A Not-Review: Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas

Book: Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas
Genre: Classic
Rating: n/a Did Not Finish
For: The Classics Circuit
From: bought LONG ago


For those of you that play Wii Fit, you know when you do really lousy at something, then at the end your Mii hangs its head in failure and shame? Yeah? Well, that's how I feel about my accomplishment detailed in this post.

Once upon a time, I read The Count of Monte Cristo and loved it. (Granted, it was probably the abridged version which perhaps helped a bit.) And then later I read The Three Musketeers and loved it! Way back then I learned it had a sequel of sorts and decided that "some day I will read that!" I even got the book which promptly sat on my shelf for years.

Fast forward to just last month when Alexandre Dumas was voted in as the the feature for The Classics Circuit this past month. What a perfect time for me to dust off Twenty Years After and read it once and for all. I was ready! I was excited! I knew I could do it... all 800 pages worth.

Sadly, it was not to be. I tried. I got to page 170 and I'm still thinking "when is something going to happen?" Every time I read it, my mind wanders, like really really bad. Or I fall asleep, or I read and read and don't realize at all what I'm reading. I hate it when that happens.

So either this book is just not for me... or at least it's not for me right now. Or I'm just going through a low concentration moment. Or something.

I did gather enough info to know that it's about the four boys (who are now in their forties) finding each other again. There's lots and lots of political talk that goes right over my head, but I gather there's something afoot that has instigated this musketeer reunion. They've all been leading quite different and interesting lives. In fact on of them (Athos perhaps?) appears to even have a son. For a glimmer there, I felt that this boy's story could be interesting, but instead of following him, it suddenly went back to... I don't even know what. I'm sure it will get back to that kid eventually, but I wanted it NOW! Ugh!

So anyway, I gave up. (Head hanging and swinging in shame... just like your sad Mii.) But, I decided, it's okay. I don't do this very often. I'm entitled.

Besides, I have The Passage waiting for me and I hear that I probably won't be sleeping during that one!

So if you are interested in a Dumas read, I say start with The Count. It's one of my all time favorites.