The Vicomte de Bragelonne

The story's scope is immense, and I wonder whether Dumas planned this structure from the start or if it evolved during writing. Did this affect how the story unfolds?

The intrigue is so dense that I found myself more invested in the scheming than the characters' personal stories. Is this typical of Dumas's style or specific to this volume?

His vivid storytelling brings 17th-century France to life, but I wonder how much is historically accurate versus dramatized for adventure.