Hi Hannah! I'm French, so to answer your question about french history and if the monarchy was reinstituted: yes it was. For about a century after the revolution, the political climate was very unstable, and regimes kept falling and coming back. so between 1791 and 1881 the regimes were: monarchy then republic then empire, then monarchy then republic then empire all over again until the republic was permanently instituted in 1881! Basically, ever regime circled twice, so it is easy to remember! ;-)
Immigrant here in France, yeah, lol, the revolution didn't end the way most of the world thinks, lol, like we all were taught about Napoleon, but I don't think it dawned on most of us that the republic didn't exist anymore, and we're never taught about Louis XVIII or Charles X or Napoleon III, lol, and we all think Les Miserables is about the first revolution not the ill-fated one from like the 1830s lol
As an English major, who also did a masters in English, don't worry about missing key bits of info in classics I guarantee you everyone does! I used to read the book AND read the sparknotes all the time. It's all about whether you can still enjoy a story while following along in sparknotes too
@@daisydog That's the worst - and having also read catch 22 you REALLY need the sparknotes for that one, they should've been impressed by your dedication instead lol
Monte Cristo is a lot of fun, but can drag a bit at times. It was first published in parts in a newspaper, so Dumas was probably incentivized to make the story longer than it needed to be. My advice for anyone interested: Get a physical copy and don't hesitate to skip repetitive passages. :)
Don't be scared of classics! They're just stories that has made an impact big enough to still engage readers. You don't have to be 'smarter' to enjoy them. 🙂
If you're looking for more "hot gossip piping hot tea drama" classics I HIIIIIIGHLY recommend Anna Karenina. Lots of romance and affairs and pretty dresses. Tolstoy originally was inspired to write it after reading a story in the newspaper about a woman who had an affair and left her husband and kids and the original intention was to make her the villain, but when he started writing from Anna's perspective he understood her motivations and so the book ends up presenting women in a much more balanced and nuanced way than most classics, especially the ones written by men. Also, given the constraints of the medium, the Keira Knightley and Matthew McFadden adaptation was excellent
@@morehannah You have inspired me to make my own video of recommendations for the MBTI types!! Would love if you could check it out, was so much fun to research and film!
One thing to note about the 'classic' designation is that this is kind of a false category? They weren't all being written in the same time or culture--even though some were, and others still reference each other, but how their macro and microstructure is designed and accomplished has nothing to do with genre. A way that I often explain this is equating it to animation. Animation is a medium, not a genre. It can do and be anything--tell any story, have any pacing, and be for any age group depending on what the story is designed for, but the medium doesn't determine story or pacing etc. Similarly, classics are not a genre. They can tell any story, be any genre, have various structures and pacings, and be for any age depending on each one's individual design. I think the biggest gap is that many modern readers are less familiar with the references that the writers give and so it can feel like we're less intelligent than we are when we have to go looking up things. It's really important to remember though that we're also much further removed from a lot of these incidents and periods of history than the audiences these pieces were written for and most of the knowledge we hold most up front in our brains didn't exist at the times many in this subcategory were written. That's the fun of it, though! I think whether or not you continue to explore a lot of older works (which can be really fun to do), I want to encourage you that looking up references and facts and historical points etc., in tandem with your reading is exactly the point of reading these books. It's an adventure, and it's all about connecting with people of a different time. Cheers to You!
Yay, I love bookish content! The podcast "Maintenance Phase" recently published an interesting episode about the origins of the Myers-Briggs + it's influence on the job market
I don't understand people lumping 'classics' together as if they have anything to do with each other. Saying that Jane Eyre and Frankenstein and Les Miserables are all 'classics' and implying that means they share structure and reading method is about as meaningful as saying Harry Potter, Eat Pray Love and The Kite Runner are all 'modern'.
I LOVED this vlog, it's been a little while since we've seen you get so excited about a book as you did about Monte Cristo! I thought it was so interesting when you mentioned how you couldn't get a sense of the narrative/plot points, like you usually can in more contemporary reads -- classics become classics for many reasons, but one is certainly the work they did in their time to either crystallize/perfect certain narrative forms OR to disrupt/revolutionize them, so I'd be really fascinated to study more about the literary context of that period. I'm actually technically a French literature PhD student, but I still haven't read The Count of Monte Cristo! For other high-drama classics, though, I would recommend maybe The Three Musketeers (also by Dumas) and Anna Karenina to start with! Anna Karenina will require a little background knowledge as you go about Russian history, but I don't think much more than what you did for the Count of Monte Cristo.
I read The Count of Monte Christo when I was 12 or 13, because I had already read everything else in the school library. And then read it again in high school for class. I've always had a special place in my heart for that book ❤
Your journey with TCOMC has burned a fire in me to pick up my unread historical mystery books and this book too! Loved this so much! It was literally like going on an adventure of its own just hearing your process! 💗
The only thing I'm sad about is that my partner would love this story and also want to watch the movie as a movie lover but cannot stand or keep up with subtitles! But hopefully we can get the audio going and he keep up with that because this is his stick for sure!!😂
As someone who has loved Monte Cristo (both book and the older movie version - haven't seen the new, but it is now added to my tbw list!) since my youth, this video was such a joy!! I was prepared to stop watching if you didn't vibe with COMC because my heart wouldn't be able to take it 🤣 The 2002 film has the original Dumbledore (Richard Harris) in it which thrilled me to no end when I was a teen.
When it comes to classics, I can rly see you enjoying Picture of Dorian Gray and Antigone. I also find that when it comes to classics, those are rly easy to understand (I say this as a literature student who also tends to space out and have a hard time w classics :D)
Your enthusiast trait is showing Hannah! When I was in my early 20s I only really read classics (maybe I thought I would appear more intellectual or something? 😖) but since then have always believed that classics are worth persevering through even though you have to filter through a lot of the drivel to get to the best bits. I read Les Miserables after watching the musical back in 2012 and it became an absolute obsession…the book took me 6 months to get through but it was so worth it. It sounds very similar to the Count of Monte Cristo, however rather than revenge for an unfair imprisonment, the character sought to become a forgiving person. I think that using spark notes or other media to get through a classic is a great way to get to enjoy the story, because the way we read and write is very different to how they did then. I think if we avoid classics because they’re an effort to read, we miss out on some really fantastic stories. Anyway really enjoyed this video, your enthusiasm is contagious!
12:37 Not a big romance reader here, but Beth O’Leary’s The Wake Up Call felt like a genuine rivalry that turned to lovers. I also LOVE her book because they cover mental health and how it affects romantic relationships in such a good way. I’ve read all of them and loved them so so much-highly recommend!
