The Count of Monte Cristo: a rambling review (spoilers)
I finished reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas today, 8/3/23, after starting it on 7/11/23. I read the Project Gutenberg version, which I believe is a translation into English from 1888. I read it for the Doof Media book club.
There were parts of the book I enjoyed. I won’t dispute that. I liked the prison arc, I enjoyed parts of the revenge arc, there were parts I thought were funny (Edward was great every time he showed up with some minor mischief).
The parts that didn’t work for me vastly outweighed the parts that did. I have zero sympathy for the aristocracy described, I had no interest in their squabbles, troubles, dramas and pleasures, and found the whole Paris cast irritating and uninteresting. Maybe I’m poisoned by the whole anti-French sentiment in modern America, but by god I do not care about French politics in the napoleonic era or immediately afterwards, and I found it irritating every time a character mentions how Paris is the most important, most beautiful, and most cultured city in the world.
The Rome arc dragged on forever and only served to act as a travelogue (of no interest to me, I thought the locations and events described were either unimpressive and uninteresting or already known to me and thus boring to read about) and to introduce Albert, Franz, and Vampa, as well as some character development of the Count, which I didn’t care very much about. This was definitely the worst part of the book.
I found the actual revenge unsatisfying and uninteresting. It took two thousand pages before the count started enacting vengeance. The bad fates visited upon the foes were:
Caderousse: gifted $50,000, then murdered by a partner-in-crime
Villefort: revealed that he was unfaithful and that his discarded and thought-dead son was a murderer, his whole family dead (or thought so)
Danglars: bankrupt, embarrassed by a bad marriage between his daughter and a murderer
Fernand: suicide after unrelated cowardice in war was revealed to Paris
All of these fates have nothing to do with Dantès’s unjust incarceration, and it didn’t feel to me like the punishments fit the crime. Also, Benedetto (Andrea Cavalcante) seemed like a really handy guy to have around since he was able to ruin three men with one murder
It’s hard to write about the prose, since it’s from a different time, but I found it to be difficult to get thru but not different enough to be interesting, most of the time. There were some fun vocab words here and there which have fallen out of fashion (ere, calumniator), but a lot of the time it just felt like the book was written by someone who was way too far up his own ass.
I didn’t appreciate the religious aspect of Monte Cristo’s motivations at the end (thinking of himself as an angel there to dispense justice). It didn’t feel especially justified by his prior actions and thoughts, and he didn’t seem religious before or during his incarceration.
MC’s insistence on slavery (Ali and Haydée) horrified me, and I was surprised it wasn’t visited in much detail. Are we supposed to think that he’s admirable for owning slaves, or that it’s alright? To my knowledge, France had abolished slavery by 1830, but iirc he at one point says “I’m very rich” and that’s the end of that. Ali’s enslavement and Haydée’s made me uncomfortable in different ways, though I felt better about Haydée when I realized MC had bought a daughter and not a concubine. Still not great!
Dantès became stupid rich and did what anyone would do when stupid rich, which is hobnob with other rich people and enjoy life’s finest luxuries. That’s understandable, but goddamn are the lives of the rich in 1830 repulsive to me.
The parts of the book with the Morrels and Valentine (and noirtoir) were better, though I found their interactions with the Count to be unbelievable in a lot of ways. He didn’t deserve as much trust as he was given.
I would absolutely not recommend that anyone read this, there were almost no parts I enjoyed in the moment. I got thru it, but I sure didn’t want to at times. 2/10.
This could have been a lot better if it were maybe a tenth or a fifth as long, and pre-injustice, incarceration, and vengeance were approximately equal in length. I also would have appreciated if there were no time skip between escape and when the Count enters society, but that might be my Factorio-addled brain making me want to see him build his fortune and legend with a huge stack of cash.
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SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — “Hello again, gendarme.” He smiles at you— not from his usual post, but from one of the cafeteria tables. A small sketchbook is laid out in front of him, along with some odd gray sticks.
