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賯氐丞 賲丿賷賳鬲賷賳
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 鬲氐賵賾乇 賲丨賳丞 丕賱胤亘賯丞 丕賱毓丕賲賱丞 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷丞 鬲丨鬲 丕賱賯賲毓 丕賱賵丨卮賶 賱賱兀乇爻鬲賯乇丕胤賷丞 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷丞 禺賱丕賱 丕賱爻賳賵丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 賯丕丿鬲 廿賱賶 丕賱孬賵乇丞貙 賵丕賱賵丨卮賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 賲丕乇爻賴丕 丕賱孬賵乇賷賵賳 囟丿 丕賱兀乇爻鬲賯乇丕胤賷賷賳 賮賷 丕賱爻賳賵丕鬲 丕賱兀賵賱賶 賱賱孬賵乇丞.
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 鬲鬲亘毓 丨賷丕丞 亘毓囟 丕賱兀卮禺丕氐 禺賱丕賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬貙 兀卮賴乇賴賲 賮賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賴賵 鬲卮丕乇賱夭 丿丕乇賳賶貙 兀丨丿 丕賱兀乇爻鬲賯乇丕胤賷賷賳 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷賷賳貙 丕賱匕賶 賷賯毓 囟丨賷丞 賱賱孬賵乇丞 丕賱毓賲賷丕亍 丕賱鬲賷 賱賲 鬲賲賷夭 亘賷賳 丕賱禺賷乇 賵丕賱卮乇 亘乇睾賲 卮禺氐賷鬲賴 丕賱胤賷亘丞貙 賵 爻賷丿賳賶 賰丕乇鬲賵賳貙 丕賱賲丨丕賲 丕賱丕賳噩賱賷夭賶 丕賱爻賰賷乇貙 丕賱匕賶 賷囟丨賶 亘丨賷丕鬲賴 賱兀噩賱 丨亘賴 賱夭賵噩丞 丿丕乇賳賶貙 賱賵爻賶 賲丕賳賷鬲.
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 鬲鬲亘毓 丨賷丕丞 亘毓囟 丕賱兀卮禺丕氐 禺賱丕賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬貙 兀卮賴乇賴賲 賮賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賴賵 鬲卮丕乇賱夭 丿丕乇賳賶貙 兀丨丿 丕賱兀乇爻鬲賯乇丕胤賷賷賳 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷賷賳貙 丕賱匕賶 賷賯毓 囟丨賷丞 賱賱孬賵乇丞 丕賱毓賲賷丕亍 丕賱鬲賷 賱賲 鬲賲賷夭 亘賷賳 丕賱禺賷乇 賵丕賱卮乇 亘乇睾賲 卮禺氐賷鬲賴 丕賱胤賷亘丞貙 賵 爻賷丿賳賶 賰丕乇鬲賵賳貙 丕賱賲丨丕賲 丕賱丕賳噩賱賷夭賶 丕賱爻賰賷乇貙 丕賱匕賶 賷囟丨賶 亘丨賷丕鬲賴 賱兀噩賱 丨亘賴 賱夭賵噩丞 丿丕乇賳賶貙 賱賵爻賶 賲丕賳賷鬲.
191 pages, Paperback
First published November 26, 1859
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921571 people want to read
About the author
Charles Dickens
13.2k听books30.4k听followersCharles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.
Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers鈥攆rom Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton鈥攆or its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.
(from Wikipedia)
Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers鈥攆rom Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton鈥攆or its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 25,718 reviews
May 29, 2009
My primary goal when I'm teaching A Tale of Two Cities to my sophomores is to make them realize that Charles Dickens didn't write creaky, dusty long novels that teachers embraced as a twisted rite of passage for teenagers. Instead, I want them them to understand why Dickens was one of the most popular writers in England and America during his time. I want them to see the book as the suspenseful, comedic, and sentimental piece of entertainment that it is. Because, while A Tale of Two Cities is masterfully written with sly humor, densely meaningful descriptions, a cast of quirky characters only Dickens could create, an endless series of telling binaries and foils, and relevant social commentary about the French Revolution as well as Dickens' time, it is also simply a damn good story. By a damn good storyteller.
I have a difficult time writing reviews about books that I adore because, when I'm not reading them, I hug them too closely to be very critical. (BTW - I frequently hug A Tale of Two Cities in front of my students... and write Charles Dickens' name with hearts around it... They think I'm crazy, but it intrigues some of them just enough to make them doubt the derisive comments of upperclassmen.) I reluctantly admit that Dickens does oversimplify the causes of the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror; however, in doing so, he successfully captures the spirit of a tumultuous period and helps readers sympathize with characters on every side of the developing conflict. I also think that the characters of Roger Cly and John Barsad get a bit messy and may have worked better as a single character. Perhaps the confusion is a result of serialization restructuring. But, really, I read A Tale of Two Cities like a costumed Lord of the Rings fan at a movie premier. I cheer when my favorite characters enter scenes and I knowingly laugh when Dickens cleverly foreshadows future events.
Though I don't think that A Tale of Two Cities is Dickens' best novel--that title I would reserve for either Bleak House or David Copperfield--I do agree with Dickens, who claims that it was his best story. It is artfully written. Dickens introduces a cast of characters, sprawled across two nations and spanning varied social classes and political affiliations, and then effortlessly weaves their stories and secrets together in a masterful way. The Modernist movement painstakingly forced literature to reflect the ambiguities and uncertainties of the real world and that's great, but sometimes it is a real joy to read a story that ends with such magnificent closure. All mysteries are solved and everything makes sense. It is beautiful.
(I have to admit that I was overjoyed when a group of my fifth period girls persistently voiced their disdain for Dickens' angel in the house Lucie and backed Madame Defarge. I think they may have created a Madame Defarge myspace, actually. Oh how the times have changed.)
"Ms. R--, you got me." "What?" "At the beginning of this book, you said you would get some of us. And that we would love it. You got me." I didn't get you G--. Charles Dickens did. I just introduced you.
Quote:
"A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other."
I have a difficult time writing reviews about books that I adore because, when I'm not reading them, I hug them too closely to be very critical. (BTW - I frequently hug A Tale of Two Cities in front of my students... and write Charles Dickens' name with hearts around it... They think I'm crazy, but it intrigues some of them just enough to make them doubt the derisive comments of upperclassmen.) I reluctantly admit that Dickens does oversimplify the causes of the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror; however, in doing so, he successfully captures the spirit of a tumultuous period and helps readers sympathize with characters on every side of the developing conflict. I also think that the characters of Roger Cly and John Barsad get a bit messy and may have worked better as a single character. Perhaps the confusion is a result of serialization restructuring. But, really, I read A Tale of Two Cities like a costumed Lord of the Rings fan at a movie premier. I cheer when my favorite characters enter scenes and I knowingly laugh when Dickens cleverly foreshadows future events.
Though I don't think that A Tale of Two Cities is Dickens' best novel--that title I would reserve for either Bleak House or David Copperfield--I do agree with Dickens, who claims that it was his best story. It is artfully written. Dickens introduces a cast of characters, sprawled across two nations and spanning varied social classes and political affiliations, and then effortlessly weaves their stories and secrets together in a masterful way. The Modernist movement painstakingly forced literature to reflect the ambiguities and uncertainties of the real world and that's great, but sometimes it is a real joy to read a story that ends with such magnificent closure. All mysteries are solved and everything makes sense. It is beautiful.
(I have to admit that I was overjoyed when a group of my fifth period girls persistently voiced their disdain for Dickens' angel in the house Lucie and backed Madame Defarge. I think they may have created a Madame Defarge myspace, actually. Oh how the times have changed.)
"Ms. R--, you got me." "What?" "At the beginning of this book, you said you would get some of us. And that we would love it. You got me." I didn't get you G--. Charles Dickens did. I just introduced you.
Quote:
"A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other."
Want to read
December 4, 2019This is Tessa's favorite. The book that Will grew to love. It must have something special.
April 23, 2023
Never change a running plot system
Although it might get used far too often
Instead of trying out new plots and ideas, Dickens keeps focusing on his main premises, recycling himself a bit and especially losing control over the inner logic, coherency, and credibility, not ever to talk about suspension of disbelief, because this thing feels so constructed.
Kind of a franchise of social critique
Not bad, but one of his weaker works, it reminds me a bit of a certain behemoth company always following the same scheme, adoring the running system, never changing much if it brings sweet money money. I do appreciate any kind of social criticism and that麓s, along with all the ethics, moral, capitalistic evil, etc. what makes Dickens麓work so special, but he just didn麓t put that much effort into this one, maybe there were personal reasons or problems, maybe he needed to get it published, maybe he just mehed and thought
, who knows.
Definitely did see it coming
I was pretty disappointed after about half to two thirds of the book, because I could guess that there won麓t be space for more dynamic plotlines (as if Dickens would have used such) and the ending was the ultimate Deus ex machinagasm. I can麓t get behind the fascination of this novel for some readers, it麓s an uninspired, stale infusion of Dickens topics in an unmotivated attempt to make more money by using his position as a moral guardian, a kind of national symbol ("our great writer to be proud of BS patriotism", no matter what she/he writes), and progressive critic of society, and copying his tropes until they began to fall into pieces.
Not close to Oliver Twist and Chrismas Carol
Because the story isn麓t that amazing, I would like to focus on dissecting Dickens, so let麓s take a short look at the strengths and weaknesses of his writing in general, by comparing best and worst, instead of talking about a story close to redundancy. In contrast to Christmas Carol and Oliver Twist, there seems to be less real lifeblood and the true self of the author in it, instead, it becomes a kind of next part of the literary brand Dickens was able to establish himself as.
A bit more complex characters, please
Dickens writes stereotypically, overusing the good/bad ugly/beautiful, and simple characterization scheme without the second layer and avoids describing realistic inner conflicts and anything giving characters more depth and complexity. There are no real cliffhangers, second and third plotlines, dynamic changes of perspective, and a general lack of pace and suspense, it麓s as if an ultra stoic person tells one a story without any mimic or emotion and one has to struggle not to fall asleep while listening.
Not everyone ages well toward ingenuity
What irritates me the most is that his 2 great classics weren麓t that average, although many other authors get better and better while they age and become specialists in the game of writing, but he lost parts of his motivation and/or talent while getting older. Without his established name, the last few novels wouldn麓t have sold in the way Christmas Carol and Oliver Twist did, he would probably even didn麓t have had the option to write more novels without the money and success.
Without the positive intent of showing grievances and dysfunctions in civilizations, this would have been a 3 star.
I am the last one to say that activism, progressivism, etc., aren麓t good, but as soon as money and economic interests become more important than the work itself and ethics are hypocritically used to boost sales, the writer has lost her/his street credibility. It just reminds me more of the daily, average 鈥瀍ach year a new novel鈥� mainstream mentality, not of a real classic.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
Although it might get used far too often
Instead of trying out new plots and ideas, Dickens keeps focusing on his main premises, recycling himself a bit and especially losing control over the inner logic, coherency, and credibility, not ever to talk about suspension of disbelief, because this thing feels so constructed.
Kind of a franchise of social critique
Not bad, but one of his weaker works, it reminds me a bit of a certain behemoth company always following the same scheme, adoring the running system, never changing much if it brings sweet money money. I do appreciate any kind of social criticism and that麓s, along with all the ethics, moral, capitalistic evil, etc. what makes Dickens麓work so special, but he just didn麓t put that much effort into this one, maybe there were personal reasons or problems, maybe he needed to get it published, maybe he just mehed and thought
, who knows.
Definitely did see it coming
I was pretty disappointed after about half to two thirds of the book, because I could guess that there won麓t be space for more dynamic plotlines (as if Dickens would have used such) and the ending was the ultimate Deus ex machinagasm. I can麓t get behind the fascination of this novel for some readers, it麓s an uninspired, stale infusion of Dickens topics in an unmotivated attempt to make more money by using his position as a moral guardian, a kind of national symbol ("our great writer to be proud of BS patriotism", no matter what she/he writes), and progressive critic of society, and copying his tropes until they began to fall into pieces.
Not close to Oliver Twist and Chrismas Carol
Because the story isn麓t that amazing, I would like to focus on dissecting Dickens, so let麓s take a short look at the strengths and weaknesses of his writing in general, by comparing best and worst, instead of talking about a story close to redundancy. In contrast to Christmas Carol and Oliver Twist, there seems to be less real lifeblood and the true self of the author in it, instead, it becomes a kind of next part of the literary brand Dickens was able to establish himself as.
A bit more complex characters, please
Dickens writes stereotypically, overusing the good/bad ugly/beautiful, and simple characterization scheme without the second layer and avoids describing realistic inner conflicts and anything giving characters more depth and complexity. There are no real cliffhangers, second and third plotlines, dynamic changes of perspective, and a general lack of pace and suspense, it麓s as if an ultra stoic person tells one a story without any mimic or emotion and one has to struggle not to fall asleep while listening.
Not everyone ages well toward ingenuity
What irritates me the most is that his 2 great classics weren麓t that average, although many other authors get better and better while they age and become specialists in the game of writing, but he lost parts of his motivation and/or talent while getting older. Without his established name, the last few novels wouldn麓t have sold in the way Christmas Carol and Oliver Twist did, he would probably even didn麓t have had the option to write more novels without the money and success.
Without the positive intent of showing grievances and dysfunctions in civilizations, this would have been a 3 star.
I am the last one to say that activism, progressivism, etc., aren麓t good, but as soon as money and economic interests become more important than the work itself and ethics are hypocritically used to boost sales, the writer has lost her/his street credibility. It just reminds me more of the daily, average 鈥瀍ach year a new novel鈥� mainstream mentality, not of a real classic.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
August 15, 2019
鈥滻t is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.鈥�
It rarely happens that a quote from a book haunts me but this one, well, this one does. I finished 鈥淎 Tale of Two Cities鈥� about two weeks ago, yet I鈥檓 still not over the ending. But how could I? After all, this is one of those rare books that keep you thinking even after you finished the last page and already closed the cover of the book.
The most intriguing thing about this all is the following though: I had a really, really tough time getting into 鈥淎 Tale of Two Cities鈥� when I first started to read it. XD The sentences were too long and complicated and Dickens writing style is lengthy and so full of superfluous words that every editor, no matter the century she/he lives in, would have had a field day crossing them out. *lol*
鈥漁 Miss Manette, when the little picture of a happy father鈥檚 face looks up in yours, when you see your own bright beauty springing up anew at your feet, think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you!鈥�
So what happened? I can鈥檛 explain it, but I think Dickens鈥檚 magic happened. At least that鈥檚 the only thing I can come up with while I鈥檓 trying to explain my sudden love for this book. I mean we have a little bit of comedy in here when three different suitors attempt to ask for Lucy Manettes hand, yet at the same time Doctor Manette鈥檚 mental condition is making the situation as serious as it could possibly be.
鈥漌hat can I do for my friend? No man ever can have been more desirious in his heart to serve a friend, than I am to serve mine, if I knew how.鈥�
Every character in here is either an angel (Miss Manette) or a precious snowflake (Mr. Lorry & Charles Darnay) or it鈥檚 bloodthirsty and evil. (Madame Defarge & The Marquis) There is no grey area, well not unless you count Sydney Carton who is by far the most intriguing character in the entire book! I loved him! <3 Yes, he might have been a drunkard (and I鈥檓 pretty sure he suffered from depression) but of all the characters that made an appearance in 鈥淎 Tale of Two Cities鈥� he鈥檚 certainly the most honourable and pure soul!
鈥滻t is too late for that. I shall never be better than I am. I shall sink lower, and be worse.鈥�
And this, Ladies and Gentleman, is the true tragedy of this book! That Sydney thinks he鈥檚 worth nothing even though he DESERVES THE FREAKING WORLD!!!! Excuse my screaming but ADKFASKDFKASDFKSDFKASD! I get all emotional just thinking about this lovable man! He is worthy, he is wantable, to hell with it, I鈥檓 actually going to compare him to my precious boy Adam Parrish now! *LOL* Both of them deserve so much and they are always trying to fit in, to make their life better, yet there鈥檚 always something that holds them back. That makes their lives difficult.
鈥漎ou are a good man and a true friend,鈥� said Carton, in an altered voice. 鈥淔orgive me if I notice that you are affected. I could not see my father weep, and sit by, careless. And I could not respect your sorrow more, if you were my father. You are free from that misfortune, however.鈥�
No one notices the struggle he鈥檚 going through and a lot of people judge him for his actions. Not outright into his face but behind his back. Truth be told, I think Miss Manette might have been the only person who ever got a decent glimpse at his true character and nature. And this only because he let her see it! Because he loved her and because he wanted her to know that there was a part of him, the part that loved her, that actually was worthy of her love as well. T_T
鈥滻 would ask you, dearest, to be very generous with him always, and very lenient on his faults when he is not by. I would ask you to believe that he has a heart he very, very seldom reveals, and that there are deep wounds in it. My dear, I have seen it bleeding.鈥�
But we鈥檙e in the time of the guillotine, the time of change, of libert茅, 茅galit茅 et fraternit茅! And forgiveness and compassion, let alone justice aren鈥檛 truly on the agenda. People like the Marquis had no mercy with their subjects and their former servants pay them back in kind. Unfortunately this also means that innocent people, regardless of their actions and their lack of involvement are sentenced to death as well. Casualties in a war that gained momentum way too fast.
And so it happens that the storyline swells to a crescendo that ends in a climax I didn鈥檛 expect!
Boy, did that ending throw me! O_o
It was a beautiful ending, tragic, but beautiful, hopeful and sad. And it taught me that Dickens was indeed a great writer. ;-)
Conclusion:
I really loved this book! Dickens might write long sentences, he might take his time until everything gets into motion but damn, he certainly knows how to deliver a punch line! If you like classics and don鈥檛 mind books with a lengthy build-up you definitely should go for this! It was so worth it! XD
鈥滻t is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.鈥�
___________________
3 Things:
1.) I鈥檓 finally doing this and I got myself some backup! XD
This book always kind of intimidated me but I think with the help of this awesome boy I鈥檒l eventually manage to read it!
Thank you so much for doing this buddy read with me! =))
2.) Yesh!!! I can鈥檛 wait to know what Will and Tessa meant when they compared themselves to characters from 鈥淎 Tale of Two Cities鈥�!!! I鈥檓 sure my reread of 鈥淐lockwork Angel鈥� later on this year will make so much more sense after reading this. *lol*
3.) It鈥檚 Charles Dickens, AND it鈥檚 about time I finally read one of his books!!!
It rarely happens that a quote from a book haunts me but this one, well, this one does. I finished 鈥淎 Tale of Two Cities鈥� about two weeks ago, yet I鈥檓 still not over the ending. But how could I? After all, this is one of those rare books that keep you thinking even after you finished the last page and already closed the cover of the book.
The most intriguing thing about this all is the following though: I had a really, really tough time getting into 鈥淎 Tale of Two Cities鈥� when I first started to read it. XD The sentences were too long and complicated and Dickens writing style is lengthy and so full of superfluous words that every editor, no matter the century she/he lives in, would have had a field day crossing them out. *lol*
鈥漁 Miss Manette, when the little picture of a happy father鈥檚 face looks up in yours, when you see your own bright beauty springing up anew at your feet, think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you!鈥�
So what happened? I can鈥檛 explain it, but I think Dickens鈥檚 magic happened. At least that鈥檚 the only thing I can come up with while I鈥檓 trying to explain my sudden love for this book. I mean we have a little bit of comedy in here when three different suitors attempt to ask for Lucy Manettes hand, yet at the same time Doctor Manette鈥檚 mental condition is making the situation as serious as it could possibly be.
鈥漌hat can I do for my friend? No man ever can have been more desirious in his heart to serve a friend, than I am to serve mine, if I knew how.鈥�
Every character in here is either an angel (Miss Manette) or a precious snowflake (Mr. Lorry & Charles Darnay) or it鈥檚 bloodthirsty and evil. (Madame Defarge & The Marquis) There is no grey area, well not unless you count Sydney Carton who is by far the most intriguing character in the entire book! I loved him! <3 Yes, he might have been a drunkard (and I鈥檓 pretty sure he suffered from depression) but of all the characters that made an appearance in 鈥淎 Tale of Two Cities鈥� he鈥檚 certainly the most honourable and pure soul!
鈥滻t is too late for that. I shall never be better than I am. I shall sink lower, and be worse.鈥�
And this, Ladies and Gentleman, is the true tragedy of this book! That Sydney thinks he鈥檚 worth nothing even though he DESERVES THE FREAKING WORLD!!!! Excuse my screaming but ADKFASKDFKASDFKSDFKASD! I get all emotional just thinking about this lovable man! He is worthy, he is wantable, to hell with it, I鈥檓 actually going to compare him to my precious boy Adam Parrish now! *LOL* Both of them deserve so much and they are always trying to fit in, to make their life better, yet there鈥檚 always something that holds them back. That makes their lives difficult.
鈥漎ou are a good man and a true friend,鈥� said Carton, in an altered voice. 鈥淔orgive me if I notice that you are affected. I could not see my father weep, and sit by, careless. And I could not respect your sorrow more, if you were my father. You are free from that misfortune, however.鈥�
No one notices the struggle he鈥檚 going through and a lot of people judge him for his actions. Not outright into his face but behind his back. Truth be told, I think Miss Manette might have been the only person who ever got a decent glimpse at his true character and nature. And this only because he let her see it! Because he loved her and because he wanted her to know that there was a part of him, the part that loved her, that actually was worthy of her love as well. T_T
鈥滻 would ask you, dearest, to be very generous with him always, and very lenient on his faults when he is not by. I would ask you to believe that he has a heart he very, very seldom reveals, and that there are deep wounds in it. My dear, I have seen it bleeding.鈥�
But we鈥檙e in the time of the guillotine, the time of change, of libert茅, 茅galit茅 et fraternit茅! And forgiveness and compassion, let alone justice aren鈥檛 truly on the agenda. People like the Marquis had no mercy with their subjects and their former servants pay them back in kind. Unfortunately this also means that innocent people, regardless of their actions and their lack of involvement are sentenced to death as well. Casualties in a war that gained momentum way too fast.
And so it happens that the storyline swells to a crescendo that ends in a climax I didn鈥檛 expect!
Boy, did that ending throw me! O_o
It was a beautiful ending, tragic, but beautiful, hopeful and sad. And it taught me that Dickens was indeed a great writer. ;-)
Conclusion:
I really loved this book! Dickens might write long sentences, he might take his time until everything gets into motion but damn, he certainly knows how to deliver a punch line! If you like classics and don鈥檛 mind books with a lengthy build-up you definitely should go for this! It was so worth it! XD
鈥滻t is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.鈥�
___________________
3 Things:
1.) I鈥檓 finally doing this and I got myself some backup! XD
This book always kind of intimidated me but I think with the help of this awesome boy I鈥檒l eventually manage to read it!
Thank you so much for doing this buddy read with me! =))
2.) Yesh!!! I can鈥檛 wait to know what Will and Tessa meant when they compared themselves to characters from 鈥淎 Tale of Two Cities鈥�!!! I鈥檓 sure my reread of 鈥淐lockwork Angel鈥� later on this year will make so much more sense after reading this. *lol*
3.) It鈥檚 Charles Dickens, AND it鈥檚 about time I finally read one of his books!!!
