Time-tested Fun

Who hasn't heard about the Three Musketeers (even if there is really four) and their famous motto, "All for one, and one for all"? It's as much a part of our culture as apple pie and "Mikey likes it." However, until this past Christmas, when my husband requested Dumas' books as a present, my knowledge of the Musketeers was limited to the movies and the abridged picture books of childhood. What a different perspective the book offers!

First, it does indeed contain all of the swashbuckling romanticism on which Dumas built his reputation. There are sword fights and intrigue galore. There is also plenty of "courtly love" and heroic actions. What surprised me was also the frailty of the heroes. They have a great number of weaknesses and are often foolish and obtuse in the way they go about life. D'artangan made me feel terribly old in his youthful rashness (and I'm a young 31). I blushed for Aramis as he shielded any interest in the female gender despite being hopelessly in love. My heart was saddened for Athos, as the terrible secret of his past was revealed. Yet, these characters were not entirely sympathetic either. Some of their violence was unwarranted and I would consider what D'artangan did to his enemy an act of rape (despite Dumas attempts to make it seem justified by her lack of character).

There are many scenes that made me laugh aloud--garnering me strange looks from my fellow airline passengers. The scene where the four musketeers have breakfast on a knoll while the enemy charges them is as vivid as seeing it in a movie.

Nonetheless, it is a very well-written book and a surprisingly quick read for a "classic" novel. I read it in the space of a day and a half and was sorry when the book was over. It is easy to see why this book has stood the test of time and why such vivid characters have long outlived their creator.