@@lisadevries992 I have a while back-it wasn’t one of my favorites personally, but still good generally speaking. Just a bit more on the predictable side for Beth I think? But she always has good characters
@@rachelscherzer1228 I felt like the whole plot of the book was dependent on the fact that they kept describing Addie as beautiful. There was no depth of character necessary, only the fact that she was stunning which made the book feel very superficial. Is that something you recognise or am I entirely misguided? (I don't have any bookish friends, so just wanna know I people who read the book feel the same or differently)
@@lisadevries992 yes I definitely felt that too! That might be a big part of the whole thing-usually get others have deeper characters but the book didn’t stick with me because that was kinda of the whole thing
You just had the ultimate classics experience with the castle! The great part is not only enjoying the stories but also the fact that they are reference or referencing things all over the society and culture. If you get into it you’ll have this experience happen over and over again almost regardless of where you go and it’s exhilarating! Also remember “classics” isn’t a genre it’s just a way to describe a group of books that has stood the test of time. They vary so much in story and writing style. I always recommend The Portrait of Dorian Grey and Frankenstein first, then The Odyssey and Crime and Punishment. Jane Eyre if you’re a romantic. They will make you feel all the emotions AND start catching references all in one go ;)
Middlemarch is another big big classic that is full of romance and drama and so good on audio. I read the first half, took a 9 month break and returned to it and it's one of my favourite reading experiences for the balance of cosy and drama and excellent writing.
I adored count of monte cristo... one of my favourite ever books... but I couldn't stand les mis and I was sad about it 😭😭 unfortunately I'll have to stick to the play!
@@morehannah yess european men in the 19th had a lot of ambition and free time lol but most of the time it is worth it as it makes for a VERY immersive read, you get to know tens of characters throughout decades its kinda insane (count of montecristo> miserables anyway)
❤ how unexpectungly entertaining this video was. even though its a long video and i have not read the story. i was really pulled in by your enthousiastic energy!
A) I want this to be a series somehow with other enneagrams and personality types - tough for you to do when you are not them but I'm like where's the 5 rep!!! B) maybe a hot take but a reading vlog where you fully spoiler the book (which I know you didn't but it felt like you did) is always superior in my opinion because I want all your thoughts even if I haven't read the book!
The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorite books ! Your french accent was great :) I'd love to see you explore more classics ! Why not Les Misérables now 😁
21:23 I’m French and forever embarrassed that I couldn’t answer your question. You seem to know my country’s history better than I do! Everything I learned in history classes is just a very distant and blurry memory 😬
Hannah, I loved seeing you surprise yourself by loving a classic! I get the fear, but many times they are still beloved for very good reason! You just gotta get over the initial difficulty, and after they get you they GET you hahaha anyway, I think you might like The Master and Margarita, by Bulgakov. It's pretty fantastical, with witches and the devil and talking cats and all, but also very epic, cuz it has a bit of historical (biblical, really) elements to it and spans a really long period of time (and it has kind of two plot lines, one in biblical times, and one in the time of the main characters, which correlate). And it's also a beautiful love story, and it's kind of meta... Anyway, just thought you might enjoy it. It's not as old as most of the famous Russian novels, but it's pretty acclaimed too and SO much fun. So naughty and mischievous, I loved it when I read it.
Oh my god! I personaly would disagree with your recommendation! With my whole heart! I think this book is really good at preteding that there is something happening, but in reality it's very philosophical and all about how people are bad. I was really traumatized when I read it. But also I am veru interested how did you decided to read this book? And did you read in Russian? (maybe the translation is better) I studied this book in school and it was mandatory to read, whick definitely added to trauma)))
I'd definitely recommend the Black Count which is about the historical inspiration for the Count of Monte Cristo. It really changed how I viewed the character and story.
Was just about to comment this! The character of Dantes is based on Dumas’ father, who was the first (or one of the first) black officers in the French army. He rose to prominence during the Revolution, fought with Napoleon in Egypt, and was completely mistreated by Napoleon. A fascinating history; the book also looks at race relations in France in that time.
I was excited to see you loved Count of Monte Cristo. You might enjoy Black Count which is a nonfiction book about Dumas' mixed race father and his career in Napoleon's army and imprisonment which might have inspired a few of Dumas' characters!
I went into this video a bit like you did with the Count of Monte Cristo book - my attention slips and I can't grasp the details, but I was with you for this whole journey! Loved the format sprinkled with history and research breaks!
Hannah, I do not know how well I can articulate this feeling, but: I love this video, so much. 💖 I am also an ENFJ, so to realize you & I are the same Meyers-Briggs type drew me to this video. I am a bookish person, and currently a bookseller as well. I have always really enjoyed all of your videos, but your reading life and adventures are something I love hearing about, especially when it comes to genres I read less of nowadays, like fantasy. (Though I also have a deep affection for series like Lord of the Rings. 💚) You've made me want to read The Count of Monte Cristo!! All this to say, thank you for making such videos. Your thoughts on so many matters have positively impacted my life in such a way that I find myself talking about you to others at home and at the bookstore fairly often, and it surprises even me because I am not a very "online" person. Yesterday I was telling my fellow bookseller, a Hufflepuff, about you. 🧡💛 Hope you & yours are well today & enjoying the changing season.
I loved this video. As a huge fan of classics, and someone who loves The Count of Monte Cristo, it was so cool and entertaining to watch you experience the book! Almost like experiencing the twists and anticipation again myself! So so glad you loved it and I agree, it is brilliant!
This is so nerdy but it would be really cool to do this as a blind study- where you read two books based on your personality type and two based on the opposite personality type, and you don't know which is which until the end!
Hi Hannah!! I absolutely loved the count of monte cristo too! Definitely skimmed some of the more complex parts but I still found I could keep up with the key beats of the plot. If you enjoyed that, you might enjoy Don Quixote de La Mancha. It’s a similar vibe in terms of its scope and complexity but it’s also incredibly funny, witty, heartfelt and entertaining. I loved them both even though I’m not massively into classics. They definitely have a PLOT and a dramatic, engaging one at that!
I love the idea of this video! I think it is so fun to think about how the personality types and what kind of books you like intersect! Also, proud of you for getting through Count of Monte Cristo! I lugged it around for months in middle school but eventually left it behind because I felt it was too hard to keep track of (and there was pressure on me to finish more books).
1) I think you’d maybe like The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson, it’s not quite fantasy, more spec fic 2) After seeing your beautiful balcony curly, I think a try at the curly girl method is warranted (once you finish your current products of course)
I just read A Darker Shade of Magic and loved it. Now I'm on to the 2nd one. I have read 14 of the TCR TBR, so I have some excellent recommendations to pick up soon 😁
I love how you identified the reason fantasy is so compelling which I really relate to as most books don’t have enough going on to keep me reading so I think I may try to read Monte Cristo but it is a bit undertaking! From the descriptions you gave I’d recommend a fantasy series which I like to describe as reluctant and yet calculated revenge : the crown of shards series by Jennifer Estep.
