Been yelling about this for years. But what’s even more interesting is that Dumas also based a lot of the story on his own father (also named Alexandre Dumas), who was wrongfully imprisoned by Napoleon himself for many years. He was a mixed-race former slave, so I highly doubt Dumas would write a character inspired by his father as white.

Kind of annoyed at this point about adaptations that whitewash the Count of Monte Cristo not only because a huge bit of the Counts character and experiences are based on Dumas himself (who was black) but also because at every point when the Rich Assholes™️ are trying to guess the Counts nationality as if it matters, they assume he's Maltese, Egyptian, Arab, Turkish, Levantine, Indian, everything EXCEPT French. I rest my case that Edmond Dantés is NOT white.

A lot of tcomc adaptations I've seen have ended the story by having Edmond get his revenge and then happily reunite with Mercédés and leave the story like that, and here's why that does NOT fly with me.

The Count of Monte Cristo is NOT a love story about Edmond and Mercédés, though it starts that way. A lot of adaptations tend to do this, as in zero in on the romance (and leave Haydée out if the plot, wtf???) But the romance, although an accessory of the tragedy, is NOT central to the tragedy! Mondego, Danglars, Caderousse, and Villefort didn't JUST steal Edmond away from Mercédés, they also a) left his father to starve to death, b) took advantage of Mercédés' misery to marry her when she had no one left, c) abandoned Edmond to suffer in prison presumably for the rest of his life, and d) did all of that other insane shit that didn't affect Edmond personally.

But the point of the original ending is that there is too much time lost between Edmond and Mercédés, too much loneliness between them, and they have changed too much apart from each other for things to go back to how they were. Although Mercédés can see past the Counts callousness to find his old humanity, Edmond HAS changed, he's not the same bright-eyed young man who had so much in life to do. Mercédés isn't the same untroubled, poor woman Edmond fell for, and that's okay! They still love each other, though they have different paths in life and different responsibilities! It just seems, maybe cheap is the right word, to give Edmond the traditional "happy ending" by having him "get the girl back" in the end, as if that were the point of his efforts. They've earned their peace!

By far one of the best novels to grace this planet. It’s got intrigue, action, adventure, and a million plot points all adding up to a brilliant story. The characters themselves feel so real, with in-depth emotions and thoughts and feelings that make you love (and hate) them more. I cannot endorse this novel enough.

can someone tell me if the count of monte cristo is actually worth reading? I read the three musketeers and despised it (hated the plot, hated the characters)

me: oh man im starving but im not sure what i should make for dinner……

the spirit of a 12th century templar knight that died a horrific death due to torture that started haunting me after i found a sword in the middle of the woods: spaghetti once more, prithee?

me: henry you are brilliant. spaghetti it is

jane eyre is a comedy

Yes Jane should have married Rochester:

1. Even at the beginning of the book, Jane talks about needing something to take care of. This is something fundamentally intrinsic to her. She believes human beings are literally wired to take care of others. By the end of the book, who do you think takes care of who?

2. During her initial engagement to Rochester, she actually fights back against him when he calls her “elfin” and ethereal. She wants to be seen as a woman, not a vision. It’s very telling that she actually marries him at the end when he changes his view and learns his lesson. It’s very telling she marries him when she is a woman of her own means and discovers her family. She only marries him when she herself realizes she is her own independent person. It is not a “girl no,” moment. It’s a marriage where she actually has the upper hand.

3. Girl doesn’t marry him immediately when she finds him. They talk first. They talk for a long time. They tease each other. I would argue this is where she truly falls in love with the man at this point. (Same thing with him)

4. I am tired of the narrative that true female empowerment is to be single. True empowerment differs from woman to woman, and as we established at point one, Jane’s character is literally someone who wants to take care of others. Furthermore, being in an equal partnership, being in love, is empowering and I’m tired of people saying it isn’t.

5. It’s not that she “should.” She wanted to. She likes him. They have fun conversations. The end.

shoutout to sophie aubrey for being the only person in the series who understands how money works

Like i KNOW pride and prejudice is the fan favorite, and everyone loves certified awkward dumbass mr.darcy but you have to give some credit to captain frederick wentworth who literally just, ignores the lady hes madly in love with while simultaneously writing her a letter telling her how much he loves her while theyre both in the same god damn room, and THEN he leaves but comes back like haha oopsie forgot my gloves :) shoves the letter in her hands and runs out the door, what a guy

my favorite part of the classic film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) is when jack aubrey, needing to rally his men after the hms surprise is fired on by the acheron, gives a rousing speech which ends with the absolute banger line: “boys. i think we’re on the far side of the world. also i’m the master and you’re the commander. 2003.”

if tumblr explodes you can address a letter to my url and place it in any hollow log. to be clear i will not receive it. but it is an action you can take

These are the people that loudly hiss whenever Mr. Rochester enters a room.

People be like: I like Gothic fiction, but if any characters are meaner and ruder than Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice I WILL be crying and throwing up

When I say that my husband listens to old music what I mean is that my kindergartener was singing sea shanties in the back seat as I drove him to school.

Are you… currently crying about Lancelot?

haven’t read any arthuriana stuff in a while and im like. damn I miss my friends

Finished The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Tolstoy last night and haven't stopped thinking about it since 😃 (😰)

Following up with this chapter about the elements of horror in the text, if anyone is interested!

Girl help I've fallen victim to one of the classic blunders

Sometimes I think that I like the things I do a normal amount and then something like looking at an ocean makes me go “omg just like in Persuasion by Jane Austen”