November 10, 2022
丕賳丕 亘賷鬲 賯丿賷賲 噩丿乇丕賳賴 賲賳 丕賱禺賵賮 卮乇禺鬲鉁�
丕賳丕 賳賰鬲丞 丨賱賵丞 丕鬲賰乇乇鬲 賵 兀賴賷 亘賵禺鬲
丕賳丕 丕乇囟 亘賵乇 丕禺匕賴丕 丕賱賴賲 丨賯 丕賳鬲賮丕毓
丕賳丕 亘丕亘 賲賯賮賵賱 賲賳 爻賳賷賳 賵賲賮鬲丕丨賴 囟丕毓
丕賴賱丕 亘賰賲 賮賷 賲丿賷賳丞 爻賷丿賳賷 賰丕乇鬲賵賳..丨賷孬 賱賱毓丿賱 賵噩賴賷賳..賵 賱賱鬲囟丨賷丞 賲毓賳賷賷賳..賵 賱賱丨亘 賱賵賳賷賳..賵 賱賱孬賵乇丕鬲 賲賳鬲賮毓賷賳
賰丕乇鬲賵賳 賲賳 夭毓賲丕亍 丕賱賰丌亘丞 毓亘乇 丕賱毓丕賱賲 賵 賴賵 爻亘亘 賵賯賵毓賷 賮賷 爻丨乇 丕賱乇賵丕賷丕鬲 賲賳匕 丿乇爻鬲 賯氐丞 賲丿賷賳鬲賷賳 賮賷 爻賳 15 賵 丨鬲賶 賷賵賲賳丕 賴匕丕 ..賰丕乇鬲賵賳 亘囟賷丕毓賴 賵 乇賲丕丿賷鬲賴 賵 鬲噩乇丿賴 賵 賰丕亘鬲賴 丕賱鬲賷 丕賵氐賱鬲賴 賱丕毓賱賶 賲乇丕鬲亘 丕賱丨乇賷丞 貨 賷爻鬲丨賯 賱賯亘: 丕賰孬乇 丕亘胤丕賱 丕賱丕丿亘 乇賵賲丕賳爻賷丞 毓賱賶 丕賱丕胤賱丕賯 賵 賱賵 丨馗鬲 丕賷 賮鬲丕丞 亘賲孬賱賴 賮賷 丕賱賵丕賯毓貨丕匕賳 賱賯丿 賮丕夭鬲 賵 賰賮賶
賯氐丞 賲丿賷賳鬲賷賳 賴賷 賲賱丨賲丞 鬲丕乇賷禺賷丞 毓賳 丕賱孬賵乇丞 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷丞 貨毓賳 賲丕賴賷丞 丕賱丨乇賷丞 貨 丿乇丞 丕賱丕丿亘 丕賱丕賳噩賱賷夭賶 賱兀爻亘丕亘 賱丕 鬲賳鬲賴賶. .丕亘胤丕賱 賲鬲賳丕賯囟賷賳 ..丕丨丿丕孬 賲鬲賱丕丨賯丞. .丨亘賰丞 賲丨賰賲丞..氐丿賮 鬲睾賷馗
賵 丕禺賷乇丕 賱丕賳賳賷 夭乇鬲 丕賱賲丿賷賳鬲賷賳: 亘丕乇賷爻 賯亘賱 賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 亘爻賳賵丕鬲 賵 賱賳丿賳 鬲賵 賲丕 賮乇睾鬲 賲賳賴丕..賵 丕丐賰丿 丕賳 夭賷丕乇丞 賯亘賵 賲鬲丨賮 賲丿丕賲 鬲賵爻賵 亘毓丿 賯乇丕亍丞 賯氐丞 賲丿賷賳鬲賷賳 貨 賰丕賳 賲賳 丕賰孬乇 鬲噩丕乇亘 丨賷丕鬲賷 爻賵丕丿丕 賵 乇毓亘丕
賱丕 鬲卮乇賯 丕賱卮賲爻 毓賱賶 賲賳馗乇 丕賰孬乇 丨夭賳丕 馃挱
賲賳 乇噩賱 賷賲鬲賱賰 毓賵丕胤賮 賳亘賷賱丞賵 賲賵丕賴亘 賵 賯丿乇丕鬲 賮丕卅賯丞 賵 賷毓噩夭 毓賳 鬲胤亘賷賯賴丕 丕賵 丕馗賴丕乇賴丕 丕賵 丨鬲賶 毓賱賶 廿爻毓丕丿 賳賮爻賴 亘賱 鬲鬲丕賰賱賴 丕賱鬲毓丕爻丞 丨鬲賶 丕賱鬲賱丕卮賷馃挰丕
賴賰匕丕 賷氐賮 賱賳丕 丿賷賰賳夭 :爻賷丿賳賶 賰丕乇鬲賵賳 丕賱賲丨丕賲賷 丕賱賲賱賯亘"亘丕亘賳 丕賵賶" 丕賱賲賳鬲賲賶 丕賱賶 丕亘胤丕賱"賷卮亘賴賵賳賳賷 亘亘爻丕胤丞"亘卮毓丕乇賴賲 丕賱丕亘丿賷: 賱丕 丕爻鬲丨賯 丕賷 卮賷亍 賵 賰賮賶
丕賳丕 賲鬲賴賲 賵 賲丕賱賷卮 賰賲丕賳 丨賯 丕賱丿賮丕毓鉁�
丕賳丕 爻賴賲 亘賵乇氐丞 賮賷 丕賳禺賮丕囟 賲卮 賮賷 丕乇鬲賮丕毓
賱賵爻賷 賲丕賳賷鬲 匕賴亘賷丞 丕賱卮毓乇 賵 丕賱賯賱亘 賵馃挮 丕賱丨賱賯丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲乇亘胤 亘賷賳 丕亘胤丕賱 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱賲鬲毓丿丿賷賳貨 賷丨亘賴丕 乇噩賱賷賳 賲鬲胤丕亘賯賷 丕賱賲賱丕賲丨
賵 賲鬲賳丕賯囟賷 丕賱氐賮丕鬲
鬲卮丕乇賱夭 丿丕乇賳賷馃憖 丕賱丕乇爻鬲賯乇丕胤賷 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷 丕賱賲賴丕噩乇 丕賱賲鬲賲乇丿 毓賱賶 賯爻賵丞 賵 爻丕丿賷丞 胤亘賯鬲賴 賵 丕爻乇鬲賴
賵鈾ヘ迟娯嗁� 賰丕乇鬲賵賳 丕賱賲丨丕賲賷 丕賱亘乇賷胤丕賳賷 丕賱賳丕亘賴/丕賱賷丕卅爻 賵 丕賱匕賷 鬲夭丿丕丿 賰丕亘鬲賴 賲賳 丨賷丕鬲賴 丕賱賲亘丿丿丞 賵 噩賴賵丿賴 丕賱賲爻乇賵賯丞 亘毓丿 賱賯丕丐賴 亘卮亘賷賴賴 丿丕乇賳賷 丕賱匕賷 賷賲鬲賱賰 賰賱 賲丕 賷賮鬲賯丿賴 ..賮鬲鬲賳丕賯囟 毓賵丕胤賮賴 賳丨賵賴 亘賷賳 丕賱丨亘 賵 丕賱丨爻丿 賱賮賵夭賴 亘賯賱亘 賱賵爻賷 賵 賱賰賳賴 亘賳亘賱 賵 鬲噩乇丿 賳丕丿乇 ..賷乇賶 丕賳 "丿丕乇賳賷" 丕賱丕噩丿乇 亘賴丕 賵 鬲丨賵賱鬲 賱賵爻賷 賮賷 賯賱亘賴 賵 毓賯賱賴 賱賮賰乇丞 賯丿 賷毓賷卮 賵 賷賲賵鬲 賲賳 兀噩賱賴丕.
賵賲丕亘賷賳 丕賱孬賵丕乇 賵丕賱噩賵丕爻賷爻..賵 丕賱賲鬲賴賲賷賳 賵 丕賱賲丨丕賲賷賳 賵 丕賱丕胤亘丕亍 賵 丕賱賲爻丕噩賷賳 ..賵 丕賱賲賯丕氐賱 賵 丕賱乇丐賵爻..爻賳爻亘丨 賮賷 毓丕賱賲 丕賱孬賵乇丕鬲 丕賱乇賲丕丿賶 乇亘賲丕 賰丕賳 丕賱丕賵賱 賲賳 賳賵毓賴 賮賷 毓氐乇賴 賵 賳鬲賲賳賶 乇賵丕賷丞 賮賷 丨噩賲賴丕 鬲丐乇禺 亘氐丿賯 賵 丕賳爻丕賳賷丞 賱孬賵乇鬲賳丕 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 賵 鬲噩賲毓 亘賷賳 賲氐乇 賵 賱賷亘賷丕 丕賵 鬲賵賳爻 賲孬賱丕
丕賳丕 丿賲毓丞 賳丕夭賱丞 亘鬲睾賱賷 賮賷 賵賯鬲 丕賱賴夭丕乇鉁�
鉁捸з嗀� 噩乇丨 賲賲賰賳 鬲賯賮賱賴 亘丕賷 丕毓鬲匕丕乇
丕賱睾乇賷亘 丕賳賳賷 賵噩丿鬲 丕亘賷丕鬲 卮毓亘賷丞 賱賱卮丕毓乇 丕賱賲氐乇賷馃挰
賲丨賲丿 丕賱噩賲丕賱 鬲毓亘乇 亘丿賯丞 毓賳 亘胤賱 亘乇賷胤丕賳賷 賰卅賷亘 睾乇賷亘 賵賱丿 毓賱賶 丕賱賵乇賯 賮賷 1859 賱賷鬲賵噩 賰賱 丕亘胤丕賱 鬲卮丕乇賱夭 丿賷賰賳夭 丕丨丿 "丕賱亘賳丕丞 丕賱毓馗丕賲" 賮賷 丕賱丕丿亘 丕賱毓丕賱賲賷 . . 乇亘賲丕 賱丕賳 爻賷丿賳賶 亘亘乇丕毓鬲賴 賵 賳丨爻賴 賵 丿賵賳賷鬲賴
賵 賲馗賱賵賲賷鬲賴 賷毓亘乇 毓賳 丨丕賱 賰孬賷乇 賲賳 卮亘丕亘賳丕 丨丕賱賷丕
賮毓夭賲鬲 丕賳 丕賯丿賲 賱賴 丕丨鬲乇丕賲賷 丕賱賲鬲兀禺乇 賮賷 丕賱乇賷賮賷賵 乇賯賲 500 賱賷 毓賱賶 丕賱噩賵丿乇賷丿夭 馃挴馃挴馃挴馃挴 馃挴
丕賳丕 賳賰鬲丞 丨賱賵丞 丕鬲賰乇乇鬲 賵 兀賴賷 亘賵禺鬲
丕賳丕 丕乇囟 亘賵乇 丕禺匕賴丕 丕賱賴賲 丨賯 丕賳鬲賮丕毓
丕賳丕 亘丕亘 賲賯賮賵賱 賲賳 爻賳賷賳 賵賲賮鬲丕丨賴 囟丕毓
丕賴賱丕 亘賰賲 賮賷 賲丿賷賳丞 爻賷丿賳賷 賰丕乇鬲賵賳..丨賷孬 賱賱毓丿賱 賵噩賴賷賳..賵 賱賱鬲囟丨賷丞 賲毓賳賷賷賳..賵 賱賱丨亘 賱賵賳賷賳..賵 賱賱孬賵乇丕鬲 賲賳鬲賮毓賷賳
賰丕乇鬲賵賳 賲賳 夭毓賲丕亍 丕賱賰丌亘丞 毓亘乇 丕賱毓丕賱賲 賵 賴賵 爻亘亘 賵賯賵毓賷 賮賷 爻丨乇 丕賱乇賵丕賷丕鬲 賲賳匕 丿乇爻鬲 賯氐丞 賲丿賷賳鬲賷賳 賮賷 爻賳 15 賵 丨鬲賶 賷賵賲賳丕 賴匕丕 ..賰丕乇鬲賵賳 亘囟賷丕毓賴 賵 乇賲丕丿賷鬲賴 賵 鬲噩乇丿賴 賵 賰丕亘鬲賴 丕賱鬲賷 丕賵氐賱鬲賴 賱丕毓賱賶 賲乇丕鬲亘 丕賱丨乇賷丞 貨 賷爻鬲丨賯 賱賯亘: 丕賰孬乇 丕亘胤丕賱 丕賱丕丿亘 乇賵賲丕賳爻賷丞 毓賱賶 丕賱丕胤賱丕賯 賵 賱賵 丨馗鬲 丕賷 賮鬲丕丞 亘賲孬賱賴 賮賷 丕賱賵丕賯毓貨丕匕賳 賱賯丿 賮丕夭鬲 賵 賰賮賶
賯氐丞 賲丿賷賳鬲賷賳 賴賷 賲賱丨賲丞 鬲丕乇賷禺賷丞 毓賳 丕賱孬賵乇丞 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷丞 貨毓賳 賲丕賴賷丞 丕賱丨乇賷丞 貨 丿乇丞 丕賱丕丿亘 丕賱丕賳噩賱賷夭賶 賱兀爻亘丕亘 賱丕 鬲賳鬲賴賶. .丕亘胤丕賱 賲鬲賳丕賯囟賷賳 ..丕丨丿丕孬 賲鬲賱丕丨賯丞. .丨亘賰丞 賲丨賰賲丞..氐丿賮 鬲睾賷馗
賵 丕禺賷乇丕 賱丕賳賳賷 夭乇鬲 丕賱賲丿賷賳鬲賷賳: 亘丕乇賷爻 賯亘賱 賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 亘爻賳賵丕鬲 賵 賱賳丿賳 鬲賵 賲丕 賮乇睾鬲 賲賳賴丕..賵 丕丐賰丿 丕賳 夭賷丕乇丞 賯亘賵 賲鬲丨賮 賲丿丕賲 鬲賵爻賵 亘毓丿 賯乇丕亍丞 賯氐丞 賲丿賷賳鬲賷賳 貨 賰丕賳 賲賳 丕賰孬乇 鬲噩丕乇亘 丨賷丕鬲賷 爻賵丕丿丕 賵 乇毓亘丕
賱丕 鬲卮乇賯 丕賱卮賲爻 毓賱賶 賲賳馗乇 丕賰孬乇 丨夭賳丕 馃挱
賲賳 乇噩賱 賷賲鬲賱賰 毓賵丕胤賮 賳亘賷賱丞賵 賲賵丕賴亘 賵 賯丿乇丕鬲 賮丕卅賯丞 賵 賷毓噩夭 毓賳 鬲胤亘賷賯賴丕 丕賵 丕馗賴丕乇賴丕 丕賵 丨鬲賶 毓賱賶 廿爻毓丕丿 賳賮爻賴 亘賱 鬲鬲丕賰賱賴 丕賱鬲毓丕爻丞 丨鬲賶 丕賱鬲賱丕卮賷馃挰丕
賴賰匕丕 賷氐賮 賱賳丕 丿賷賰賳夭 :爻賷丿賳賶 賰丕乇鬲賵賳 丕賱賲丨丕賲賷 丕賱賲賱賯亘"亘丕亘賳 丕賵賶" 丕賱賲賳鬲賲賶 丕賱賶 丕亘胤丕賱"賷卮亘賴賵賳賳賷 亘亘爻丕胤丞"亘卮毓丕乇賴賲 丕賱丕亘丿賷: 賱丕 丕爻鬲丨賯 丕賷 卮賷亍 賵 賰賮賶
丕賳丕 賲鬲賴賲 賵 賲丕賱賷卮 賰賲丕賳 丨賯 丕賱丿賮丕毓鉁�
丕賳丕 爻賴賲 亘賵乇氐丞 賮賷 丕賳禺賮丕囟 賲卮 賮賷 丕乇鬲賮丕毓
賱賵爻賷 賲丕賳賷鬲 匕賴亘賷丞 丕賱卮毓乇 賵 丕賱賯賱亘 賵馃挮 丕賱丨賱賯丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲乇亘胤 亘賷賳 丕亘胤丕賱 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱賲鬲毓丿丿賷賳貨 賷丨亘賴丕 乇噩賱賷賳 賲鬲胤丕亘賯賷 丕賱賲賱丕賲丨
賵 賲鬲賳丕賯囟賷 丕賱氐賮丕鬲
鬲卮丕乇賱夭 丿丕乇賳賷馃憖 丕賱丕乇爻鬲賯乇丕胤賷 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷 丕賱賲賴丕噩乇 丕賱賲鬲賲乇丿 毓賱賶 賯爻賵丞 賵 爻丕丿賷丞 胤亘賯鬲賴 賵 丕爻乇鬲賴
賵鈾ヘ迟娯嗁� 賰丕乇鬲賵賳 丕賱賲丨丕賲賷 丕賱亘乇賷胤丕賳賷 丕賱賳丕亘賴/丕賱賷丕卅爻 賵 丕賱匕賷 鬲夭丿丕丿 賰丕亘鬲賴 賲賳 丨賷丕鬲賴 丕賱賲亘丿丿丞 賵 噩賴賵丿賴 丕賱賲爻乇賵賯丞 亘毓丿 賱賯丕丐賴 亘卮亘賷賴賴 丿丕乇賳賷 丕賱匕賷 賷賲鬲賱賰 賰賱 賲丕 賷賮鬲賯丿賴 ..賮鬲鬲賳丕賯囟 毓賵丕胤賮賴 賳丨賵賴 亘賷賳 丕賱丨亘 賵 丕賱丨爻丿 賱賮賵夭賴 亘賯賱亘 賱賵爻賷 賵 賱賰賳賴 亘賳亘賱 賵 鬲噩乇丿 賳丕丿乇 ..賷乇賶 丕賳 "丿丕乇賳賷" 丕賱丕噩丿乇 亘賴丕 賵 鬲丨賵賱鬲 賱賵爻賷 賮賷 賯賱亘賴 賵 毓賯賱賴 賱賮賰乇丞 賯丿 賷毓賷卮 賵 賷賲賵鬲 賲賳 兀噩賱賴丕.
賵賲丕亘賷賳 丕賱孬賵丕乇 賵丕賱噩賵丕爻賷爻..賵 丕賱賲鬲賴賲賷賳 賵 丕賱賲丨丕賲賷賳 賵 丕賱丕胤亘丕亍 賵 丕賱賲爻丕噩賷賳 ..賵 丕賱賲賯丕氐賱 賵 丕賱乇丐賵爻..爻賳爻亘丨 賮賷 毓丕賱賲 丕賱孬賵乇丕鬲 丕賱乇賲丕丿賶 乇亘賲丕 賰丕賳 丕賱丕賵賱 賲賳 賳賵毓賴 賮賷 毓氐乇賴 賵 賳鬲賲賳賶 乇賵丕賷丞 賮賷 丨噩賲賴丕 鬲丐乇禺 亘氐丿賯 賵 丕賳爻丕賳賷丞 賱孬賵乇鬲賳丕 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 賵 鬲噩賲毓 亘賷賳 賲氐乇 賵 賱賷亘賷丕 丕賵 鬲賵賳爻 賲孬賱丕
丕賳丕 丿賲毓丞 賳丕夭賱丞 亘鬲睾賱賷 賮賷 賵賯鬲 丕賱賴夭丕乇鉁�
鉁捸з嗀� 噩乇丨 賲賲賰賳 鬲賯賮賱賴 亘丕賷 丕毓鬲匕丕乇
丕賱睾乇賷亘 丕賳賳賷 賵噩丿鬲 丕亘賷丕鬲 卮毓亘賷丞 賱賱卮丕毓乇 丕賱賲氐乇賷馃挰
賲丨賲丿 丕賱噩賲丕賱 鬲毓亘乇 亘丿賯丞 毓賳 亘胤賱 亘乇賷胤丕賳賷 賰卅賷亘 睾乇賷亘 賵賱丿 毓賱賶 丕賱賵乇賯 賮賷 1859 賱賷鬲賵噩 賰賱 丕亘胤丕賱 鬲卮丕乇賱夭 丿賷賰賳夭 丕丨丿 "丕賱亘賳丕丞 丕賱毓馗丕賲" 賮賷 丕賱丕丿亘 丕賱毓丕賱賲賷 . . 乇亘賲丕 賱丕賳 爻賷丿賳賶 亘亘乇丕毓鬲賴 賵 賳丨爻賴 賵 丿賵賳賷鬲賴
賵 賲馗賱賵賲賷鬲賴 賷毓亘乇 毓賳 丨丕賱 賰孬賷乇 賲賳 卮亘丕亘賳丕 丨丕賱賷丕
賮毓夭賲鬲 丕賳 丕賯丿賲 賱賴 丕丨鬲乇丕賲賷 丕賱賲鬲兀禺乇 賮賷 丕賱乇賷賮賷賵 乇賯賲 500 賱賷 毓賱賶 丕賱噩賵丿乇賷丿夭 馃挴馃挴馃挴馃挴 馃挴
April 13, 2023
Za g艂upia na to jestem
February 19, 2019
Hundreds, thousands of stories long to have a quotable verse, just one.
Tale of Two Cities, Dickens masterpiece as far as I'm concerned, is bookended by two of the most recognizable quotes in all of English language.
This is also the darkest story I have read of his, and no doubt, it's about the bloody French Revolution and Dickens spares none of his acerbic wit to demonize what was rightly demonic. Yet, to his credit and genius, neither does he sugar coat the great social injustices that led irresolutely to the collapse of the aristocratic French class.
Lacking his usual humor, again understandable, this nonetheless again displays his mastery of characterization. No character is as complete and now archetypal as Madame Defarge. I thought that Bill Sykes was his greatest villain, but Citizeness Defarge was simply a portrait of evil.
So many stories hope for a memorable scene and this has many, highly influential since, I thought of several works that had borrowed heavily from TOTC themes (especially , many allusions to TOTC, and that also made me wonder was TOTC the first dystopian novel?) The scene between Madame Defarge and Ms Pross was stunning, and made me think of the riveting scene between Porfiry and Raskolnikov in Dostoyevsky's .
Brilliant.
Tale of Two Cities, Dickens masterpiece as far as I'm concerned, is bookended by two of the most recognizable quotes in all of English language.
This is also the darkest story I have read of his, and no doubt, it's about the bloody French Revolution and Dickens spares none of his acerbic wit to demonize what was rightly demonic. Yet, to his credit and genius, neither does he sugar coat the great social injustices that led irresolutely to the collapse of the aristocratic French class.
Lacking his usual humor, again understandable, this nonetheless again displays his mastery of characterization. No character is as complete and now archetypal as Madame Defarge. I thought that Bill Sykes was his greatest villain, but Citizeness Defarge was simply a portrait of evil.
So many stories hope for a memorable scene and this has many, highly influential since, I thought of several works that had borrowed heavily from TOTC themes (especially , many allusions to TOTC, and that also made me wonder was TOTC the first dystopian novel?) The scene between Madame Defarge and Ms Pross was stunning, and made me think of the riveting scene between Porfiry and Raskolnikov in Dostoyevsky's .
Brilliant.