Loved this video! I've read a fair amount of classics but still get the fear sometimes that they 'won't be for me'. I challenged myself to read War and Peace during lockdown and was shocked by how enjoyable it was. There were definitely certain plots i didn't really care about, but there was so much going on that there was always something happening that i found interesting and emotionally impactful. I know its a beast, but if you're ever feeling another huge classic that will test your history knowledge it really is worth it! Just maybe get one of those bookmarks with all the family trees of the characters on lol
Glad you enjoyed Christo. I used to be obsessed with Dumas musketeers books when I was at school. I even had a nose bleed on one once….in the middle of a dull class when I was trying to read under the desk 🤦🏼♀️
As a Frenchie who used to watch the 1975 series version as a kid (it is soooo great and so much more faithful to the material because of its length), just read the book after watching the 2024 movie and whose husband is rereading it right now, I looooved this video so damn much. The French history tangent was glorious and I smiled so broadly at the "I'm saying "you" as if I were speaking directly to you, a French person" Also, wanna confirm what some others have said, the story was first published as installments in a newspaper (like Dickens?) so there are some leeeeengthy somewhat useless parts (the whole schtick about the Carnaval in Italy my my!) Anyhoo, great video!!!
Same! I found the Goodreads INFJ list to be largely favorites and books I’ve got on my reading list, with a few things that I can’t even dream of the connection (to me - I realize personality type is not expressed as a single personality among or even within people). I wholeheartedly recommend Les Miserables (the actual book/audiobook) as your next classic. There are parts where I’m sobbing so hard, I have to put the book in timeout for a few days to collect myself and I’ve read it several times (and seen the musical, obviously).
I loved this video SO MUCH! So, I'd definitely love to see a star sign version. Also BIG fan of V E Schwab and I think the Darker Shade of Magic series would be perfect for a type 7. With three worlds to explore you'll definitely feel like a kid in a candy store. I think I'll have to sign up to your patreon if the Darker Shade of Magic is on your book club list. Really loved this video. So, yes very entertained! 😊
I absolutely LOVE The Count of Monte Cristo! I liked it so much I am currently reading the longer unabridged version because I wanted more content 😂. Still enjoying it the 2nd time around
1) VE Schwab is one of my top writers. I recently reread the Darker Shades trilogy before reading the first book of the next trilogy and it felt so much like going home to friends. HIGHLY redommend to anyone who enjoys historical fantasy, friends to lovers, family dynamics, and magic systems that actually have rules. 2) As someone who contemplates a masters in personality psychology I have to say it: Myers Briggs isn't thought of highly. The categories are fun, but it doesn't take into consideration that people may be in the middle range of a characteristic (this leads to really low validity - people will get different categories depending on their mood). Currently, the Big Five (OCEAN) is used most often as it uses a spectrum. Personality changes throughout life though, so to anyone who hasn't taken a personality test since before a major life event or for a few years, it might be fun to retake it.
Not related to the books, but this video inspired me to retake the MBTI and enneagram tests again. I found it super interesting to see that how my personality shifted post Covid/getting therapy, learning more about myself and also learning to become a more authentic version of myself. From a ISFJ to a INFP/INFJ, and from a 9w1 to a 5w4. 😅
I read a lot of contemporary classics and some classics and I find the best way to do it is accept a lower level of comprehension than you’re used to with modern books - if you’re happy to be at 80% comprehension and finish it having got the vibe, the pretty writing and most of the plot points (which for classics I find works absolutely fine) then you’re all good
I love any bookish content (and may now have to give The Count of Monte Cristo a chance), so I love this and would definitely like a zodiac version of this! Or any other version ngl lol
This was such a fun video! I love reading classics but it is so hard. I have tried reading/listening to Dracula multipel times but always got stuck and tired of it. It is very common during the late 1800’s books that the storie starts of one way and then change, with Dracula it is first a man living with Dracula and then when it gets heated they switch into letters from women. One classic that I love and recommend to everyone who wants to read classics is Rebecca! Written in 1938 by Daphne du Maurier it is about a unnamed young woman who marries a wealthy man widower and realise that the whole household and the man is ”haunted” by Rebecca, the mans dead wife. It is thrilling!
So funny I had just moved in Marseille and started reading le Compte de Monte Cristo when you published this vid and didn't finish it to not get spoiled ahaha glad to now you loved it it was indeed very entertaining
You should definitely read A Darker Shade of Magic! I just finished it a few days ago and my first thought was that Hannah would love it! It is a very good fantasy novel that is a quick 3-book series.
You asked if there are any books which are „true“ enemy to lovers books. I immediately had to think about „Carry on“ by Rainbow Rowell. It’s a teenage fantasy trilogy loosely based on Drarry-Fanfiction (Draco+Harry). Rowell actually wrote another book first, „Fangirl“ where the Protagonist writes some of the scenes in Carry on as a Fanfiction writer. The trilogy basically starts in what would have been the seventh year in Hogwarts (it also has a magical school ✨) and deals with all of the questions like, what happens after the war, how do characters deal with the losses, what do they want to do with their lives after they’ve dedicated the past few years fighting. I bloody love this trilogy. It’s so much fun, really adventurous and it has the romance. Highly recommend ☺️
This video really made me think I should give Dumas another chance. I was bored by The Three Musketeers at some point and then never want back to his books. I really recommend Our Mutual Friend by Dickens for a great classic with a lot of mystery, big scope and a great variety of supporting characters! His books are much easier to read then a lot of people think once you read a couple of pages and get used to his voice. And the books are so funny! Strange to think now that I used to think of them as these serious classics. I think you would like his social commentary as well.
As a fellow ENFJ I was very intrigued (less so zodiac as you asked) and had already quoted that Gladiator line in a stay and play this morning. I also feel similar things to the classics but feel encouraged to have a go but with spark notes and audible!! Another podcaster I like also rates TCOMC so I’m leaning in that direction… the enfj thing might swing it for me but boy it sounds long 😮
omg i loved this video so much!! yes would be interested in more videos like this!! when u said Dan wouldnt let u test him to find out his enneagram 😂😂 and the gladiator quote 😂😂 ive also never seen it but the quote is well known😂 omg that movie trailer was soooo dramatic! lmao ive never read the book or seen the films tho!
I DNF'd Beach Read (not the author's fault, I just thought I might be a romance reader, and I'm just not) so my eyes went REALLY WIDE when you started talking about the cult subplot. I hadn't made it far enough to get to that - now I wonder if I should've stuck it out! haha.
It's a film not a book but one of the best examples of true rivals to lovers is 'You've Got Mail'! Which is actually a remake of a Jimmy Stewart film called 'The Shop Around the Corner' which I also recommend 😊
Oh my !! I got into Monte Cristo last year and loved it ! I am french so it was a bit easier to understand, but still got confused about the same stuff as you (specially the dead, non dead character haha). The movie is really good but quite different from the book (because they wanted to make it a one shot instead of two movies, which they should have, and instead, made two films for the Three Musketeers, which they really shouldn’t have done, rubish movies). Hope you like the film anyways !
