Review of 'The Three Musketeers' by Alexandre Dumas

This is the second book by the French author Alexandre Dumas that I have come to love. And like in every complicated relationship, we started off rocky. The one problem I had with the first book I read by the author, 'The Count of Monte Cristo,' would be the breaking of the fourth wall, and here Dumas continues with his habit of talking directly to us, completely taking me out of what would be a perfect novel. What I love about Dumas and his works is that I inevitably fall in love with the story, and by the end of the book, I feel sadness, realizing that this adventure is almost over. The characters in the stories are well-carved and imagined, making you feel they are real. There is enough space and time spent on the characters, giving them life, making Dumas one of the most interesting authors I have read in the past couple of years. You spend so much time with these people; you become familiar with them. And even though I have so many problems with d'Artagnan and his childish behavior, taking lives without presenting solid reasons, leaving his friends behind, and the way they were using their servants, there is a saying in this book that you cannot judge the past by the standards that you have today, and I'll try not to do it, probably because if I allow myself to do that, I will kill the enjoyment of this masterpiece. Nevertheless, Dumas is able to imagine and create incredibly complex characters moved by different stimuli, morals, and past experiences that you can unlock little by little. Somewhere I read that Dumas loved to imagine the conversations as if they were real so they can have the necessary realism in his work. Reading through his novels, it became clear that his work is imperative for us to feel the era and the culture the story is taking place in. And his novels are like time capsules, like moving imaginary paintings that capture the French experience with all its shades. Even with only two books that I've read from Dumas, his style is immediately recognizable. He was able to carve a direction into literature, creating these adventure novels that stand the test of time till today. The other day, I started to read a science fiction novel from a couple of years ago, and it became clear that it is not easy to have a clear vision of what you want to say and to portray it to a mass audience with ease, so it could be understandable hundreds of years later. The novel is full of wisdom and lessons to be explored.

“Nothing passes the time, or shortens the path, like a thought which engrosses all the faculties of an individual's organization. Our external existence is a sleep, of which this thought is the dream; and while we are subjected to its influence, time has no longer any measure, nor is there any distance in space. We leave one place and arrive at another, and are conscious of nothing between.” ― Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers

“Your bitter memories still have time to turn into sweet ones.” 

“Never trust the enemy that gives you presents.” 

“Never be afraid of opportunities, always be on the lookout for adventures.” 

“It would be wrong, however, to judge the actions of one era from the perspective of another. What would be regarded today as shameful for a man of honor was in those days an entirely simple and natural thing.” 

“For behind all present happiness is concealed a fear for the future.” 

“The merit of all things lies in their difficulty.” 

“In all times, and all countries especially in those countries which are divided within by religious faith, there are always fanatics who will be well contented to be regarded as martyrs.” 

Dumas is powerful in painting pictures in your mind so you can imagine the adventure and the surroundings.

“It was one of those rare and beautiful days in winter when England remembers that there is a sun. The star of the day, pale but nevertheless still splendid, was setting in the horizon, glorifying at one the heavens and the sea with bands of fire, and casting upon the tower and the old houses of the city a last ray of gold which made the windows sparkle like the reflection of a conflagration.” 

In conclusion, I will add that spending time on those novels, no matter how long it sometimes gets, never became a drag, and coming to their end always is a bittersweet moment. Having finished a whole story like this one brings joy and wisdom. Even though I may take a break from long and dramatic adventures like this one in the next couple of months, eventually, I'll finish the stories by Dumas where the Musketeers are present. The richness of his method remains one of my favorite and rewarding ways to spend time.

Iliya Badev