November 11, 2022
Quick plot synopsis -
Set against the backdrop of the famous French Revolution, it is a tale of the cities of London and Paris. Mr. Jarvis Lorry (confidential clerk at Tellson's Bank) is travelling to meet Lucie Manette (a ward of Tellson's Bank), to inform her that she isn鈥檛 an orphan. They travel together to meet her father in Paris, Doctor Manette (a Parisan doctor), her father, is released from Bastille after 18 years. Currently he is housed in the Defarges' wine-shop, has lost his memory, but starts to regain it upon meeting his daughter and is transported back to London. Post 5 years of this episode, Charles Darnay (French emigrant to England) is accused of a charge of providing English secrets to the French. Another remarkably similar-looking Sydney Carton (a London lawyer), helps in Darnay鈥檚 acquittal. Lucie Manette has three suitors- Darnay, Carton, and Stryver (another London lawyer with colossal ego), but she ends up marrying Charles Darnay! On the wedding day, Darnay divulges to his father-in-law about his connection with the French nobleman family. Meantime, in France, Darnay鈥檚 uncle, Monseigneur, has been murdered on charges of crime again the French poor people. Darnay is imprisoned in Paris as a nobleman. Doctor Manette, Lucie, and her child all travel to Paris to save Darnay, but in a course of dramatic events, Madam Defarges(the ringleader of the Saint Antoine female revolutionaries , with a nickname "vengeance") makes a strong charge against him in court, Darnay is sentenced to death.
Most heart-rending twist for me, the epitome of selfless love is when-
When the similar-looking Sydney Carton all the way travels to Paris, on account of his selfless love for Lucie Manette, to sacrifice his life to save her husband鈥檚 life. Carton gets the information that Defarges are planning to kill Lucie and her child. Using influence he even arranges for the Manettes to leave Paris safely along with Darnay. Alas, Carton dies on behalf of Darnay (epitome of love鈥︹€︹€�)my stomach jumped to my heart, and my heart leapt into my throat鈥ll my organs displaced and shuddered and welled 鈽�
===============================================
My views 鈥�
The sinister Madame Defarge, with incessant propensity for vengeance, has outgrown all the villainy that I have read so far in any novel. She is emblematic of VENGEANCE AND MALICE!
There are many themes talked about, but what enticed me majorly were around resurrection and family, apart from the atrocities during the French Revolution and projection of the struggle of classes, tainted with violence and hatred.
The striking theme of resurrection, Lucie鈥檚 father鈥檚 memory recovery, Sydney鈥檚 sacrifice of his life to save Charles and family, is analogous to Jesus鈥檚 sacrifice!
The importance of the family has been threaded uniformly throughout. Given the centre stage!
From Lucie鈥檚 trip to Paris for the union with the long-lost father, to the lamentations of Charles Darney upon being sentenced to death, all more concerned about family than himself. The final nail in the coffin was the sacrifice of Carton(who is not connected to the family, without kinship!), just for the selfless love for Lucie and to protect her family.
While writing this brief, my heart is welling with tears!!!!!!!!!
The majestic opening with the contrasting lines to the profound impactful ending, this classic is an evergreen work of vengeance and love , family and sacrifice!
It was the best of times,
It was the worst of times,
It was the age of wisdom,
It was the age of foolishness,
it was the epoch of belief,
it was the epoch of incredulity
No one can sail through the last chapter 鈥淭he footsteps die out forever鈥� without a heavy heart, without sobbing, without an emotional sadness. The last chapter is the final embellishment of sacrifice and tragedy. Sydney Carton is executed at the guillotine along with other French prisoners, and Charles Dickens closes the chapter with a hypothetical speech on behalf of Carton and marks an end to this tragic tale. The ending melodramatic speech was analogous to the sacrifice of Jesus for the mankind!
This book cannot be given any finite stars鈥t is an epic laden with infinite stars, of the Dickensian epoch !
鈥淚t is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.鈥�
NB- This book , like most of the other Dickens鈥� work cannot be savoured in one stretch, but gradually. It is one of the most emotionally painful novels I have ever savoured ! It is melting鈥�..
December 20, 2024
鈥淚t was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness ... it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair鈥�
So begins A Tale of Two Cities, a perennial favourite. It was an instant success when it was first published, and its popularity has remained steady ever since, as one of the best selling novels of all time. For many, it is their most loved novel by Charles Dickens.
A Tale of Two Cities is Dickens鈥檚 second shortest completed novel, possibly his tightest plotted and most dramatic novel, yet in many ways it is the least 鈥淒ickensian鈥�. It is one of only two historical novels Dickens ever wrote, and he wanted to try out a few new ways of writing, to celebrate the launch of his new periodical.
At this time Dickens felt very at home in France, speaking French fluently, and identifying so much with the French character that he sometimes viewed himself as almost a Frenchman in exile. He despised any parochial or narrow-minded thinking he might see in English people, and frequently poked fun at them in his writing. He travelled extensively, and wherever he went he carried his friend, Thomas Carlyle鈥檚 鈥淗istory of the French Revolution鈥�, published in 1837, with him, reading it over and over again. Dickens jokingly claimed to have read the book 500 times. In truth he admired and revered his friend rather more than the feeling being reciprocated; Carlyle tended to view Dickens as a mere 鈥渘ovelist鈥�. But Dickens was determined to meticulously research the historical background to his latest work, and used Carlyle鈥檚 book as a reference source.
Attempting to imbue his new way of writing with more gravitas, Dickens tried to curb, or at least subdue, some of his own habits of fanciful imagination. After criticism of his earlier slips in 鈥淏arnaby Rudge鈥�, he had resolved to make this account, although fictionalised, an historically accurate a portrayal as possible. Along with the less discursive style, he paid less reliance on character development and humour, both more usual indicators of his style. Some readers maintain they do not associate Dickens with humour, and I personally feel that that is due in large part to their familiarity with his later works, especially this one. If this is the only Dickens novel one has read, it is possible to miss much of its quirky humour.
A Tale of Two Cities has been dramatised countless times, and in common with many others I am drawn to each dramatisation. The story is a violent and bloody one, with acts of heroism and intrigue, secrets and lies, imprisonment and torture, sorrow and loss, terror and madness, panic and frenzy. It describes in detail the depth of depravity a human can sink to, and also instances the pinnacle of an almost unimaginable force for compassion and altruism. The characters once read about here, stay in the mind for ever; they are spell-binding, whether good or evil. There is much mystery, and the development of the story is so tightly plotted that the tension mounts to almost unbearable limits. The horrors described are both explicit and totally believeable. After much thought, then, I have rated it five stars. A story which endures and continues to be retold, with images which permeate each new generation鈥檚 consciousness, which is so powerfully written and can move the reader to tears each time they read it, deserves no less.
Do I like it? No, not really. I have to steel myself to read this each time. But then I don鈥檛 enjoy Dostoevsky either, and Dickens was one of his favourite writers. So this takes nothing away from my reluctant admiration for the novel. It is a deeply spiritual work, with the main theme of resurrection sitting very firmly in a Christian context. Being 鈥渞ecalled to life鈥� is a major theme throughout the novel; in fact Dickens at one time considered using 鈥淩ecalled to Life鈥� as the book鈥檚 title.
鈥淏uried how long?鈥�
The answer was always the same: 鈥淎lmost eighteen years.鈥�
You had abandoned all hope of being dug out?鈥�
Long ago.鈥�
You know that you are recalled to life?鈥�
They tell me so.鈥�
Of course the story is shrouded in mystery. 鈥淩ecalled to life鈥� refers to several strands and episodes in the story, as well as being a metaphor. It is possible to enjoy the story without necessarily picking up quite how embedded in the novel all the Christian references are. One might see a vaguely spiritual thread of redemption running through, and an idea of a better future life, without picking up on the myriad references to blood, river, cleansing, water, shrouds, love, light and golden threads binding families together.
Take one tiny but telling detail at the climax of the book,
鈥淭he murmuring of many voices, the upturning of many faces, the pressing on of many footsteps in the outskirts of the crowd, so that it swells forward in a mass, like one great heave of water, all flashes away. Twenty-Three.鈥�
What, if anything, might the number 23 signify? The 23rd Psalm possibly? A psalm which is often understood by Christians as an allusion to the eternal life given by Christ? In the story, it refers to The central message of the book is that sacrifice is necessary to achieve happiness, and this is a further pointer, reinforcing the idea. Dickens liked to make his meanings crystal clear.
A Tale of Two Cities has 45 chapters, and was published in 31 weekly instalments to boost the sale of Charles Dickens鈥檚 new literary magazine, 鈥淎ll the Year Round鈥�. Between April and November 1859, Dickens also republished it as eight monthly sections in green covers. This was a departure from his usual way of working, since all but three of Dickens鈥檚 previous novels had appeared only as monthly instalments. He was therefore under even more time constraints to write each episode, and he felt this acutely. He did say at the time that he thought it was 鈥渢he best thing he had ever written鈥�, but he tended to say this a lot! His marriage to Catherine was coming to a painful and very public ending, and he was embroiled in a clandestine relationship with Ellen Ternan. As usual he was under a phenomenal amount of pressure, and was beginning to feel the weight of his commitments more than ever. This is reflected in the more sober feel of this novel.
Although written in 1859, A Tale of Two Cities is set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, and starts in 1775. It has a comparatively small cast for a novel by Dickens, and we follow just a few individuals through the years building up to the storming of the Bastille, a symbol of royal tyranny, in 1789, the dark years following, and the aftermath of the French Revolution. Although describing cataclysmic social and political events in France, the novel brings this to life by focusing on just a few characters, and the effect on their lives.
The intimacy with which we know these people, is contrasted with the mass hysteria of the crowds. We know these people; yet we also know and recognise the menace brimming just under the surface, the seething surges of hatred and panic, the mob mentality and the evil deeds people can be driven to by centuries of oppression and poverty, the hate and revenge engendered by a callous indifference to their suffering. A tiny detail from the beginning is when the cruel Marquis Evr茅monde kills a child by running his cart over the boy, and is more concerned with whether any damage has been done to his carriage. This is an incredibly poignant scene, and we sense the brooding resentment and hatred; the heartless indifference and callous cruelty of the privileged aristocracy. The Marquis is an archetype of an evil and corrupt social order, almost the aristocracy鈥檚 鈥渆verybody鈥�, but portrayed very convincingly as an individual.
For those who are reluctant to believe a classic novel can truly terrify or revolt them, please think again. An early depiction of a broken wine cask outside a wine shop, vividly describes the passing peasants鈥� savage and desperate scrambles to lap up any drops of the spilling wine.
鈥淭he time was to come, when that wine too would be spilled on the street-stones, and when the stain of it would be red upon many there鈥�.
Such foreshadowing makes us shudder. We know from history what is to come. This grotesque and subhuman behaviour indicates both the starving poverty of the French peasants, and the metaphorical hunger for political freedoms. But there is no rhetoric here. We read an account of the wild dance of the terrifying desperation-fuelled manic ritualistic dance, the 鈥淐armagnole鈥�, and gruesome details of a person being hacked to death. Dickens鈥檚 descriptions force us to believe the novel鈥檚 contention, that violence is a natural part of any and all humans, given the right circumstances.
鈥淰engeance and retribution require a long time; it is the rule.鈥�
鈥淲hen the time comes, let loose a tiger and a devil; but wait for the time with the tiger and the devil chained鈥攏ot shown鈥攜et always ready.鈥�
The 鈥淩eign of Terror鈥� is well named. A surging mob of 鈥渉orrible and cruel faces ... the wildest savages in their most barbarous disguise ... hideous ... all bloody and sweaty ... howling ... staring and glaring with beastly excitement.鈥� Dickens knew people inside out. Not only is one of his characters named 鈥渢he Vengeance鈥�, narrowing and focusing her personality down to one devastating aspect, but a counterpart to this is his genius at personification. 鈥淭he sharp female called 鈥楲a Guillotine鈥欌€�, with her unremitting thirst for blood, is the most formidable character in the entire story. She is imbued with a superhuman power. (So strong is this image in my mind, that I automatically typed 鈥渟he鈥� rather than 鈥渋t鈥�.)
鈥淟iberty, equality, fraternity, or death; 鈥攖he last, much the easiest to bestow, O Guillotine!鈥�
鈥淚t was the popular theme for jests; it was the best cure for headache, it infallibly prevented hair from turning gray, it imparted a peculiar delicacy to the complexion, it was the National Razor which shaved close: who kissed La Guillotine looked through the little window and sneezed into the sack.鈥�
Such savage sardonic writing will make you shudder!
Giving objects personalities is a hallmark of Dickens鈥檚 writing. His novels also contain many symbols and double meanings. It is possible to read A Tale of Two Cities as a nailbiting adventure story, intensified by the knowledge that many of these were actual events, and yet metaphors and symbols abound. We have doubles in characters, parallels and contrasts. We have shadows and darkness, both literal and metaphorical. The story start in gloom and mist, and the apprehension continues throughout.
From the very start too, we have the theme of Resurrection. This can be seen as the novel鈥檚 major theme and purpose, and it can also be traced in episode after episode, even down to the in-joke of the novel, the 鈥渞esurrection man鈥� Jerry Cruncher, 鈥渁n honest tradesman鈥� by day, but who spends his evenings as a grave-robber, or body-snatcher.
鈥淩esurrection men鈥� were a reality. By the 18th century the medical professions were in dire need of fresh corpses to use in medical training. These could only be obtained legally from excuted murderers. Therefore a ghoulish trade began. Surgeons and anatomists alike turned a blind eye to their provenance, and looked to 鈥渞esurrection men鈥� to supply their demand.
The novel is peppered with other quirky bon mots,
鈥淢r. Cruncher ... always spoke of the year of our Lord as Anna Dominoes: apparently under the impression that the Christian era dated from the invention of a popular game, by a lady who had bestowed her name upon it鈥�
but they are sadly rarer than usual. Dickens had a massive public following, yet he desperately wanted to be part of the elite literary establishment, and resented the tag 鈥淢r. Popular Sentiment鈥� sneeringly given him by a fellow author, Anthony Trollope.
But Dickens could not resist his nature entirely, and did not keep a check on his impish and grotesque sense of humour. Whenever the blood, gore and horror become too much we are entertained with ghoulish episodes involving Jerry Crunchers鈥檚 hair-raising exploits, or stories of Jerry and his wife, who function as a sort of Punch and Judy sideshow. There are slapstick parts even in such a grim tale, though most of the humour is black indeed. Dickens had a penchant for ghouls and ghosts, as well as positively revelling in blood-curdling scenes.
For instance, he had witnessed a beheading by guillotine in Rome in 1845 and described a year later in 鈥淧ictures from Italy鈥�. It is a careful study; a detailed and close description. Dickens stored everything in his mind, waiting for the proper time to reanimate these grotesque images, and did so with vigour and brutality in his scenes about the executions.
We see the horrors of the guillotine, the waves of hysteria and brutishness of the crowd. We see individuals blinded to reason by their passions, and swerving allegiance on a whim. We witness the hopelessness and despair of those enmeshed in the threads, both metaphorically and also literally, This strongly echoes Greek mythology, linking vengeance to fate. 鈥淭he Fates鈥� are three sisters who control human life, weaving and sewing. One sister spins the web of life, another measures it, and the last cuts it. Whether or not we remember the direct reference when reading, the pointers are there. A wealth of significance is waiting to seep through, or strike us like a shaft of light.
And even in the midst of the unbearable horror, when we are dreading to turn the next page and are sinking in a mire of darkness and despair, we find a ridiculous death. The encounter to the death between is both unexpected and hilarious. An earlier, less experienced, Dickens would have written the former as a one-dimensional comic character, yet both these two have much depth and ambiguity.
And ask any two readers, including all Dickens鈥檚 many illustrators of this novel, to describe Madame Defarge, and you will be likely to receive two totally different answers. Yet this formidable personality is one of Dickens鈥檚 top creations.
鈥淭ell Wind and Fire where to stop ... but don鈥檛 tell me.鈥�
鈥淭丑茅谤猫蝉别鈥� Defarge 鈥渉arvests鈥� bodies; a common idiom too of La Guillotine. In contast, the angelic 鈥淟耻肠颈别鈥� Manette鈥檚 name means 鈥渓ight鈥�; she shines a beacon of hope throughout the novel.
A theme of imprisonment relates both to the mind and to incarcerated bodies, golden threads may be three strands of beautiful hair, or metaphorically of life, as may the mending of roads. There are the darkened regions both in prisons, and in the mind. And there are the dark, musty, quaint annals of Tellson鈥檚 bank. Tellson鈥檚 bank, incidentally, was based on 鈥淐hild & Co bank鈥� which was founded at Temple Bar, on the site Dickens describes in the 1660s.
Dickens always used real locations wherever possible. The Manettes lived in Soho Square, Clerkenwell was Mr Lorry鈥檚 area, Whitefriars was where the Crunchers lived. All these, and the Old Bailey, are familiar places to Londoners of today. Parisians are equally familiar with the locations of the Place de la R茅volution, now called the Place de la Concorde, La Conciergerie prison, now used mostly for law courts, Notre Dame, La Force prison, and the Place de la Bastille. Saint-Antoine, where the Defarge鈥檚 wine shop was located, also exists. At the time of A Tale of Two Cities, the Bastille prison stood at its western edge, but Saint-Antoine actually became part of Paris in 1702.
Sometimes it is even possible to identify specific shops or inns. At one point, two of the characters, Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton, walk down Ludgate hill to Fleet Street, up a covered way, into a tavern. Here they have 鈥渁 good plain dinner and good wine.鈥� Very probably this was an inn called 鈥淵e Old Cheshire Cheese鈥�, a favourite eating place of Dickens himself which had been rebuilt after the great fire of 1666.
The three parts, 鈥淩ecalled to Life鈥�, 鈥淭he Golden Thread鈥� and 鈥淭he Track of a Storm鈥� each contain several chapters, and each chapter heading is succinct, perhaps just two words, precisely describing what is to follow, without revealing it. The chapter headings alone are miniature masterpieces, and a world away from his earlier sentences taking up a full page. I have not told the story here, nor much about the characters, but both are easy enough to find.
A Tale of Two Cities remains a novel I am ambivalent about. I do not like what the author is saying to me, and that colours my view of it. Even at the start of this reread, I was tempted to view it as a lesser novel. Nevertheless, the more I consider it, the more highly I find myself obliged to rate it. If I put aside my love of Dickens, and my hopes of another, more enjoyable type of novel from my favourite author, I have to rate this as a masterpiece.
If you have never actually read anything by Charles Dickens, please do not start with this one! Yes, you may be tempted. It is short and has an irresistible storyline. It鈥檚 probably the one you were directed to at school, too. Yes, it gets 5 stars even from me. But if you read this first you will miss so much of his humour, and of his sheer joi-de-vivre. He wanted this to be a history-driven novel, where the incidents and story would fuel the action, rather than his usual sort of book, where the plot was determined by the characters and the situations they found themselves in. Consequently it has a very un-Dickens like feel. Read it when you have a few others under your belt. Try 鈥淒avid Copperfield鈥� instead. That was his personal favourite.
But if you are familiar with Dickens鈥檚 style, and have not yet read this, be prepared for a breathtaking ride. You may need to steel yourself for a grim read, and will find commanding, powerful descriptions to chill you to your core. You will find a past full of destruction, but may see a future of hope and potential. And just occasionally, you will glimpse unexpected quirky moments, which could only ever have been penned by 鈥渢he Inimitable鈥� Mr. Dickens.
The ending of the novel, known and loved by millions, is like the beginning, a favourite classic quotation. In both, Dickens is making use of a clever literary device: 鈥渁naphora鈥�. He repeats a word or phrase over many lines, and this makes it more rhythmic and more memorable to us. We feel both that it encapsulates a rare truth, and also that it feels musical.
Yet our memories betray us. Nobody ever says these beautiful and noble lines in A Tale of Two Cities. They are said in the author鈥檚 voice鈥攏ot by the character whom we remember as saying them. The author is dreaming, and taking a step back out of the book. He quite deliberately puts these words into an imagined fancy, rather than his character. Surely only Dickens could have pulled this off with such conviction鈥攁nd such style.
鈥淚t is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.鈥�
So begins A Tale of Two Cities, a perennial favourite. It was an instant success when it was first published, and its popularity has remained steady ever since, as one of the best selling novels of all time. For many, it is their most loved novel by Charles Dickens.
A Tale of Two Cities is Dickens鈥檚 second shortest completed novel, possibly his tightest plotted and most dramatic novel, yet in many ways it is the least 鈥淒ickensian鈥�. It is one of only two historical novels Dickens ever wrote, and he wanted to try out a few new ways of writing, to celebrate the launch of his new periodical.
At this time Dickens felt very at home in France, speaking French fluently, and identifying so much with the French character that he sometimes viewed himself as almost a Frenchman in exile. He despised any parochial or narrow-minded thinking he might see in English people, and frequently poked fun at them in his writing. He travelled extensively, and wherever he went he carried his friend, Thomas Carlyle鈥檚 鈥淗istory of the French Revolution鈥�, published in 1837, with him, reading it over and over again. Dickens jokingly claimed to have read the book 500 times. In truth he admired and revered his friend rather more than the feeling being reciprocated; Carlyle tended to view Dickens as a mere 鈥渘ovelist鈥�. But Dickens was determined to meticulously research the historical background to his latest work, and used Carlyle鈥檚 book as a reference source.
Attempting to imbue his new way of writing with more gravitas, Dickens tried to curb, or at least subdue, some of his own habits of fanciful imagination. After criticism of his earlier slips in 鈥淏arnaby Rudge鈥�, he had resolved to make this account, although fictionalised, an historically accurate a portrayal as possible. Along with the less discursive style, he paid less reliance on character development and humour, both more usual indicators of his style. Some readers maintain they do not associate Dickens with humour, and I personally feel that that is due in large part to their familiarity with his later works, especially this one. If this is the only Dickens novel one has read, it is possible to miss much of its quirky humour.
A Tale of Two Cities has been dramatised countless times, and in common with many others I am drawn to each dramatisation. The story is a violent and bloody one, with acts of heroism and intrigue, secrets and lies, imprisonment and torture, sorrow and loss, terror and madness, panic and frenzy. It describes in detail the depth of depravity a human can sink to, and also instances the pinnacle of an almost unimaginable force for compassion and altruism. The characters once read about here, stay in the mind for ever; they are spell-binding, whether good or evil. There is much mystery, and the development of the story is so tightly plotted that the tension mounts to almost unbearable limits. The horrors described are both explicit and totally believeable. After much thought, then, I have rated it five stars. A story which endures and continues to be retold, with images which permeate each new generation鈥檚 consciousness, which is so powerfully written and can move the reader to tears each time they read it, deserves no less.
Do I like it? No, not really. I have to steel myself to read this each time. But then I don鈥檛 enjoy Dostoevsky either, and Dickens was one of his favourite writers. So this takes nothing away from my reluctant admiration for the novel. It is a deeply spiritual work, with the main theme of resurrection sitting very firmly in a Christian context. Being 鈥渞ecalled to life鈥� is a major theme throughout the novel; in fact Dickens at one time considered using 鈥淩ecalled to Life鈥� as the book鈥檚 title.
鈥淏uried how long?鈥�
The answer was always the same: 鈥淎lmost eighteen years.鈥�
You had abandoned all hope of being dug out?鈥�
Long ago.鈥�
You know that you are recalled to life?鈥�
They tell me so.鈥�
Of course the story is shrouded in mystery. 鈥淩ecalled to life鈥� refers to several strands and episodes in the story, as well as being a metaphor. It is possible to enjoy the story without necessarily picking up quite how embedded in the novel all the Christian references are. One might see a vaguely spiritual thread of redemption running through, and an idea of a better future life, without picking up on the myriad references to blood, river, cleansing, water, shrouds, love, light and golden threads binding families together.
