The Three Musketeers Readalong Post 2: Chapters 30-67.

Welcome to the second post of our The Three Musketeers readalong hosted here at A Literary Odyssey. Two weeks ago, participants posted their thoughts on the first half of Dumas' novel. Today, we will be discussing the second half of this French classic.

I really enjoyed the first half of this novel. I found it to be fun, light, and easy to read. In fact, I was well on my way to declaring this a favorite.

Because this truly is a fun read. Each chapter is filled with action and laughter. The musketeers and D’Artagnan are slightly ridiculous and while they seem to be in "peril" in certain parts of the novel, I never fear for them.

However, the book began to lose its charm for me in the second half of the novel. The focus shifted away from our male heroes for a length of time to follow our villain as she made her way to England. Madame de Winter is captured and we spend the next length of time with her in her captivity.

This is where Dumas lost me...and made me angry. We watch as de Winter continues to be made into a villain, which she is. But it is the way she reaches her viciousness that bothered me. She uses seduction and low tricks to manipulate the men around her...and after reading it for a while, I got annoyed. Why is it that women can only be clever when they use their sex appeal? It seemed to me as if Dumas was saying that women are either helpless (aka Constance Bonacieux or the Queen), or some kind of evil seductress. I didn't see a middle ground.

I also got annoyed with the treatment of Constance Bonacieux near the end of the novel. It almost felt like Dumas didn't know what to do with her.

I also got to the point where I was done being humored by the exploits of our heroes. It started to become tired. I wanted to shake them and make them care for the people around them. By the end of the novel, I began to see them as selfish and spoiled. Yes, grown spoiled men.

But the biggest problem is that I simply wanted more from this. Where The Count of Monte Cristo left me thinking and debating in my head, this was just what it appeared to me. I have been thinking about this novel for the last few days since I finished it, and I still can't find the deeper meaning I am looking for. In comparison to many of the other classics I have read, this one just seems to lack the lasting impact I want from these titles.

It was fun, yes. And I will probably reread it at some point. But it just lacked the depth I crave and the power to make a lasting impression on me.

How did you feel about it?

If you participated and completed the readalong, post a link to your post below. In addition, please leave me your e-mail so I can contact you. :) Thank you!

The Three Musketeers Readalong Post 1: Chapters 1-29.

Welcome to post 1 of 2 for the readalong of Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers hosted here at A Literary Odyssey. This post covers the first half of the book (roughly 300 or so pages depending on your edition), or the first 29 chapters.

This is only the second novel by Dumas that I have read. I have read The Count of Monte Cristo twice and have loved it intensely both times. So why did I wait so long to pick up another novel by Dumas? I think we can all be intimidated by the length in Dumas’ works. The Count of Monte Cristo is truly a brick of a book (my edition is over 1000 pages), and so are many of Dumas’ other novels. Sometimes when it comes to a choice between a 200 and a 600 page book, my sanity meter kicks in and I pick the shorter read.

But, halfway through The Three Musketeers, I feel like I am reading a quick novel. The pace never lets up. Each page has action and drama. I am sucked in to the world of the musketeers and D’Artagnan. Their swords crash constantly and there is never a dull moment.

When I first started, I was a little wary. Our main character, D’Artagnan, is introduced from the beginning a young (and kind of foolish) man who seemed to draw his sword at every little insult. I was put off by him at first and couldn’t believe that Dumas would craft such a silly character.

As the novel went on and I was introduced to more of the main characters (mainly the three musketeers: Athos, Porthos, and Aramis) I was drawn in to the action and liveliness of D’Artagnan. He wasn’t silly anymore, just chivalrous and young. Soon, I found myself beginning to fall in love with the romantic sweep of the novel.

Because at its very core, this is a fun novel and I need some of that fun in my life. While the novel certainly explores some deep things-like murder, treason, etc-it is done in a way that I am constantly entertained. Each of the four main characters makes me smile in their own way and seem to dance off the page. I love their banter, and their need to constantly draw their swords. It is fun, light-hearted, and not at all what I expected.

I will say that the only fault I find in the novel is the main characters lack of...morals? There is constant repetition of the fact that they borrow money from others, steal, and gamble. I understand some of it, but it has gotten to be a little much (particularly the scene with Athos trapped in the cellar of that poor innkeeper). However, it is not enough to prevent me from really enjoying the story, and that is what matters.

