His plans have devastating consequences for both the innocent and the guilty. It centres on a man who is wrongfully imprisoned, escapes from jail, acquires a fortune, and sets about exacting revenge on those responsible for his imprisonment. The historical setting is a fundamental element of the book, an adventure story primarily concerned with themes of hope, justice, vengeance, mercy, and forgiveness. It begins just before the Hundred Days period (when Napoleon returned to power after his exile). The story takes place in France, Italy, and islands in the Mediterranean during the historical events of 1815–1839: the era of the Bourbon Restoration through the reign of Louis-Philippe of France. Another important work by Dumas, written before his work with Maquet, was the short novel Georges this novel is of particular interest to scholars because Dumas reused many of the ideas and plot devices later in The Count of Monte Cristo.

Like many of his novels, it was expanded from plot outlines suggested by his collaborating ghostwriter Auguste Maquet. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with The Three Musketeers. The Count of Monte Cristo (French: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel by French author Alexandre Dumas ( père) completed in 1844.

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