Book Review - The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

Having never read the Three Musketeers, I resolved to pick up the book and give it a go over the long Labor Day weekend. There is no question in my mind after reading it why the book is a classic and why the story and the characters are so popular. The book contains everything that a great novel should - layers of meaning, symbolism, complex characters, archetypes, adventure, romance, plot twists, suspense. It is all there. In spades.

Based loosely on historical events around the assassination of the Duke of Buckingham and the siege of La Rochelle, the boo chronicles the journey of young d'Artangan from a poor but noble family in Gascony to become a member of the King's Musketeers. Introducing complex characters such as Cardinal Richelieu and Milady de Winter, Dumas weaves an intricate tale of international intrigue, murder and adventure. Expecting to find the book a tough read, I actually thoroughly enjoyed the book, and found it to be as fun and nearly as page turning as any modern novel of the same genre.

If you haven't read The Three Musketeers, I would highly recommend it to any reader - young or old. Dumas is a brilliant author and the story remains timeless.