the count of monte cristo, week 2: revenge takes hold

Hey Beardy Readers,

I know, I know. This post is coming a bit later than planned, but a few of you reached out and said you needed some extra time to catch up (which I totally get), but I’ll be honest, I needed a little extra time myself. There’s a lot to process in these chapters. I mean, we’ve all had those moments where we need to step back, catch our breath, and figure out how to feel. You know, like when you discover your favorite coffee shop has been giving you decaf for a month? It’s a betrayal that requires some recovery time.

I totally get it. These chapters? They hit differently. I had to process what Dantès has become. It’s not just the story that gets heavy—it’s the way Dumas builds this slow, deliberate tension, almost daring us to root for a guy who’s walking a thin line between justice and something a lot darker.

So today, we’re talking about Checkpoint #2, with Chapters 26–50 of The Count of Monte Cristo.