Children's Literature
- Kathleen Karr
It is amusing to remember that Alexander Dumas' (1802-1870) The Three Musketeers is really the story of d'Artagnan—the proud Don Quixote of eighteen—and his quest to join the famous trio of Athos, Porthos and Aramis in the seventeenth century French court as a guardian of Louis XIV and his queen. Freshly blessed by his father with a few coins, a letter to M. de Treville, Captain of the King's Musketeers, and an ancient swaybacked nag, the young man sets off for Paris. His pitiful mount becomes the catalyst for the comedy of errors that follows. Yet neither the first duel challenge gone awry nor the theft of his papers keep d'Artagnan from being welcomed in Paris anyway, or from cheerfully bumbling into consecutive duels with the very men he wishes to join. Fortunately these confrontations are interupted by the villainous Cardinal's Guards. Choosing to fight rather than be arrested, d'Artagnan joins the Musketeers in routing the enemy—thus earning the coveted right to shout "All for one and one for all!" And this is only the beginning of d'Artagnan's adventures enroute to becoming a captain of the Musketeers. Hutton has produced a hefty, 370-page condensation of the original's 600-plus paged tome, creating a relatively fast read for middle schoolers. The edition has also been brightened by Bret Helquist's chapter head banners and full-page illustrations, and a useful glossary has been appended. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr
VOYA
- Dawn Talbott
This graphic adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' classic tale begins with the introduction of young d'Artagnan as he leaves home with the purpose joining the king's guard. He immediately gets into a quarrel with a mysterious man, who turns out to be a recurring adversary for d'Artagnan. d'Artagnan's quick temper also then gets him into trouble with Athos, Porthos and Aramis, but actually the four men quickly become close friends. The group experiences many sword-wielding adventures as they tangle with guards, soldiers, women, royalty and each other. The tale of the Three Musketeers is a classic for a reason. Dumas created an engaging story about camaraderie that moves quickly and has a lot of action, including swordplay, espionage, and romance. This adaptation is very well suited for a wide range of readers. The sentence structure and language are rich enough to evoke a feeling of the period in which it is set—seventeenth century France and England—but not so complex that readers will struggle to understand the text; however, if readers do find themselves confused as to what a word means, there is a glossary at the back that provides definitions for unfamiliar vocabulary. The action and romance are balanced well, with neither weighing too heavily into the story, so both genders will enjoy the novel. Brett Helquist's art adds visual appeal and illustrates key parts of the action. Overall, this selection is a good swash-buckling addition to libraries that serve adolescents. Reviewer: Dawn Talbott
School Library Journal
Gr 5 Up—The text in this abridgement is considerably shortened, but the language retains its original complexity. Helquist's illustrations complement the story nicely, and the movie tie-in may be an enticement for those not yet familiar with this classic. A short glossary helps with the most unfamiliar terms. This is not one to hand to reluctant readers, but it makes a nice bridge to the original.—Laurie Slagenwhite Walters, Peachtree Montessori International, Ann Arbor, MI
