Hello, I have to explore either Russian Formalism or New Criticism...

Hello,

I have to explore either Russian Formalism or New Criticism as critical approach to literary work. I have chosen The Count of Monte Cristo for this but, I am having trouble with relating defamiliarization or paradoxes emphasized by Formalism/New Criticism to this text as I am still reading it. Is there a direction you could point me in to find the similarities, and so I can support my theory choice? I was trying to utilize the New Criticism lens on this literary work but I am not far enough in to really find what I am looking for.