I only know Count of Monte Cristo from the 2002 film (I did not know there was a new one til this video 😂) but watching you discover the plot was so fun to watch haha I hope you do/did end up watching the 2002 version, it is a good time imo!
I read classics (but not regulary) and I would love to see you read more of those, after all they became classics for a reason. Love your enthusiams it is wonderful
I love the excitement, enthusiasm, and surprise enjoyment! This was such a fun video!!! Isn't The Count of Monte Cristo what Sweeney Todd was based off of? Also reminds me a smidge of Le Mis (into the musical, couldn't finish the book 🫣). Wholehearted YES to the zodiac reading vlog 😆
I have an English degree and I always use SparkNotes when reading chunky classics. It's not a sign they are not for you! It's just a bit of support to help us modern folk follow along and have fun
Hi, Hannah! I really enjoy your reading vlogs, they inspire me to read more! I am currently reading Beach Read, and it was very funny to me that you were reading this book in your vlog. I would personally recomend Bel-Ami by Maupassant, I think that is very much a romance book and it filled with much action!
If you enjoyed the scope of The Count of Monte Cristo might I suggest some George Eliot? Middlemarch and Daniel Deronda especially. Also Daniel Deronda is one of the few classics that actively tries to challenge Jewish stereotypes and being Jewish is a big part of the plot. How authentic it is I can't say as George Eliot wasn't Jewish but even so the breadth of the story is interesting enough.
Since you enjoyed the scheming aspects of The Count of Monte Cristo, I wonder if you would enjoy Hilary Mantel's trilogy about Thomas Cromwell and the court of Henry the Eighth, which start with "Wolf Hall"- I found the books to be super immersive and compelling!
When I read (not just classics) I often have to write down the names of people and who they are to I can keep the characters straight. So losing bits makes sense to me. I read TCOMC right after college and you’re making me think of re-reading it. Or at least seeing the movie 😂
I just had to mention, Suzan Palumbo, a Canadian author, just released a novella that's a queer, Caribbean, sci-fi novella inspired by the Count of Monte Cristo! It's called Countess, you might like it!
If you like mystery books about cults, I would recommend "The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels" by Janice Hallett. It is a mystery about two journals researching a cult on the anniversary of the mass suicide almost 20 years later. It it a great mixed media book, - it's only told through emails, texts, and transcripts - but I listened to it on audio and it was amazing!
When you mentioned the breaking of the fourth wall, googled if monte cristo was published in parts and it was! It was originally published in 18 parts, so those “we” sentenfes are probably author’s notes to readers
Books published in installments are highly addictive! They needed to keep readers buying those papers week after week and knew how to play with tension, expectations and satisfaction. The plot line of him going to jail and then coming back and becoming a political figure reminds me of Valjean in Les Mis. You sold me so bad into the story I kind of want to watch the movie now too hahahaha.
Excellent taste!!! Stephen Fry wrote a modern day version/interpretation of TCOM called The Star's Tennis Balls, not sure if this is a good thing or not but I read it first!
I've loved your video (also just finished re-reading the Cpunt of Monte Christo so part of the fandom). The 2002 movie is much more faithful to the book and the villains especially are way better actors in my opinion so it makes it even more satisfying?
There's a really good TV show from the 2010's called Revenge that is based on The Count of Monte Cristo but is from the perspective of his daughter getting revenge (with lots of twists of course!!)
i'm not always a romance reader, but beach read was one of my top reads of early 2024. it's got.spice, an interesting take on genre x literary and the cult subplot. i only dislike the whole parent forgiveness arc, but either way, for my first emily henry, i had fun
I watched the 2002 Count of Monte Cristo movie at least 4 times. I found it incredibly compelling and the male leads were very attractive. Then Passion of the Christ came out and my crush for Jim Caviezel dissipated. I remember the movie being very enjoyable though.
Loved Count of Monte Cristo! It’s a long time since I read it but I remember loving it. Agree that you’d prob like A Picture of Dorian Gray. Also, Perfume is such a good modern classic which kind of gives me similar vibes xx ♥️🇵🇸🍉🧿🍉🇵🇸♥️
Hi Hannah! I'm French, so to answer your question about french history and if the monarchy was reinstituted: yes it was. For about a century after the revolution, the political climate was very unstable, and regimes kept falling and coming back. so between 1791 and 1881 the regimes were: monarchy then republic then empire, then monarchy then republic then empire all over again until the republic was permanently instituted in 1881! Basically, ever regime circled twice, so it is easy to remember! ;-)
Merci!!
Immigrant here in France, yeah, lol, the revolution didn't end the way most of the world thinks, lol, like we all were taught about Napoleon, but I don't think it dawned on most of us that the republic didn't exist anymore, and we're never taught about Louis XVIII or Charles X or Napoleon III, lol, and we all think Les Miserables is about the first revolution not the ill-fated one from like the 1830s lol
Fun fact : that's why we have three pretenders to the throne (if we ever would reinstate monarchy).
I was gonna say that the late 1700s and most of the 1800s is when the French couldn't make their minds up.
@@aeolia80where arenyou from? We learned it in school- it was quite comfusing.
As an English major, who also did a masters in English, don't worry about missing key bits of info in classics I guarantee you everyone does! I used to read the book AND read the sparknotes all the time. It's all about whether you can still enjoy a story while following along in sparknotes too
@Oaxara I once had a bookseller shame me for buying Sparknotes for Catch 22 even after I explained it was for comprehension. 🙄
@@daisydog That's the worst - and having also read catch 22 you REALLY need the sparknotes for that one, they should've been impressed by your dedication instead lol
@@daisydog Catch 22, gave me a headache reading it, and give me a headache if I think about it too much.
yes!
Monte Cristo is a lot of fun, but can drag a bit at times. It was first published in parts in a newspaper, so Dumas was probably incentivized to make the story longer than it needed to be.
My advice for anyone interested: Get a physical copy and don't hesitate to skip repetitive passages. :)
An absolute side note but your hair looks absolutely gorgeous when wavy on the balcony 😍
Thanks!! ☺️
We need a video where you try the curly girl method
It’s giving Buffy!
Loving the side quest on French government history!!
Don't be scared of classics! They're just stories that has made an impact big enough to still engage readers. You don't have to be 'smarter' to enjoy them. 🙂
If you're looking for more "hot gossip piping hot tea drama" classics I HIIIIIIGHLY recommend Anna Karenina. Lots of romance and affairs and pretty dresses. Tolstoy originally was inspired to write it after reading a story in the newspaper about a woman who had an affair and left her husband and kids and the original intention was to make her the villain, but when he started writing from Anna's perspective he understood her motivations and so the book ends up presenting women in a much more balanced and nuanced way than most classics, especially the ones written by men. Also, given the constraints of the medium, the Keira Knightley and Matthew McFadden adaptation was excellent
This video has completely convinced me that I must read The Count of Monte Cristo once I finish my current fantasy series 😂
Hahaha yessss do it!!
