I just, hmm, as much as I love stories about TERRIBLE PEOPLE (look at my fandoms look at my choices), I have to find something sympathetic in the protagonist, especially for something as long as a 19th century novel. And Dumas...mostly wrote about protagonists I want to punch in the face forever. I just had zero sympathy for Dantès despite his suffering.

(I suspect this is also why I've never finished Three Musketeers.)

Basically, I think I like Dumas best in adaptations where his protagonists are made more sympathetic for a modern audience and I don't have to read 100s of pages of them being assholes. :-P