Les Misérables vs The Count of Monte Cristo: Which Should You Read?
Les Misérables
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In this story of the trials of the peasant Jean Valjean--a man unjustly imprisoned, baffled by destiny, and hounded by his nemesis, the magnificently realized, ambiguously malevolent police detective Javert--Hugo…
The Count of Monte Cristo
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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…
Side by side
The verdict
- Readers rate The Count of Monte Cristo highest: The Count of Monte Cristo 4.5 · Les Misérables 4.2.
- The Count of Monte Cristo is the quickest read — about 4 hours vs 8 for Les Misérables.
- Les Misérables has the widest readership — 860724 ratings behind its score.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| Les Misérables | The Count of Monte Cristo | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.2 (860724) | — |
| Hardcover | 4.2 (735) | 4.4 (1585) |
| Google Books | 4.5 (5) | 5.0 (8) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (125) | 4.5 (3190) |
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Reception
| Les Misérables | The Count of Monte Cristo | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 860724 | 3190 |
| Editions | 526 | 3 |
| Citations | — | 1 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 1080411 | — |
| Reading it now | 77 | — |
| Written reviews | 26998 | — |
| Wikipedia attention | 62074 | 120681 |
| Pages | 464 | 242 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Les Misérables or The Count of Monte Cristo?
The Count of Monte Cristo has the higher combined reader rating across sources (The Count of Monte Cristo 4.5/5, Les Misérables 4.2/5).
Which is shorter to read: Les Misérables or The Count of Monte Cristo?
The Count of Monte Cristo is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The Count of Monte Cristo (242 pages, ≈ 4 h 29 m); Les Misérables (464 pages, ≈ 8 h 36 m).
Which is harder to read: Les Misérables or The Count of Monte Cristo?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Les Misérables: Demanding; The Count of Monte Cristo: Challenging.
Have both books been made into films?
Les Misérables: 5 film adaptations; The Count of Monte Cristo: 5 film adaptations.