I love that you don't read classics and you started with one of the longest ever!! I'm so glad you loved it, it's such a fun adventurous book!
Definitely a stretch read but bloody loved it !!
@@morehannah You have inspired me to make my own video of recommendations for the MBTI types!! Would love if you could check it out, was so much fun to research and film!
One thing to note about the 'classic' designation is that this is kind of a false category? They weren't all being written in the same time or culture--even though some were, and others still reference each other, but how their macro and microstructure is designed and accomplished has nothing to do with genre. A way that I often explain this is equating it to animation. Animation is a medium, not a genre. It can do and be anything--tell any story, have any pacing, and be for any age group depending on what the story is designed for, but the medium doesn't determine story or pacing etc. Similarly, classics are not a genre. They can tell any story, be any genre, have various structures and pacings, and be for any age depending on each one's individual design. I think the biggest gap is that many modern readers are less familiar with the references that the writers give and so it can feel like we're less intelligent than we are when we have to go looking up things. It's really important to remember though that we're also much further removed from a lot of these incidents and periods of history than the audiences these pieces were written for and most of the knowledge we hold most up front in our brains didn't exist at the times many in this subcategory were written. That's the fun of it, though! I think whether or not you continue to explore a lot of older works (which can be really fun to do), I want to encourage you that looking up references and facts and historical points etc., in tandem with your reading is exactly the point of reading these books. It's an adventure, and it's all about connecting with people of a different time. Cheers to You!
yes!
Yay, I love bookish content!
The podcast "Maintenance Phase" recently published an interesting episode about the origins of the Myers-Briggs + it's influence on the job market
Ooooh I love maintenance phase!!!
I don't understand people lumping 'classics' together as if they have anything to do with each other. Saying that Jane Eyre and Frankenstein and Les Miserables are all 'classics' and implying that means they share structure and reading method is about as meaningful as saying Harry Potter, Eat Pray Love and The Kite Runner are all 'modern'.
I think a classic is a book that has stood the test of time. Not that they are similar in style.
@@lolosrainydays The way Hannah talks in the video makes them seem very homogenous. I like your definition, but it’s not a genre
I LOVED this vlog, it's been a little while since we've seen you get so excited about a book as you did about Monte Cristo! I thought it was so interesting when you mentioned how you couldn't get a sense of the narrative/plot points, like you usually can in more contemporary reads -- classics become classics for many reasons, but one is certainly the work they did in their time to either crystallize/perfect certain narrative forms OR to disrupt/revolutionize them, so I'd be really fascinated to study more about the literary context of that period. I'm actually technically a French literature PhD student, but I still haven't read The Count of Monte Cristo!
For other high-drama classics, though, I would recommend maybe The Three Musketeers (also by Dumas) and Anna Karenina to start with! Anna Karenina will require a little background knowledge as you go about Russian history, but I don't think much more than what you did for the Count of Monte Cristo.
Ah well I also have some very limited Russian history knowledge from school 😅😅
I read The Count of Monte Christo when I was 12 or 13, because I had already read everything else in the school library. And then read it again in high school for class. I've always had a special place in my heart for that book ❤
I liked this kind of reading vlog!! Would definitively watch another one!!
Your journey with TCOMC has burned a fire in me to pick up my unread historical mystery books and this book too! Loved this so much! It was literally like going on an adventure of its own just hearing your process! 💗
The only thing I'm sad about is that my partner would love this story and also want to watch the movie as a movie lover but cannot stand or keep up with subtitles! But hopefully we can get the audio going and he keep up with that because this is his stick for sure!!😂
As someone who has loved Monte Cristo (both book and the older movie version - haven't seen the new, but it is now added to my tbw list!) since my youth, this video was such a joy!! I was prepared to stop watching if you didn't vibe with COMC because my heart wouldn't be able to take it 🤣 The 2002 film has the original Dumbledore (Richard Harris) in it which thrilled me to no end when I was a teen.
When it comes to classics, I can rly see you enjoying Picture of Dorian Gray and Antigone. I also find that when it comes to classics, those are rly easy to understand (I say this as a literature student who also tends to space out and have a hard time w classics :D)
Yesssss I would really like Hannah's take on Antigona
Your enthusiast trait is showing Hannah! When I was in my early 20s I only really read classics (maybe I thought I would appear more intellectual or something? 😖) but since then have always believed that classics are worth persevering through even though you have to filter through a lot of the drivel to get to the best bits. I read Les Miserables after watching the musical back in 2012 and it became an absolute obsession…the book took me 6 months to get through but it was so worth it. It sounds very similar to the Count of Monte Cristo, however rather than revenge for an unfair imprisonment, the character sought to become a forgiving person. I think that using spark notes or other media to get through a classic is a great way to get to enjoy the story, because the way we read and write is very different to how they did then. I think if we avoid classics because they’re an effort to read, we miss out on some really fantastic stories. Anyway really enjoyed this video, your enthusiasm is contagious!
12:37 Not a big romance reader here, but Beth O’Leary’s The Wake Up Call felt like a genuine rivalry that turned to lovers. I also LOVE her book because they cover mental health and how it affects romantic relationships in such a good way. I’ve read all of them and loved them so so much-highly recommend!
Oooh interesting! I really liked the flat share!
Did you read 'The roadtrip'? And what did you think of it? I desperatelt want to discuss my thoughts with someone 😅
@@lisadevries992 I have a while back-it wasn’t one of my favorites personally, but still good generally speaking. Just a bit more on the predictable side for Beth I think? But she always has good characters
@@rachelscherzer1228 I felt like the whole plot of the book was dependent on the fact that they kept describing Addie as beautiful. There was no depth of character necessary, only the fact that she was stunning which made the book feel very superficial. Is that something you recognise or am I entirely misguided? (I don't have any bookish friends, so just wanna know I people who read the book feel the same or differently)
@@lisadevries992 yes I definitely felt that too! That might be a big part of the whole thing-usually get others have deeper characters but the book didn’t stick with me because that was kinda of the whole thing
You just had the ultimate classics experience with the castle! The great part is not only enjoying the stories but also the fact that they are reference or referencing things all over the society and culture. If you get into it you’ll have this experience happen over and over again almost regardless of where you go and it’s exhilarating!
Also remember “classics” isn’t a genre it’s just a way to describe a group of books that has stood the test of time. They vary so much in story and writing style. I always recommend The Portrait of Dorian Grey and Frankenstein first, then The Odyssey and Crime and Punishment. Jane Eyre if you’re a romantic. They will make you feel all the emotions AND start catching references all in one go ;)
Okay now that I finished the video I’ll add Don Quixote as a recommendation!