Take one tiny but telling detail at the climax of the book,
鈥淭he murmuring of many voices, the upturning of many faces, the pressing on of many footsteps in the outskirts of the crowd, so that it swells forward in a mass, like one great heave of water, all flashes away. Twenty-Three.鈥�
What, if anything, might the number 23 signify? The 23rd Psalm possibly? A psalm which is often understood by Christians as an allusion to the eternal life given by Christ? In the story, it refers to The central message of the book is that sacrifice is necessary to achieve happiness, and this is a further pointer, reinforcing the idea. Dickens liked to make his meanings crystal clear.
A Tale of Two Cities has 45 chapters, and was published in 31 weekly instalments to boost the sale of Charles Dickens鈥檚 new literary magazine, 鈥淎ll the Year Round鈥�. Between April and November 1859, Dickens also republished it as eight monthly sections in green covers. This was a departure from his usual way of working, since all but three of Dickens鈥檚 previous novels had appeared only as monthly instalments. He was therefore under even more time constraints to write each episode, and he felt this acutely. He did say at the time that he thought it was 鈥渢he best thing he had ever written鈥�, but he tended to say this a lot! His marriage to Catherine was coming to a painful and very public ending, and he was embroiled in a clandestine relationship with Ellen Ternan. As usual he was under a phenomenal amount of pressure, and was beginning to feel the weight of his commitments more than ever. This is reflected in the more sober feel of this novel.
Although written in 1859, A Tale of Two Cities is set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, and starts in 1775. It has a comparatively small cast for a novel by Dickens, and we follow just a few individuals through the years building up to the storming of the Bastille, a symbol of royal tyranny, in 1789, the dark years following, and the aftermath of the French Revolution. Although describing cataclysmic social and political events in France, the novel brings this to life by focusing on just a few characters, and the effect on their lives.
The intimacy with which we know these people, is contrasted with the mass hysteria of the crowds. We know these people; yet we also know and recognise the menace brimming just under the surface, the seething surges of hatred and panic, the mob mentality and the evil deeds people can be driven to by centuries of oppression and poverty, the hate and revenge engendered by a callous indifference to their suffering. A tiny detail from the beginning is when the cruel Marquis Evr茅monde kills a child by running his cart over the boy, and is more concerned with whether any damage has been done to his carriage. This is an incredibly poignant scene, and we sense the brooding resentment and hatred; the heartless indifference and callous cruelty of the privileged aristocracy. The Marquis is an archetype of an evil and corrupt social order, almost the aristocracy鈥檚 鈥渆verybody鈥�, but portrayed very convincingly as an individual.
For those who are reluctant to believe a classic novel can truly terrify or revolt them, please think again. An early depiction of a broken wine cask outside a wine shop, vividly describes the passing peasants鈥� savage and desperate scrambles to lap up any drops of the spilling wine.
鈥淭he time was to come, when that wine too would be spilled on the street-stones, and when the stain of it would be red upon many there鈥�.
Such foreshadowing makes us shudder. We know from history what is to come. This grotesque and subhuman behaviour indicates both the starving poverty of the French peasants, and the metaphorical hunger for political freedoms. But there is no rhetoric here. We read an account of the wild dance of the terrifying desperation-fuelled manic ritualistic dance, the 鈥淐armagnole鈥�, and gruesome details of a person being hacked to death. Dickens鈥檚 descriptions force us to believe the novel鈥檚 contention, that violence is a natural part of any and all humans, given the right circumstances.
鈥淰engeance and retribution require a long time; it is the rule.鈥�
鈥淲hen the time comes, let loose a tiger and a devil; but wait for the time with the tiger and the devil chained鈥攏ot shown鈥攜et always ready.鈥�
The 鈥淩eign of Terror鈥� is well named. A surging mob of 鈥渉orrible and cruel faces ... the wildest savages in their most barbarous disguise ... hideous ... all bloody and sweaty ... howling ... staring and glaring with beastly excitement.鈥� Dickens knew people inside out. Not only is one of his characters named 鈥渢he Vengeance鈥�, narrowing and focusing her personality down to one devastating aspect, but a counterpart to this is his genius at personification. 鈥淭he sharp female called 鈥楲a Guillotine鈥欌€�, with her unremitting thirst for blood, is the most formidable character in the entire story. She is imbued with a superhuman power. (So strong is this image in my mind, that I automatically typed 鈥渟he鈥� rather than 鈥渋t鈥�.)
鈥淟iberty, equality, fraternity, or death; 鈥攖he last, much the easiest to bestow, O Guillotine!鈥�
鈥淚t was the popular theme for jests; it was the best cure for headache, it infallibly prevented hair from turning gray, it imparted a peculiar delicacy to the complexion, it was the National Razor which shaved close: who kissed La Guillotine looked through the little window and sneezed into the sack.鈥�
Such savage sardonic writing will make you shudder!
Giving objects personalities is a hallmark of Dickens鈥檚 writing. His novels also contain many symbols and double meanings. It is possible to read A Tale of Two Cities as a nailbiting adventure story, intensified by the knowledge that many of these were actual events, and yet metaphors and symbols abound. We have doubles in characters, parallels and contrasts. We have shadows and darkness, both literal and metaphorical. The story start in gloom and mist, and the apprehension continues throughout.
From the very start too, we have the theme of Resurrection. This can be seen as the novel鈥檚 major theme and purpose, and it can also be traced in episode after episode, even down to the in-joke of the novel, the 鈥渞esurrection man鈥� Jerry Cruncher, 鈥渁n honest tradesman鈥� by day, but who spends his evenings as a grave-robber, or body-snatcher.
鈥淩esurrection men鈥� were a reality. By the 18th century the medical professions were in dire need of fresh corpses to use in medical training. These could only be obtained legally from excuted murderers. Therefore a ghoulish trade began. Surgeons and anatomists alike turned a blind eye to their provenance, and looked to 鈥渞esurrection men鈥� to supply their demand.
The novel is peppered with other quirky bon mots,
鈥淢r. Cruncher ... always spoke of the year of our Lord as Anna Dominoes: apparently under the impression that the Christian era dated from the invention of a popular game, by a lady who had bestowed her name upon it鈥�
but they are sadly rarer than usual. Dickens had a massive public following, yet he desperately wanted to be part of the elite literary establishment, and resented the tag 鈥淢r. Popular Sentiment鈥� sneeringly given him by a fellow author, Anthony Trollope.
But Dickens could not resist his nature entirely, and did not keep a check on his impish and grotesque sense of humour. Whenever the blood, gore and horror become too much we are entertained with ghoulish episodes involving Jerry Crunchers鈥檚 hair-raising exploits, or stories of Jerry and his wife, who function as a sort of Punch and Judy sideshow. There are slapstick parts even in such a grim tale, though most of the humour is black indeed. Dickens had a penchant for ghouls and ghosts, as well as positively revelling in blood-curdling scenes.
For instance, he had witnessed a beheading by guillotine in Rome in 1845 and described a year later in 鈥淧ictures from Italy鈥�. It is a careful study; a detailed and close description. Dickens stored everything in his mind, waiting for the proper time to reanimate these grotesque images, and did so with vigour and brutality in his scenes about the executions.
We see the horrors of the guillotine, the waves of hysteria and brutishness of the crowd. We see individuals blinded to reason by their passions, and swerving allegiance on a whim. We witness the hopelessness and despair of those enmeshed in the threads, both metaphorically and also literally, This strongly echoes Greek mythology, linking vengeance to fate. 鈥淭he Fates鈥� are three sisters who control human life, weaving and sewing. One sister spins the web of life, another measures it, and the last cuts it. Whether or not we remember the direct reference when reading, the pointers are there. A wealth of significance is waiting to seep through, or strike us like a shaft of light.
And even in the midst of the unbearable horror, when we are dreading to turn the next page and are sinking in a mire of darkness and despair, we find a ridiculous death. The encounter to the death between is both unexpected and hilarious. An earlier, less experienced, Dickens would have written the former as a one-dimensional comic character, yet both these two have much depth and ambiguity.
And ask any two readers, including all Dickens鈥檚 many illustrators of this novel, to describe Madame Defarge, and you will be likely to receive two totally different answers. Yet this formidable personality is one of Dickens鈥檚 top creations.
鈥淭ell Wind and Fire where to stop ... but don鈥檛 tell me.鈥�
鈥淭丑茅谤猫蝉别鈥� Defarge 鈥渉arvests鈥� bodies; a common idiom too of La Guillotine. In contast, the angelic 鈥淟耻肠颈别鈥� Manette鈥檚 name means 鈥渓ight鈥�; she shines a beacon of hope throughout the novel.
A theme of imprisonment relates both to the mind and to incarcerated bodies, golden threads may be three strands of beautiful hair, or metaphorically of life, as may the mending of roads. There are the darkened regions both in prisons, and in the mind. And there are the dark, musty, quaint annals of Tellson鈥檚 bank. Tellson鈥檚 bank, incidentally, was based on 鈥淐hild & Co bank鈥� which was founded at Temple Bar, on the site Dickens describes in the 1660s.
Dickens always used real locations wherever possible. The Manettes lived in Soho Square, Clerkenwell was Mr Lorry鈥檚 area, Whitefriars was where the Crunchers lived. All these, and the Old Bailey, are familiar places to Londoners of today. Parisians are equally familiar with the locations of the Place de la R茅volution, now called the Place de la Concorde, La Conciergerie prison, now used mostly for law courts, Notre Dame, La Force prison, and the Place de la Bastille. Saint-Antoine, where the Defarge鈥檚 wine shop was located, also exists. At the time of A Tale of Two Cities, the Bastille prison stood at its western edge, but Saint-Antoine actually became part of Paris in 1702.
Sometimes it is even possible to identify specific shops or inns. At one point, two of the characters, Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton, walk down Ludgate hill to Fleet Street, up a covered way, into a tavern. Here they have 鈥渁 good plain dinner and good wine.鈥� Very probably this was an inn called 鈥淵e Old Cheshire Cheese鈥�, a favourite eating place of Dickens himself which had been rebuilt after the great fire of 1666.
The three parts, 鈥淩ecalled to Life鈥�, 鈥淭he Golden Thread鈥� and 鈥淭he Track of a Storm鈥� each contain several chapters, and each chapter heading is succinct, perhaps just two words, precisely describing what is to follow, without revealing it. The chapter headings alone are miniature masterpieces, and a world away from his earlier sentences taking up a full page. I have not told the story here, nor much about the characters, but both are easy enough to find.
A Tale of Two Cities remains a novel I am ambivalent about. I do not like what the author is saying to me, and that colours my view of it. Even at the start of this reread, I was tempted to view it as a lesser novel. Nevertheless, the more I consider it, the more highly I find myself obliged to rate it. If I put aside my love of Dickens, and my hopes of another, more enjoyable type of novel from my favourite author, I have to rate this as a masterpiece.
If you have never actually read anything by Charles Dickens, please do not start with this one! Yes, you may be tempted. It is short and has an irresistible storyline. It鈥檚 probably the one you were directed to at school, too. Yes, it gets 5 stars even from me. But if you read this first you will miss so much of his humour, and of his sheer joi-de-vivre. He wanted this to be a history-driven novel, where the incidents and story would fuel the action, rather than his usual sort of book, where the plot was determined by the characters and the situations they found themselves in. Consequently it has a very un-Dickens like feel. Read it when you have a few others under your belt. Try 鈥淒avid Copperfield鈥� instead. That was his personal favourite.
But if you are familiar with Dickens鈥檚 style, and have not yet read this, be prepared for a breathtaking ride. You may need to steel yourself for a grim read, and will find commanding, powerful descriptions to chill you to your core. You will find a past full of destruction, but may see a future of hope and potential. And just occasionally, you will glimpse unexpected quirky moments, which could only ever have been penned by 鈥渢he Inimitable鈥� Mr. Dickens.
The ending of the novel, known and loved by millions, is like the beginning, a favourite classic quotation. In both, Dickens is making use of a clever literary device: 鈥渁naphora鈥�. He repeats a word or phrase over many lines, and this makes it more rhythmic and more memorable to us. We feel both that it encapsulates a rare truth, and also that it feels musical.
Yet our memories betray us. Nobody ever says these beautiful and noble lines in A Tale of Two Cities. They are said in the author鈥檚 voice鈥攏ot by the character whom we remember as saying them. The author is dreaming, and taking a step back out of the book. He quite deliberately puts these words into an imagined fancy, rather than his character. Surely only Dickens could have pulled this off with such conviction鈥攁nd such style.
鈥淚t is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.鈥�
August 17, 2021
(Book 883 from 1001 books) - A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities (1859) is a historical novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution.
The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long imprisonment in the Bastille in Paris and his release to life in London with his daughter Lucie, whom he had never met.
Lucie's marriage and the collision between her beloved husband and the people who caused her father's imprisonment, and Monsieur and Madame Defarge, sellers of wine in a poor suburb of Paris.
The story is set against the conditions that led up to the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror.
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賲鬲乇噩賲: 賳賵卮蹖賳 丕亘乇丕賴蹖賲蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丕賮賯貙 1389貙 丿乇 698氐
賲鬲乇噩賲: 賵丨蹖丿 爻賴乇丕亘蹖 丨爻賳賱賵蹖蹖貨 禺丿蹖噩賴 爻賴乇丕亘蹖 丨爻賳賱賵蹖蹖貨 賳賯丿賴貙 爻賵賱丿賵夭亘丕蹖噩丕賳貙 1393貙 丿乇 165氐貨
乇賲丕賳蹖 賳賵卮鬲賴 芦趩丕乇賱夭 丿蹖讴賳夭禄 丕爻鬲貙 讴賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳卮 丿乇 芦賱賳丿賳禄 賵 芦倬丕乇蹖爻禄貙 倬蹖卮 賵 賴賲夭賲丕賳 亘丕 丕賳賯賱丕亘 芦賮乇丕賳爻賴禄 乇禺 賲蹖鈥屫囏� 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 噩賵丕賳蹖 讴卮丕賵乇夭夭丕丿賴 乇丕 亘丕 丕卮乇丕賮蹖诏乇丕卅蹖賴丕蹖 芦賮乇丕賳爻賵蹖禄貙 丿乇 爻丕賱賴丕蹖 賲賳鬲賴蹖 亘賴 丕賳賯賱丕亘貙 賵 禺卮賵賳鬲賴丕蹖 丕賳賯賱丕亘蹖賵賳 乇丕貙 賳爻亘鬲 亘賴 丕卮乇丕賮 倬蹖卮蹖賳貙 丿乇 爻丕賱賴丕蹖 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 丕賳賯賱丕亘 芦賮乇丕賳爻賴禄貙 亘賴 鬲氐賵蹖乇 賲蹖鈥屭┴簇� 丿乇 丕蹖賳 噩乇蹖丕賳丕鬲貙 賲丕噩乇丕蹖 趩賳丿 鬲賳 丿賳亘丕賱 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 丕夭 賴賲賴 賲賴賲鬲乇 芦趩丕乇賱夭 丿丕乇賳賴禄貙 丕夭 丕卮乇丕賮 倬蹖卮蹖賳 芦賮乇丕賳爻賵蹖禄貙 讴賴 毓賱蹖鈥屫必嘿� 匕丕鬲 賳蹖讴賵蹖卮貙 賯乇亘丕賳蹖 賴蹖噩丕賳丕鬲 囟丿 鬲亘毓蹖囟 丕賳賯賱丕亘 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 賵 芦爻蹖丿賳蹖 讴丕乇鬲賳禄貙 賵讴蹖賱蹖 芦亘乇蹖鬲丕賳蹖丕蹖蹖禄 讴賴 賮乇丕乇蹖 丕爻鬲 賵 鬲賱丕卮 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 夭賳丿诏蹖 賳丕禺賵卮丕蹖賳丿 禺賵蹖卮 乇丕 亘丕 毓卮賯 亘賴 芦賱賵爻蹖 賲丕賳賴禄 賴賲爻乇 芦趩丕乇賱夭 丿丕乇賳賴禄貙 賳噩丕鬲 丿賴丿
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 25/06/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 25/05/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
A Tale of Two Cities (1859) is a historical novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution.
The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long imprisonment in the Bastille in Paris and his release to life in London with his daughter Lucie, whom he had never met.
Lucie's marriage and the collision between her beloved husband and the people who caused her father's imprisonment, and Monsieur and Madame Defarge, sellers of wine in a poor suburb of Paris.
The story is set against the conditions that led up to the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror.
毓賳賵丕賳賴丕蹖 趩丕倬 卮丿賴 丿乇 丕蹖乇丕賳: 芦丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丿賵 卮賴乇禄貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 趩丕乇賱夭 丿蹖讴賳夭貨 丕賳鬲卮丕乇丕鬲蹖賴丕: (倬蹖乇賵夭貙 噩丕賵蹖丿丕賳貙 诏賱卮丕卅蹖貙 賲噩乇丿貙 丿乇賳丕貙 鬲賵爻賳貙 毓賱賲蹖 賮乇賴賳诏蹖貙 爻倬蹖丿賴貙 賲乇蹖賲貙 賮乇夭丕賳 乇賵夭貙 丿亘蹖乇貙 丕賮賯貙 爻賵賱丿賵夭亘丕蹖噩丕賳) 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲貨 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 賲丕賴 賳賵丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱 2003賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
賲鬲乇噩賲: 诏蹖賵乇诏蹖爻 丌賯丕爻蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 倬蹖乇賵夭貙 1347貙 丿乇 300氐
賲鬲乇噩賲: 丕亘乇丕賴蹖賲 蹖賵賳爻蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 噩丕賵蹖丿丕賳貙 趩丕倬 丕賵賱 1346貙 丿乇 436氐貙 趩丕倬 丿賵賲 1355貙 丿乇 570氐
賲鬲乇噩賲: 丕亘賵丕賱賮鬲賵丨 丕賲丕賲貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 诏賱卮丕蹖蹖貙 1362貙 丿乇 520氐
賲鬲乇噩賲: 賳丕馗乇 賳毓賲鬲蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賲噩乇丿貙 1363貙 丿乇 197氐
賲鬲乇噩賲: 讴丕賲乇丕賳 丕蹖乇丕賳丿賵爻鬲貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丿乇賳丕貙 1368貙 丿乇 180氐
賲鬲乇噩賲: 丕賲蹖乇 丕爻賲丕毓蹖賱蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 鬲賵爻賳貙 1368貙 丿乇 130氐
賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲蹖賳賵 賲卮蹖乇蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 毓賱賲蹖 賮乇賴賳诏蹖貙 1370貙 丿乇 225氐
賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲噩蹖丿 爻蹖賮貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 爻倬蹖丿賴貙 1370貙 丿乇 171氐
賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲賴丿蹖 爻丨丕亘蹖 - 賲鬲賳 讴賵鬲丕賴 卮丿賴貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賲乇蹖賲貙 1374貙 丿乇 141氐
賲鬲乇噩賲: 丕亘乇丕賴蹖賲 蹖賵賳爻蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賳诏丕賴貙 1377貙 丿乇 480氐
賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲賴乇丿丕丿 賳亘蹖賱蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賮乇夭丕賳 乇賵夭貙 1381貙 丿乇 482氐
賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲賴丿蹖 毓賱賵蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丿亘蹖乇貙 1389 貙 丿乇 96氐
賲鬲乇噩賲: 賳賵卮蹖賳 丕亘乇丕賴蹖賲蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丕賮賯貙 1389貙 丿乇 698氐
賲鬲乇噩賲: 賵丨蹖丿 爻賴乇丕亘蹖 丨爻賳賱賵蹖蹖貨 禺丿蹖噩賴 爻賴乇丕亘蹖 丨爻賳賱賵蹖蹖貨 賳賯丿賴貙 爻賵賱丿賵夭亘丕蹖噩丕賳貙 1393貙 丿乇 165氐貨
乇賲丕賳蹖 賳賵卮鬲賴 芦趩丕乇賱夭 丿蹖讴賳夭禄 丕爻鬲貙 讴賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳卮 丿乇 芦賱賳丿賳禄 賵 芦倬丕乇蹖爻禄貙 倬蹖卮 賵 賴賲夭賲丕賳 亘丕 丕賳賯賱丕亘 芦賮乇丕賳爻賴禄 乇禺 賲蹖鈥屫囏� 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 噩賵丕賳蹖 讴卮丕賵乇夭夭丕丿賴 乇丕 亘丕 丕卮乇丕賮蹖诏乇丕卅蹖賴丕蹖 芦賮乇丕賳爻賵蹖禄貙 丿乇 爻丕賱賴丕蹖 賲賳鬲賴蹖 亘賴 丕賳賯賱丕亘貙 賵 禺卮賵賳鬲賴丕蹖 丕賳賯賱丕亘蹖賵賳 乇丕貙 賳爻亘鬲 亘賴 丕卮乇丕賮 倬蹖卮蹖賳貙 丿乇 爻丕賱賴丕蹖 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 丕賳賯賱丕亘 芦賮乇丕賳爻賴禄貙 亘賴 鬲氐賵蹖乇 賲蹖鈥屭┴簇� 丿乇 丕蹖賳 噩乇蹖丕賳丕鬲貙 賲丕噩乇丕蹖 趩賳丿 鬲賳 丿賳亘丕賱 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 丕夭 賴賲賴 賲賴賲鬲乇 芦趩丕乇賱夭 丿丕乇賳賴禄貙 丕夭 丕卮乇丕賮 倬蹖卮蹖賳 芦賮乇丕賳爻賵蹖禄貙 讴賴 毓賱蹖鈥屫必嘿� 匕丕鬲 賳蹖讴賵蹖卮貙 賯乇亘丕賳蹖 賴蹖噩丕賳丕鬲 囟丿 鬲亘毓蹖囟 丕賳賯賱丕亘 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 賵 芦爻蹖丿賳蹖 讴丕乇鬲賳禄貙 賵讴蹖賱蹖 芦亘乇蹖鬲丕賳蹖丕蹖蹖禄 讴賴 賮乇丕乇蹖 丕爻鬲 賵 鬲賱丕卮 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 夭賳丿诏蹖 賳丕禺賵卮丕蹖賳丿 禺賵蹖卮 乇丕 亘丕 毓卮賯 亘賴 芦賱賵爻蹖 賲丕賳賴禄 賴賲爻乇 芦趩丕乇賱夭 丿丕乇賳賴禄貙 賳噩丕鬲 丿賴丿
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 25/06/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 25/05/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
February 21, 2019
鈥淚t was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way.鈥�
Another classic down! The copy of this book that I read I have owned since middle school/high school 鈥� so it has been with me for about 25 years! I figured it was about time to get to it.
The book is divided into three parts and when I got to the end of part two (which is a little over 200 pages into the book), I was sure I was going to give the book 2 stars. Not that I was kidding myself that Dickens would be an easy read, but I had to force myself back into the book every day because I knew it would end up being a chore.
Then I hit part three.
It is all worth it for part three! Part three by itself is 5 stars all the way 鈥� so I averaged out my overall rating to 4 stars. If you are struggling with the beginning like I did 鈥� don鈥檛 give up! I hope that you find the ending as interesting and engaging as I did.
