Reading Order
The Count of Monte Cristo Reading Order
Alexandre Dumas's The Count of Monte Cristo (Le Comte de Monte-Cristo, 1844–46, serialized) is one of the greatest adventure novels ever written — the story of Edmond Dantès, a young sailor who is falsely imprisoned for treason on the eve of his wedding through the conspiracy of his enemies, escapes after fourteen years with a vast fortune, and returns to Paris as the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo to systematically destroy the men who ruined his life.
Where to start
The Count of Monte Cristo
Complete The Count of Monte Cristo Book List
- 1Buy
The Count of Monte Cristo
Alexandre Dumas·1844·The complete unabridged novel — around 1,200 pages in most editions. The Robin Buss translation (Penguin Classics, 1996) is the standard modern English version. Some readers enjoy the abridged Robin Buss Penguin classics edition for a first read. Start here.
The Count of Monte Cristo — Frequently Asked Questions
How long is The Count of Monte Cristo?
The Count of Monte Cristo is a very long novel — in most English editions, approximately 1,100–1,200 pages. It was originally published as a serial in the Journal des débats from August 1844 to January 1846, in 139 installments, and was written at the pace of serial publication — meaning it has the expansiveness and digressive qualities of a work written to fill space. The good news is that the novel reads quickly for its length: Dumas was a master of plot and suspense, and the novel never loses its forward momentum despite its length and the size of its cast. There are several abridged editions that reduce the length to around 800 pages by cutting subplot material; these are a reasonable choice for a first reading, but the full text is recommended for readers who fall in love with the story and want the complete experience.
What is the novel's theme of revenge?
The Count of Monte Cristo is the most sustained and philosophically serious treatment of revenge in the literary canon. Dumas does not treat revenge as simply satisfying — as the novel develops, it becomes clear that Edmond's years of obsessive preparation for vengeance have cost him the capacity for ordinary human feeling; that the revenge, once set in motion, harms the innocent along with the guilty; and that the satisfactions of destruction are not equivalent to the happiness that was stolen from him. The novel's final chapters enact a kind of moral reckoning: the Count, having accomplished everything he set out to do, is left in a condition of hollowness and moral uncertainty that the novel treats seriously rather than dismissing. The famous final words — 'Wait and hope' — are both the motto of Edmond's revenge (he waited fourteen years in prison) and the counsel to a reader about the limits of human justice and the possibility of meaning beyond it.
Monthly Newsletter
Never miss a big release
Get the most anticipated upcoming books delivered to your inbox once a month — no spam, no filler.
Monthly only. Unsubscribe anytime.
Book links are Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, BookReleaseRadar earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.