The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favourite books and i don't usually go for classics ❤ I'm so glad you loved it too!!
Middlemarch is another big big classic that is full of romance and drama and so good on audio. I read the first half, took a 9 month break and returned to it and it's one of my favourite reading experiences for the balance of cosy and drama and excellent writing.
as a classics lover, im glad you like the count of montecristo!! id recommend les miserables that has a bit of a similar vibe
Omg the is also a BIG BOOK
I adored count of monte cristo... one of my favourite ever books... but I couldn't stand les mis and I was sad about it 😭😭 unfortunately I'll have to stick to the play!
@@morehannah yess european men in the 19th had a lot of ambition and free time lol but most of the time it is worth it as it makes for a VERY immersive read, you get to know tens of characters throughout decades its kinda insane (count of montecristo> miserables anyway)
❤ how unexpectungly entertaining this video was. even though its a long video and i have not read the story. i was really pulled in by your enthousiastic energy!
A) I want this to be a series somehow with other enneagrams and personality types - tough for you to do when you are not them but I'm like where's the 5 rep!!!
B) maybe a hot take but a reading vlog where you fully spoiler the book (which I know you didn't but it felt like you did) is always superior in my opinion because I want all your thoughts even if I haven't read the book!
The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorite books ! Your french accent was great :) I'd love to see you explore more classics ! Why not Les Misérables now 😁
21:23 I’m French and forever embarrassed that I couldn’t answer your question. You seem to know my country’s history better than I do! Everything I learned in history classes is just a very distant and blurry memory 😬
Hannah, I loved seeing you surprise yourself by loving a classic! I get the fear, but many times they are still beloved for very good reason! You just gotta get over the initial difficulty, and after they get you they GET you hahaha
anyway, I think you might like The Master and Margarita, by Bulgakov. It's pretty fantastical, with witches and the devil and talking cats and all, but also very epic, cuz it has a bit of historical (biblical, really) elements to it and spans a really long period of time (and it has kind of two plot lines, one in biblical times, and one in the time of the main characters, which correlate). And it's also a beautiful love story, and it's kind of meta... Anyway, just thought you might enjoy it. It's not as old as most of the famous Russian novels, but it's pretty acclaimed too and SO much fun. So naughty and mischievous, I loved it when I read it.
Oh my god!
I personaly would disagree with your recommendation! With my whole heart!
I think this book is really good at preteding that there is something happening, but in reality it's very philosophical and all about how people are bad. I was really traumatized when I read it.
But also I am veru interested how did you decided to read this book? And did you read in Russian? (maybe the translation is better)
I studied this book in school and it was mandatory to read, whick definitely added to trauma)))
I'd definitely recommend the Black Count which is about the historical inspiration for the Count of Monte Cristo. It really changed how I viewed the character and story.
Was just about to comment this! The character of Dantes is based on Dumas’ father, who was the first (or one of the first) black officers in the French army. He rose to prominence during the Revolution, fought with Napoleon in Egypt, and was completely mistreated by Napoleon. A fascinating history; the book also looks at race relations in France in that time.
I was excited to see you loved Count of Monte Cristo. You might enjoy Black Count which is a nonfiction book about Dumas' mixed race father and his career in Napoleon's army and imprisonment which might have inspired a few of Dumas' characters!
I went into this video a bit like you did with the Count of Monte Cristo book - my attention slips and I can't grasp the details, but I was with you for this whole journey! Loved the format sprinkled with history and research breaks!
Random thought. I had never seen Gladiator and finally watched it recently in anticipation of the sequel. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it!
I think Dan might get me to watch it with him and I am keen!
I had the exact same experience! A fantastic movie, and Joaquin Phoenix’s performance is amazing. .
Not into astrology at all, but as this was such a fun video to watch: star sign version please!!❤
Seconded!
Hannah, I do not know how well I can articulate this feeling, but: I love this video, so much. 💖 I am also an ENFJ, so to realize you & I are the same Meyers-Briggs type drew me to this video. I am a bookish person, and currently a bookseller as well. I have always really enjoyed all of your videos, but your reading life and adventures are something I love hearing about, especially when it comes to genres I read less of nowadays, like fantasy. (Though I also have a deep affection for series like Lord of the Rings. 💚) You've made me want to read The Count of Monte Cristo!!
All this to say, thank you for making such videos. Your thoughts on so many matters have positively impacted my life in such a way that I find myself talking about you to others at home and at the bookstore fairly often, and it surprises even me because I am not a very "online" person. Yesterday I was telling my fellow bookseller, a Hufflepuff, about you. 🧡💛 Hope you & yours are well today & enjoying the changing season.
Watching you geek out over The Count of Monte Christo (sp??) was delightful. I think you should do the zodiac thing but include other zodiacs.
Your enthusiasm for The Count of Monte Cristo made me so giddy haha, now I also want to read it!
I loved this video. As a huge fan of classics, and someone who loves The Count of Monte Cristo, it was so cool and entertaining to watch you experience the book! Almost like experiencing the twists and anticipation again myself! So so glad you loved it and I agree, it is brilliant!
Count of Monte Christopher is an all time favorite of mine! It was so fun to watch your first reading of it 😂 So glad you enjoyed it ❤
This is so nerdy but it would be really cool to do this as a blind study- where you read two books based on your personality type and two based on the opposite personality type, and you don't know which is which until the end!
I loved the Dumas book as a teenager. I NEED to re-read it now! You've inspired me.
Hi Hannah!! I absolutely loved the count of monte cristo too! Definitely skimmed some of the more complex parts but I still found I could keep up with the key beats of the plot. If you enjoyed that, you might enjoy Don Quixote de La Mancha. It’s a similar vibe in terms of its scope and complexity but it’s also incredibly funny, witty, heartfelt and entertaining. I loved them both even though I’m not massively into classics. They definitely have a PLOT and a dramatic, engaging one at that!
Omg yes! I loved Don Quixote! xx I’ve been to the square in Cordoba that inspired part of the story! So cool xx
I love the idea of this video! I think it is so fun to think about how the personality types and what kind of books you like intersect! Also, proud of you for getting through Count of Monte Cristo! I lugged it around for months in middle school but eventually left it behind because I felt it was too hard to keep track of (and there was pressure on me to finish more books).
Oh no, I think I'll have to read the Count of Monte Cristo after seeing this :D loved this video, thank you for sharing your excitement about the book
The Count of Monte Cristo is definitely my favorite classic!
1) I think you’d maybe like The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson, it’s not quite fantasy, more spec fic
2) After seeing your beautiful balcony curly, I think a try at the curly girl method is warranted (once you finish your current products of course)
I just read A Darker Shade of Magic and loved it. Now I'm on to the 2nd one.
I have read 14 of the TCR TBR, so I have some excellent recommendations to pick up soon 😁
Likewise!!
