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***This review is for the entire D'Artagnan Romance series (The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, The Vicomte de Bragelonne, Ten Years Later, Louise de la Valliere, and The Man in the Iron Mask).***
The entire D'Artagnan Romance series is well over a million words long and spans several volumes and forty years in the lives of its main characters, the famous musketeers. The prodigious Alexandre Dumas wrote this epic tale to be published in the serial magazines that were popular during his day, submitting weekly installments which stretched over several years. This unique structure greatly informs his writing style. Because each serial installment had to captivate his readers, the action begins on the first page and continues almost without interruption-- readers weren't interested in overlong descriptions or details, and no one was critiquing on the basis of thematic developments.
In addition to his mad-cap writing style, Dumas relies heavily on character archetypes to allow his readers to quickly understand the characters and their motivations. If this sometimes led to rewriting history or over-simplifying his historical characters, it also led to a cohesive story that created both heroes and villains that live on today. The famous portraits of Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin have shaped the way generations have perceived these complex individuals, despite the fact that their actual actions and motives were complex and nuanced. And has a more perfect villain than Milady ever been created?
Of course, Dumas' most famous and lovable characters form the famous quartet. The original Three Musketeers, Athos, Aramis, and my favorite-- Porthos, quickly adopt D'Artagnan into their intimate group and form a friendship that spans decades. These characters as well rely on simple archetypes: Athos is the honorable, wise father figure, Aramis is the crafty schemer who never reveals his hand even to his friends, D'Artagnan is the resourceful, quick-witted type, and Porthos is a bit simple and vain, but is always the muscle of the group. Throughout the entire series, these characters develop in line with their archetypes and consequently, are uncomplicated and completely lovable. ***SPOILER***
(Except for Aramis, whom I have never forgiven for causing Porthos' death.)
Each book in the series is madcap adventure with both subtle and sometimes blatant humor. Louise de la Valliere gushes courtly romance and intrigue, but for the most part, although all of the musketeers are portrayed as ladies' men, love and its trappings play a relatively insignificant role in the development of the story. Rather, the focus is on the platonic love between the four best friends, who remain devoted to one another despite their lives taking different directions over the years. The characters became my friends and will stick in my mind always and forever.
The entire D'Artagnan Romance series is well over a million words long and spans several volumes and forty years in the lives of its main characters, the famous musketeers. The prodigious Alexandre Dumas wrote this epic tale to be published in the serial magazines that were popular during his day, submitting weekly installments which stretched over several years. This unique structure greatly informs his writing style. Because each serial installment had to captivate his readers, the action begins on the first page and continues almost without interruption-- readers weren't interested in overlong descriptions or details, and no one was critiquing on the basis of thematic developments.
In addition to his mad-cap writing style, Dumas relies heavily on character archetypes to allow his readers to quickly understand the characters and their motivations. If this sometimes led to rewriting history or over-simplifying his historical characters, it also led to a cohesive story that created both heroes and villains that live on today. The famous portraits of Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin have shaped the way generations have perceived these complex individuals, despite the fact that their actual actions and motives were complex and nuanced. And has a more perfect villain than Milady ever been created?
Of course, Dumas' most famous and lovable characters form the famous quartet. The original Three Musketeers, Athos, Aramis, and my favorite-- Porthos, quickly adopt D'Artagnan into their intimate group and form a friendship that spans decades. These characters as well rely on simple archetypes: Athos is the honorable, wise father figure, Aramis is the crafty schemer who never reveals his hand even to his friends, D'Artagnan is the resourceful, quick-witted type, and Porthos is a bit simple and vain, but is always the muscle of the group. Throughout the entire series, these characters develop in line with their archetypes and consequently, are uncomplicated and completely lovable. ***SPOILER***
(Except for Aramis, whom I have never forgiven for causing Porthos' death.)
Each book in the series is madcap adventure with both subtle and sometimes blatant humor. Louise de la Valliere gushes courtly romance and intrigue, but for the most part, although all of the musketeers are portrayed as ladies' men, love and its trappings play a relatively insignificant role in the development of the story. Rather, the focus is on the platonic love between the four best friends, who remain devoted to one another despite their lives taking different directions over the years. The characters became my friends and will stick in my mind always and forever.
