The Count of Monte Cristo vs The Pillars of the Earth: Which Should You Read?
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…
vs
The Pillars of the Earth
The Pillars of the Earth is a historical novel by Welsh author Ken Follett published in 1989 about the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, England. Set in the 12th century, the novel covers the…
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- The Count of Monte Cristo is the quickest read — about 4 hours vs 19 for The Pillars of the Earth.
- The Pillars of the Earth has the widest readership — 855879 ratings behind its score.
How to choose
Scores by source
| The Count of Monte Cristo | The Pillars of the Earth | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | — | 4.3 (855879) |
| Hardcover | 4.4 (1585) | 4.2 (1034) |
| Google Books | 5.0 (8) | — |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (153) | 4.5 (3249) |
Reception
| The Count of Monte Cristo | The Pillars of the Earth | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 1585 | 855879 |
| Editions | 3 | 111 |
| Citations | 1 | — |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | — | 598767 |
| Pages | 242 | 1040 |