#mc journal

Summary:

The count is at Albert’s house and they are chatting, the Count tells some interesting stories about his past and they talk about the Count’s slaves. It’s noted that they are free now because they are in France and the Count says they are free to go but they stay with him. The Count takes a special interest in Maximillian Morrell and his family.

The count then talks to just Albert, and they point out a painting of his mother and father. The count talks to Albert’s father and it’s a little strange, but only on the counts side, but then Albert’s mother shows up and it’s reallyyyyy weird. The count leaves

Thoughts:

The Mercedes painting!!

“It showed a young woman of twenty-five or twenty-six, dark in colouring, her burning eyes veiled beneath languorous lids. She was wearing the picturesque costume of a Catalan fisherwoman, with a red-and-black bodice and her hair held back with gold pins. She was looking at the sea, so that her elegant figure was outlined against the two blues, of the sky and the waves.”

This is going to come back. I wonder if The Count was immediately able to recognize that the painting was about him. It was also very interesting to see the Count recognize these people and how they acted around him. This is kind of a trope I don’t see that often, this sort of double fake identity where the audience knows more than the characters on multiple levels it’s great.

And the moment with Mercedes at the end is absolute gold, especially with Albert’s dad there.

I don’t really have much to say about the first chapter except I’m in desperate need of the family tree again now that everyone’s kids have shown up oof.

“There is a letter to prove it, in the possession of Franz, signed by me with a postscript by Luigi Vampa.”

Summary:

Franz goes home sadly to have dinner without Albert, who accepted a different invitation for himself. By 11 Albert is not back, so Franz asks around for him in Rome. Then at the hotel there is a man waiting outside, who has a letter for Franz from Albert, which is asking for Ransom as he had been kidnapped by Luigi Vampa. However, Franz doesn’t have enough money to pay, so he goes to the Count. We find out Peppino is the messenger. Franz asks the count to go communicate with Luigi, because he remembers the conversation he overheard between them. Peppino is willing to help the count and gives them the information on the kidnapping as well as brings them to Albert, who is sleeping in a room full of bandits. The Count explains that Albert and Franz are his friends and should not be kidnapped. They then leave and go to a dance.

Thoughts:

I really do think we are back!!! I loved this chapter. The bandits were good (I don’t think we needed Luigi’s whole backstory to get here though)

I LOVED albert.

““Oh,” said he, “is it you, captain? You should have allowed me to sleep. I had such a delightful dream. I was dancing the galop at Torlonia’s with the Countess G——.” Then he drew his watch from his pocket, that he might see how time sped.

“Half-past one only?” said he. “Why the devil do you rouse me at this hour?”

“To tell you that you are free, your excellency.”

“My dear fellow,” replied Albert, with perfect ease of mind, “remember, for the future, Napoleon’s maxim, ‘Never awaken me but for bad news;’ if you had let me sleep on, I should have finished my galop, and have been grateful to you all my life. So, then, they have paid my ransom?”

He is so unbothered 🙌

And I particularly liked Franz and Albert’s dynamic, such as when Franz is sad because Albert’s out without him 😢

This is the start to the Count’s convoluted plans, which were my favorite part of the book on my last read. Bc why is the Count getting Albert kidnapped to be on his good side. There’s got to be an easier way!!

Summary:

After sharing information about the treasure, the Abbe talks of it constantly. Him and Edmond create a plan to collect it, though the Abbe knows he will not be able to escape. In the middle of the night, Edmond hears the Abbe have his second attack, and rushes over. He tries to revive him with the antidote, but the Abbe sadly dies. Edmond sits with his corpse, but then sneaks back to the tunnel, where he listens for what the prison guards and governor say. They confirm the Abbe is dead, and talk about how they did like him, though are quite disrespectful. There is no priest to say his last writes, and they decide to remove his body in a few hours. After they leave, Dante’s goes back into the cell.

Thoughts:

Edmond losing two fathers 😭😭 he doesn’t even know the first one is gone yet 😭😭

Also Abbe Faria giving paragraph long speeches while actively dying is just so Abbe Faria 😭 I would expect nothing less! And planning out how to escape

Summary:

Franz and Albert are meeting the Count of Monte Cristo in his apartment. He offers up a carriage for them to use during their time in Rome, and also summons his servant Bertuccio. Franz recognized Bertuccio from the island of Monte Cristo, and The Count as Sinbad the Sailor. The Count then invited them to an execution of two people, though he notes one of them has been pardoned, Peppino. He pretends not to know the name of this person though Franz remembers the conversation he overheard with Luigi. They speak about revenge and the death penalty. Franz rejects going to the execution at first, but Albert seems more into it, and finally they decide to go. At the execution both men come on stage, but Peppino is pardoned at the last minute. The other prisoner is enraged, but then he is killed. Franz and Albert are horrified, but the Count is triumphant.

