The Man in the Iron Mask
by Alexandre Dumas
It took me four months to get through this massively dense monstrosity known as The Man in the Iron Mask. Having read two Alexandre Dumas works before, I was familiar with his beautiful, romantic prose. I knew his descriptions of a desk or a sunset could last several pages, and that his action scenes were intense, but I didn’t know how much I’d dislike this novel.
I was raised on the 1998 film version and thought I knew the plot, but the titular character is only a small portion of what Dumas has written. The majority of this book follows the four musketeers and their relationships with each other as well as members of court. There are villains, backstabbing plots, more backstabbing, and very complicated webs that entangle everyone with everyone. If you put this book down for a couple of weeks or months, you’ll more than likely be lost when you pick it up again. I read it steadily for four months, and I still got lost a time or two.
The main reason I didn’t like the book was how it ended. Since my reviews are spoiler-free, I’ll merely tell you that the novel lasts many, many years and some characters you might not expect to grow old and die are given an ending. The movie versions I’ve seen solely focus on the title, and the subsequent battles, plot points, and character deaths aren’t included. I still did enjoy Dumas’s prose, and his heavy, complex sentences are balanced with lightness and humor.
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 1998 film adaptation here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 1939 film version here!
I was raised on the 1998 film version and thought I knew the plot, but the titular character is only a small portion of what Dumas has written. The majority of this book follows the four musketeers and their relationships with each other as well as members of court. There are villains, backstabbing plots, more backstabbing, and very complicated webs that entangle everyone with everyone. If you put this book down for a couple of weeks or months, you’ll more than likely be lost when you pick it up again. I read it steadily for four months, and I still got lost a time or two.
The main reason I didn’t like the book was how it ended. Since my reviews are spoiler-free, I’ll merely tell you that the novel lasts many, many years and some characters you might not expect to grow old and die are given an ending. The movie versions I’ve seen solely focus on the title, and the subsequent battles, plot points, and character deaths aren’t included. I still did enjoy Dumas’s prose, and his heavy, complex sentences are balanced with lightness and humor.
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 1998 film adaptation here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 1939 film version here!