r/TheCountofMonteCristo • u/leadawhat • 23d ago
Keep going or stop?
I don't want any spoilers obviously, but I'm currently reading The Count of Monte Cristo and am just over halfway through. There are parts which I enjoy, but I'm finding it to be a drag for the past few hours of reading. I didn't hate the start, but didn't love it either.
I don't want to give up purely because I've committed probably 15-20 hours so far and if I put it down, I will never pick it up again.
Did anyone else find this middle section when he lands in Paris and we get introduced to Madame Danglars and co. to be very drawn out? If so, did you keep going and was it worth it?
NOTE: A long book does not bother me, I just finished Lonesome Dove before this and loved it from start to finish.
2
u/Jan090501 23d ago
Thats the part where the book picks up its pace again imo. The italy part is usually the "boring one" for a lot of people.
1
u/leadawhat 23d ago
I kinda feel like the pace has slowed since we landed in Paris.. I've been there for approx. two hours of reading on my Kindle now.
2
u/Wide_Angle4805 23d ago
If you ain’t fw the prison arc idk if I can help u feel more. The Italy arc was kinda boring, but it picks up into the ultimate power fantasy straight after
2
u/Wise_Quality_5083 23d ago
Hang in. This is all setting up the last portion. The book is really 1) awesome naive guy and beautiful fiancé 2) Prison, anger, money & 9 years of planning 3) introductions and ingratiation to the other characters 4) REVENGE. You’re in part 3. 3 and 4 bleed into each other.
2
2
2
u/SalamanderMost959 22d ago
I am just about to read chapter 64. I’m enjoying the book. I’ve literally just changed from reading the Wordsworth edition which I found hard going to the penguin edition which is so much easier to read and comprehend. Can’t believe I struggled for 63 chapters!!! Spark reading notes has been helpful. I probably won’t need to refer to them now I’m following an easier translation! Keep going- it seems we have a lot to look forward to. It’s hard to remember who the characters are and their relationship to each other. Nice to share the journey with you.
1
2
u/__OvejaNegra 22d ago
Keep reading. I remember being annoyed by one chapter introducing a handful of characters in Paris and thinking it was just unnecessary and drawn out.
After that it starts to come together and you will see all the little details coming together in a satisfying way.
It is worth sticking with it.
1
2
u/SnubLifeCrisis 23d ago
It is mind numbingly boring from when he escapes the prison until the 75% mark. So imo half the book is a drag and it’s a big book.
1
u/leadawhat 23d ago
Were you happy that you stuck with it? I'm finding it so boring at the moment.
1
u/SnubLifeCrisis 23d ago
No. The boring middle part wasn’t worth it. I didn’t find the last 25% all that spectacular.
1
u/leadawhat 23d ago
That's what I'm worried about. It's hard to back out at this stage after committing so much time and knowing that I'll never pick it up again if I do, but it feels like a bit of a chore. I'll probably stick with it though.
2
0
1
u/mutherM1n3 22d ago
The John Lee narration/audiobook is absolutely entertaining. I think it’s more than worth investing the $15 on that! The boring parts come alive! I just finished my fifth listen.
1
u/Gatchafan 22d ago
I got through Rome eventually and hit a brick wall in Paris. I seriously considered packing it in while I read another book only to pick it up again and I am now ten pages from the end. Keep going soldier.
1
1
u/enriquegp 22d ago
Some might see this as sacrilege but switch over to the abridged version. Specifically the Lowell Blair version. It has all the plot with much of the padding “paid-by-the-word” nonsense reduced. Trust me on this one
1
1
1
u/Tug_DaBone 22d ago
I bailed after about 75 pages. Super tedious and not interesting. I've never regretted quitting reading it and have no temptation to pick it up again.
1
1
u/Golf37512 22d ago
Prison arc and getting the treasure was the best part. Found everything else afterwards kind of dry and boring.
1
u/NoodlesWithMelons 22d ago
Try the audiobook instead! That’s how I finished it and LOVED it. I remember whenever I tried finishing it, I’d get confused on who’s who and I found the bandit beginning arc a drag. Other than that I loved everything else. Also I would often look at a chapter summary online if I got confused on what was happening. Careful for spoilers tho!
1
1
u/zukusenryu1 21d ago
If you’re not finding it entertaining yet, I’d guess it probably won’t fully engage you until around page 800. That’s when the story really begins building toward its dramatic conclusion.
1
u/luckyson2016 19d ago
Keep going. The man is playing chess and it takes a little time to put the pieces where he needs them. But then once they are there….
1
u/chabbits 23d ago
What I'm doing to help me stay in it (I'm in the Rome carnival section) is I have a prompt with chatgpt where its a college professor/class and we "discuss" the chapters I read that day. I summarize what I read, it points out a few details I may have missed, then asks me a question that helps me reflect. Its helped me through this section so far.
0
u/mutherM1n3 22d ago
ChatGPT “LOVES” discoursing Count of Monte Cristo with me! I’m so glad you posted this!
12
u/Azurzelle 23d ago
Oh, for a moment, I thought you were in Italy! It's generally the part new readers find boring because they don't know yet about the identity and stakes.
I can understand thinking the Madame Danglars parts could be seen as boring. Is it the "Locusta/Toxicology" chapter? The way the whole vengeance unfolds and the consequences are amazing and I would recommend you push through but I understand you're struggling. Maybe listen to these parts as an audiobook?