ENCYCLOPEDIA — Compressed graphite. Not quite as bold or blendable as charcoal, but certainly less messy.
EMPATHY — Garte will appreciate it.
“I’d like to talk about the case again.”
“You moved! I didn’t know you could do that.”
“What are you drawing?”
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — “That’s the question, isn’t it?” His smile turns a little rueful. “I found one of my old sketchbooks and thought I’d like to fill the last few empty pages, but I’m finding myself a little… uninspired.”
CONCEPTUALIZATION — The accursed artist’s block. Staring down an empty page only for it to stare back, mocking you.
EMPATHY — He is unsure of himself. He said this was an old sketchbook. Maybe he’s afraid of drawing something new beside his old work and seeing that nothing has changed.
“Ah, yes. Artist’s block. I know it well. In fact, I don’t know when the last time that I actually *made* any art was.”
“You could draw the cafeteria.”
“You could draw one of the other diners.”
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — “A life drawing exercise, huh? And who would you pick as a subject, gendarme?”
“I don’t know. You’re the artist.”
“Maybe Garte? The skua could be a fun challenge.”
“You should draw the guy with the wig and sunglasses over there. He looks pretty funny.”
“Lena! She’d probably love to model for you. It would take her mind off things.”
“Kim, how about you pose for him?”
[Suggestion - Medium 10] “Why not me?”
KIM KITSURAGI — “No.”
He has nothing more to say on the matter.
“Aw, why not? You’d make a great model!”
Let it go.
KIM KITSURAGI — “I do not get paid to model for portraits. I get paid to solve murders. Such as the one we came here to investigate. Several days ago. Which has not been solved yet, for some mysterious reason.”
ESPIRIT DE CORPS — In case you couldn’t tell, that was sarcasm.
“Come on, Kim. You’re the perfect subject! A true man of the people. And there’s this sort of radiance about you… I can see the portrait already, just looking at you. Really clearly, actually.”
Maybe don’t say that. He’s just not gonna get it.
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — He shrugs. “Sorry, gendarme. It’s not right to use someone’s image without permission, you know? Maybe some other time.”
KIM KITSURAGI — “No.” And then, a little awkwardly, “But thank you.”
“I don’t know. You’re the artist.”
“How about Garte? Though, you’d have to draw the skua, too…”
“You should draw the guy with the wig and sunglasses over there. He looks pretty funny.”
“Lena! She’d probably love to model for you. It would take her mind off things.”
“Kim, how about you pose for him?”
[Suggestion - Medium 10] “Why not me?”
CHECK SUCCESS
YOU — “Why not me?”
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — He considers you with some amusement, but still, he does consider. “You’re not too busy?”
“On second thought, you’re right, I have some work to do right now. Another time, maybe?”
“Nope. Not at all.”
KIM KITSURAGI — The lieutenant sighs audibly.
ESPIRIT DE CORPS — What did I *just* say?
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — He chuckles to himself, apparently quite tickled by the little comedy act you two are making of yourselves. “Beautiful. Why not? Have a seat. I’ll try not to keep you too long.”
KIM KITSURAGI — “Much appreciated,” he says drily.
YOU — [Take a seat.]
SAVOIR FAIRE — Time to strike a pose. Let’s go with something cool. Something that really captures what you’re all about.
ENDURANCE — But make sure it’s something that you’ll be able to hold comfortably.
Wink and shoot him your signature finger guns.
Look at him with big sad eyes like a shamed puppy.
Look thoughtfully into the middle distance, as if contemplating your own future masterpiece.
Stare straight at him with eyes that have seen how this world will end.
Hold your head up high. With *honor.*
Just sit and act natural. No need to put on airs.
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — He looks you up and down, thumbing his bottom lip. His eyes look brighter and more alert than you have ever seen them. And then, he picks up his graphite and begins to work.
