Book details
The Count of Monte Cristo
by Alexandre Dumas
1844 · Penguin Classics
About the book
On the eve of his marriage and promotion to captain, sailor Edmond Dantès is falsely accused of treason by three jealous rivals. He is incarcerated without trial in the island fortress of Château d'If, where he spends fourteen years in solitary confinement. After befriending a fellow prisoner, Abbé Faria, Dantès learns history, science, and the location of a massive treasure. Following a daring escape, he assumes the persona of the wealthy Count of Monte Cristo to orchestrate the social and financial ruin of his enemies in Paris.
This classic historical adventure appeals to readers interested in the mechanics of long-term retribution and the legal injustices of post-Napoleonic France. It attracts those who enjoy intricate plots involving secret identities, hidden gold, and calculated justice. Readers finish the book with an understanding of how obsession and isolation alter the human psyche and the heavy moral cost of playing arbiter over the lives of others. The narrative provides a detailed study of patience and the deliberate execution of a multi-decade vendetta.
Details
- Published
- 1844
- Publisher
- Penguin Classics
- ISBN
- 9780140449266
- Language
- EN