Le Comte De Monte-Cristo

After being mislead by another product that ended up only being a partial extract of the story, I found this published book, which is the complete part 1 of Le Comte de Monte-Cristo. The quality of the book was good. And the story is very compelling, causing you to think. It was a stretch for my French abilities, and is a great addition to my collection. The book got me emotionally attached to some of the characters (Edmond Dantes and others), and after reading part 2 (also available on amazon.com), I spend a couple of weeks thinking about their lives, the results of choices we make, and the need to be forgiving. It is a long read, but worth it.

The original version of this classic is in French. That's the reason I am reading it in such language (i.e. to get the writing style and messages unbiased that may happen as a result of translation). PRO's: many; there is a reason why is a classic book and in some schools is a requirement. For the regular reader it is a great book to read while sipping foamy capucino's. Full of adventure and with key messages that you may well can apply to your present life (just make sure you take the essence and not literally). CAVEATS: it will take you few days to finish it. You have to buy volume 2 to go to the end.

Very close to what I desired. The only difficulty being apparently older French books did not use quotations and it is hard to identify the switch from narration to dialogue, more so for an individual trying to learn French.

Good for brushing up on French.

book was not in good condition

Great service, great product.

GReat read. Fast service.

Le Comte de Monte Cristo has been one of my favorite books for long. Albeit written more than 150 years ago, I persist considering it as the first thriller ever. In the Conte de Monte Cristo, you'll find murders, conspiracy, espionage (the first known case of economic intelligence is in it!), betrayal, and even romance. Alexandre Dumas' writing style is rather simple and easy to read, contrary to all assumptions. Well, it is really written as a modern thriller, but you'll not find a single word of crude language in it, of course. My negative critics relates to this long part in the middle of the story which unfolds in Italy, and that does not add much to it. It is even totally useless, in my own opinion. Le Comte de Monte Cristo is the story of Edmond Dantes, a young and successful man who is falsely accused of conspiracy against the French government by a bunch of envious folks. Edmond Dantes is arrested and is sent to jail for a very long time, in a prison located on an island where no one is supposed to survive for long. There he meets an old priest who was wrongly accused, like him, whose cells is just next to his. Just before he dies, the priest tells Edmond Dantes he was the guardian of a huge and forgotten treasure belonging to the Roman Catholic Church in Roma, buried in a cave on a small and deserted island named "Monte Cristo Island", and located in the Mediterranean Sea, near the Italian coast (this Island is fictional too). Edmond Dantes manages to escape just after the priest dies, and is saved from drowning by some Italian fishermen. As he is convinced that the old priest said the truth, he manages to reach the Monte Cristo Island, and finds the treasure, indeed. Then, he uses this fortune to take revenge against all those who accused him of being a conspirator against the French king, and thus sent him in jail for fourteen years. Also, he wants to find out where his fiancé is, whether she is still alive, as he was about to marry her the very same day he was arrested by the French police. From this on, Edmond Dantes changes his name for "the Count of Monte Cristo", goes back to France where he is going to chase and kill all the men who accused him, one by one, thanks to his huge fortune. This is from this part on that the story becomes a terrific thriller, that is to say, from the end of the first quarter of the whole story on. Now, be warned that it is a very long story; it is one of the longest French novel, actually. Just in case, I let you know that Dominique Raymond Poirier, a French modern author who claims he has been deeply influenced by "Le Conte de Monte Cristo", recently wrote what I call a modern version of this novel, although the way the plot unfolds is very different. The title is "Grandoria", and - surprisingly enough - it is available on Kindle and in hardcover in French language in U.S. only on Amazon.com (?). If you liked Le Conte de Monte Cristo, then you'll enjoy reading "Grandoria", doubtless, a long novel too, indeed. So, you'll understand why I give 5 stars to this book.