Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

This is the thread for the buddy read of The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas.

This buddy read will start in May.

Participants:
Bea
K. L.
Ashley Marie
Jane
LeahS

I have my book for 3 weeks with renewal x1. That means I can have 6 weeks to read it. My copy (Barnes & Noble) has 629 pages, so that makes about 104 pages a week. This works OK for me; I hope it isn't too much for either of you.

May 1-7: Chapters 1-10 (104p)
May 8-14: Chapters 11-22 (109p)
May 15-21: Chapters 23-29 (99p)
May 22-28: Chapters 30-42 (105p)
May 29-June 4: Chapters 43-54 (103p)
June 4-11: Chapters 55- Epilogue (109p)

Does this schedule work for everyone?

This reading schedule looks great to me! My copy is the Penguin Classics edition, so my page numbers will be a little different than yours, but I don't think that will cause any issues. I'm looking forward to getting started tomorrow!

I have just got my copy - schedule looks great.

This should work fine!

@K.L. - That is why I posted the chapters. I figured we might end up with different editions with different page numbers.

@Jane - Welcome!

@Ashley Marie - great!

So good to hear that the schedule will work. I was a bit nervous that I would end up reading it alone. Be sure when posting to hide spoilers just in case we are not all together on what is being read.

Now to the book!

Hello, I see my local library has a copy.

Have you got room for one more buddy?

Always more room! Welcome, Leah!

Thanks. Looking forward to the reading.

LeahS wrote: "Hello, I see my local library has a copy.

Have you got room for one more buddy?"

Of course!

This is one of my all-time favorite books. I can’t participate but I’m looking forward to following everyone’s progress and hearing the thoughts and opinions (without posting, of course, so as to not give anything away)!

Just read the first few pages and so far it looks promising

I had a chance to read the first two chapters yesterday morning, and I'm really enjoying the story so far. I loved The Count of Monte Cristo when I read it earlier this year, and I think I'm going to like this book just as much!

I love when older books use the framing of "such-and-such pages have come into the editor's collection", it's so much fun. I made it through three chapters yesterday!

I am starting it today, and I must admit to being excited about it.

I am starting my third chapter and really enjoying the book

Through ch10 today and content to wait for more til Monday, to stick to the schedule. I'm enjoying it very much. The version of the story I was familiar with going in is fairly abridged and only covers the first half of the book; I was surprised by how late (view spoiler)[Planchet was introduced, as I was previously accustomed to him being there from the start. (hide spoiler)] Loving the bits of dialogue I recognize :D

Up to Chapter 7 - enjoyed where d'Artagnan met up with Athos, Porthos and Aramis and nearly had a duel.

Just finished chapter 10 and am enjoying the book very much so far.

I finished chapter 10 yesterday morning, and I'm really enjoying the story!

Just fiinished Chapter10 - will start on Chapter 11 on M onday

Y'all are encouraging me with your posts of enjoying this book. I am struggling to get into the story. I must admit that it took most of the week to get myself to dip my toe in...and, although the small bits that I have read were interesting, the language puts me off a bit as it is hard for me to understand.

I do not read classics often, so that might be part of the problem. Also there are too many words like baldric that I do not know and so am guessing at the meaning. I am dedicating today to making headway. Currently only 25% of the selection read.

Baldric = belt to swing your sword from. I just tend to press on past words I'm not sure about unless they stop me understanding what's going on.

What I've noticed is how much action there is in the story and how little description, compared to other C19th authors like Dickens. I can visualise what's going on easily and I wonder if that's because I've seen different versions of the story on screen, tv, film and the classic animation Dogtanian :). I wonder if the story would be harder to follow without that background.

LeahS, perhaps that is my issue. Although I have heard of the three musketeers for a long time, I know nothing of the story. Still, I am now on page 88 and finding that my interest is picking up. At this rate, I may be ready to start the next part with everyone on Monday.

Caught up!

I listened through ch21 today, so that's all for this week! (view spoiler)[I love the storyline with the diamond necklace, and the appearance of Milady. She's such a great character. (hide spoiler)]

A couple of train journeys today have got me up to chapter 22.

(view spoiler)[ I also enjoyed the diamonds episode. I am amazed at how casually people accept the odd sword wound or two, in the days before much medical help, antibiotics etc. were available (hide spoiler)]

Leah like you I have had a long commute and being stuck at the airport both ways and overnight in a hotel I have got up to Chapter 25. [ I had nothing else to read!]
I will stop now to get back to the Schedule

Gee, y'all. Here you go sprinting off just when I have caught up!

