Why You Must Read The Count of Monte Cristo
This letter is part of Nina's epistolary blog 'Nina's Diary', where she shares letters with her inner circle of close girlfriends. She overthinks films, books, and heritage sites to make sense of life.
Paris, September 5th, 1958
Dear Millie,
I’ve finally turned the last page of Le Comte de Monte Cristo in French... don’t congratulate me yet; it’s taken me three whole months of wrestling with a dictionary to finish it, but it was all worth it.
As I closed the book, I found myself thinking of you and that afternoon we spent watching the movie* together. Remember how we said it was a tale of revenge, adventure, and romance… more fantasy than realism? That belief was only reinforced by Robert Donat’s** dashing portrayal of Edmond Dantès, which helped cement the Count’s legend in the popular imagination. But even then, I suspected the movie had taken liberties. After all, Alexandre Dumas’*** story was first published in serial form over two years in the mid-19th century, and I had long suspected there was more to it than cinematic drama.
Now that I’ve read both volumes, I can say with certainty: Dumas’ masterpiece is deeper and more layered than I ever imagined.
Edmond Dantès' struggle and thirst for revenge isn't just a classic story of betrayal. In fact, he is the victim of a society in total upheaval, full of shifting loyalties and deep-rooted corruption; a society where both the poor and the rich will trample the innocent without a second thought, just to rise or cling to privilege.
The thing that struck me most is how the young, naïve, and uneducated Dantès fails to piece it all together during his first brutal years of imprisonment. He can't even grasp the cold-blooded conspiracy that destroyed his life; it nearly drove him to suicide.
It’s only when he meets Abbé Faria (that mad priest from the movie, remember?) that Dantès begins to understand the extent of his misfortune. Faria becomes more than just a fellow prisoner: he’s a mentor, an educator, a guiding light, and a friend. He arms Dantès with the greatest treasure of all: education... long before leading him to any buried gold.
Dantès’s revenge is made possible by more than sudden wealth; it is the outcome of an awakened mind. Now, he can think. He can plan. He can strategize.
It takes him nearly twenty years to perfect his plan. The men who ruined his life are now rich and powerful, which leads him to a crucial truth: Parisian high society has its own set of codes, and only the immensely wealthy can hope to penetrate that closed circle. The book shows that these aristocrats and nouveaux riches don't necessarily stay at the top because of talent or merit. Instead, they thrive because they know how to navigate a system where political chaos is profitable and knowing the right people gives every unfair advantage. Eventually, as Dantès proves, they will let anyone in if the price is right. They aren't concerned about how a fortune is made, as long as it's substantial.
Do you remember the movie's "happily ever after"? The book is nothing like that, and honestly, I prefer it. In the end, Dantès doesn't just choose to forgive; he finally learns how to let go.
But here is what kept me awake: the book completely dismantles that comforting lie that the bad guys always get caught in the end. No one is struck by a mysterious fatal illness here, either. When Dantès finally returns, his enemies are enjoying every luxury. In a way, he has to become God himself to tip the scales, punishing the guilty and rewarding the good. How about that for a reality check?
Anyway, I had to get it all off my chest... my second café crème is getting cold. I am now at a place called Café de Flore. It's always packed, but I show up early every Saturday morning just to snag a table. The tables are tiny and jammed so close together that you're practically on your neighbor's lap, but nobody truly cares. I can read, write, people-watch, and occasionally (alright, frequently) eavesdrop. The French love to argue about everything from existentialism to the price of bread, and I find the noise of it all quite enjoyable.
Millie, try to find the book in English... and read it. You have no excuse. And write back... I need your verdict.
With love,
Nina
Bookish Crush 💖💖💖
(*) The 1934 movie stars Robert Donat as a dashing, heroic Edmond Dantès in a classic Hollywood adaptation that emphasizes high-stakes adventure and romantic vindication over the novel's darker social realism.
(**) Robert Donat was a celebrated star of the 1930s. He was an English actor renowned for his charm and "golden voice".
(***) Alexandre Dumas is one of France's most prolific and beloved storytellers. He was a master of historical adventure who used his sprawling novels to critique the social injustices and political upheavals of the 19th century France.
💌 Read Nina's Next letter: What Gaskell's North and South Taught me About Polarization
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The photograph of The Café de Flore is part of Nina's Vintage Paris Collection: 12 historical snapshots printed on real Instax Square film.