Book+Review

media type="file" key="brennenh-bookreview-2012.mp3" There are many components of novels which, when brought together, can create a novel greater than the sum of all its parts. Alexandre Dumas's //The Man in the Iron Mask // brings together thrilling action, intense and high-pressure situations, romance, and emotions which may easily be interpreted by the reader, especially those of back-stabbing deceit and the anger-driven passion for vengeance. Unfortunately, it also brings to the table some unsatisfactory traits which were not to be found in the prequel, //The Three Musketeers //.

Although there are many things which this book does well, some may argue that it has its faults as well. In my opinion, these faults were at first few, although apparent. For example, this story was a bit slow at start, and occasionally throughout the book as well. Conversations which Aramis, one of the main characters, took part in, for example, tended to be rather boring at times, although they often further developed the plot. However, at least for the first half of the story I found it well worthwhile to read through these, because for every one of these apparently dull portions of the story, a shocking deception or revelation was to follow. In my opinion, one of the best aspects of this novel was the attention to detail which was paid by the author. Dumas clearly went to great lengths in order to describe everything in detail, including almost every character’s appearance, thoughts, and actions. Because many of these characters were enemies, this really creates mixed feelings for the reader. In one chapter, for instance, you may feel the terrible anxiety Aramis undergoes as he conspires against the King, and you may share his desperation in that victory is just out of reach, but that it may very easily slip away. Just when his plan is about to go through, you find that, in the next chapter, the perspective suddenly switches to the King’s, who is heavily preoccupied with other matters. And so in his turn, you experience the fear and uncertainty of the King as he is kidnapped and forcefully escorted to be imprisoned.

My least favorite parts of this novel came into play mostly in the second half of the story. All that Dumas had built up slowly but surely began to crumble down. The story already had an underlying tone of deep sorrow and sadness, but this became more and more greatly exaggerated as the story went on. Characters began to die in predictable ways, and it seems to me that the author had merely become lazy and decided to kill every one off just for the sake of doing so. The deaths of these characters became far too predictable and ill thought out, as well. To provide a more detailed example of this, Raoul, the son of Athos, one of the three musketeers of the first novel, plays a big role in the story, in the beginning of it having just discovered that his lover, Mademoiselle de la Valliere, had left him in favor of King Louis IV. His depression is built upon all throughout, and he decides that, not being able to live without her, he would get himself killed. Instead of putting a twist on this, however, the author made him do just as he said he would, and he shortly thereafter is killed fighting in a battle against Arabians. Upon hearing of this, Athos somehow mysteriously dies as well. Meanwhile, Aramis’ plan having failed, he and Porthos flee to an island, where Porthos is crushed by falling rock. He, at least, took 80 of the King’s men with him, something which cannot be said for Athos and Raoul. As if these weren’t enough for Dumas, the author even introduced new characters which were uselessly killed shortly after their introduction.

In order to highlight the enormity of these faults, I will take a moment to summarize the story. The main characters of this story consisted of the original musketeers from the first novel: Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and d’Artagnan, as well as Athos’ son Raoul, King Louis IV, Monsieur Fouquet, and, of course, the Man in the Iron Mask. Before the beginning of the story, King Louis III had had two sons; twins. Fearing that these two sons would quarrel for power, he made one his heir and sent the other away, to be raised elsewhere. As a young boy, this out-casted, would-be prince nearly discovers his true identity, and so he is locked up in prison known as the Bastille. Throughout the first half of the story, Aramis plotted to replace the unlikable King Louis IV with this man, who was raised by the name of Philippe, and who very greatly resembled his brother. Aramis treated him as a son, and eventually helped him to escape from his prison, intending to secretly switch him with his brother, putting his brother in prison and giving him the throne. All of this went according to plan at first. However, when told what had happened, Monsieur Fouquet, the Surintendant of Finances and a man of many friends and enemies, gave Aramis and Porthos a warning to flee to his island. He proceeded to rescue King Louis IV. Enraged, the old king sentences the “usurper” king to be imprisoned on a faraway island, given an iron mask so that his identity would never be revealed. Philippe is never again discussed in the story, save for his being escorted to the prison. The king then sends his troops, led by d’Artagnan, to attack the two runaways. In the end of the story, Fouquet, so greatly built up, is completely ruined, and, instead of betraying the king for pitting himself against his friends, d’Artagnan succumbs to the now highly despicable king. The rest of the story I have already stated.

Although this book is well written in that details are very well attended to and characters are well developed, the ending ruined it for me. The ending is not bittersweet, nor is it even flat out sad; it’s really almost a joke in my opinion and by the end of it you’re just waiting for the rest of the characters to be killed off. Because of this, I would not recommend that you read this book. I instead recommend its prequel, //The Three Musketeers//, which was a much better novel in my opinion.