I just thought to compare the number of words in the unabridged version of The Count of Monte Cristo with the abridged version that I read in high school. This book is one of my favorite novels of all time–definitely top three, maybe number one!–so you can see why I’d be appalled at what I learned.
Unabridged Version: 444,702 words
Abridged Version: 188,129 words
Difference: 256,573 words
They cut away 58% of the book!
So, if any of my readers have read both the abridged and the unabridged version, would you kindly give me your thoughts on how much worse, if any, the abridged version is.
I know need to buy the unabridged version and read it. I’d always assumed that they had only cut out, say, 10-20% of it, not 58%!
Tags: Dumas, Fiction, The Count of Monte Cristo