I love how you identified the reason fantasy is so compelling which I really relate to as most books don’t have enough going on to keep me reading so I think I may try to read Monte Cristo but it is a bit undertaking! From the descriptions you gave I’d recommend a fantasy series which I like to describe as reluctant and yet calculated revenge : the crown of shards series by Jennifer Estep.
My favorite author Emily Henry beach reads! Love it so much 🍁🎃👻👻🍁💛💛🍁🎃🎃🍃🍃🍁🎃👻👻🎃💛💛🍁👻🍃🍂🤎👻👻👻🎃🍁💛🖤🖤🍁👻👻👻🍁💛💛🍁🍃🤎🤎🤎🤎🍃👻🎃🍁💛💛💛
Loved this video! I've read a fair amount of classics but still get the fear sometimes that they 'won't be for me'. I challenged myself to read War and Peace during lockdown and was shocked by how enjoyable it was. There were definitely certain plots i didn't really care about, but there was so much going on that there was always something happening that i found interesting and emotionally impactful. I know its a beast, but if you're ever feeling another huge classic that will test your history knowledge it really is worth it! Just maybe get one of those bookmarks with all the family trees of the characters on lol
Glad you enjoyed Christo. I used to be obsessed with Dumas musketeers books when I was at school. I even had a nose bleed on one once….in the middle of a dull class when I was trying to read under the desk 🤦🏼♀️
As a Frenchie who used to watch the 1975 series version as a kid (it is soooo great and so much more faithful to the material because of its length), just read the book after watching the 2024 movie and whose husband is rereading it right now, I looooved this video so damn much. The French history tangent was glorious and I smiled so broadly at the "I'm saying "you" as if I were speaking directly to you, a French person"
Also, wanna confirm what some others have said, the story was first published as installments in a newspaper (like Dickens?) so there are some leeeeengthy somewhat useless parts (the whole schtick about the Carnaval in Italy my my!)
Anyhoo, great video!!!
You’re my extroverted twin. INFJ here. 😄
Wooo!!
Same! I found the Goodreads INFJ list to be largely favorites and books I’ve got on my reading list, with a few things that I can’t even dream of the connection (to me - I realize personality type is not expressed as a single personality among or even within people).
I wholeheartedly recommend Les Miserables (the actual book/audiobook) as your next classic. There are parts where I’m sobbing so hard, I have to put the book in timeout for a few days to collect myself and I’ve read it several times (and seen the musical, obviously).
Never read monte cristo but i loved the 2002 film and just rewatched it recently! I read the original Dracula over last halloween and enjoyed that.
I loved this video SO MUCH! So, I'd definitely love to see a star sign version. Also BIG fan of V E Schwab and I think the Darker Shade of Magic series would be perfect for a type 7. With three worlds to explore you'll definitely feel like a kid in a candy store. I think I'll have to sign up to your patreon if the Darker Shade of Magic is on your book club list. Really loved this video. So, yes very entertained! 😊
I absolutely LOVE The Count of Monte Cristo! I liked it so much I am currently reading the longer unabridged version because I wanted more content 😂. Still enjoying it the 2nd time around
1) VE Schwab is one of my top writers. I recently reread the Darker Shades trilogy before reading the first book of the next trilogy and it felt so much like going home to friends. HIGHLY redommend to anyone who enjoys historical fantasy, friends to lovers, family dynamics, and magic systems that actually have rules.
2) As someone who contemplates a masters in personality psychology I have to say it: Myers Briggs isn't thought of highly. The categories are fun, but it doesn't take into consideration that people may be in the middle range of a characteristic (this leads to really low validity - people will get different categories depending on their mood). Currently, the Big Five (OCEAN) is used most often as it uses a spectrum. Personality changes throughout life though, so to anyone who hasn't taken a personality test since before a major life event or for a few years, it might be fun to retake it.
Not related to the books, but this video inspired me to retake the MBTI and enneagram tests again. I found it super interesting to see that how my personality shifted post Covid/getting therapy, learning more about myself and also learning to become a more authentic version of myself. From a ISFJ to a INFP/INFJ, and from a 9w1 to a 5w4. 😅
I read a lot of contemporary classics and some classics and I find the best way to do it is accept a lower level of comprehension than you’re used to with modern books - if you’re happy to be at 80% comprehension and finish it having got the vibe, the pretty writing and most of the plot points (which for classics I find works absolutely fine) then you’re all good
Yesss a long video once again! ✨
Yesterday I was convinced it was Wednesday and was so sad to see no video from you. 😂
I love any bookish content (and may now have to give The Count of Monte Cristo a chance), so I love this and would definitely like a zodiac version of this! Or any other version ngl lol
This was such a fun video!
I love reading classics but it is so hard. I have tried reading/listening to Dracula multipel times but always got stuck and tired of it. It is very common during the late 1800’s books that the storie starts of one way and then change, with Dracula it is first a man living with Dracula and then when it gets heated they switch into letters from women.
One classic that I love and recommend to everyone who wants to read classics is Rebecca! Written in 1938 by Daphne du Maurier it is about a unnamed young woman who marries a wealthy man widower and realise that the whole household and the man is ”haunted” by Rebecca, the mans dead wife. It is thrilling!
OMG! I love this idea! So cute! 🎃👻🍃🍃🎃🍂🤎🍂🎃👻👻🍃🖤🖤💛🖤💛🍁🍁🍁🍁🖤🍃👻🎃🎃💛💛🖤🖤🍃👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻🎃🍂🤎🤎👻🖤🖤💛🍁🍁💛🍃👻🎃
So funny I had just moved in Marseille and started reading le Compte de Monte Cristo when you published this vid and didn't finish it to not get spoiled ahaha glad to now you loved it it was indeed very entertaining
Wow, if the count of monte cristo is half as entertaining as your descriptions of it, I’m adding it to my TBR! P.S. I love your hair wavy!
You should definitely read A Darker Shade of Magic! I just finished it a few days ago and my first thought was that Hannah would love it! It is a very good fantasy novel that is a quick 3-book series.
You asked if there are any books which are „true“ enemy to lovers books. I immediately had to think about „Carry on“ by Rainbow Rowell. It’s a teenage fantasy trilogy loosely based on Drarry-Fanfiction (Draco+Harry). Rowell actually wrote another book first, „Fangirl“ where the Protagonist writes some of the scenes in Carry on as a Fanfiction writer. The trilogy basically starts in what would have been the seventh year in Hogwarts (it also has a magical school ✨) and deals with all of the questions like, what happens after the war, how do characters deal with the losses, what do they want to do with their lives after they’ve dedicated the past few years fighting. I bloody love this trilogy. It’s so much fun, really adventurous and it has the romance. Highly recommend ☺️
This video really made me think I should give Dumas another chance. I was bored by The Three Musketeers at some point and then never want back to his books. I really recommend Our Mutual Friend by Dickens for a great classic with a lot of mystery, big scope and a great variety of supporting characters! His books are much easier to read then a lot of people think once you read a couple of pages and get used to his voice. And the books are so funny! Strange to think now that I used to think of them as these serious classics. I think you would like his social commentary as well.