Thoughts:

Guys this chapter, I think we are BACK!! What a fun one!!! Such interesting thoughts on vengeance, executions, it’s all relevant to the overall story. We get good insight into the Count’s inner world, foreshadowing OUGH it’s so good

Whenever we get a holy metaphor with Edmond I get so excited too

“The count was erect and triumphant, like the Avenging Angel!”

Plus we get introduced to another character (though I guess we have met him before?) Bertuccio.

And the execution scene at the end was so cool to read, with how the one prisoner turns on the other, and everyone watching. Amazing imagery.

Also loved Albert and Franz here, a specific shoutout to very dumb Albert of course

“How attentively he looked at you.”

“At me?”

“Yes.”

Albert reflected. “Ah,” replied he, sighing, “that is not very surprising; I have been more than a year absent from Paris, and my clothes are of a most antiquated cut; the count takes me for a provincial. The first opportunity you have, undeceive him, I beg, and tell him I am nothing of the kind.””

Summary: There are no carriages in Rome and Franz and Albert want to go around the city. Pastrini explains to them the smugglers of the city. He starts with Luigi Vampa, who started as a Shepard who was quite smart, who was in love with a girl Teresa. We get another story inside a story about how violent the bandits of the city are, in particularly focusing on the leader Cucumetto. Teresa and Luigi go to a ball and Teresa wishes to be rich so Luigi steals from the count who is hosting it. Sinbad the Sailor stops them while escaping and offers money to Luigi, who refuses it. Monte Cristo is also staying next door. Cucumetto tries to steal Teresa, but Luigi kills him, and declare him leader of the bandits. Albert and Franz are shocked, and then they go into the city.

Thoughts:

Had a bunch of days to read this chapter, but honestly, probably least favorite chapter. I can see what Dumas is trying to do, I read what other people thought about it. But it really is falling into the trap of being kind of long winded but also about characters I’m really not too invested in

I feel like a fake Monte Cristo fan 🤧

But I thought it was interesting how Dumas talked about Rome at the beginning! Dumas actually wrote travel books so I guess it makes sense! It does feel a bit like you are being toured through it by him, as he explains the dos and do nots.

Summary:

Edmond returns to Abbe’s cell to hear about the treasure, though he is quite doubtful and assumes that it is a sign the Abbe is going mad. The governor comes to check on the Abbe, who lies about how bad his ailment is, and then Edmond returns. The Abbe tells a long tale of how he became involved in a family with a long standing hidden treasure, and how he because the sole heir to it. It took him years to find its location, and he was arrested on the way to it. He then tells Edmond that if they escape together, Edmond can have half of the treasure, and if only Edmond survives, he can have all of it. Edmond rejects this, but the Abbe explains that he claims Edmond as his son.

Thoughts:

That long story. . . I’m ngl to you guys I was snoozing through it.

“Up to this point,” said Faria, interrupting the thread of his narrative, “this seems to you very meaningless, no doubt, eh?”

The Abbe is not talking to Edmond here he is talking to ME.

But it’s still a really sweet chapter 😭😭 THE MOMENT AT THE END OUGH ITS SO SAD !!! the Abbe claiming Edmond as his son just WAHHH. Edmond cried. I cried. Great moment.

Also I feel like I’m just really dumb and don’t know enough about French history, but when the mention Rome a lot and I’m assuming they aren’t talking about the ancient Roman Empire? They are talking about how Napoleon was the “ruler of Rome?” Or the “Holy Roman Empire?” I feel like a buffoon asking but I can’t quite figure out which.

Summary:

Franz goes to the Colosseum. He overhears a conversation between Sinbad the Sailor and Vampa, about a Shepard who was wrongfully imprisoned. Sinbad offers to buy his freedom and Vampa says he is indebted to him. The next day, Franz and Albert go to the Italian Opera, though Albert does not like the opera as much as Franz. They are sitting with the countess G-. Across the theater sits a young greek woman with the count of Monte Cristo. The Countess G- says she recognizes the pretty girl and that she often comes with the Count of Monte Cristo or sometimes a black slave. Countess G- also thinks that Monte Cristo is a vampire. Later that night, Monte Cristo offers them a carriage for their time in Rome, and Franz realizes it’s the man he met on the island.

Thoughts:

I am still trudging through this part of the book. Please. People defend it in the comments so I can see it’s worth!!!!

But I am glad to see Haydee! I actually really like Haydee despite her story’s ending. I do think she is a extremely interesting character with an interesting arc.

I remember the countess G- as well!! Why is her name like that. I thought it was just my version but it’s in every like description of the book I can find too. And the audio book. Why is she in witness protection