However, I have been reading...and will be there soon.

Hello all,

I got convinced last week by a library worker to get this book at their book sale last week. She said it was her favorite book. And with all of you seeming to enjoy it it gives me hope that I will too.

Happy reading to you all. I would love to join however, this month I have jumped from 2 stores to 6 stores for my job and my schedule is already crazy, esp this week due to Mother's day being on Sunday; it's our busiest holiday in the greeting card world.

Welcome, JessicaMHR. Our reading schedule amounts to about 20 pages 5x/wk. And, we are just finishing week #2. Jump right in! We are going slowly enough that reading every day will catch you up in no time!

OK...I finished this week's portion and went on reading (not very far, though). Then, as I sometimes do, I dreamed a continuation of my reading (view spoiler)[with a scene of D'Artagnan being confronted by the Cardinal's men over the diamonds and horses (hide spoiler)].

As my book is due to be renewed by 5/20, I may continue to read this weekend. On the other hand, next week's portion is short.

BTW, (view spoiler)[it seems too early in the book for the three Musketeers to be dead. So far only Porthos has reappeared. Do they survive that London trip? (hide spoiler)]

I just finished reading chapters 21-22, and I have to say that I am having so much fun reading this book! I especially enjoyed (view spoiler)[D'Artagnan's journey to London, and I'm really looking forward to finding out what happened to the Musketeers after he was forced to leave them behind. (hide spoiler)]

On another note, this week I had the opportunity to read Cyrano de Bergerac for the first time, and was excited to find that D'Artagnan makes a brief appearance in it! If you haven't had a chance to read the play, I definitely recommend giving it a try. It's a pretty quick read, and a great story.

Happy Birthday, Bea!

Thanks, LeahS. It was a very nice day.

Agh, looks like I stopped a chapter early last week - starting with ch22 and the ball just now.

Have made it to Chp28 -plot is getting exciting. Will stop now till 22/5 to keep on track

I'm up to date now for this week. (view spoiler)[ They are literally very cavalier in their treatment of the lower orders. Good to see Milady back and looking forward to more scheming and derring-do in Paris (hide spoiler)]

I must admit to 2 thought because I am tackling this classic. One is that I will plan more classics into my challenges, and two is that I will tackle that Clancy book even if I don't have a buddy once this one is done.

I've added a A Tale of Two Cities to the summer challenge for RwS.

I've not read any Dickens besides A Christmas Carol but I definitely want more from him too - I may try to pencil something in for the autumn.

Out of curiosity, does anyone have a favorite character so far?

I'm partial to Athos and Porthos <3

ETA: and Aramis too, but I think his religious tendency has always thrown me off

I think my favorite character is actually Monsieur de Tréville. We haven't seen him a tremendous amount, since most of the action follows D'Artagnan, but I really like (view spoiler)[how he steps up to help his musketeers whenever they get themselves in a tight spot with the Cardinal and/or King Louis. (hide spoiler)]

I'm also pretty fond of Porthos.

I don't think I have a favorite character, although M. de Tréville might do for me, also.

I am struck thus far with how much this book should be called the Adventures of D'Artagnon rather than The Three Musketeers. Halfway through the book, and I still know so little about those three. I expected them to be the prime characters and instead they seem to be more supporting ones.

They definitely are supporting to D'Artagnan's protagonist. I loved the section where he goes to talk to each of them - (view spoiler)[Aramis doing his churchy stuff, Porthos having spent all his money, Athos drunk as a skunk (hide spoiler)].

Unfortunately my audiobook loan lapsed over the weekend and it's another few weeks before I can get it back, so I'll most likely be late finishing!

I agree - D'Artagnan is definitely the main character. I also think that Monsieur de Tréville is a good sort. (view spoiler)[ I've just started this week's reading and feel very sorry for the little maid, Kitty (hide spoiler)]
What a shame about the audiobook, Ashley Marie - how frustrating!

LeahS wrote: "What a shame about the audiobook, Ashley Marie - how frustrating!"

Thanks Leah. As I'm in the middle of tech week for a show I'm working on, I have zero time or mental space for my paperback. I'll try to pick it up in another week once we've opened and I have a few days to myself again, assuming the audiobook takes its time getting back to me!

Good luck with the show.

Read this already

LeahS wrote: "Good luck with the show."

Thanks so much!