>>13
It's even a bit wackier than what you described. Eugenie was a strongly implied canon lesbian and she eloped with her piano teacher in the book. Gonzo threw that out and instead injected tons of male homolust into the anime. I still wonder why they gave up that opportunity.
That being said, my main disappointment with Gankutsuou is how they changed the book end and by making the Count irredeemably evil and consumed by revenge they basically changed the whole core premise of the outcome, which was actually uplifting and encouraging and leaves you with a feeling of FUCK YEAH at the end.
To OP: Have fun. You've got a great read ahead of you, deserving of being called a 'classic'. Depending on the edition and whether it's abridged or not, the "pre-Count" parts of the story can drag a bit, but once Edmond begins his new life, it's a captivating read right till the end.