Love this video concept! Now I want to find books to match my personality type as well!
As a fellow ENFJ I was very intrigued (less so zodiac as you asked) and had already quoted that Gladiator line in a stay and play this morning. I also feel similar things to the classics but feel encouraged to have a go but with spark notes and audible!! Another podcaster I like also rates TCOMC so I’m leaning in that direction… the enfj thing might swing it for me but boy it sounds long 😮
omg i loved this video so much!! yes would be interested in more videos like this!!
when u said Dan wouldnt let u test him to find out his enneagram 😂😂
and the gladiator quote 😂😂 ive also never seen it but the quote is well known😂
omg that movie trailer was soooo dramatic! lmao ive never read the book or seen the films tho!
Oohh! I loved the Count of Monte Cristo. I listened to it while preparing for the audition of a stage play of this. I was cast as Haydee.
Oh fun!!
I DNF'd Beach Read (not the author's fault, I just thought I might be a romance reader, and I'm just not) so my eyes went REALLY WIDE when you started talking about the cult subplot. I hadn't made it far enough to get to that - now I wonder if I should've stuck it out! haha.
Hahaha! Even with the cult subplot it is still very much a romance book so if that’s not your genre then maybe DNFing was still for the best!
I also DNF’d beach read and haven’t tried any Emily Henry since but I think I’m going to give Funny Story a go!!
@@Mildbill455I liked Book Lovers a lot, and People You Meet On Vacation was very nice
It's a film not a book but one of the best examples of true rivals to lovers is 'You've Got Mail'! Which is actually a remake of a Jimmy Stewart film called 'The Shop Around the Corner' which I also recommend 😊
It’s amazing how so many coincidences were happening around you all related to Monte Cristo!
Oh my !! I got into Monte Cristo last year and loved it ! I am french so it was a bit easier to understand, but still got confused about the same stuff as you (specially the dead, non dead character haha). The movie is really good but quite different from the book (because they wanted to make it a one shot instead of two movies, which they should have, and instead, made two films for the Three Musketeers, which they really shouldn’t have done, rubish movies). Hope you like the film anyways !
I only know Count of Monte Cristo from the 2002 film (I did not know there was a new one til this video 😂) but watching you discover the plot was so fun to watch haha
I hope you do/did end up watching the 2002 version, it is a good time imo!
I read classics (but not regulary) and I would love to see you read more of those, after all they became classics for a reason. Love your enthusiams it is wonderful
I love the excitement, enthusiasm, and surprise enjoyment! This was such a fun video!!! Isn't The Count of Monte Cristo what Sweeney Todd was based off of? Also reminds me a smidge of Le Mis (into the musical, couldn't finish the book 🫣).
Wholehearted YES to the zodiac reading vlog 😆
I have an English degree and I always use SparkNotes when reading chunky classics. It's not a sign they are not for you! It's just a bit of support to help us modern folk follow along and have fun
Hi, Hannah!
I really enjoy your reading vlogs, they inspire me to read more!
I am currently reading Beach Read, and it was very funny to me that you were reading this book in your vlog.
I would personally recomend Bel-Ami by Maupassant, I think that is very much a romance book and it filled with much action!
If you enjoyed the scope of The Count of Monte Cristo might I suggest some George Eliot? Middlemarch and Daniel Deronda especially. Also Daniel Deronda is one of the few classics that actively tries to challenge Jewish stereotypes and being Jewish is a big part of the plot. How authentic it is I can't say as George Eliot wasn't Jewish but even so the breadth of the story is interesting enough.
Since you enjoyed the scheming aspects of The Count of Monte Cristo, I wonder if you would enjoy Hilary Mantel's trilogy about Thomas Cromwell and the court of Henry the Eighth, which start with "Wolf Hall"- I found the books to be super immersive and compelling!
When I read (not just classics) I often have to write down the names of people and who they are to I can keep the characters straight. So losing bits makes sense to me. I read TCOMC right after college and you’re making me think of re-reading it. Or at least seeing the movie 😂
I just had to mention, Suzan Palumbo, a Canadian author, just released a novella that's a queer, Caribbean, sci-fi novella inspired by the Count of Monte Cristo! It's called Countess, you might like it!
"Irrelevant, he won't let me test him." is such a relationship mood for me.
I'm also very into culty things and I'm apparently a 2, so who knows!
If you like mystery books about cults, I would recommend "The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels" by Janice Hallett. It is a mystery about two journals researching a cult on the anniversary of the mass suicide almost 20 years later. It it a great mixed media book, - it's only told through emails, texts, and transcripts - but I listened to it on audio and it was amazing!
Had a lot of fun watching this video and enthusiasm!! Thanks!!
When you mentioned the breaking of the fourth wall, googled if monte cristo was published in parts and it was! It was originally published in 18 parts, so those “we” sentenfes are probably author’s notes to readers
Books published in installments are highly addictive! They needed to keep readers buying those papers week after week and knew how to play with tension, expectations and satisfaction. The plot line of him going to jail and then coming back and becoming a political figure reminds me of Valjean in Les Mis. You sold me so bad into the story I kind of want to watch the movie now too hahahaha.
Excellent taste!!! Stephen Fry wrote a modern day version/interpretation of TCOM called The Star's Tennis Balls, not sure if this is a good thing or not but I read it first!
I've loved your video (also just finished re-reading the Cpunt of Monte Christo so part of the fandom). The 2002 movie is much more faithful to the book and the villains especially are way better actors in my opinion so it makes it even more satisfying?
Always love your book reviews!
There's a really good TV show from the 2010's called Revenge that is based on The Count of Monte Cristo but is from the perspective of his daughter getting revenge (with lots of twists of course!!)
Have you read Divine Rivals? I really loved it, and the rivalry is a little more believable in that one - funnily enough they're also writers! 🌟
I have not!
I love The Three Musketeers best, you should give it a go!
i'm not always a romance reader, but beach read was one of my top reads of early 2024. it's got.spice, an interesting take on genre x literary and the cult subplot. i only dislike the whole parent forgiveness arc, but either way, for my first emily henry, i had fun
I would absolutely love to see the read your zodiac sign video!
I watched the 2002 Count of Monte Cristo movie at least 4 times. I found it incredibly compelling and the male leads were very attractive. Then Passion of the Christ came out and my crush for Jim Caviezel dissipated. I remember the movie being very enjoyable though.
Loved Count of Monte Cristo! It’s a long time since I read it but I remember loving it. Agree that you’d prob like A Picture of Dorian Gray. Also, Perfume is such a good modern classic which kind of gives me similar vibes xx ♥️🇵🇸🍉🧿🍉🇵🇸♥️
Ooooh I read Perfume years ago and remember really liking it!