David Copperfield vs The Count of Monte Cristo: Which Should You Read?
David Copperfield
It adds to the charm of this book to remember that it is virtually a picture of the author's own boyhood. It is an excellent picture of the life of a struggling English youth in the middle of the last century. The…
vs
The Count of Monte Cristo
Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantès is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and he becomes determined not only…
The verdict
- Readers rate The Count of Monte Cristo highest: The Count of Monte Cristo 4.4 · David Copperfield 4.1.
- The Count of Monte Cristo is the quickest read — about 4 hours vs 17 for David Copperfield.
- David Copperfield has the widest readership — 265824 ratings behind its score.
- David Copperfield reaches further in scholarship and criticism — cited 20 times.
- David Copperfield runs the darker storyline; The Count of Monte Cristo stays the lighter read.
How to choose
Want a one-evening read?
The Count of Monte Cristo
≈ 4h vs 17h for David Copperfield
Want the crowd-tested pick?
David Copperfield
265824 ratings vs 1585 for The Count of Monte Cristo
Just want the better-reviewed one?
The Count of Monte Cristo
4.4 vs 4.1 from readers
In the mood for something dark?
David Copperfield
a darker storyline than The Count of Monte Cristo
Want something lighter?
The Count of Monte Cristo
an easier tone than David Copperfield
Scores by source
| David Copperfield | The Count of Monte Cristo | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.0 (265824) | — |
| Hardcover | 3.9 (331) | 4.4 (1585) |
| Google Books | 4.5 (2) | 5.0 (8) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (1690) | 4.5 (153) |
Reception
| David Copperfield | The Count of Monte Cristo | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 265824 | 1585 |
| Editions | 846 | 3 |
| Citations | 20 | 1 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 285615 | — |
| Pages | 928 | 242 |