His eyes dart between you and the page, his hand sweeping across the page in bold, practiced strokes. All traces of his earlier hesitation have vanished.
VOLITION — Sometimes, a little push is all we need.
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — Every now and then, he pauses to look up at you, and it’s almost unnerving to be the subject of whatever calculations are going on behind his eyes. He holds out his graphite, squinting just slightly.
VISUAL CALCULUS — This is called sighting. He’s roughly measuring the relative proportions of your figure and checking them against his sketch.
KIM KITSURAGI — Even the lieutenant is watching now, interested in spite of himself.
“Are portraits your specialty?”
“Have you been drawing anything for school lately?”
Better not distract him.
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — “Hmm…” He ponders this for a moment, not looking up from his work. “Not exactly. I’m more interested in the graphic arts than this sort of thing. But it’s best to build a strong foundation before branching out, you know?”
YOU — “Graphic arts? Like what?”
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — “Printmaking.” A small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth as he speaks, seemingly without him even noticing. “Monotype, especially.”
ENCYCLOPEDIA — Monotype is a printmaking technique that is singular from other techniques, in that it produces only *one* unique print, rather than an edition of multiple prints.
YOU — What, really? What’s the point of printing it, then?
ENCYCLOPEDIA — I don’t know. I didn’t invent it.
“Why monotype? Wouldn’t a different technique be more… practical?”
“I see.” [Drop the subject.]
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — He shrugs slightly, smudging a bit of graphite with a bare finger. “Depends on how you define practical, I suppose. If I had my own studio, and I was selling my prints, then maybe. But we make do with what we have, gendarme.”
EMPATHY — And what he has is very little.
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — “Besides, I think monotype has its charms.”
The young man does not elaborate, instead focusing on the work at hand. He picks up an eraser that has been shaved down to a point for fine detail work, and begins on what are likely the finishing touches.
EMPATHY — He has already talked at uncharacteristic length about this. It’s making him a little uncomfortable.
SAVOIR FAIRE — He doesn’t like to share too much about himself because it makes him feel *uncool.* He prefers to maintain an air of mystery.
RHETORIC — It’s safer, too, that way. He’s learned that passion exists to be exploited. False promises and admiration are the offerings of Sunday friends.
“If you say so.” [Back off.]
“What kind of charms?” [Press on.]
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — His eyes flit back to you, sizing you up now in a different way. And then he looks back down at the page with a quiet bre ath.
“Well, it doesn’t take as much time or labor as other methods. Or expensive tools, or dangerous chemicals. Just paper, a plate, ink, and something to apply it with. And I can use the same plate over and over again, even use it to create different layers for the same print.”
RHETORIC — In other words, it’s cheap and can be done from home. An attractive option.
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — “And with monotype, it’s not so hard to go back and change your mind. You can start over as many times as you’d like, right up until the moment you lay the page on the plate.”
INLAND EMPIRE — That really does sound attractive. To be able to wipe the slate clean, over and over again…
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — “There aren’t as many limits on what kind of textures you can create, too. Brushstrokes and fingerprints… They can really come out beautiful.”
His brow creases a little, and he picks his graphite back up to rework a particular area.
DRAMA — He’s still holding out on you, sire. Too self-conscious to admit what he really likes about the medium.
YOU — Which is what?
EMPATHY — Fragility.
CONCEPTUALIZATION — An image which is only complete after being mirrored and translated, never to be recreated except as a ghostly afterimage. An exercise in surrendering to chance. What will be, will be. And then the moment will pass, and it will be time to start the next piece.
VOLITION — This man knows disappointment intimately. It is his closest companion. He has learned to make peace with it. He passes the time with his Sunday friends, lays his paper on the plate and hopes, despite himself, for the best.
YOU — Is that… a good thing?
VOLITION — …It’s hard to say. But we make do with what we have.
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — “There.” The young man sits up straight, and it’s only now that you realize just how close he brought himself to his work.
DRAMA — His face may not betray him, but the body does not lie. He was having *fun,* my liege.
