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Dumas - Three Musketeers or Count of..and are these appropriate for 10th?


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Somehow we are almost ready for the next lit book and I haven't chosen our next book.

 

I'm trying to decided between The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo. My boys are 10th and 12th. I haven't read either of these. My SIL thinks that Three Musketeers has better themes. Are both equally appropriate for these ages with regard to content? enjoyment?

 

Thanks,

Kendall

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My all time, number one favorite book is The Count of Monte Cristo. Three Musketeers is also great, but most kids are familiar on some level with the story line. I have found few kids who have read The Count of Monte Cristo. The themes, IMO, are far deeper than those of the other book. I think everyone can relate on some level to "being done wrong" and the feelings that engenders which makes The Count of Monte Cristo so timeless, IMO.

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I think The Count of Monte Cristo is so provocative that you won't need to look around for discussion questions! The issues of justice, revenge, forgiveness, mercy, honor, etc are so poignantly palpable and every chapter is basically a cliffhanger so that one feels very compelled to discuss all the exciting things that are going on. It isn't the type of book where you have to dig for meaning.

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I think The Count of Monte Cristo is so provocative that you won't need to look around for discussion questions! The issues of justice, revenge, forgiveness, mercy, honor, etc are so poignantly palpable and every chapter is basically a cliffhanger so that one feels very compelled to discuss all the exciting things that are going on. It isn't the type of book where you have to dig for meaning.

Maybe a dumb question, but is it worth getting the unabridged version? We have an abridged version which is 600+ pages (one of the Barnes & Noble classics series).

 

I have not read the book, but saw the film adaptation with Jim Caviezel. Yes, there are so many wonderful themes, as you've mentioned, of revenge, mercy, redemption, etc., that I've always wanted to read this book.

 

Also, any recommendations for a particular edition? Is it fine to start with the abridged version?

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I know I've seen the Jim Caviezel movie and it was very good, but as I recall it really simplified and changed some of the story (which I think is necessary when putting it into movie form; it is such a long and complicated story!). I don't really know about abridged versions. The one I read is from B&N Classics and it says 'abridged' though it still manages to be 618 pages!

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I have The Count of Monte Cristo in the 2 original volumes. I don't think you would miss anything substantial by reading the more popular abridged version. Most people don't even realize that the really long book they see at the store is abridged.

I know; I didn't even notice that the book was abridged when we bought it! I remember listening to some Veritas Press Teacher Training recordings on my MP3 player, and Ty Fischer was saying that a student asked him for a book recommendation while he and his family went on vacation for a week. Mr. Fischer recommended The Count of Monte Cristo and the student came back after his vacation and said, "That book was 1200 pages long!" Apparently Mr. Fischer had the abridged version as well. :)

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Thanks so much everyone. What I really want to do is read both books myself, but based on your input I think I'll read Count of Monte Cristo.

 

I have an offshoot questions regarding literature discussions (which I'm lousy at). Do you discuss along the way or when they finish? I don't want to give things away accidentally(which I've come close to doing for several books they have read. Yet it seems like with such a long book I shouldn't wait until the end. I could just read Count at their pace so that I don't know any more than they do. But I'm not sure I could stand reading it that slow!

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I think The Count of Monte Cristo is so provocative that you won't need to look around for discussion questions! The issues of justice, revenge, forgiveness, mercy, honor, etc are so poignantly palpable and every chapter is basically a cliffhanger so that one feels very compelled to discuss all the exciting things that are going on. It isn't the type of book where you have to dig for meaning.

 

:iagree: The Count of Monte Cristo is a favorite at our house!

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COMC is my all time favorite book. Ds and I have a 12 hour road trip to acomplish, and I will be taking this with us in the audio version. We just finished the French Revolution and Napoleanic Wars about a month ago, so the timing is great. :)

 

One other comment, while I enjoyed watching the Jim Cavaziel movie version (by myself, so as not to spoil the story for ds) it really diverges from the origianl story line. The ending is not the same at all! The old Richard Chamberlain version is much more true to the story, for anyone who wants to watch it after reading the book.

 

hth

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