" Which is a joke in that particular movie. I have read this book and seen that movie and seen the movie that is based on this book. I like the book but not the movie. Not the movie where they call him a dumb-ass, the other one that is based on this book, that is not very good compared to the book. If you like words more than pictures, I would say to you to buy this book and to read it. If you like the pictures more then I don't know what to tell you. I would also refer you to one of the other great works of this great writer, called "The Three Musketeers" I know you have heard of it. These books were written in and around the Napoleonic era. I don't know if they are fair stories that talk about that time in reality. I wasn't alive then so I don't know what reality was for them. Thank you!
Rating:
Summary: A gripping tale of love and revenge
Review: Warning: Do NOT pick this book up and start it if you have something that you need to do in the next day or three. You won't be able to put the book down, or if you do, you'll move zombielike through your everyday tasks while your mind stays with the adventures of Edmund Dantes. The Count of Monte Cristo is a delicious book, full of intrigue, great fight scenes, love, passion, and witty social satire. Dumas has a wonderful grasp of human nature and a talent for rendering all the follies of man in delightful, snappy prose. I immediately recognized people that I know (yes, even myself) in his vivid characters, which made the book all the more engaging to me. Some people might be put off by the size of the book -- it's a pretty hefty volume -- an tempted to buy the abridged version. Don't! I've heard from people who've read both versions that the abridged version is a pathetic, washed out shadow of the full novel. At any rate, as thick and impossibly long as The Count of Monte Cristo may seem when you open it for the first time, you'll feel as though it's far too short by the time you get to the last page.
Rating:
Summary: a count, and that is going to be breath--taking
Review: What a book to cherish, this is one count who simply will not give up on what he believes is right, and what he believes is true justice, this man will do anything, and he is simply the kind of person that is so influential as his hidden self is shown, though the abbe helped him out, it was still mostly to himself. He is way too two-dimensional. Okay, that was a little fast for you, perhaps, but that is basically everything this book is amazing in, and lacking in. But you can't miss either if you want such an age--defying novel. Now, to start, I can't think of any other French novels worthy of being compared to it. Jean--Christophe, comparable if not better, The Wandering Jew, a breath--taking novel that might be the only other French novel that can say is better than this one without hesitation. Les Miserable, comparable, and the musketeers, surely rival the count. However, this novel is very singular, and though there are several novels in its class( betrayal then revenge ), this novel, in some incredulous way, pushes the rest away( sorry Kidnapped, but you'll have to understand ), and gives itself more room, more space. It deserves a genre of its own. The lenghth and added strenghth of this heavy book, both physically and spiritually, gives it more room for flourishes, for explanation, but most of all for perfection. Let's compare this book to a cake, like I normally do, and we'll see that the cake, as I shall refer the book, needs the ingredients. Add a little something not that good, the bad guys fits that perfectly. Now add something unreal, but truly something of your dreams, Edmund Dantes fits that description without hesitation. Now add the creamy stuff, for example, the romance, the ignorance, the jealousy, and the stubborness. Of course, the last ingredient, the most important thing you need on a cake, or else it's an amateur's work, is the CHERRY( if you eat yours with a cherry )! That, is the Count of Monte Cristo's ace in the hole, it's plot. This book takes a humble old--fashioned genre in fiction to a whole new level, it's got more details, its got more flavor, it's more of a good cherry. So now you see how expertly Alexandre Dumas picks his ingredients. Having the ingredients is one thing, but how to make it, I don't know how to bake a cake, so I'm just guessing, you would want to notice how the chronicle of Edmund Dante is actually an interesting one if you read it as a map, instead of reading it like: enemy beats you, face consequences, got a helper/mentor, survive, and get revenge, you read it as something like this, like on a map: face a dangerous cliff, fall, get a life--saver, with an effort climb up from the bottomless pit, seek, goal, go back to dangerous cliff, master it. If you observe it that way, you will see an even moreold--fashioned style, brought to another genre, and becomes something completely new. Thus, I conclude by saying that Dumas did something, whether he knew it or not, or did that through another pass with his genius, like that, which is kind of making a cake based on a hypothesis, using a new way with a little bit less risk, and being successful! Dumas did just that, except in literature, it's not so risky( I wouldn't do that for a cake though, one: it's too risky, and two: it might ruin the cherry! ). So Dumas successfully manuverered through the "baking" process. Alas, the cake is made! Now for the critics to make their comments/harsh and absolutely unfair remarks, or criticisms. The book might be better if Alexandre Dumas had just made the character more three dimensional and still be able to master all the harshness in his way. Then, the book will be even more the genius it is, and if Alexandre Dumas doesn't have the genius to do that, then leave it to Romain Rolland, or some other better unknown chef in the near future! And second of all, this should've been done more old--fashioned like, make the lady stay true to Dantes all the story long. If the reader look at it that way, that might be able to leave more space for stories for times gone by than before! Man, not old--fashioned when not supposed to--and old--fashioned, never! Oh, whoever said the above, and especially the last sentence, tell me, I'll go give him a piece of my mind. The text is wonderful, barely or never any spelling errors, the paper is thick for classics of its size, and it's still able to fit the entire book in one volume. Able to rival the Modern Library Giants or the company that published Harry Potter. Really! So, this review ends. I hope it's not too long for the reader, and I hope you like THIS small cake. Alexandre Dumas was a great writer of many novels, and The Count of Monte Cristo is not his only masterpiece. No doubt people at that time is calling The Count of Monte Cristo a "coming of age--story", like their calling Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix right now! He had a lot of literary friends, and many of my French favorites. So enjoy! And if you've already done that, enjoy again! Read more about his life. Trust me, it'll be worthy of your time. All in all, Alexander was a coming of age author, and he is one of the greatest novelist, etc. right now. His novels are timeless, pure arkenstones, never to be forgotten, leading leaders in literature right now, and have the words: big classics written, engraved/burned all over it. Your favorite, Steven Cong, ADIOS( with a deep, long bow, and a smile after )!
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