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — “All done.” He tears the page from his book and holds it out to you with a small smile.
ITEM GAINED: Portrait of a Disco Holdover
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — “Hope I didn’t keep you too long.”
KIM KITSURAGI — “Don’t worry about it,” Kim says, rather resignedly.
ESPIRIT DE CORPS — If you’d declined, the lieutenant thinks, my partner would have just found some other way to get sidetracked.
KIM KITSURAGI — Still, he cannot stop himself from glancing at the portrait over your shoulder.
PORTRAIT OF A DISCO HOLDOVER — It’s you! Unfortunately. Not even the most masterful hand could make the Expression less unsettling to look at. Your posture is poor, your face is swollen and blotchy, your hair is thinning, your clothes are shabby and out of place… I could go on.
Oh god, you could?
Please don’t.
PORTRAIT OF A DISCO HOLDOVER — But, you know… it’s nice. The smoker’s technique is bold and rather lovely, broad strokes of graphite intersecting in just the right places to create surprising depths. Somehow, even though it’s you… it’s not hideous.
EMPATHY — Because you’re seeing yourself through another person’s eyes.
CONCEPTUALIZATION — There is an odd tenderness to the portrait. Something amusing in your grimace, a touch of sympathy in your hunched shoulders. With the eraser, he has lifted small spots of pigment from your face, as if it were illuminated by flecks of light from the karaoke disco ball.
There are no disco lights tonight, but still, he sees them when he looks at you. Your moment has passed, but it left quite the impression. A ghost print, superimposed over you.
“Not bad, but the bicep girth is off. Right, Kim?”
“Oh god, is that really what I look like?”
“Hmm. It’s okay, but you should consider a backup career plan.”
“Whoa, you’re amazing! Can you draw me again, but this time in the costume from the cover of Man from Hjelmdall and the Devil Woman? And like, with a really cool warhammer? And Queen Lydiaana standing in the background, all like, ‘boohoo, where will I ever find another man like Ha— I mean, the Man from Hjelmdall?’”
“Beautiful.”
SMOKER ON THE BALCONY — His smile climbs up into the corners of his eyes, warming his entire countenance.
CONCEPTUALIZATION — If you were to capture a portrait of him in this moment, it would be beautiful, too.
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wait can you please explain to me why a french book has more words than an english book? they say the same thing, yeah? why 400 more pages in french version? does it just take more words to speak in french, or is the actual content more…. descriptive in a way that takes more words to understand? i’m not as stupid as it sounds like i am. thank you
That's not a stupid question! You do literally use more words to express an idea in French (generally speaking). Translators call this the expansion / contraction ratio of languages. Translating a text from English to Romance languages like Spanish, French, Italian typically makes it 20-30% longer. Other languages like Chinese or Korean will result in a contraction. Appropriately enough, the French term for "expansion ratio" is "taux de foisonnement" which has an expansion ratio of +33%.
It's a combination of factors:
word length: English uses so many monosyllabic words, unlike languages with mainly Graeco-Latin roots. It can be a headache for translators who translate online stuff because apps designed with English in mind have tiny frames and buttons meant for tiny English words and if you can't modify the layout, your language might just not fit... Same problem when you translate subtitles, or small signs in public places (“Please wait here” is 16 characters in English, vs. you need 15 characters in French just to say ‘please’ / s’il vous plaît...)
rigid syntax: in French you can't use shortcuts like "word length". You've got to say "the length of the word". We don’t have concise adjectival structures like X-friendly, X-based, X-prone, and often need to use an entire clause (“which is prone to...”) to translate them. Articles are mandatory (e.g. you would need to start this sentence with "the articles" rather than "articles"), the possessive form can’t just be a quick apostrophe (not “Mary’s friend” but “the friend of Mary”) etc.
