"The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexander Dumas

This book was a required reading in my middle school (abridged version). I have also read it as several comic books, a couple of movies and other media, but I've never before read the UN-abridged version, all 1400 pages of it, and I didn't even know what I was missing! Most of the abridged versions concentrate on Dantes' years in prison, and omit most of the lengthy affairs and side stories from the later parts, which are the bulk of the book, the prison being about 100 pages in all. The later story is just like all the other Dumas novels, masterful description of high (haute) Parisian society, with love affairs, infidelities, illegitimate children, impostors, hidden agendas, histories, and many, many stories within stories which go on for dozens of pages at a time. A very arduous task for the modern reader who is used to short sentences, jumping right in the middle of the action, sensory and visual details and twists and turns at every junction. Victorian literature is definitely none of that, but for the patient and distinguishing connoisseur, the pleasure await!

I read this version as an audio book (as most books I read nowadays), from Books on Tape, and the quality of the narration is amazing! The voice changes and is consistent across different characters; narrators part is done perfectly, and the translation is amazing, using exotic 19 century English words and manner of speaking, which only adds to the authenticity. Dumas, as always, develops the story through dialogs, of which is an undisputed master. Some not-so-covered references to homosexuality and drug use are splendidly presented in the unabridged version, while moralistic editors have always removed them from the abridged versions, which are very confusing to say the least, because the book abounds with a humongous amount of characters, with multitude of long (french) names, which are very hard to keep track of even in the unabridged version, and totally impossible to sort out in the abridged ones.

One could argue that the main character, Edmond Dantes, is not developed fully, looks mostly as a caricature, first of a perfect young man, and later of a bitter old avenger, with not enough depth, psychological detail and motivation. That might be true, but many of the 'second tier' characters are developed marvelously and entice with their depth and uniqueness. As the mores of the time dictated, most of the book is about nobility, counts and barons and generals and marquises, however Dumas is still widely read today and recognized as a master because he tried to infiltrate the everyday Paris life and everyday people in his books. Dantes is a regular sailor before he becomes the Count. Mercedes is a weaver. Donglar is ship accountant. Catarouse is a tailor. There are bandits, shepherds, brigands, and wonderful little snippets of everyday Paris life in the 1840s.

Overall, an amazing reading experience for the patient and distinguishing readers!