Everyman's Library The Count of Monte Cristo

Hardcover with a proper sewn binding that should last several lifetimes. Nice size font, good margins, slightly cream coloured paper - as one would expect of an Everyman's library release.The Eco essay was very different than the usual 'summary of the background details involving the author and the writing of the story' that is the typical accompaniment to these books. Interesting, but I would have liked a history lesson better.I wish people would review the actual physical book rather than the story in these amazon reviews of older books. There are many copies produced by different publishers. They are not all created equal. It doesn't help that amazon lumps them all together.

For as long as I live... I can never forget this behemoth of a literary masterpiece. Though running more than a 1000 pages, it's still a very gripping book and a page-turner. These are the kinds of literary works which Providence allows only once to be put into words. This very piece of literature will forever remain my favourite and has left an indelible impression on my very heart and soul. I will never forget you, Monsieur Edmond Dàntes!

I first read this book when I was in my early teens and, as expected, I was just fascinated by it. So much so, that I started reading everything “Dumas” I could put my hands on, to the point that I got so fed up with this writer I vowed never to read anything written by him ever again… But then, finding the above pictured version (with the enticing introduction by Umberto Eco), I decided to give it another try and see how I would feel about it decades and decades later. Starting to read it with a bias opinion, I slowly began falling in love with it all over again. I rediscovered Dumas’ sophisticated writing style (far superior to many contemporary writers), his complex plots and mysterious characters, his almost perfect structure of a novel.Wrongly accused and unfairly imprisoned, Edmond Dantes will spend the best years of his life incarcerated at Chateau D’If, where we can see his evolution from a young and naïve chap in his prime to a mature, serious and even cruel man, seeking revenge against all who wronged him. It is in this prison where he meets the abbe Faria, his mentor, the one who will not only open his eyes and help him solve the mystery of his imprisonment but will transform him into a scholar and a man of letters. It is thanks to abbe Faria that Dantes manages to, not only keep his sanity, but escape that death trap and, ultimately, find wealth, fame and fulfill his thirst for revenge.This book is really many-splendored things: it is not only about its complex characters and the unique situations they live, it is also a homage to the era it depicts, including the fashion, the customs, the manners, the high society with its carnivals and balls, the political distress of the epoque, the banking system, the arranged marriages, the military and justice system, etc. etc. “The Count of Monte Cristo” is a true literary masterpiece: a story about deceive, desperation, hope, ambition, redemption, revenge and, of course, love. And everything is masterfully crafted in Dumas’ unique style, where he doesn’t just form sentences to express an action, he paints a picture in vivid colors. For example, Dumas does not just simply say that the count is looking with interest at a picture, but “he is busy examining [this] portrait with no less care that he had bestowed upon the other”; he is not just seeing an old man, but “reads on the careworn, pale feature of [that person] a whole history of secret grief written in each wrinkle time had planted there”, etc. etc.Still, Dumas’ insatiable romantic style is reflected throughout the entire book: some reactions are rushed and extreme, his characters move from tears, to paleness, to trembling, to tears again within one sentence; his protagonists are animated by the same passionate, impulsive and unrealistic love and enthusiasm that sometimes make these scenes puerile in description and illustration. But, all in all, this book is a delight to read. As said before, I personally recommend the version pictured above, in the “Every Man’s Library” collection, as it has a beautiful introduction signed by the great Umberto Eco, one of my absolute favorite writers.

(My review doesn't include the story, only the technical details of the book)This edition of The Count of Monte Cristo is a beautiful book, with a good font size, and a great translation. its size is good to handle and the hardcover feeling is good as well. It, by other side, came with some imperfections to me. The book shows some dark spots on top ( there is a photo to illustrate them) and shows barely visible curves on corners. It also came with some markings on the pages that are visible when we look the book sideways. In general it's a great book and I recommend for everyone who wants a satisfactory version of this work of Alexandre Dumas.

Se trata de una edición de lujo a mi parecer. Tapa dura, papel biblia y un marcapáginas integrado en el libro. Lo recomiendo para aquellos que quieran tener en su biblioteca una edición de la que disfrutar durante años y guardar a buen recaudo.