a general preference for simple, active, direct and pared-down writing in English vs. a preference for 'diluted', passive, indirect, embellished phrasings in French. French adores grammatical emphasis / redundancy while English hates it (I saw a translation recently where the English phrasing was “This explains—”; the French one was: “C’est donc ce qui explique”, I.e. “It is therefore that which explains—”) Someone very accurately commented on my last ask “French goes on and on enjoying itself.” English style guides are absolutely obsessed with advising writers to prune their sentences, use straightforward syntax, remove 'unnecessary' words, while this really isn't perceived as evidence of good writing in French. Writing talent rather lies in “savoir manier la langue” / knowing how to wield the French language, and keeping your sentences direct and to the point doesn’t demonstrate your ability to do that...
English prefers connecting ideas implicitly rather than explicitly, which is easy to do with short, straightforward sentences. I was translating a text the other day that was full of logically-linked sentences, e.g. “This is part of a larger problem. We won’t solve it without tackling [other thing].” English doesn’t mind this staccato style but French finds it ugly and much prefers to use one long, flowy sentence, eg “Seeing as it is part of a larger problem, we won’t be able to solve it without—” or “This is part of a larger problem, and consequently it won’t be solved unless—” I remember reading a bilingual edition of a novel in which the original French went “Il s’acquitta du montant puis, après avoir froidement salué, il sortit.” The English translation was “He paid the fee, coldly bowed, and went out.” The French version says “He did X, then, after doing Y, he did Z,” while in English the ‘then’ and ‘after’ are implied by placing actions one after the other (in the first example, the ‘consequently’ is similarly implied.) French likes to add tool-words everywhere in order to keep its more convoluted sentences clear, by making all the logical connectors visible.
So this mixture of etymology, grammatical differences and just plain cultural preferences (which of course stem from the nature of the language) is how you end up with a 700-page book in English becoming a 1000-page book in French...
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My Magnum Opus
The Power of Love
by XxXTaylorLover420XxX
Hi everybody! My name is Wildstar Shimmershine Daphne Woodrainbow, and I’m from the wonderful city of Brockton Bay! I’m a normal teenage girl, and I am 5’3”, I attend Arcadia High School, and I’m pretty, but not pretty pretty, you know? (A/N: Isn’t Wildstar so amazing???) At first glance, I seem to be just an average teenager, but little does anyone know, I have a secret!
It all began in 2011, on April 1st. No, I’m not kidding you! I was just doing my normal Tuesday routine, which was putting on makeup for nine hours, doing forty hours of community service, helping the elderly, doing all my homework like a responsible Christian, and was just doing my normal routine when suddenly . . . . . . . . . . . . a masked boy popped out of the shadows!!! He moved his arm, and suddenly all the homeless orphans I was helping spasmed and fell to the ground! I gasped. “Who are you, you dastardly villain?!?!?” I proclaimed heroically.
“My name is Regent!” said Regent hotly (A/N: Isn’t he so dreamy?). “I’m a villain, and I’m part of the Undersiders, and I can control people’s bodies! I’m the son of the dastardly cape Heartbreaker, and I have daddy issues because of it! Oh no, did I say that out loud?”
“It’s okay, I can help you!” I proclaimed heroically again. We started making out because that’s how you help people probably.
Suddenly, a monster popped out of the sky! It was the Smurf. It scared me so much, I had a trigger event! Now I can shoot rainbows from my fingers, and the rainbows knock out bad guys. “I have seen the beauty and worth of true love, and I understand the value of humanity now,” said the Simurf. “I will now seek out my true love instead of killing people!”
“Wow wildstar, I’m really impressed! Good job, Wildstar. We all love you,” said Alec. “You have shown both me and Sandra (A/N: That’s the Simurgle’s real name btw) the true meaning of Christmas! It’s not about toys or gifts, it’s about the joy of spending time with family and not eradicating humanity!”
The End.
A/N: Wow, that took a lot out of me. Stay tuned for chapter two: In Pursuit of Scion (NSFW) (Rated R) (NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 27)
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