This historical, political, and romantic flair novel is fast-paced and compelling with its many intrigues and plots. Dumas makes it nearly impossible for readers to put the book down with the excellent care he takes in the exposition of his introduction of our hero, the two principal villains, and all three musketeers showcasing their eccentricities, truly bringing each flamboyant character to life.

The sequences of events such as Milady’s seduction of Felton, the attempt of D’Artagnan and the Musketeers to rescue Constance, the many, many duels with Cardinal guards, the curious relationship between King and Cardinal, the assassination plot, and the emergence of D’Artagnan as the “Fourth Musketeer,” move with rapidity. Although everything moves so swiftly, the writing is seamless, and readers are taken in and follow the journey along effortlessly. The only complaint is Dumas’s tendency to fade the carnal part of the romance out of the way.   

The most controversial character of the book has to be Milady de Winter. Some readers will likely see her as a remorseless, villainous femme fatale, Cardinal Richelieu’s spy, scheming against and fighting our Musketeers at every turn. She instigates marital unrest between the King and Queen, plots the assassination of the Duke of Buckingham, tries to kill D’Artagnan, and later poisons Constance Bonacieux, and long ago made a fool of the Comte de La Fère.

On the other hand, some readers will see her as a poor young woman who did what she had to to survive since she was forced into a convent due to starvation where a priest fell in love with her, and the pair stole some church property to start their life together, but they were caught and branded with the criminal mark: the fleur-de-lys. Once again, on her own, she fell in love with the Comte de La Fère. The two were married, but she hid her criminal past from him. When he discovered her treachery, he stung her by her neck, leaving her to die, but she survived the ordeal and entered the service of the Cardinal; under his direction, she became a powerful agent doing his bidding.

Dumas shows true depth of emotions and cold calculations with this complex character. It’s exquisite to see the two facets come to light. Readers can empathize with her and wish to throttle her for her machinations simultaneously, which is fascinating.

 This enthralling read is a true 5-star.