Also, thanks again to Shmoop for helping me along the way with chapter summaries. I didn鈥檛 have to read a summary of every chapter, but there were a few that had me scratching my head so it was very helpful having a place I could go for help.
Finally, while I started my review with one of the most famous beginning quotes in literature, I didn鈥檛 realize that the famous quote that ends this book was from Dickens. I will end my review with it 鈥� but I am not marking it with a spoiler, so if you want to avoid knowing what it is, don鈥檛 look down!
****
鈥淚t is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.鈥�
Another classic down! The copy of this book that I read I have owned since middle school/high school 鈥� so it has been with me for about 25 years! I figured it was about time to get to it.
The book is divided into three parts and when I got to the end of part two (which is a little over 200 pages into the book), I was sure I was going to give the book 2 stars. Not that I was kidding myself that Dickens would be an easy read, but I had to force myself back into the book every day because I knew it would end up being a chore.
Then I hit part three.
It is all worth it for part three! Part three by itself is 5 stars all the way 鈥� so I averaged out my overall rating to 4 stars. If you are struggling with the beginning like I did 鈥� don鈥檛 give up! I hope that you find the ending as interesting and engaging as I did.
Also, thanks again to Shmoop for helping me along the way with chapter summaries. I didn鈥檛 have to read a summary of every chapter, but there were a few that had me scratching my head so it was very helpful having a place I could go for help.
Finally, while I started my review with one of the most famous beginning quotes in literature, I didn鈥檛 realize that the famous quote that ends this book was from Dickens. I will end my review with it 鈥� but I am not marking it with a spoiler, so if you want to avoid knowing what it is, don鈥檛 look down!
****
鈥淚t is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.鈥�
abandoned
October 15, 2024DNF at page 150
Well, I can't believe I am abandoning a Charles Dickens novel but I do not want to go on. It is so different from the other two works that I've read by him and loved. I don't know, I don't like the tone of the story (it might be the translation), cannot connect with the characters and I just don't like it. I thought that something is wrong with me but my mum saw the book on my shelf Today and she confessed that it was the only Dickens she could not read...and my mum finishes everything. Just recently I begged her without success to DNF a novel that she told me repeatedly how much she hated.
I might give this a try later, but for now I have other books in line. I promised myself I will not torture myself anymore with books I don't like so next, please.
Well, I can't believe I am abandoning a Charles Dickens novel but I do not want to go on. It is so different from the other two works that I've read by him and loved. I don't know, I don't like the tone of the story (it might be the translation), cannot connect with the characters and I just don't like it. I thought that something is wrong with me but my mum saw the book on my shelf Today and she confessed that it was the only Dickens she could not read...and my mum finishes everything. Just recently I begged her without success to DNF a novel that she told me repeatedly how much she hated.
I might give this a try later, but for now I have other books in line. I promised myself I will not torture myself anymore with books I don't like so next, please.
April 22, 2018
Charles Dickens is a demanding writer. The narratives of Great Expectations and Oliver Twist are relaxed and simple when compared to this. Reading Dickens requires concentration, and a will to carry on when sometimes the writing gives you a headache.
This is a historical novel. Dickens tells the story of the storming of the Bastille, some fifty years after it happened. Unlike most of his work, all traces of humour are removed. There are no caricatures and quirkiness within his writing. This is all very serious material, which, of course, it needs to be. But, for me, this is what Dickens does best. His ability to juxtapose themes of human suffering, poverty and deprivation with ideas of the grotesque, ridiculous and, at times, the plain mad, are where his real master strokes of penmanship come through.
That鈥檚 what I like the most about Dickens, so I knew my enjoyment of this very serious novel would be hindered immediately. What we do have though is a strong revenge plot running through the book, and the revolt which occurred two thirds of the way in. And, like the name of the book suggests, this is a tale about two cities: London and Paris. Dickens loved to criticise society, and all its stupid aristocratic nuances. Here he takes great pains to show that London is no symbol of societal perfection. The aftermath of the French revolution placed the British on a pedestal, at least, to their own minds. They could not believe that their own current systems of ruling could cause such a travesty within their own capital. Dickens shows that the men in power were just as corrupt and corruptible wherever they sit, revolution can happen again.
鈥淚 see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss. I see the lives for which I lay down my life, peaceful, useful, prosperous and happy. I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their descendants, generations hence. It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.鈥�
The streets of Paris are seen before and after the bloodshed, and all the strands of seemingly unrelated plots are artfully (perhaps slightly forcefully?) woven together. Dickens brings the lives of a huge cast of characters, spanning over two cities, and two nations, all of which have a varied station in life and political beliefs, into one final conclusion. And it鈥檚 a strong conclusion, though heavily reliant of coincident. This is nothing unusual for fiction of the Victorian era, though it did feel very much like a construct. The modernists would address such issues in the next century, mainly to criticise them heavily due to their incapability at capturing the essence of life within fiction. Perhaps they have a point here?
So this is a very strong story, one that is highly perceptive and intuitive at times. As a reader, I need a certain degree of entertainment when reading. I find that the wonderfully comic elements that are in some of Dickens鈥� other books help to break up the more intense moments of the plot. Even Jane Austen would interpose her narrative with moments of scathing sarcasm and wit. For me, this is far from the finest work of Dickens despite the fact that it seems to be his most popular.
This is a historical novel. Dickens tells the story of the storming of the Bastille, some fifty years after it happened. Unlike most of his work, all traces of humour are removed. There are no caricatures and quirkiness within his writing. This is all very serious material, which, of course, it needs to be. But, for me, this is what Dickens does best. His ability to juxtapose themes of human suffering, poverty and deprivation with ideas of the grotesque, ridiculous and, at times, the plain mad, are where his real master strokes of penmanship come through.
That鈥檚 what I like the most about Dickens, so I knew my enjoyment of this very serious novel would be hindered immediately. What we do have though is a strong revenge plot running through the book, and the revolt which occurred two thirds of the way in. And, like the name of the book suggests, this is a tale about two cities: London and Paris. Dickens loved to criticise society, and all its stupid aristocratic nuances. Here he takes great pains to show that London is no symbol of societal perfection. The aftermath of the French revolution placed the British on a pedestal, at least, to their own minds. They could not believe that their own current systems of ruling could cause such a travesty within their own capital. Dickens shows that the men in power were just as corrupt and corruptible wherever they sit, revolution can happen again.
鈥淚 see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss. I see the lives for which I lay down my life, peaceful, useful, prosperous and happy. I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their descendants, generations hence. It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.鈥�
The streets of Paris are seen before and after the bloodshed, and all the strands of seemingly unrelated plots are artfully (perhaps slightly forcefully?) woven together. Dickens brings the lives of a huge cast of characters, spanning over two cities, and two nations, all of which have a varied station in life and political beliefs, into one final conclusion. And it鈥檚 a strong conclusion, though heavily reliant of coincident. This is nothing unusual for fiction of the Victorian era, though it did feel very much like a construct. The modernists would address such issues in the next century, mainly to criticise them heavily due to their incapability at capturing the essence of life within fiction. Perhaps they have a point here?
So this is a very strong story, one that is highly perceptive and intuitive at times. As a reader, I need a certain degree of entertainment when reading. I find that the wonderfully comic elements that are in some of Dickens鈥� other books help to break up the more intense moments of the plot. Even Jane Austen would interpose her narrative with moments of scathing sarcasm and wit. For me, this is far from the finest work of Dickens despite the fact that it seems to be his most popular.
March 13, 2025
I read this book in my Junior Year of High School - the year of a Gathering Storm in my heart and head. The teacher who led us through its gritty, noble intricacies, the year I assumed the role of High School Head Boy, was also my home room instructor.
Am I wrong - you professionals out there may want to correct me - or do teachers of unexciting subjects like English more often get the nod in carrying out the role of home room supervisors?
Happened to me in more years of secondary school than not!
Well, anyway, let me at any rate proceed now to set the stage for yet another of my usual hyperbolic meanderings of a literary tenor...
***
My Mom, you must understand, was in love with Ronald Colman.
Who, you kids may ask?
Ronald Colman, the early Talkies m芒tin茅e idol, played the swoon-worthy Sidney Carton, who is the hero of this book, in the 1935 version of Tale of Two Cities.
Mom loved the trait of nobility in guys, I guess, when at 10 Years old she saw this film and imagined herself playing Lucie to Colman's Sidney, and so musta already have been dreaming of her many future noble-hearted beaux!
Trolls take note - you'll never get leers from such noble damsels.
But watching that goopy old flick Spoiled the book for ME and Mom, alas!
Ruined it.
Why?
Well, it's like this...
Mom and I didn't understand the world of Realpolitik - I certainly didn't wanna face my Student Council (after a few rancorous and rowdy run-ins over student smoking rights) - nor did Mom look forward to facing her library board, who, being elected, represented (you Got it) the voters, not dreamy literacy.
We were two round pegs in two square holes. Mashed peas, anyone?
Further, watching the movie version never gets you in touch with a book! Have you ever read Dickens' Bleak House?
Bleak House is a very vivid, very Unsentimental portrayal of the London poor. And it IS Bleak. Without hope.
And such, dear readers, is Realpolitik. Hard, cold, naked human reality. Like the evening news at its most brutal.
Now, Mom and I visited the Evening News every night - but we could never Live in it. Because we both lived in a goopy, sentimental world, being slightly autistic: innocents manqu茅s.
But we took the evening news straight up each night and digested it.
So, when she was diagnosed with cancer at 54, she was not unhappy.
Cause she saw the World was now Dystopian.
And she wanted OUT.
***
So that friends, is this book.
The Realpolitik of the French Revolution, seen from ground level.
It's not pleasant (though it is TRULY noble).
And it certainly doesn't paint a picture of a pretty adolescent dream world, like my Mom and I always inhabited!
You know... she musta smiled with me when, a year after she died at 55, I became a Catholic.
For I had found my own painless way OUT - to the other side of death.
Am I wrong - you professionals out there may want to correct me - or do teachers of unexciting subjects like English more often get the nod in carrying out the role of home room supervisors?
Happened to me in more years of secondary school than not!
Well, anyway, let me at any rate proceed now to set the stage for yet another of my usual hyperbolic meanderings of a literary tenor...
***
My Mom, you must understand, was in love with Ronald Colman.
Who, you kids may ask?
Ronald Colman, the early Talkies m芒tin茅e idol, played the swoon-worthy Sidney Carton, who is the hero of this book, in the 1935 version of Tale of Two Cities.
Mom loved the trait of nobility in guys, I guess, when at 10 Years old she saw this film and imagined herself playing Lucie to Colman's Sidney, and so musta already have been dreaming of her many future noble-hearted beaux!
Trolls take note - you'll never get leers from such noble damsels.
But watching that goopy old flick Spoiled the book for ME and Mom, alas!
Ruined it.
Why?
Well, it's like this...
Mom and I didn't understand the world of Realpolitik - I certainly didn't wanna face my Student Council (after a few rancorous and rowdy run-ins over student smoking rights) - nor did Mom look forward to facing her library board, who, being elected, represented (you Got it) the voters, not dreamy literacy.
We were two round pegs in two square holes. Mashed peas, anyone?
Further, watching the movie version never gets you in touch with a book! Have you ever read Dickens' Bleak House?
Bleak House is a very vivid, very Unsentimental portrayal of the London poor. And it IS Bleak. Without hope.
And such, dear readers, is Realpolitik. Hard, cold, naked human reality. Like the evening news at its most brutal.
Now, Mom and I visited the Evening News every night - but we could never Live in it. Because we both lived in a goopy, sentimental world, being slightly autistic: innocents manqu茅s.
But we took the evening news straight up each night and digested it.
So, when she was diagnosed with cancer at 54, she was not unhappy.
Cause she saw the World was now Dystopian.
And she wanted OUT.
***
So that friends, is this book.
The Realpolitik of the French Revolution, seen from ground level.
It's not pleasant (though it is TRULY noble).
And it certainly doesn't paint a picture of a pretty adolescent dream world, like my Mom and I always inhabited!
You know... she musta smiled with me when, a year after she died at 55, I became a Catholic.
For I had found my own painless way OUT - to the other side of death.
May 29, 2020
Excuse me while I'm CRYING over this MASTERPIECE.
[I know I promised a review, but the truth is, I am at loss for words. Who am I to talk about Dickens? Who am I to talk about a gut-wrenching, brilliant story that brings out the magnitude of human nature? A Tale of Two Cities haunts me. Follows me everywhere. And I have to thank Will Herondale and Tessa Gray for cultivating the need to read it.]
[I know I promised a review, but the truth is, I am at loss for words. Who am I to talk about Dickens? Who am I to talk about a gut-wrenching, brilliant story that brings out the magnitude of human nature? A Tale of Two Cities haunts me. Follows me everywhere. And I have to thank Will Herondale and Tessa Gray for cultivating the need to read it.]
February 3, 2024
Dac膬 a葯 fi citit mai devreme acest roman, probabil c膬 mi-ar fi pl膬cut. 葮i mi-ar fi pl膬cut s膬-mi plac膬 m膬car lectura asta t卯rzie. Din p膬cate, romanul nu mi-a st卯rnit entuziasmul. S膬 v膬 spun 葯i de ce. Iat膬, 卯n opinia mea, trei mari defecte:
1. Verbiajul, retorica: Dickens 葲ine mor葲i葯 s膬 scrie 鈥瀎rumos鈥�, s膬 provoace cititorului o exclama葲ie de uimire, un spasm; 葯i chiar scrie frumos. Folose葯te figuri de stil 卯n exces. Repeti葲ia 葯i enumerarea, de pild膬. A葯 fi preferat s膬 fi scris mai simplu 葯i mai firesc, pentru c膬 simplitatea e cea mai persuasiv膬 retoric膬.
2. Naratorul 卯葯i judec膬 personajele. 脦i mustr膬 pe vinova葲i, 卯i laud膬 pe inocen葲i. Interven葲ia lui e inoportun膬.
3. Maniheismul: personajele c膬r葲ii se 卯mpart 卯n dou膬 categorii antinomice: cei buni 葯i cei r膬i. Nu exist膬 personaje neutre. Nu exist膬 cenu葯iu. Cei buni s卯nt foarte buni, extraordinar de buni, sublimi 卯n bun膬tatea lor (avocatul Sydney Carton, de pild膬, care alege s膬 moar膬 ghilotinat 卯n locul lui Charles Darnay, e doar un exemplu), 卯n timp ce oamenii r膬i s卯nt foarte r膬i, 卯nfior膬tor de r膬i, r膬i la extrem (marchizul St. Evr茅monde, unchiul lui Charles Darnay, un individ ap膬sat sinistru, ar fi exemplul direct opus). Dar omul 卯nsu葯i, omul real, e mult mai ambiguu dec卯t 卯l prezint膬 Dickens. Nu poate fi doar bun sau doar r膬u. E un amestec.
Ca toate c膬r葲ile lui Charles Dickens 葯i acest roman istoric (ac葲iunea lui se petrece 卯ntre 1775 葯i 1792-1793) a fost scris anume pentru cei umili 葯i obidi葲i. Probabil c膬 nenum膬ra葲ii cititori ai acestei c膬r葲i priveau cu 卯ng膬duin葲膬 葯i pl膬cere (pe care eu, unul, s膬rac fiind totu葯i, nu le mai simt ast膬zi) astfel de construc葲ii literare baroce:
脦nceputul c膬r葲ii (pasajul cel mai citat de exege葲i): 鈥濫ra cea mai bun膬 dintre vremi, era cea mai n膬p膬stuit膬 dintre vremi, era epoca 卯n牛elepciunii, epoca neroziei, veacul credin牛ei, veacul necredin牛ei, r膬stimpul Luminii, r膬stimpul 卯ntunecimii, prim膬vara n膬dejdii, iarna dezn膬dejdii, aveam totul 卯n fa牛膬, aveam doar nimicul 卯n fa牛膬, ne 卯n膬l牛膬m cu to牛ii de-a dreptul la ceruri, ne cufundam cu to牛ii de-a dreptul 卯n iad - pe scurt, epoca aceea era atit de asem膬n膬toare cu cea de acum, 卯nc卯t unele dintre autorit膬牛ile cele mai proeminente au st膬ruit s膬 fie prezentat膬, 卯n tot ce avea ea bun sau r膬u, numai la gradul superlativ鈥�.
O repeti葲ie de mare efect la mijlocul secolului al XIX-lea: 鈥濬oamea e gonit膬 afar膬 din casele 卯nalte, oplo艧it膬 卯n ve艧mintele flenduroase care sp卯nzur膬 de 牛膬ru艧i sau pe fringhii; Foamea se tupileaz膬 卯n 卯nc膬perile astupate cu paie 艧i c卯rpe, 艧ipci de lemn 艧i ghemotoace de h卯rtie; Foamea se ive艧te 卯n fiecare surcea din pu牛inul lemnelor de foc pe care le despic膬 b膬rbatul; Foamea se zg卯ie艧te prin co艧urile f膬r膬 de fum 艧i se isc膬 din str膬zile puturoase printre ale c膬ror gunoaie nu se r膬t膬ce艧te nimic bun de m卯ncat. Foamea 艧i-a s膬pat numele pe tejgheaua brutarului, 艧i l-a 卯nscris pe fiecare bucat膬 din s膬r膬c膬ciosul morman de p卯ine rea; 艧i l-a semnat 艧i la c卯rn膬牛膬rie, 卯n fiecare toc膬tur膬 de c卯ine mort care se vinde acolo. Foamea 卯艧i p卯r卯ie oasele uscate printre castanele care se coc pe frigarea rotitoare; Foamea se f膬r卯mi牛eaz膬 卯n atomi...鈥�.
脦nc膬 un pasaj 卯ntemeiat pe figura repeti葲iei 葯i enumer膬rii: 鈥濻atul avea o singur膬 uli牛膬 am膬r卯t膬, cu o ber膬rie am膬r卯t膬, o t膬b膬c膬rie am膬r卯t膬, o cr卯艧m膬 am膬r卯t膬, un grajd am膬r卯t pentru schimbul cailor de po艧t膬, o f卯ntin膬 am膬r卯t膬, 艧i toate obi艧nuitele institu牛ii am膬rite. Avea 艧i oamenii s膬i am膬r卯葲i鈥�.
脦n sf卯r葯it: 鈥濩astelul domnului marchiz era o cl膬dire masiv膬, greoaie鈥� Un mare conglomerat de piatr膬, cu balustrade grele de piatr膬, urne de piatr膬, flori de piatr膬, chipuri omene艧ti de piatr膬 艧i capete de animale din piatr膬 卯n toate col牛urile鈥�.
脦n 卯ncheiere, repet c膬-mi pare r膬u c膬 n-am citit acest roman la timpul lui. L-a葯 fi judecat, cu siguran葲膬, cu mai mult膬 simpatie.
1. Verbiajul, retorica: Dickens 葲ine mor葲i葯 s膬 scrie 鈥瀎rumos鈥�, s膬 provoace cititorului o exclama葲ie de uimire, un spasm; 葯i chiar scrie frumos. Folose葯te figuri de stil 卯n exces. Repeti葲ia 葯i enumerarea, de pild膬. A葯 fi preferat s膬 fi scris mai simplu 葯i mai firesc, pentru c膬 simplitatea e cea mai persuasiv膬 retoric膬.
2. Naratorul 卯葯i judec膬 personajele. 脦i mustr膬 pe vinova葲i, 卯i laud膬 pe inocen葲i. Interven葲ia lui e inoportun膬.
3. Maniheismul: personajele c膬r葲ii se 卯mpart 卯n dou膬 categorii antinomice: cei buni 葯i cei r膬i. Nu exist膬 personaje neutre. Nu exist膬 cenu葯iu. Cei buni s卯nt foarte buni, extraordinar de buni, sublimi 卯n bun膬tatea lor (avocatul Sydney Carton, de pild膬, care alege s膬 moar膬 ghilotinat 卯n locul lui Charles Darnay, e doar un exemplu), 卯n timp ce oamenii r膬i s卯nt foarte r膬i, 卯nfior膬tor de r膬i, r膬i la extrem (marchizul St. Evr茅monde, unchiul lui Charles Darnay, un individ ap膬sat sinistru, ar fi exemplul direct opus). Dar omul 卯nsu葯i, omul real, e mult mai ambiguu dec卯t 卯l prezint膬 Dickens. Nu poate fi doar bun sau doar r膬u. E un amestec.
Ca toate c膬r葲ile lui Charles Dickens 葯i acest roman istoric (ac葲iunea lui se petrece 卯ntre 1775 葯i 1792-1793) a fost scris anume pentru cei umili 葯i obidi葲i. Probabil c膬 nenum膬ra葲ii cititori ai acestei c膬r葲i priveau cu 卯ng膬duin葲膬 葯i pl膬cere (pe care eu, unul, s膬rac fiind totu葯i, nu le mai simt ast膬zi) astfel de construc葲ii literare baroce:
脦nceputul c膬r葲ii (pasajul cel mai citat de exege葲i): 鈥濫ra cea mai bun膬 dintre vremi, era cea mai n膬p膬stuit膬 dintre vremi, era epoca 卯n牛elepciunii, epoca neroziei, veacul credin牛ei, veacul necredin牛ei, r膬stimpul Luminii, r膬stimpul 卯ntunecimii, prim膬vara n膬dejdii, iarna dezn膬dejdii, aveam totul 卯n fa牛膬, aveam doar nimicul 卯n fa牛膬, ne 卯n膬l牛膬m cu to牛ii de-a dreptul la ceruri, ne cufundam cu to牛ii de-a dreptul 卯n iad - pe scurt, epoca aceea era atit de asem膬n膬toare cu cea de acum, 卯nc卯t unele dintre autorit膬牛ile cele mai proeminente au st膬ruit s膬 fie prezentat膬, 卯n tot ce avea ea bun sau r膬u, numai la gradul superlativ鈥�.
O repeti葲ie de mare efect la mijlocul secolului al XIX-lea: 鈥濬oamea e gonit膬 afar膬 din casele 卯nalte, oplo艧it膬 卯n ve艧mintele flenduroase care sp卯nzur膬 de 牛膬ru艧i sau pe fringhii; Foamea se tupileaz膬 卯n 卯nc膬perile astupate cu paie 艧i c卯rpe, 艧ipci de lemn 艧i ghemotoace de h卯rtie; Foamea se ive艧te 卯n fiecare surcea din pu牛inul lemnelor de foc pe care le despic膬 b膬rbatul; Foamea se zg卯ie艧te prin co艧urile f膬r膬 de fum 艧i se isc膬 din str膬zile puturoase printre ale c膬ror gunoaie nu se r膬t膬ce艧te nimic bun de m卯ncat. Foamea 艧i-a s膬pat numele pe tejgheaua brutarului, 艧i l-a 卯nscris pe fiecare bucat膬 din s膬r膬c膬ciosul morman de p卯ine rea; 艧i l-a semnat 艧i la c卯rn膬牛膬rie, 卯n fiecare toc膬tur膬 de c卯ine mort care se vinde acolo. Foamea 卯艧i p卯r卯ie oasele uscate printre castanele care se coc pe frigarea rotitoare; Foamea se f膬r卯mi牛eaz膬 卯n atomi...鈥�.
