Fantômas vs The scapegoat: Which Should You Read?

Both live on shelves: France, Thriller, Fiction

Fantômas Pierre Souvestre · 1900 ★★★★☆ 3.7 320 pages · ≈ 5 h 56 m · Challenging

“One episode simply melts away as the next takes over” (The New York Times) in this deliciously sinister turn-of-the-century tale of a French evil genius run rampant. Three appalling crimes leave all of Paris aghast:…

1 film adaptation

Mystery

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The scapegoat Daphne du Maurier · 1900 ★★★★☆ 4.0 351 pages · ≈ 6 h 30 m · Challenging

Someone jolted my elbow as I drank and said, 'Je vous demande pardon, ' and as I moved to give him space he turned and stared at me and I at him, and I realized, with a strange sense of shock and fear and nausea all…

1 film adaptation

Psychological Aristocracy British Continental european fiction

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Side by side

The verdict

Readers rate The scapegoat highest: The scapegoat 4.0 · Fantômas 3.7.
The scapegoat has the widest readership — 15356 ratings behind its score.
The scapegoat runs the darker storyline; Fantômas stays the lighter read.

Fantômas: Check price →The scapegoat: Check price →

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How to choose

Want the crowd-tested pick? The scapegoat 15356 ratings vs 2119 for Fantômas Just want the better-reviewed one? The scapegoat 4.0 vs 3.7 from readers In the mood for something dark? The scapegoat a darker storyline than Fantômas Want something lighter? Fantômas an easier tone than The scapegoat

Scores by source

	Fantômas	The scapegoat
Goodreads	3.7 (2119)	4.0 (15356)
Hardcover	4.0 (7)	4.3 (30)
Apple Books	—	4.0 (9)
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Reception

	Fantômas	The scapegoat
Ratings	2119	15356
Editions	38	63
Film adaptations	1	1
Want to read	4335	21780
Reading it now	170	975
Written reviews	233	1903
Wikipedia attention	7437	1775
Pages	320	351
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Questions readers ask

Which is rated higher: Fantômas or The scapegoat?

The scapegoat has the higher combined reader rating across sources (The scapegoat 4.0/5, Fantômas 3.7/5).

Which is shorter to read: Fantômas or The scapegoat?

Fantômas is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: Fantômas (320 pages, ≈ 5 h 56 m); The scapegoat (351 pages, ≈ 6 h 30 m).

Which is harder to read: Fantômas or The scapegoat?

Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Fantômas: Challenging; The scapegoat: Challenging.

Have both books been made into films?

Fantômas: 1 film adaptation; The scapegoat: 4 film adaptations.