Fiction’s evolution is so fascinating to me, especially as it evolved away from its mythological roots. By the time Dumas was writing in the mid-nineteenth century, fiction was become established in a form not dissimilar from the modern novel, although genre fiction in its multitude of flavors remained nascent. The Three Musketeers, therefore, has a polished, cohesive feel to its narrative, presentation, style, and characterization that is absent in many of the older works I read and review. Maybe that’s part of why I enjoyed The Three Musketeers more than I expected to enjoy it.
The most confusing thing about the book might be its title, since there are four protagonists, and the one primary protagonist is not a musketeer at the beginning of the book, so I’ve always wondered at that name. Everything else about the book is clearly presented by Dumas’ third person omniscient narrator, which is just distinctive enough to give the storytelling a certain flare, without becoming distracting or a character of its own, which is a fatal flaw I’ve observed in several of the rare modern attempts at that viewpoint (including my own, although I’m working on it). His writing is wonderfully descriptive without being florid or laborious, and both action and intrigue are depicted with equal aplomb and skill.
It is worth noting that the characters are iconic characters; don’t expect complex character arcs and development to accompany the plot. Almost all modern fiction has at least an attempt at a character arc, but I found it rather refreshing that I did not have to wade through the protagonists honing their skills, overcoming their emotional distress, or finding their maturity. Not that they’re particularly mature, but they don’t need to become more or less mature throughout the story. They simply are, and that in no way detracts from the enjoyment which the story can provide. In fact, I found it rather refreshing. Not every story requires complex character dynamics to be complete.
Also, don’t take the lack of character developments to mean that there is a lack of character. This is easy to forget with our emphasis today on character arcs, but characterization itself is not lacking in The Three Musketeers. The characters, for all they are iconic in that they do not change significantly over the course of the book, are nonetheless portrayed with all of the quirks, flaws, tendencies, and traits of real people, fully developed and depicted for us, whether they are major or minor characters. The text manages to convey a sense that these are real people and real adventures that we’re reading about, no matter how fantastic some of the adventures seem.
The Three Musketeers is not a deep story. It is not poignant with subtextual meanings and implications. Instead, it is an adventure romp. The stakes are high without being preposterous, the tension is retained despite frequent viewpoints from the antagonists (indeed, it is often enhanced by this method), and the characters are alive without needed to undergo dramatic changes. I’m sure there are people who read deeply into it, but why? Some stories exist simply to be enjoyed, and I did enjoy this one, from the characterization, to the plot, to the writing itself. I think you’ll enjoy it, too.
IGC Publishing 