脦nc膬 un pasaj 卯ntemeiat pe figura repeti葲iei 葯i enumer膬rii: 鈥濻atul avea o singur膬 uli牛膬 am膬r卯t膬, cu o ber膬rie am膬r卯t膬, o t膬b膬c膬rie am膬r卯t膬, o cr卯艧m膬 am膬r卯t膬, un grajd am膬r卯t pentru schimbul cailor de po艧t膬, o f卯ntin膬 am膬r卯t膬, 艧i toate obi艧nuitele institu牛ii am膬rite. Avea 艧i oamenii s膬i am膬r卯葲i鈥�.
脦n sf卯r葯it: 鈥濩astelul domnului marchiz era o cl膬dire masiv膬, greoaie鈥� Un mare conglomerat de piatr膬, cu balustrade grele de piatr膬, urne de piatr膬, flori de piatr膬, chipuri omene艧ti de piatr膬 艧i capete de animale din piatr膬 卯n toate col牛urile鈥�.
脦n 卯ncheiere, repet c膬-mi pare r膬u c膬 n-am citit acest roman la timpul lui. L-a葯 fi judecat, cu siguran葲膬, cu mai mult膬 simpatie.
April 14, 2018
"A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other. A solemn consideration, when I enter a great city by night, that every one of those darkly clustered houses encloses its own secret; that every room in every one of them encloses its own secret; that every beating heart in the hundreds of thousands of breasts there, is, in some of its imaginings, a secret to the heart nearest it!"
It has been quite some time since I鈥檝e read Charles Dickens, excepting of course A Christmas Carol, which is an absolute favorite of mine, and a handful of his other Christmas short stories. Upon joining 欧宝娱乐 eight years ago, A Tale of Two Cities was the very first book I entered as 鈥榳ant to read鈥�. Well, time flies and here I am finally having picked up my copy and actually reading this beloved-by-many classic. While this one doesn鈥檛 take the prize for most cherished of novels on my personal list, I absolutely admired this masterpiece. In fact, it is a work that for me was more appreciated as a whole rather than for its individual parts. I needed to complete this to fully grasp the plot and the overall merit of the novel. The final portion was entirely compelling and quite brilliant, in fact.
This is a novel, as the title suggests, of two cities鈥� that of London and that of Paris. It is a historical fiction work beginning in 1775 which then takes us further into the depths and horrors of the French Revolution. There is an abundance of mystery that I was not expecting, but thoroughly enjoyed. In addition to the juxtaposition of the two cities, we also see the contrasts between good and evil, hope and despair, death and rebirth. As suggested in my opening quote, secrets abound and are slowly revealed. Characters are drawn well, as one would naturally expect from Dickens, although I never quite felt the emotional tug towards any of them, until near the end. But when I did reach this point, gosh it was worth it! Sydney Carton鈥� an unforgettable man鈥� sigh. "I have had the weakness, and have still the weakness, to wish you to know with what a sudden mastery you kindled me, heap of ashes that I am, into fire - a fire, however, inseparable in its nature from myself, quickening nothing, lighting nothing, doing no service, idly burning away." This is a love story, a tale of injustice, of human suffering, and of sacrifice.
When the reader steps through the gates of Paris, one can feel the tension and sense the shadow of what is to come鈥� the atmosphere is so charged with insecurity, suspicion, and dread. "The time was to come, when that wine too would be spilled on the street-stones, and when the stain of it would be red upon many there." The madness of the masses is frightening - there are no apologies and no exceptions. If you are born with the wrong blood, happen to land in the wrong place at the wrong time, or sympathize with the accused and the condemned, your life is in danger. The threat of the Guillotine looms like a monster over the people of the city. "Every day, through the stony streets, the tumbrils now jolted heavily, filled with Condemned. Lovely girls; bright women, brown-haired, black-haired, and grey; youths; stalwart men and old; gentle born and peasant born; all red wine for La Guillotine, all daily brought into light from the dark cellars of the loathsome prisons, and carried to her through the street to slake her devouring thirst. Liberty, equality, fraternity, or death; - the last, much the easiest to bestow, O Guillotine!" It is heartless and pities no one, much like Madame Defarge.
I feel as if I should be providing a more 鈥榮cholarly鈥� review of this tremendous work, but I鈥檓 not quite up to the task; and you can find a plethora of excellent and more erudite reviews all over 欧宝娱乐! I鈥檓 really just here to express my personal reaction and feelings towards this one. Quite simply, the writing is excellent, but the story itself failed to grab me initially. At this same time last year, I read Les Mis茅rables 鈥� an extraordinary piece of literature without a doubt. I could not help comparing this Dicken鈥檚 novel with that of Hugo鈥檚. What was lacking in Two Cities for me was the existence of a character like Jean Valjean, a character so vivid and so sharply drawn that it seems I literally spent weeks in the mind of this tortured soul. Probably, it is not fair to make this comparison, but there you have it. I felt distanced from Dickens鈥� characters quite a bit more鈥� at least for a good portion of the book. I鈥檓 very pleased that I persevered, however, as I was able to reap the benefits of my commitment upon finishing the last words. The development of Sydney Carton was rewarding and the ending of this tale was breathtaking. I don鈥檛 often re-read novels, but this one is certainly going to fall in the category of 鈥榚ven better the second time around鈥� 鈥� I feel certain of this. My rating is at a firm 4 stars, with the hope that someday the re-read will edge it up to the full 5.
"Crush humanity out of shape once more, under similar hammers, and it will twist itself into the same tortured forms. Sow the same seed of rapacious licence and oppression over again, and it will surely yield the same fruit according to its kind."
It has been quite some time since I鈥檝e read Charles Dickens, excepting of course A Christmas Carol, which is an absolute favorite of mine, and a handful of his other Christmas short stories. Upon joining 欧宝娱乐 eight years ago, A Tale of Two Cities was the very first book I entered as 鈥榳ant to read鈥�. Well, time flies and here I am finally having picked up my copy and actually reading this beloved-by-many classic. While this one doesn鈥檛 take the prize for most cherished of novels on my personal list, I absolutely admired this masterpiece. In fact, it is a work that for me was more appreciated as a whole rather than for its individual parts. I needed to complete this to fully grasp the plot and the overall merit of the novel. The final portion was entirely compelling and quite brilliant, in fact.
This is a novel, as the title suggests, of two cities鈥� that of London and that of Paris. It is a historical fiction work beginning in 1775 which then takes us further into the depths and horrors of the French Revolution. There is an abundance of mystery that I was not expecting, but thoroughly enjoyed. In addition to the juxtaposition of the two cities, we also see the contrasts between good and evil, hope and despair, death and rebirth. As suggested in my opening quote, secrets abound and are slowly revealed. Characters are drawn well, as one would naturally expect from Dickens, although I never quite felt the emotional tug towards any of them, until near the end. But when I did reach this point, gosh it was worth it! Sydney Carton鈥� an unforgettable man鈥� sigh. "I have had the weakness, and have still the weakness, to wish you to know with what a sudden mastery you kindled me, heap of ashes that I am, into fire - a fire, however, inseparable in its nature from myself, quickening nothing, lighting nothing, doing no service, idly burning away." This is a love story, a tale of injustice, of human suffering, and of sacrifice.
When the reader steps through the gates of Paris, one can feel the tension and sense the shadow of what is to come鈥� the atmosphere is so charged with insecurity, suspicion, and dread. "The time was to come, when that wine too would be spilled on the street-stones, and when the stain of it would be red upon many there." The madness of the masses is frightening - there are no apologies and no exceptions. If you are born with the wrong blood, happen to land in the wrong place at the wrong time, or sympathize with the accused and the condemned, your life is in danger. The threat of the Guillotine looms like a monster over the people of the city. "Every day, through the stony streets, the tumbrils now jolted heavily, filled with Condemned. Lovely girls; bright women, brown-haired, black-haired, and grey; youths; stalwart men and old; gentle born and peasant born; all red wine for La Guillotine, all daily brought into light from the dark cellars of the loathsome prisons, and carried to her through the street to slake her devouring thirst. Liberty, equality, fraternity, or death; - the last, much the easiest to bestow, O Guillotine!" It is heartless and pities no one, much like Madame Defarge.
I feel as if I should be providing a more 鈥榮cholarly鈥� review of this tremendous work, but I鈥檓 not quite up to the task; and you can find a plethora of excellent and more erudite reviews all over 欧宝娱乐! I鈥檓 really just here to express my personal reaction and feelings towards this one. Quite simply, the writing is excellent, but the story itself failed to grab me initially. At this same time last year, I read Les Mis茅rables 鈥� an extraordinary piece of literature without a doubt. I could not help comparing this Dicken鈥檚 novel with that of Hugo鈥檚. What was lacking in Two Cities for me was the existence of a character like Jean Valjean, a character so vivid and so sharply drawn that it seems I literally spent weeks in the mind of this tortured soul. Probably, it is not fair to make this comparison, but there you have it. I felt distanced from Dickens鈥� characters quite a bit more鈥� at least for a good portion of the book. I鈥檓 very pleased that I persevered, however, as I was able to reap the benefits of my commitment upon finishing the last words. The development of Sydney Carton was rewarding and the ending of this tale was breathtaking. I don鈥檛 often re-read novels, but this one is certainly going to fall in the category of 鈥榚ven better the second time around鈥� 鈥� I feel certain of this. My rating is at a firm 4 stars, with the hope that someday the re-read will edge it up to the full 5.
"Crush humanity out of shape once more, under similar hammers, and it will twist itself into the same tortured forms. Sow the same seed of rapacious licence and oppression over again, and it will surely yield the same fruit according to its kind."
December 3, 2012
Most satisfying ending in the English language.
Yes, the last line is a classic ("It is a far, far better thing ..."), concluding, in astonishingly concise language (for Dickens), the peace and redemption of the story's most poignant romantic hero. But this novel delivers such a gratifying experience because there are, in fact, many characters who cover significant emotional ground in their journey to love one woman as best they can.
Lucie's father battles his way back from madness under the gentle protection of his daughter. Lucie's childhood nursemaid evolves from a comical stereotype to an embattled force to be reckoned with. Lucie's husband's well-meaning (if bland) culminates in -- not his hoped-for heroic moment, but a moment of quiet dignity that is most moving for its humility. Even Lucie's banker reaches dizzying heights of heroic accomplishment when Dickens appoints the quiet businessman the vehicle for an entire family's escape from the guillotine.
It is true that Lucie herself engages the reader less than her brutal counterpart -- the broken but terrifying Madame Defarge -- is able to, as modern readers are less moved by the swooning heroines who populate the period's "literature of sensibility." But we can certainly respond to Dickens' powerful and vivid claim: love is not only what makes us human, it is what allows us to be, at times, superhuman.
And when Sydney Carton, in equal parts love and despair, tells Lucie that "there is a man who would give his life to keep a life you love beside you" ... ?
I go to pieces. Every damn time.
Yes, the last line is a classic ("It is a far, far better thing ..."), concluding, in astonishingly concise language (for Dickens), the peace and redemption of the story's most poignant romantic hero. But this novel delivers such a gratifying experience because there are, in fact, many characters who cover significant emotional ground in their journey to love one woman as best they can.
Lucie's father battles his way back from madness under the gentle protection of his daughter. Lucie's childhood nursemaid evolves from a comical stereotype to an embattled force to be reckoned with. Lucie's husband's well-meaning (if bland) culminates in -- not his hoped-for heroic moment, but a moment of quiet dignity that is most moving for its humility. Even Lucie's banker reaches dizzying heights of heroic accomplishment when Dickens appoints the quiet businessman the vehicle for an entire family's escape from the guillotine.
It is true that Lucie herself engages the reader less than her brutal counterpart -- the broken but terrifying Madame Defarge -- is able to, as modern readers are less moved by the swooning heroines who populate the period's "literature of sensibility." But we can certainly respond to Dickens' powerful and vivid claim: love is not only what makes us human, it is what allows us to be, at times, superhuman.
And when Sydney Carton, in equal parts love and despair, tells Lucie that "there is a man who would give his life to keep a life you love beside you" ... ?
I go to pieces. Every damn time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2025
The year is 1775, and Dr. Manette, imprisoned unjustly 18 years ago, has been released from the Bastille prison in Paris. His daughter, Lucie, who had thought he was dead, and Jarvis Lorry, an agent for Tellson's Bank, which has offices in London and Paris, bring him to England.
Skip ahead five years to 1780. Frenchman Charles Darnay is on trial for treason, accused of passing English secrets to the French and Americans during the American Revolution. He is acquitted when eyewitnesses prove unreliable partly because of Darnay's resemblance to barrister Sydney Carton.
In the years leading to the fall of the Bastille in 1789, Darnay, Carton, and Stryver all fell in love with Lucie Manette. Carton, an irresponsible and unambitious character who drinks too much, tells Lucie that she has inspired him to think about how his life could have been better and that he would make any sacrifice for her. However, Stryver, Carton's barrister friend, is persuaded by Mr. Lorry, now a close friend to the Manettes, against asking for Lucie's hand. Nevertheless, Lucie marries Darnay, and they have a daughter.
Meanwhile, in France, Darnay's uncle, the Marquis St. Evremonde, is murdered in his bed for crimes committed against the people. Charles has told Dr. Manette of his relationship with the French aristocracy but no one else.
By 1792, the revolution had escalated in France. No one knows why Mr. Lorry receives a letter at Tellson's Bank addressed to the Marquis St. Evremonde. Darnay sees the letter and tells Lorry that he understands the Marquis and will deliver it. The letter is from a friend, Gabelle, who was wrongfully imprisoned in Paris and asked the Marquis (Darnay) for help. Knowing that the trip will be dangerous, Charles feels compelled to go and help his friend. He leaves for France without telling anyone the real reason.
The mob recognized Darnay (St Evremonde) and was imprisoned in Paris on the road to Paris. Mr. Lorry, who is in Paris on business, is joined by Dr. Manette, Lucie, Miss Pross, and later, Sydney Carton.
Dr. Manette influences the citizens due to his imprisonment in the Bastille and can have Darnay released, but he is retaken the next day on a charge by the Defarges and sentenced to death within 24 hours.
Sydney Carton influences one of the jailers and can enter the cell, drug Darnay, exchange clothes, and have the jailer remove Darnay, leaving Carton to die in his stead.
On the guillotine, Carton peacefully declares, "It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."
Skip ahead five years to 1780. Frenchman Charles Darnay is on trial for treason, accused of passing English secrets to the French and Americans during the American Revolution. He is acquitted when eyewitnesses prove unreliable partly because of Darnay's resemblance to barrister Sydney Carton.
In the years leading to the fall of the Bastille in 1789, Darnay, Carton, and Stryver all fell in love with Lucie Manette. Carton, an irresponsible and unambitious character who drinks too much, tells Lucie that she has inspired him to think about how his life could have been better and that he would make any sacrifice for her. However, Stryver, Carton's barrister friend, is persuaded by Mr. Lorry, now a close friend to the Manettes, against asking for Lucie's hand. Nevertheless, Lucie marries Darnay, and they have a daughter.
Meanwhile, in France, Darnay's uncle, the Marquis St. Evremonde, is murdered in his bed for crimes committed against the people. Charles has told Dr. Manette of his relationship with the French aristocracy but no one else.
By 1792, the revolution had escalated in France. No one knows why Mr. Lorry receives a letter at Tellson's Bank addressed to the Marquis St. Evremonde. Darnay sees the letter and tells Lorry that he understands the Marquis and will deliver it. The letter is from a friend, Gabelle, who was wrongfully imprisoned in Paris and asked the Marquis (Darnay) for help. Knowing that the trip will be dangerous, Charles feels compelled to go and help his friend. He leaves for France without telling anyone the real reason.
The mob recognized Darnay (St Evremonde) and was imprisoned in Paris on the road to Paris. Mr. Lorry, who is in Paris on business, is joined by Dr. Manette, Lucie, Miss Pross, and later, Sydney Carton.
Dr. Manette influences the citizens due to his imprisonment in the Bastille and can have Darnay released, but he is retaken the next day on a charge by the Defarges and sentenced to death within 24 hours.
Sydney Carton influences one of the jailers and can enter the cell, drug Darnay, exchange clothes, and have the jailer remove Darnay, leaving Carton to die in his stead.
On the guillotine, Carton peacefully declares, "It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."
January 10, 2025
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...". The opening line says all that is needed to be said about the book. The time was worst, for it was tainted with hatred, violence, and vengeance. The time was also the best because there were love and compassion which endured it all.
The only historical novel that I've read of Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities moved me like none other. I can still feel the effect of the suspense and tension even when writing the review a few days later.
Set on the backdrop of France before and after the French Revolution, Dickens weaves a sensitive and sympathetic tale on all those affected while laying down the grounds which caused the frenzy. Dickens's historical portrayal is balanced and impartial. He shows what lead to the uprise of the peasants so brutally against the king and aristocracy. They were suppressed and were treated no better than animals. When people are so treated like beasts for a long time, it is no wonder that they would turn beasts eventually. That is what happened with them and Dickens is full of sympathy and empathy. But the reign of terror that followed exercised more than retributive justice. Like the bloodthirsty vampires, it hunted the innocents whose only crime was being of aristocratic blood. Dickens boldly exposes this monstrous side as well. He doesn't judge the frenzied Republic, nor condemn it, but he compares the action to a season of pestilence where some will have a secret attraction to the disease. In short, Dickens shows the abuse of power by both aristocrats and the republicans equally.
The story is one of the warmest of Charles Dickens. Witty and bold would be my description of Dickens's writing, and it may extend to being sympathetic. But I wouldn't have associated warmth with his writing. So it seems I still haven't fully comprehended him. The story drew me in from its opening. Though it had a bit of a disorganized structure and some repetitive writing, it was a solid four-star for me. The storyline was beautiful irrespective of the brutality and my nervous tension.
The characters, being few (another surprise for a Dickens book), it was easy to keep close contacts with them all. I've read many reviews of the book where it was said that they disliked Lucy Manette, so I went into the read with a prejudiced mind. But to my surprise, I liked her from the start. I also liked Charles Evremond, Dr. Manette, and Sydney Carton. I felt that all of them were victims, and were full of sympathy. The latter, however, rose to the heights of a hero at the end, and without prejudice, I believe Sydney Carton is the noblest hero that ever graced classical literature for giving his life to keep a life dear to the woman he loves. While I'm at the characters, I must say a word about the villain of the story. It is none other than Madame Defarge - a sinister woman - a sworn enemy of the aristocratic Evremond family (with reasons of course), but who displays a disproportionate propensity for vengeance. Charles Dickens seems to have surpassed Dumas there, for Madam Defarge surpassed Milady de Winter of The Three Musketeers in her villainy.
The book was a solid four-star as I already mentioned until I reached the final few chapters. Those few chapters took me through such a bittersweet journey that my rating jumped up another star and complemented the book with a firm five star.
The only historical novel that I've read of Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities moved me like none other. I can still feel the effect of the suspense and tension even when writing the review a few days later.
Set on the backdrop of France before and after the French Revolution, Dickens weaves a sensitive and sympathetic tale on all those affected while laying down the grounds which caused the frenzy. Dickens's historical portrayal is balanced and impartial. He shows what lead to the uprise of the peasants so brutally against the king and aristocracy. They were suppressed and were treated no better than animals. When people are so treated like beasts for a long time, it is no wonder that they would turn beasts eventually. That is what happened with them and Dickens is full of sympathy and empathy. But the reign of terror that followed exercised more than retributive justice. Like the bloodthirsty vampires, it hunted the innocents whose only crime was being of aristocratic blood. Dickens boldly exposes this monstrous side as well. He doesn't judge the frenzied Republic, nor condemn it, but he compares the action to a season of pestilence where some will have a secret attraction to the disease. In short, Dickens shows the abuse of power by both aristocrats and the republicans equally.
The story is one of the warmest of Charles Dickens. Witty and bold would be my description of Dickens's writing, and it may extend to being sympathetic. But I wouldn't have associated warmth with his writing. So it seems I still haven't fully comprehended him. The story drew me in from its opening. Though it had a bit of a disorganized structure and some repetitive writing, it was a solid four-star for me. The storyline was beautiful irrespective of the brutality and my nervous tension.
The characters, being few (another surprise for a Dickens book), it was easy to keep close contacts with them all. I've read many reviews of the book where it was said that they disliked Lucy Manette, so I went into the read with a prejudiced mind. But to my surprise, I liked her from the start. I also liked Charles Evremond, Dr. Manette, and Sydney Carton. I felt that all of them were victims, and were full of sympathy. The latter, however, rose to the heights of a hero at the end, and without prejudice, I believe Sydney Carton is the noblest hero that ever graced classical literature for giving his life to keep a life dear to the woman he loves. While I'm at the characters, I must say a word about the villain of the story. It is none other than Madame Defarge - a sinister woman - a sworn enemy of the aristocratic Evremond family (with reasons of course), but who displays a disproportionate propensity for vengeance. Charles Dickens seems to have surpassed Dumas there, for Madam Defarge surpassed Milady de Winter of The Three Musketeers in her villainy.
The book was a solid four-star as I already mentioned until I reached the final few chapters. Those few chapters took me through such a bittersweet journey that my rating jumped up another star and complemented the book with a firm five star.
April 30, 2022
Dickens classic classic (purposefully repeated) tale centred around an English domiciled French family during the French Revolution in which he draws the love of his main female protagonist as the catalyst that beckons her suitors page by page to the blood splattered streets of Paris. The better of his his historical dramas, with one of the most famous opening lines ever written. 6 out of 12.
2009 read
2009 read
March 4, 2022
Alright, I've mentioned before that I majored in English in college. If you've been following my reviews you'll notice that I've been knocking off a lot of classics that I missed out on in that time. Now here it is, my big dark secret鈥� I've never read a proper Dickens novel. Prior to this I've only read some of his short stories and A Christmas Carol.
Well, it's been corrected! I've finally read a Dickens novel! Huzzah! Hooray! I went with the one it seems like鈥� well, everyone has read.
Okay, so yes, I went with his most commonly read book, and yes I chose it entirely because it was his most commonly read book. I confess though, other than that it took place during the French revolution and those most famous and often quoted opening and closing lines, I knew very little about the book. Seems like the perfect introduction to Dickens proper, right?
Well, yes and no. Let me start by saying that yes, I did greatly enjoy this book. I liked it very much and was impressed at how intricately plotted it was. Scenes that I genuinely thought might have been comedic padding actually turned out important. Little details mentioned early on are used in interesting ways throughout. There are some genuinely beautiful, almost reflecting passages of the book where a scene early on is somewhat repeated with characters changed. There is a lot I loved about this book and I think my rating reflects that.
Here's the thing鈥� my two favorite aspects of the book? The moments of humor and the interesting side characters. I'll be honest here, I didn't really care much about Charles Darnay or Lucie. They were frankly bland and uninteresting. Charles had the charisma of a board of wood and Lucie is so overly sweet that I feared diabetic issues if there were many chapters from her point of view. Dr. Manette was an interesting character because Dickens gave him more of a psychological depth to him鈥� but really, the characters I liked reading about? The humorous messenger, grave robber and occasional bodyguard Jerry Crutcher, the man of business Jarvis Lorry, the clever and snide Sydney Carton and the sinister Madame Defarge. The side characters were all interesting, I loved seeing these quirky and interesting people come and go.
In other words, from what I gather, the thing I liked about this book the most (humor and the interesting side characters) are the aspects that show up more prominently in Dickens's other works.
