The book, for me, can be defined only by what it lacks. Where are the real people (as opposed to ersatz characters)? Where is the question about the propriety of revenge? Where is the issue of Dantes' hubris? The closest we get to it is his half-hearted sorrow over little Edward de Villefort's poisoning, which is almost an afterthought. And look at how poorly Dantes treats Faria - he doesn't take Faria's writings about a unified, independent Italy for publication or even seem to care about Faria's goals and dreams. He just uses Faria's information and Faria's tunnel for his own gain. Yet there is no reflection on that.