The story is progressing and while 300 or so pages have passed, I am still anxious to see what happens. So far our heroes have killed numerous men, rescued gems from England, and been wounded. We have also learned a bit about each of their mysterious pasts and the lives of our musketeers are slowly being unfolded. I, for one, cannot wait to see what happens.

If you are participating in the readalong, please comment here and leave a link to your post so I can link it here. Make sure you check back often so you can visit other participants and see their thoughts (that’s what makes a readalong fun!).

I will see you back here on March 31 for the second half of the book!

All for one and one for all!

Falaise

Bookworm1858

Karen

L.L.

tasseled

Amy

Bex

Amy-Lit Quest (Not a participant, but wrote a GREAT post!)

The Three Musketeers Readalong Sign-ups:

I am pleased to announce the sign-ups for The Three Musketeers readalong for March 2011! I know that I was excited when this title won the showdown against Moby Dick by Herman Melville. And while I am still planning on reading Melville's tome on the white whale, and I am even more excited to pull this wonderful title off my shelf and dive in.

I like Dumas, even though I have only read one of his books (The Count of Monte Cristo). However, his stories, especially this one, are very familiar and accessible.

If you are unfamiliar with the story, here is a summary from Goodreads.com;

"Perhaps the greatest “cloak and sword” story ever written, The Three Musketeers, first published ion 1844, is a tale for all time. Pitting the heroic young d’Artagnan and his noble compatriots, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis against the master of intrigue, Cardinal Richelieu, and the quintessential wicked woman, Lady de Winter, Alexandre Dumas has created an enchanted France of swordplay, schemes and assignations. The era and the characters are based on historical fact, but the glittering romance and fast-paced action spring from a great writer’s incomparable imagination. From the perilous retrieval of the queens gift to her lover in time to foil Rechelieu’s plot to the melodramatic revelation of Lady de Winter’s true identity, The Three Musketeers is the unchallenged archetype for literary romance and a perennial delight for generations of readers."

Like I said, I am VERY excited for this readalong.

Here is the schedule I have planned out. The pages are based on my edition, which is a Bantam Classic paperback. I am sure that the chapters are the same. :)

• Post 1 will go up on March 15th (Tuesday): Post 1 will be over the first half of the book (the first 316 pages OR chapters 1-29)
• post 2 will go up on March 31st (Thursday): Post 2 will cover the second half of the book (roughly from page 317 to page 635 OR chapters 30-67)

If there is huge public outcry from the participants on any of these dates, please let me know and we can discuss changing things around.

To participate, all you need to do is comment here saying you're in! Make sure you leave me a link to your blog so I can link you here with your name. I do hope you'll consider. As my current readalong participants will soon be able to tell you, there are wonderful things in store if you complete the readalong!

If you are a participant, the only requirement for completion is to post on or around the posting date. I don't require you to comment on everyone else's posts, but that's the fun part!

So, are you in? If so, comment away! And please consider sending more people this way. The more the merrier.

"All for one, one for all!"

Participants:
InkWorkNow
Whitney
L.L.
Ellen
Bex
Falaise
Tasseled
Bookworm1858
Aimee
Karenlibrarian
Alexandra
FleurFisher (maybe)

Sunday Salon: April 11, 2010.

My eyes are still feeling a little heavy after reading so much yesterday, but let's give this post a go!

Things are going to get a little crazy around here this week, and I doubt I will get much of anything done before Tuesday. On Tuesday Matt and me are heading up to Michigan State for their annual Teacher Recruitment Fair. Every year school districts from around the country and Michigan go to meet with new grads, and old alums like me, and see if jobs can be found! The last two years I focused solely on talking with Michigan schools, since we didn't want to move. This year, however, we have both come to the realization that Michigan is floundering and there aren't very many teaching jobs.

We researched all the the out of state districts and have a list of our top districts (mainly in Colorado). Our only criteria was that there was a university or college within driving distance!

Anyway, Tuesday should be an exciting day and I hope that I come home with good news...and a job contract!

After all the excitement of Tuesday, I do have some grand reading plans!

• Finish Persuasion by Jane Austen: In all reality, I should finish this today, since I only have 60 or so pages left. It will make good bedtime reading tonight.
• Read/Finish The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas for the Classics Circuit. I keep putting these off and I need to finish them both!
• Read/Finish Part 2 of The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. I read another 100 pages yesterday in the read-a-thon, but I still have a chunk to go before Thursday's post.

Well, with all of that being said, I am going to go make breakfast and eat before I leave for work!

Happy Reading!