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Alexandre Dumas: The Three Musketeers

I'm taking it with me on vacation. I hope I can get into it, cause I'm not taking anything else with me (except a travel guide of course). My sister's crazy about Dumas, so I have high hopes.
 
you're in for a good read. ;)
the movies have never fully done the novel justice in my point of view.
the mid 70's version comes closest, but still doesn't quite hit it.
if you're like me, you'll want to read more of Dumas when you're finished witht the Musketeers.
 
I've been wondering about Richelieu in this book. Is he really bad? In the end he even seems to like the Musketeers...In films is usually different- he is punished.
 
I'm only half way through and he's been quite mean so far. He's a religious bigot and he hates the Queen because she spurned his romantic advances. He's not really that fond of the King, he's just using him to get at the Queen (so far at least). He was also mean to the Queen Mum because she didn't much fancy him either. Admittedly the Queen is a bit of an unfaithful strumpet, but he's out to get her for petty reasons, rather than to preserve the honour of his King.
 
the 3 M

It's a pretty good book... You can really tell it was serialized novel... It roams around and branches off quite a bit... My personal favorite is Counte of Monte Cristo... It seems a bit more focussed... but I must admit I haven't read tons of Dumas...
 
I read more than half of this on vacation, and I expected to like it more than I am. They do such stupid things for reasons and motivations that I don't understand, including:
1) Losing incredible horses either in gaming or selling them at half value.
2) Getting into fights for very paltry reasons, where people get killed.
3) Throwing away purses of money because they were obtained dishonorably, while they are broke, then living off their mistresses.

Also, if D'artagnan has this incredible salve, why doesn't he ever give it to Athos, who seems to get wounded quite often? I keep expecting him to say, "Hey, you seem to be in some pain, my mom gave me a recipe for some great stuff, you want some?" but he never does.
 
I have not read this book but it's on my TBR list! Just wanted to comment though because I don't undersand your reasoning here :)

Ashlea said:
I read more than half of this on vacation, and I expected to like it more than I am. They do such stupid things for reasons and motivations that I don't understand, including:
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1) Losing incredible horses either in gaming or selling them at half value.
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So? :) Do people always do things that make sense? Do you? Lot's of people gamble and lose a lot of money doing it. People have even gambled their homes away! Would I? No. Would you? No. But some people would. This character or characters obviously would.

2) Getting into fights for very paltry reasons, where people get killed
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Again, same anwser as above. People in this world often get into fights for stupid reasons. You spilled my drink. Are you looking at me? Did you just insult me? You did not return that mower I lent you ( BANG BANG ). It happens all the time. Again, would you? No. Would I? No. But people do it all the time. It happens every Friday night. What's so unrealistic about that?

3) Throwing away purses of money because they were obtained dishonorably, while they are broke, then living off their mistresses.
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Would you keep money that was obtained dishonorably? They are following a code of honor. What's weird about that?

Also, if D'artagnan has this incredible salve, why doesn't he ever give it to Athos, who seems to get wounded quite often? I keep expecting him to say, "Hey, you seem to be in some pain, my mom gave me a recipe for some great stuff, you want some?" but he never does.
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OK, I can see this! :D

PS: WELCOME BACK :D Good to see you back! Did you enjoy your vacation? :)
 
He gave him some salve near the beginning of the book as I recall. But it hasn't been mentioned since. The way it's written it seems that Dumas knows that they're all a bunch of idiots and the reader is invited to laugh at their stupid behaviour. Moreso in the early stages of the book than the latter, where they are forced to grow up and think as events start overtaking them. I've got less than 30 pages to go now and Lady De Winter is the most conniving bitch in the world. I like her. :D

It's a very different book to Monte Cristo where the hero is a far darker and more intelligent character. There are hints of depth in the character of Athos, but our Musketeers are supposed to be young men out to seek glory and fame through their swords and as such I don't see much difference in their behaviour than in the squaddies of today.
 
Translation for Ashlea and our American chums! Squaddies = soldiers :D

Yeah, have not read it but that's what it seems like to me. They are a bunch of young lads out for adventure and excitment. They are young and not too bright :D

I do wanna read this one, it sounds good :)
 
SillyWabbit said:
Yeah, have not read it but that's what it seems like to me. They are a bunch of young lads out for adventure and excitment. They are young and not too bright :D
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It's exactly how they behave. Imagine a bunch of 20-something new recruits, out for a saturday night in town and all beered up. They don't have a brain between them and I very much doubt things were any different back then. They treat the women like dirt, they live from one meal to the next, they beat their servants to keep them in line and they each and every one of them thinks they're God's gift. I think Dumas got it spot on.
 
I guess I just find it difficult reading books where all the characters are none too bright. The whole thing just makes me want to roll my eyes and say, "MEN!"
 
I'm 3/4 done with it and can hardly wait 'til I've finished. I was amused by some of the characters at first but their stupidity got old real quick. The only one that makes any sense to me is Milady.
It appears to me the lackeys should have formed a union and France was overriden with venereal diseased alcoholics.
The characters constantly spoke of honor and love but haven't a clue of the concept.....at least from my point of view.
It does make me want to go back and see the movie again to see how much it differs and how much I've forgotten.
And I'd completely forgotten about that salve you metioned until reading your post. :eek:
Overall, I'd give it a 6 on a scale of 10 (so far) but I'm sure that my lack of interest in the French has bearing.



RaVeN
 
Up until now I think this book is great. I chose to read it in french. I was afraid that I was going to have difficulties understanding the way it was written but I'm not. It's really good.
 
I finally finished the beast last night and though it did get better in the later stages(in both story and prose), it didn't do as much for me as I thought it would.
It made me realize though that things really haven't changed that much over the years. Wars are still fought with religion as a springboard and most of the time it's because the guy starting it all wants to enlarge his penis size.
What I want to know is, whatever became of Kitty? She's the one I would have devoted my efforts on.


RaVeN
 
I wonder whether Dumas was aware that his characters tend to be obnoxious or thought that there were "cool"? Or maybe that is the way he peceived people living at that times?
 
I've only read this and Monte Cristo, but the characters in that were quite different. So I think it might have been a deliberate act on his part to paint them as morons. I'd be interested to hear from people who've read the later books in the series to see if the characters mature as they age. In which case it would make this book a lot more impressive. I'll probably read the next one just to see. A lot happens to them in this book, so maybe it's a learning experience for them all that forces them to grow up.
 
I think that in Monte Christo characters were more tragic, while Musketeers are more comic. However, Monte Christo's plot was IMO a little overcomplicated.
It's funny how films change the Three Musketeers- Richelieu is really very bad and is punished in the end, Milady and Athos are tragic lovers, Queen meets Buckingham to obtain England's help against Richelieu, Constance's husband doesn't exist or is transformed into her father on uncle...and good guys are noble whereas bad are not. Funny...
 
Constance's husband was a bit of a shock to me actually. I suppose all that infidelity didn't sit well with any of the film makers so it was much simpler just to write him out completely.
 
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