So, apparently I picked wrong.
That said, this was a lovely and wonderful read. The writing was beautiful, I enjoyed my entire time with it and it will almost certainly not be my last Dickens novel鈥� though it is a relief to finally cross him off my list of authors I'm embarrassed to say I had not read. 4/5 stars.
Well, it's been corrected! I've finally read a Dickens novel! Huzzah! Hooray! I went with the one it seems like鈥� well, everyone has read.
Okay, so yes, I went with his most commonly read book, and yes I chose it entirely because it was his most commonly read book. I confess though, other than that it took place during the French revolution and those most famous and often quoted opening and closing lines, I knew very little about the book. Seems like the perfect introduction to Dickens proper, right?
Well, yes and no. Let me start by saying that yes, I did greatly enjoy this book. I liked it very much and was impressed at how intricately plotted it was. Scenes that I genuinely thought might have been comedic padding actually turned out important. Little details mentioned early on are used in interesting ways throughout. There are some genuinely beautiful, almost reflecting passages of the book where a scene early on is somewhat repeated with characters changed. There is a lot I loved about this book and I think my rating reflects that.
Here's the thing鈥� my two favorite aspects of the book? The moments of humor and the interesting side characters. I'll be honest here, I didn't really care much about Charles Darnay or Lucie. They were frankly bland and uninteresting. Charles had the charisma of a board of wood and Lucie is so overly sweet that I feared diabetic issues if there were many chapters from her point of view. Dr. Manette was an interesting character because Dickens gave him more of a psychological depth to him鈥� but really, the characters I liked reading about? The humorous messenger, grave robber and occasional bodyguard Jerry Crutcher, the man of business Jarvis Lorry, the clever and snide Sydney Carton and the sinister Madame Defarge. The side characters were all interesting, I loved seeing these quirky and interesting people come and go.
In other words, from what I gather, the thing I liked about this book the most (humor and the interesting side characters) are the aspects that show up more prominently in Dickens's other works.
So, apparently I picked wrong.
That said, this was a lovely and wonderful read. The writing was beautiful, I enjoyed my entire time with it and it will almost certainly not be my last Dickens novel鈥� though it is a relief to finally cross him off my list of authors I'm embarrassed to say I had not read. 4/5 stars.
December 24, 2013
賯氐丞 賲丿賷賳鬲賷賳
丕爻鬲毓乇鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲賳 賲賰鬲亘丞 丕賱噩丕賲毓丞 賮賷 亘丿丕賷丞 丕賱兀賱賮賷丞貙 賰丕賳 匕賱賰 賯亘賱 毓丕賱賲 丕賱丕賳鬲乇賳鬲貙 毓賳丿賲丕 賰賳丕 賱丕 賳賱鬲賯賷 賵賱丕 賳鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賶 丕賱賰鬲亘 賵賲卮丕賴賷乇 丕賱賲丐賱賮賷賳 廿賱丕 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 丕賱氐丨賮 兀賵 丕賱賰鬲亘 丕賱鬲賷 鬲爻賯胤 亘賷賳 兀賷丿賷賳丕 丕鬲賮丕賯丕賸貙 丿賷賰賳夭 賰丕賳 賲兀賱賵賮丕賸 賱賷 丨賷賳賴丕貙 賰賳鬲 賯丿 賯乇兀鬲 賱賴 丿丕賷賮丿 賰賵亘乇賮賷賱丿貙 賵兀毓乇賮 賲賵賯毓賴 賰乇賵丕卅賷 廿賳噩賱賷夭賷 毓馗賷賲.
丨氐賱鬲 毓賱賶 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 丕賱囟禺賲貙 丕賱賲睾賱賮 賲賳 賯亘賱 丕賱噩丕賲毓丞 亘睾賱丕賮 氐賱亘貙 賵丕賱賲禺鬲賵賲 賲乇丕乇丕賸 賰噩賵丕夭 爻丕卅丨 賰賵賳賷貙 賰賳鬲 睾乇丕賸 丨賷賳賴丕貙 噩丿賷丿 毓賱賶 賰賱 丕賱毓賵丕賱賲 丕賱鬲賷 兀賲丕賲賷貙 賮賱匕丕 丨賲賱鬲 丕賱賳爻禺丞 丕賱囟禺賲丞 賲丨丕賵賱丕賸 賯乇丕亍鬲賴丕 禺賱丕賱 賲賴賱丞 丕賱賷賵賲賷賳 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賲賳丨賴丕 丕賱噩丕賲毓丞 賱賱賰鬲亘 丕賱賳丕丿乇丞 鈥� 賯亘賱 兀賳 鬲亘丿兀 丕賱睾乇丕賲丕鬲 丕賱賯丕爻賷丞 -貙 賵賱賰賳 賴匕賴 丕賱賲賴賲丞 賰丕賳鬲 兀賰亘乇 賲賳賷貙 賮賱匕丕 丕囟胤乇乇鬲 賱廿毓丕丿丞 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 亘毓丿賲丕 毓亘乇鬲 亘丿丕賷丕鬲賴 賮賯胤貙 賮賷賲丕 亘賯賷鬲 氐賮丨丕鬲 胤賵賷賱丞 賵毓丿鬲 賳賮爻賷 亘賯乇丕亍鬲賴丕 賷賵賲丕賸 賲丕.
賵噩丕亍... 匕賱賰 丕賱賭 (賷賵賲丕賸 賲丕) 噩丕亍貙 氐丨賷丨 兀賳賴 鬲兀禺乇 賯賱賷賱丕賸貙 賵賱賰賳 賱賲 賷賰賳 匕賱賰 賱兀賳 賷丿賷 賯氐賷乇丞 毓賳 丕賱賵氐賵賱 廿賱賶 賲丿賷賳鬲賷 丿賷賰賳夭貙 賵廿賳賲丕 賱兀賳 賳賴乇丕賸 賲賳 丕賱賰鬲亘 噩乇賮賳賷 賲賳 賷賵賲賴丕貙 賱賯丿 鬲賮鬲賯 丕賱毓丕賱賲 賱賷 亘毓丿賴丕 賰賲丕 賷鬲賮鬲賯 賱胤賮賱 賯乇賵賷貙 賱丕 賷毓乇賮 兀亘毓丿 賲賳 亘賷鬲 兀賴賱賴貙 賵賵噩賵賴 兀賴賱賴貙 孬賲 賷丨賲賱 匕丕鬲 賱賷賱丞 賱賷乇賲賶 賮賷 賲賷丿丕賳 毓丕氐賲丞貙 賰賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱賵噩賵賴貙 賰賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱兀賱賵丕賳貙 丕賱乇賵丕卅丨貙 丕賱賳丕爻 丕賱匕丕賴亘丞 賵丕賱丌賷亘丞貙 賰賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬貙 鬲乇亘賰賴貙 鬲賳夭毓 鬲賵丕夭賳賴貙 賵賮賴賲賴 賱賲丕 丨賵賱賴.
賵賮賷 匕丕賰乇鬲賷貙 賵毓賱賶 賲乇 賰賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱爻賳賵丕鬲貙 鬲丿丕毓鬲 賰賱賲丕鬲 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賵氐賵乇賴 賵賲卮丕賴丿賴貙 鬲丨賱賱 賰賱 賲丕 賯乇兀鬲賴貙 亘賯賷 賮賷 匕丕賰乇鬲賷 賮賯胤 賵兀賳丕 兀噩匕亘賴 賲賳 乇賯丿鬲賴 亘賷賳 賲丐賱賮丕鬲 賰賱 兀賵賱卅賰 丕賱廿賳噩賱賷夭 丕賱毓馗賲丕亍貙 賵氐賮 賲匕賴賱 賱卮丕乇毓 賯丿賷賲貙 賰丕賳 丿賷賰賳夭 賷兀禺匕賳丕 毓亘乇賴貙 賱賷氐毓丿 亘賳丕 毓賱賷丞 賲丕貙 丨賷孬 賷賯亘毓 毓噩賵夭 賲丕 !! 賰丕賳 賴匕丕 賰賱 賲丕 亘賯賷.
毓丕賳賶 丿賷賰賳夭 賮賷 胤賮賵賱鬲賴 賰孬賷乇丕賸貙 賱賲 賷鬲賱賯 鬲毓賱賷賲丕賸 噩賷丿丕賸貙 賵丨鬲賶 丕賱賲丿乇爻丞 丕賱賲鬲賵丕囟毓丞 丕賱鬲賷 匕賴亘 廿賱賷賴丕貙 爻丨亘 賲賳賴丕 毓賱賶 毓噩賱 賱賷毓賲賱 賱毓卮乇 爻丕毓丕鬲 賷賵賲賷丕賸貙 亘毓丿賲丕 爻噩賳 賵丕賱丿賴 賱鬲乇丕賰賲 丕賱丿賷賵賳 毓賱賷賴貙 賵丕賱鬲丨賯鬲 亘賴 賵丕賱丿鬲賴 賮賷 丕賱爻噩賳貙 賵賴賵 賳馗丕賲 睾乇賷亘 賲胤亘賯 丨賷賳賴丕 !! 賴匕賴 丕賱兀賲 丿賷賰賳夭 賷卮毓乇 亘兀賳賴丕 賱丕 鬲賵賱賷賴 丕賱毓賳丕賷丞 賵丕賱丕賴鬲賲丕賲 丕賱賰丕賮賷賷賳貙 賲賳 賴匕賴 丕賱馗乇賵賮貙 賵賲賳 賴匕賴 丕賱賲卮丕毓乇 賳賱賲爻 乇丐賷丞 丿賷賰賳夭 賵賲賵丕賯賮賴 鬲噩丕賴 丕賱賮賯乇丕亍貙 賵丨賯賵賯 丕賱兀胤賮丕賱貙 賵鬲噩丕賴 丕賱賲乇兀丞.
賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賷亘丿賵 丿賷賰賳夭 賲賯丕乇賳丕賸貙 亘賷賳 賲丿賷賳鬲賷賳貙 亘丕乇賷爻 賵賱賳丿賳貙 賳馗丕賲賷賳 孬賵乇賷 賵賲賱賰賷貙 賯囟丕亍賷賳 孬賵乇賷 賵乇爻賲賷貙 賵賮賷 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 丕賱鬲賷 賰鬲亘賴丕 賲爻賱爻賱丞貙 賵賳卮乇賴丕 賮賷 丕賱氐丨賮 賰賲丕 賰丕賳 賷賮毓賱 賰鬲丕亘 毓氐乇賴貙 賵丕賱鬲賷 賱賴丕 爻賲丕鬲 賵賲賷夭丕鬲 匕丕賰 丕賱毓氐乇 賵兀丿亘賴 丕賱賲賱賷亍 亘丕賱兀亘胤丕賱 丕賱賮乇賵爻賷賷賳貙 賵丕賱賳爻丕亍 丕賱噩賲賷賱丕鬲 丕賱賲毓卮賵賯丕鬲 賲賳 丕賱噩賲賷毓貙 賵丕賱賲氐丕丿賮丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賯亘賱賴丕 亘氐丿乇 乇丨亘 賱鬲爻鬲賲鬲毓貙 賱鬲賲囟賷 賯丿賲丕賸.
廿賳賴 毓氐乇 丕賱孬賵乇丞貙 鬲亘丿兀 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 賯亘賱 丕賱孬賵乇丞 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷丞 亘賯賱賷賱貙 丨賷孬 賳鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賶 丕賱丿賰鬲賵乇 賲丕賳賷鬲貙 丕賱賲爻噩賵賳 馗賱賲丕賸 賮賷 丕賱亘丕爻鬲賷賱 賵賱爻賳賵丕鬲 胤賵賷賱丞 鈥� 18 毓丕賲丕賸 -貙 賵丕賱匕賷 賳鬲丕亘毓 賮賷 丕賱賮氐賵賱 丕賱兀賵賱賶 賱賯丕卅賴 亘丕亘賳鬲賴 賱賵爻賷 賵丕賱鬲賷 賱賲 賷賰賳 賷毓賱賲 亘賵噩賵丿賴丕貙 賵賴丕 賴賷 鬲爻鬲賳賯匕 賵丕賱丿賴丕 亘賲爻丕毓丿丞 丕賱孬賵乇賷 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷 丿賵賮丕乇噩 賵夭賵噩鬲賴貙 賵鬲兀禺匕賴 廿賱賶 廿賳噩賱鬲乇丕.
亘毓丿 5 爻賳賵丕鬲 賷爻鬲毓賷丿 賮賷賴丕 丕賱兀亘 毓賯賱賴貙 賵鬲鬲夭賵噩 賱賵爻賷 賲賳 鬲卮丕乇賱夭 丿丕乇賳賷貙 賵賴賵 賳亘賷賱 賮乇賳爻賷 鬲禺賱賶 毓賳 賳亘丕賱鬲賴 賵匕賴亘 賱賷毓賷卮 賮賷 廿賳噩賱鬲乇丕貙 鬲賯賵賲 丕賱孬賵乇丞 賮賷 賮乇賳爻丕貙 賵賷毓乇囟 賱賳丕 丿賷賰賳夭 丨丕賱 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷賷賳 賯亘賱 丕賱孬賵乇丞 賵胤乇賷賯丞 鬲毓丕賲賱 丕賱賳亘賱丕亍 賲毓賴賲 亘兀爻賱賵亘 賲匕賴賱貙 丿賷賰賳夭 賲匕賴賱 亘丨賯 賮賷 爻乇丿賴貙 爻丕禺乇 毓馗賷賲貙 賱丕 乇賷亘 兀賳 賯乇丕亍賴 賰丕賳賵丕 賷鬲卮賵賯賵賳 賱賰賱 賮氐賱 賲賳 賮氐賵賱 乇賵丕賷鬲賴.
鬲乇丿 鬲卮丕乇賱夭 丿丕乇賳賷 賵賴賵 賴賳丕賰 賮賷 兀賲丕賳 廿賳噩賱鬲乇丕貙 乇爻丕賱丞 賲賳 禺丕丿賲 爻丕亘賯 賱賴 爻噩賳 賮賷 丕賱亘丕爻鬲賷賱貙 賮賷賴乇毓 廿賱賶 亘丕乇賷爻 賱賷賳賯匕賴貙 賮賷賯毓 亘賷丿 丕賱孬賵乇賷賷賳 賵賷賯丿賲 賱賱賲丨丕賰賲丞 賵丕賱廿毓丿丕賲貙 鬲爻乇毓 賱賵爻賷 賵賵丕賱丿賴丕 賱丕爻鬲賳賯丕匕賴貙 禺丕氐丞 賵丕賱丿賰鬲賵乇 賲丕賳賷鬲 兀丨丿 賳夭賱丕亍 丕賱亘丕爻鬲賷賱 丕賱賲禺囟乇賲賷賳貙 賵賴匕丕 賲丕 賷賰爻亘賴 丕賱丕丨鬲乇丕賲 亘賷賳 丕賱孬賵丕乇貙 賴匕丕 禺賱丕賮 禺亘乇鬲賴 丕賱胤亘賷丞 丕賱賲賮賷丿丞 賱賴賲貙 賵卮禺氐賷鬲賴 丕賱毓馗賷賲丞.
鬲丿賵乇 丕賱賯氐丞貙 賵鬲鬲卮丕亘賰 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 賵賷賱鬲賯賷 賵賷鬲氐丕乇毓 丕賱兀亘胤丕賱 賮賷 鬲賱賰 丕賱亘賯毓丞 賲賳 亘丕乇賷爻貙 賵鬲賳賰卮賮 丕賱兀賱睾丕夭貙 賵鬲賯丿賲 丕賱鬲囟丨賷丕鬲貙 賵賷鬲乇賰賰 丿賷賰賳夭 賮賷 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 賵賮賷 匕賴賳賰 賵乇賵丨賰 匕賱賰賲 丕賱卮毓賵乇 丕賱賲賱丨賲賷 丕賱噩賲賷賱.
丕爻鬲毓乇鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲賳 賲賰鬲亘丞 丕賱噩丕賲毓丞 賮賷 亘丿丕賷丞 丕賱兀賱賮賷丞貙 賰丕賳 匕賱賰 賯亘賱 毓丕賱賲 丕賱丕賳鬲乇賳鬲貙 毓賳丿賲丕 賰賳丕 賱丕 賳賱鬲賯賷 賵賱丕 賳鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賶 丕賱賰鬲亘 賵賲卮丕賴賷乇 丕賱賲丐賱賮賷賳 廿賱丕 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 丕賱氐丨賮 兀賵 丕賱賰鬲亘 丕賱鬲賷 鬲爻賯胤 亘賷賳 兀賷丿賷賳丕 丕鬲賮丕賯丕賸貙 丿賷賰賳夭 賰丕賳 賲兀賱賵賮丕賸 賱賷 丨賷賳賴丕貙 賰賳鬲 賯丿 賯乇兀鬲 賱賴 丿丕賷賮丿 賰賵亘乇賮賷賱丿貙 賵兀毓乇賮 賲賵賯毓賴 賰乇賵丕卅賷 廿賳噩賱賷夭賷 毓馗賷賲.
丨氐賱鬲 毓賱賶 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 丕賱囟禺賲貙 丕賱賲睾賱賮 賲賳 賯亘賱 丕賱噩丕賲毓丞 亘睾賱丕賮 氐賱亘貙 賵丕賱賲禺鬲賵賲 賲乇丕乇丕賸 賰噩賵丕夭 爻丕卅丨 賰賵賳賷貙 賰賳鬲 睾乇丕賸 丨賷賳賴丕貙 噩丿賷丿 毓賱賶 賰賱 丕賱毓賵丕賱賲 丕賱鬲賷 兀賲丕賲賷貙 賮賱匕丕 丨賲賱鬲 丕賱賳爻禺丞 丕賱囟禺賲丞 賲丨丕賵賱丕賸 賯乇丕亍鬲賴丕 禺賱丕賱 賲賴賱丞 丕賱賷賵賲賷賳 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賲賳丨賴丕 丕賱噩丕賲毓丞 賱賱賰鬲亘 丕賱賳丕丿乇丞 鈥� 賯亘賱 兀賳 鬲亘丿兀 丕賱睾乇丕賲丕鬲 丕賱賯丕爻賷丞 -貙 賵賱賰賳 賴匕賴 丕賱賲賴賲丞 賰丕賳鬲 兀賰亘乇 賲賳賷貙 賮賱匕丕 丕囟胤乇乇鬲 賱廿毓丕丿丞 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 亘毓丿賲丕 毓亘乇鬲 亘丿丕賷丕鬲賴 賮賯胤貙 賮賷賲丕 亘賯賷鬲 氐賮丨丕鬲 胤賵賷賱丞 賵毓丿鬲 賳賮爻賷 亘賯乇丕亍鬲賴丕 賷賵賲丕賸 賲丕.
賵噩丕亍... 匕賱賰 丕賱賭 (賷賵賲丕賸 賲丕) 噩丕亍貙 氐丨賷丨 兀賳賴 鬲兀禺乇 賯賱賷賱丕賸貙 賵賱賰賳 賱賲 賷賰賳 匕賱賰 賱兀賳 賷丿賷 賯氐賷乇丞 毓賳 丕賱賵氐賵賱 廿賱賶 賲丿賷賳鬲賷 丿賷賰賳夭貙 賵廿賳賲丕 賱兀賳 賳賴乇丕賸 賲賳 丕賱賰鬲亘 噩乇賮賳賷 賲賳 賷賵賲賴丕貙 賱賯丿 鬲賮鬲賯 丕賱毓丕賱賲 賱賷 亘毓丿賴丕 賰賲丕 賷鬲賮鬲賯 賱胤賮賱 賯乇賵賷貙 賱丕 賷毓乇賮 兀亘毓丿 賲賳 亘賷鬲 兀賴賱賴貙 賵賵噩賵賴 兀賴賱賴貙 孬賲 賷丨賲賱 匕丕鬲 賱賷賱丞 賱賷乇賲賶 賮賷 賲賷丿丕賳 毓丕氐賲丞貙 賰賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱賵噩賵賴貙 賰賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱兀賱賵丕賳貙 丕賱乇賵丕卅丨貙 丕賱賳丕爻 丕賱匕丕賴亘丞 賵丕賱丌賷亘丞貙 賰賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬貙 鬲乇亘賰賴貙 鬲賳夭毓 鬲賵丕夭賳賴貙 賵賮賴賲賴 賱賲丕 丨賵賱賴.
賵賮賷 匕丕賰乇鬲賷貙 賵毓賱賶 賲乇 賰賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱爻賳賵丕鬲貙 鬲丿丕毓鬲 賰賱賲丕鬲 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賵氐賵乇賴 賵賲卮丕賴丿賴貙 鬲丨賱賱 賰賱 賲丕 賯乇兀鬲賴貙 亘賯賷 賮賷 匕丕賰乇鬲賷 賮賯胤 賵兀賳丕 兀噩匕亘賴 賲賳 乇賯丿鬲賴 亘賷賳 賲丐賱賮丕鬲 賰賱 兀賵賱卅賰 丕賱廿賳噩賱賷夭 丕賱毓馗賲丕亍貙 賵氐賮 賲匕賴賱 賱卮丕乇毓 賯丿賷賲貙 賰丕賳 丿賷賰賳夭 賷兀禺匕賳丕 毓亘乇賴貙 賱賷氐毓丿 亘賳丕 毓賱賷丞 賲丕貙 丨賷孬 賷賯亘毓 毓噩賵夭 賲丕 !! 賰丕賳 賴匕丕 賰賱 賲丕 亘賯賷.
毓丕賳賶 丿賷賰賳夭 賮賷 胤賮賵賱鬲賴 賰孬賷乇丕賸貙 賱賲 賷鬲賱賯 鬲毓賱賷賲丕賸 噩賷丿丕賸貙 賵丨鬲賶 丕賱賲丿乇爻丞 丕賱賲鬲賵丕囟毓丞 丕賱鬲賷 匕賴亘 廿賱賷賴丕貙 爻丨亘 賲賳賴丕 毓賱賶 毓噩賱 賱賷毓賲賱 賱毓卮乇 爻丕毓丕鬲 賷賵賲賷丕賸貙 亘毓丿賲丕 爻噩賳 賵丕賱丿賴 賱鬲乇丕賰賲 丕賱丿賷賵賳 毓賱賷賴貙 賵丕賱鬲丨賯鬲 亘賴 賵丕賱丿鬲賴 賮賷 丕賱爻噩賳貙 賵賴賵 賳馗丕賲 睾乇賷亘 賲胤亘賯 丨賷賳賴丕 !! 賴匕賴 丕賱兀賲 丿賷賰賳夭 賷卮毓乇 亘兀賳賴丕 賱丕 鬲賵賱賷賴 丕賱毓賳丕賷丞 賵丕賱丕賴鬲賲丕賲 丕賱賰丕賮賷賷賳貙 賲賳 賴匕賴 丕賱馗乇賵賮貙 賵賲賳 賴匕賴 丕賱賲卮丕毓乇 賳賱賲爻 乇丐賷丞 丿賷賰賳夭 賵賲賵丕賯賮賴 鬲噩丕賴 丕賱賮賯乇丕亍貙 賵丨賯賵賯 丕賱兀胤賮丕賱貙 賵鬲噩丕賴 丕賱賲乇兀丞.
賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賷亘丿賵 丿賷賰賳夭 賲賯丕乇賳丕賸貙 亘賷賳 賲丿賷賳鬲賷賳貙 亘丕乇賷爻 賵賱賳丿賳貙 賳馗丕賲賷賳 孬賵乇賷 賵賲賱賰賷貙 賯囟丕亍賷賳 孬賵乇賷 賵乇爻賲賷貙 賵賮賷 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 丕賱鬲賷 賰鬲亘賴丕 賲爻賱爻賱丞貙 賵賳卮乇賴丕 賮賷 丕賱氐丨賮 賰賲丕 賰丕賳 賷賮毓賱 賰鬲丕亘 毓氐乇賴貙 賵丕賱鬲賷 賱賴丕 爻賲丕鬲 賵賲賷夭丕鬲 匕丕賰 丕賱毓氐乇 賵兀丿亘賴 丕賱賲賱賷亍 亘丕賱兀亘胤丕賱 丕賱賮乇賵爻賷賷賳貙 賵丕賱賳爻丕亍 丕賱噩賲賷賱丕鬲 丕賱賲毓卮賵賯丕鬲 賲賳 丕賱噩賲賷毓貙 賵丕賱賲氐丕丿賮丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賯亘賱賴丕 亘氐丿乇 乇丨亘 賱鬲爻鬲賲鬲毓貙 賱鬲賲囟賷 賯丿賲丕賸.
廿賳賴 毓氐乇 丕賱孬賵乇丞貙 鬲亘丿兀 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 賯亘賱 丕賱孬賵乇丞 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷丞 亘賯賱賷賱貙 丨賷孬 賳鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賶 丕賱丿賰鬲賵乇 賲丕賳賷鬲貙 丕賱賲爻噩賵賳 馗賱賲丕賸 賮賷 丕賱亘丕爻鬲賷賱 賵賱爻賳賵丕鬲 胤賵賷賱丞 鈥� 18 毓丕賲丕賸 -貙 賵丕賱匕賷 賳鬲丕亘毓 賮賷 丕賱賮氐賵賱 丕賱兀賵賱賶 賱賯丕卅賴 亘丕亘賳鬲賴 賱賵爻賷 賵丕賱鬲賷 賱賲 賷賰賳 賷毓賱賲 亘賵噩賵丿賴丕貙 賵賴丕 賴賷 鬲爻鬲賳賯匕 賵丕賱丿賴丕 亘賲爻丕毓丿丞 丕賱孬賵乇賷 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷 丿賵賮丕乇噩 賵夭賵噩鬲賴貙 賵鬲兀禺匕賴 廿賱賶 廿賳噩賱鬲乇丕.
亘毓丿 5 爻賳賵丕鬲 賷爻鬲毓賷丿 賮賷賴丕 丕賱兀亘 毓賯賱賴貙 賵鬲鬲夭賵噩 賱賵爻賷 賲賳 鬲卮丕乇賱夭 丿丕乇賳賷貙 賵賴賵 賳亘賷賱 賮乇賳爻賷 鬲禺賱賶 毓賳 賳亘丕賱鬲賴 賵匕賴亘 賱賷毓賷卮 賮賷 廿賳噩賱鬲乇丕貙 鬲賯賵賲 丕賱孬賵乇丞 賮賷 賮乇賳爻丕貙 賵賷毓乇囟 賱賳丕 丿賷賰賳夭 丨丕賱 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷賷賳 賯亘賱 丕賱孬賵乇丞 賵胤乇賷賯丞 鬲毓丕賲賱 丕賱賳亘賱丕亍 賲毓賴賲 亘兀爻賱賵亘 賲匕賴賱貙 丿賷賰賳夭 賲匕賴賱 亘丨賯 賮賷 爻乇丿賴貙 爻丕禺乇 毓馗賷賲貙 賱丕 乇賷亘 兀賳 賯乇丕亍賴 賰丕賳賵丕 賷鬲卮賵賯賵賳 賱賰賱 賮氐賱 賲賳 賮氐賵賱 乇賵丕賷鬲賴.
鬲乇丿 鬲卮丕乇賱夭 丿丕乇賳賷 賵賴賵 賴賳丕賰 賮賷 兀賲丕賳 廿賳噩賱鬲乇丕貙 乇爻丕賱丞 賲賳 禺丕丿賲 爻丕亘賯 賱賴 爻噩賳 賮賷 丕賱亘丕爻鬲賷賱貙 賮賷賴乇毓 廿賱賶 亘丕乇賷爻 賱賷賳賯匕賴貙 賮賷賯毓 亘賷丿 丕賱孬賵乇賷賷賳 賵賷賯丿賲 賱賱賲丨丕賰賲丞 賵丕賱廿毓丿丕賲貙 鬲爻乇毓 賱賵爻賷 賵賵丕賱丿賴丕 賱丕爻鬲賳賯丕匕賴貙 禺丕氐丞 賵丕賱丿賰鬲賵乇 賲丕賳賷鬲 兀丨丿 賳夭賱丕亍 丕賱亘丕爻鬲賷賱 丕賱賲禺囟乇賲賷賳貙 賵賴匕丕 賲丕 賷賰爻亘賴 丕賱丕丨鬲乇丕賲 亘賷賳 丕賱孬賵丕乇貙 賴匕丕 禺賱丕賮 禺亘乇鬲賴 丕賱胤亘賷丞 丕賱賲賮賷丿丞 賱賴賲貙 賵卮禺氐賷鬲賴 丕賱毓馗賷賲丞.
鬲丿賵乇 丕賱賯氐丞貙 賵鬲鬲卮丕亘賰 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 賵賷賱鬲賯賷 賵賷鬲氐丕乇毓 丕賱兀亘胤丕賱 賮賷 鬲賱賰 丕賱亘賯毓丞 賲賳 亘丕乇賷爻貙 賵鬲賳賰卮賮 丕賱兀賱睾丕夭貙 賵鬲賯丿賲 丕賱鬲囟丨賷丕鬲貙 賵賷鬲乇賰賰 丿賷賰賳夭 賮賷 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 賵賮賷 匕賴賳賰 賵乇賵丨賰 匕賱賰賲 丕賱卮毓賵乇 丕賱賲賱丨賲賷 丕賱噩賲賷賱.
December 27, 2024
Not today, Chuckie!
Who-eee! Confusion reigned in A Tale of Two Cities. Even with the Cliff Notes, it was hard to grasp what was going on. While some of it can be blamed on the archaic language and the classic American ignorance of history, Charles Dickens is at least partially responsible.
Starting with the famous opening line 鈥� it is actually part of an insanely long run-on sentence!
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way 鈥� in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
Central to the plot is a certain unnamed family with unnamed characters 鈥� some sisters, some brothers, a mother. Then, other characters are somehow related to this situation. Gee 鈥� that鈥檚 not confusing at all.
Philip Pullman, one of my favorite authors, put it this way: 鈥淭he aim must always be clarity. It鈥檚 tempting to feel that if a passage of writing is obscure, it must be very deep. [鈥 Telling a story involves thinking of some interesting events, putting them in the best order to bring out the connections between them, and telling about them as clearly as we can; and if we get the last part right, we won鈥檛 be able to disguise any failure with the first鈥攚hich is actually the most difficult, and the most important.鈥� Daemon Voices
A Tale of Two Cities is not clear鈥攊t is a sure fire way to induce sleep. Most frustratingly, Dickens is capable of better. In other stories, Dickens will provide additional clues to help remind readers of previous connections and who the characters are and their relationships, but in this novel, Dickens didn鈥檛 deliver, and he didn鈥檛 do enough to bridge all of the gaps in the story.
And while some of the moments could have been spectacularly meaningful, these attempts stumbled and fell just short of the finish line, the full impact lost in the obscurity.
Bring back David Copperfield! 鈥楾ill me meet again, Chuck!
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent):
Softcover Text 鈥� $? It is the Penguin Classics version. It might be from the 40% off sale when Barnes and Nobles was closing.
Electronic Text 鈥� Free through Libby
Audiobook 鈥� Free through Libby
Connect With Me!
Who-eee! Confusion reigned in A Tale of Two Cities. Even with the Cliff Notes, it was hard to grasp what was going on. While some of it can be blamed on the archaic language and the classic American ignorance of history, Charles Dickens is at least partially responsible.
Starting with the famous opening line 鈥� it is actually part of an insanely long run-on sentence!
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way 鈥� in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
Central to the plot is a certain unnamed family with unnamed characters 鈥� some sisters, some brothers, a mother. Then, other characters are somehow related to this situation. Gee 鈥� that鈥檚 not confusing at all.
Philip Pullman, one of my favorite authors, put it this way: 鈥淭he aim must always be clarity. It鈥檚 tempting to feel that if a passage of writing is obscure, it must be very deep. [鈥 Telling a story involves thinking of some interesting events, putting them in the best order to bring out the connections between them, and telling about them as clearly as we can; and if we get the last part right, we won鈥檛 be able to disguise any failure with the first鈥攚hich is actually the most difficult, and the most important.鈥� Daemon Voices
A Tale of Two Cities is not clear鈥攊t is a sure fire way to induce sleep. Most frustratingly, Dickens is capable of better. In other stories, Dickens will provide additional clues to help remind readers of previous connections and who the characters are and their relationships, but in this novel, Dickens didn鈥檛 deliver, and he didn鈥檛 do enough to bridge all of the gaps in the story.
And while some of the moments could have been spectacularly meaningful, these attempts stumbled and fell just short of the finish line, the full impact lost in the obscurity.
Bring back David Copperfield! 鈥楾ill me meet again, Chuck!
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent):
Softcover Text 鈥� $? It is the Penguin Classics version. It might be from the 40% off sale when Barnes and Nobles was closing.
Electronic Text 鈥� Free through Libby
Audiobook 鈥� Free through Libby
Connect With Me!
December 3, 2024
"IT IS A FAR, FAR BETTER THING..."
Antes que todo: 隆Que pedazo de final!
Dickens est谩 en el podio de mis escritores favoritos, pero si hay algo que le falt贸 es un poco m谩s de claridad al expresarse en oraciones largas, y eso se refleja claramente en esta novela.
A pesar de eso, es encantadora. Los personajes est谩n muy bien hechos, la trama de las dos ciudades (Par铆s y Londres) est谩n bastante claras: los comentarios que hay sobre la Revoluci贸n Francesa son los perfectos para hacer de esta novela algo genial, y siempre en el estilo muy caracter铆stico de Dickens. Tambi茅n se mezcla el amor (algo muy com煤n en esos tiempos), sacrificio y venganza, lo que hace a esta novela incluso m谩s oscura, teniendo en cuenta el contexto hist贸rico. 隆Simplemente genial!
Hablando de su estilo de escritura, siempre hay que estar concentrado para poder entender lo que dice, ya que su lenguaje nunca fue el m谩s f谩cil de entender.
驴Recomendable leer? Absolutamente s铆, siempre y cuando tengas la disposici贸n a concentrarte 100% en la lectura, ya que, como dije antes, no es f谩cil de entender, pero se disfruta mucho.
Antes que todo: 隆Que pedazo de final!
Dickens est谩 en el podio de mis escritores favoritos, pero si hay algo que le falt贸 es un poco m谩s de claridad al expresarse en oraciones largas, y eso se refleja claramente en esta novela.
A pesar de eso, es encantadora. Los personajes est谩n muy bien hechos, la trama de las dos ciudades (Par铆s y Londres) est谩n bastante claras: los comentarios que hay sobre la Revoluci贸n Francesa son los perfectos para hacer de esta novela algo genial, y siempre en el estilo muy caracter铆stico de Dickens. Tambi茅n se mezcla el amor (algo muy com煤n en esos tiempos), sacrificio y venganza, lo que hace a esta novela incluso m谩s oscura, teniendo en cuenta el contexto hist贸rico. 隆Simplemente genial!
Hablando de su estilo de escritura, siempre hay que estar concentrado para poder entender lo que dice, ya que su lenguaje nunca fue el m谩s f谩cil de entender.
驴Recomendable leer? Absolutamente s铆, siempre y cuando tengas la disposici贸n a concentrarte 100% en la lectura, ya que, como dije antes, no es f谩cil de entender, pero se disfruta mucho.
February 28, 2022
鈥淚t was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair,鈥�
With the iconic opening lines in 鈥淭he Tale of Two Cities鈥� we begin a story of love, sacrifice, and honour set against a period in French history that brought with it so much change and uncertainty in a revolution that raged for almost 10 years.
A true classic, a masterpiece in storytelling and a novel that was so perfectly balanced in all its themes that I had to sit back and admire the sheer genius of the author and this work of art. One of my favourites classics.
The Plot
The book begins with the release of the French Doctor Manette, who was imprisoned in the Bastille in Paris, and after 18 years is released to live in London with his daughter Lucie who he has never met. The book then alternates between two cities; Paris and London, and between two men, Charles Dranay and Sydney Carton and their love Lucie.
1780. Charles Darnay stands accused of treason against the English crown and is acquitted by the argument presented by Carton that he himself bears an uncanny resemblance to the defendant, and therefore we can not be sure of the identity of the culprit. Darnay on his acquittal returns to Paris to live with his uncle but after seeing the treatment of his country people, returns to England and asks, Manette, for permission to marry Lucie.
Meanwhile, Carton also pledges his love to Lucie, admitting that, though his life is worthless, she has helped him dream of a better, more valuable existence. Remembering that 鈥渢his is a desperate time, when desperate games are played for desperate stakes鈥�, we continue through a web of deceit, honour, and love as one 鈥溾€� man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you.鈥� And this is an important line but to reveal more would spoil the element of surprise as identities remain hidden.
Review and Comments
A Tale of Two Cities written in 1858, was believed to have propelled Dickens into the high ranks of great Romance novelists of the period, combine that with a book that is described as his best work of historical fiction, and we have a true classic. However, for me it was neither, but what it did bring was a beautiful and perfectly balanced story that weaves the threads of romance, revolution, tragedy, sacrifice, love, and honour so well that not one thread is allowed to dominate, unlike many of his other works and therefore one of my favourites. That said don鈥檛 pick up a Charles Dickens novel if you do not want your heart broken by something in the story, because where we have Dickens, tragedy is sure to follow and lurk somewhere in the coming pages.
A Tale of Two Cities is not a slumber read and a level of concentration is needed. The language does not roll off the tongue, although grammatically perfect and underlying themes and vital pieces in the story are often subtly nuanced so can be easily overlooked. If I can offer this, I read a number of books by Charles Dickens in the last 6 months, and I have to confess connecting with the earlier books and style took effort, however, by the time I read this novel I was more accustomed to the style and knew the subtleties to watch for, and what a difference it made because I loved it. What do they say about practice!!!
Another brilliant story with excellent characterisation and poignant themes that draws on the historical background of the period to create the perfect atmosphere for a towering classic like this. Stunning, dramatic, captivating and mesmerising, and now I will end with a favourite quote from
a book that offers so many!!!
鈥淎 wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other.鈥�
With the iconic opening lines in 鈥淭he Tale of Two Cities鈥� we begin a story of love, sacrifice, and honour set against a period in French history that brought with it so much change and uncertainty in a revolution that raged for almost 10 years.
A true classic, a masterpiece in storytelling and a novel that was so perfectly balanced in all its themes that I had to sit back and admire the sheer genius of the author and this work of art. One of my favourites classics.
The Plot
The book begins with the release of the French Doctor Manette, who was imprisoned in the Bastille in Paris, and after 18 years is released to live in London with his daughter Lucie who he has never met. The book then alternates between two cities; Paris and London, and between two men, Charles Dranay and Sydney Carton and their love Lucie.
1780. Charles Darnay stands accused of treason against the English crown and is acquitted by the argument presented by Carton that he himself bears an uncanny resemblance to the defendant, and therefore we can not be sure of the identity of the culprit. Darnay on his acquittal returns to Paris to live with his uncle but after seeing the treatment of his country people, returns to England and asks, Manette, for permission to marry Lucie.
Meanwhile, Carton also pledges his love to Lucie, admitting that, though his life is worthless, she has helped him dream of a better, more valuable existence. Remembering that 鈥渢his is a desperate time, when desperate games are played for desperate stakes鈥�, we continue through a web of deceit, honour, and love as one 鈥溾€� man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you.鈥� And this is an important line but to reveal more would spoil the element of surprise as identities remain hidden.
Review and Comments
A Tale of Two Cities written in 1858, was believed to have propelled Dickens into the high ranks of great Romance novelists of the period, combine that with a book that is described as his best work of historical fiction, and we have a true classic. However, for me it was neither, but what it did bring was a beautiful and perfectly balanced story that weaves the threads of romance, revolution, tragedy, sacrifice, love, and honour so well that not one thread is allowed to dominate, unlike many of his other works and therefore one of my favourites. That said don鈥檛 pick up a Charles Dickens novel if you do not want your heart broken by something in the story, because where we have Dickens, tragedy is sure to follow and lurk somewhere in the coming pages.
A Tale of Two Cities is not a slumber read and a level of concentration is needed. The language does not roll off the tongue, although grammatically perfect and underlying themes and vital pieces in the story are often subtly nuanced so can be easily overlooked. If I can offer this, I read a number of books by Charles Dickens in the last 6 months, and I have to confess connecting with the earlier books and style took effort, however, by the time I read this novel I was more accustomed to the style and knew the subtleties to watch for, and what a difference it made because I loved it. What do they say about practice!!!
Another brilliant story with excellent characterisation and poignant themes that draws on the historical background of the period to create the perfect atmosphere for a towering classic like this. Stunning, dramatic, captivating and mesmerising, and now I will end with a favourite quote from
a book that offers so many!!!
鈥淎 wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other.鈥�
February 16, 2020
Some how my review of this got deleted which is good because I think after sitting a while I can appreciate the book more. When I read it it was confusing and slow and then towards the end really picked up and I was kind of disoriented but it gives a really good view into things in the period before the French Revolution. Learning about it was one thing but reading this made me very sympathetic of the peasants and angry on thier behalf, honestly surprised they didn't start rioting sooner.
August 16, 2020
鈥淗e had never seen the instrument that was to terminate his life. How high it was from the ground, how many steps it had, where he would be stood, how he would be touched, whether the touching hands would be dyed red, which way his face would be turned, whether he would be the first, or might be the last: these and many similar questions, in no wise directed by his will, obtruded themselves over and over again, countless times鈥︹€�
- Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
The opening of Charles Dickens鈥檚 A Tale of Two Cities is one of the most celebrated in the history of literature. 鈥淚t was the best of times, it was the worst of times,鈥� Dickens writes, beginning a lengthy, single-sentence paragraph that is marked by its rhythmic contradictions. 鈥淸I]t was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness鈥︹€� By the time you reach the end of this ambitious tease, you are compelled 鈥� at the least 鈥� to finish the page. In terms of grasping the reader鈥檚 attention, and convincing him or her to continue, Dickens succeeds marvelously.
Aside from hooking your attention with the skill that Quint uses to hook great white sharks, the first sentence of A Tale of Two Cities marvelously grasps the paradox of the French Revolution, which serves as the novel鈥檚 backdrop.
Begun in 1789 as a revolt against the poverty and hunger suffered by huge masses of the population, the French Revolutionaries sought the noble ideal of equality. In achieving this end, however, they unleashed a torrent of blood. They toppled a king, and then beheaded him. They killed thousands of people who resisted, many of those resisting in thoughts or words only. Finally, they started to kill each other, in a dispute over who was most pure. The result was a tumultuous decade in which lofty ends crashed against lethal means, leaving us with an event that is still hotly debated to this day.
***
For me, reading Dickens has been a lot like eating my vegetables. Both are good for you, but I have never been able to fully like either.
It has never been a question of talent. Dickens is an incredibly skilled writer with an unmatched eye for creating memorable characters. The problem I鈥檝e had with many of the works I have read 鈥� or attempted to read 鈥� is that the whole is often less than the sum of their parts. That is, Dickens published many of his novels in serial form, and it often feels like he is actively inflating his word count in order to pad his (oft-troubled) bank account. The resulting digressions, plot contrivances, and weak endings tend to dampen the enjoyment I get from the worlds he creates.
The best Dickens is 鈥� in my humble estimation 鈥� A Christmas Carol. The novella is slim, symmetrical, and achieves the perfect balance between character and plot. Though it has been adapted so often that the whole thing feels like a clich茅, there is a real genius to its structure and execution. There is not a single unnecessary moment, not a single misplaced beat. Compared to the shaggy meanderings of Great Expectations or Bleak House, A Christmas Carol is a breath of pine-scented winter air. Despite Dickens鈥檚 struggles to complete it, the finished novel knows exactly what it is trying to do, and exactly where it is going.
A Tale of Two Cities, one of two works of historical fiction Dickens published in his life, straddles the extremes. Certainly, it is not an endlessly growing story, such as the weighty, ever-expanding David Copperfield, but neither is it as sleek and efficient as Scrooge鈥檚 yuletide transformation. It is a bit of both, actually.
One is almost tempted to say it was the best of books, it was the worst鈥�
But no, I would not give into that temptation.
***
The two cities referenced in the title 鈥� Paris and London 鈥� provide Dickens with his setting. We begin in the year 1775, with a messenger flagging down the mail-coach between London and Dover. The passenger who receives this message is a banker named Jarvis Lorry, who has just learned that Dr. Alexandre Manette, a French physician, has been released from the infamous Bastille prison in Paris, after serving an eighteen-year sentence. Dr. Manette, it turns out, has a daughter named Lucie, who has always believed her father to be dead.
While Lucie reunites with her father, we are introduced to the cruel Marquis St. Evr茅monde, who gets our attention by running over a child in a carriage, and then yelling at the peasants for endangering his horses. The Marquis has a nephew, Charles Darnay, who narrowly escaped a conviction for treason against Great Britain.
Ultimately, Lucie and Charles fall in love, but Charles returns to France as the City of Lights is roiled by a storm of revolutionary violence. At the risk of spoiling anything, I will end my summary there. Suffice to say, the results are both entirely predictable and also entirely unpredictable. This is a function of Dickens鈥檚 propensity for over-plotting, as well as his habit of utilizing sheer melodrama to obscure the reality that his twists and turns aren鈥檛 all that clever. There are parts of A Tale of Two Cities that rely on reveals that would shame the writers of Scooby Doo.
Still, the storylines get so tangled and confused, it almost feels like a surprise when things happen. More importantly, Dickens seems to write with a clear idea of where he is going. In that sense, the plot is actually rather satisfying. It also helps that A Tale of Two Cities is less than four-hundred pages long. Thus, despite being serialized in weekly installments from April to November 1859, I didn鈥檛 feel like Dickens was trying to get paid by the word.
As I mentioned above, Dickens is famed for his fictional creations, whether that is flinty Ebenezer Scrooge, sycophantic Uriah Heep, or the sadistic Miss Havisham. Here, that list is added to greatly, especially Madame Defarge, a devoted Revolutionary who chillingly knits patterns that represent the names of people to be killed. At one point, her husband starts to worry about the excesses of the Revolution. Not Madame Defarge. She says to him: 鈥淭ell the wind and fire where to stop, but don鈥檛 tell me.鈥� The supporting cast alone makes A Tale of Two Cities worth reading.
Not all the characters are winners, though. The blonde, saintly Lucie, for instance, described as 鈥渢he golden thread鈥� holding her family is together, is absolutely insufferable, to the extent I can only surmise she is the love child of Pip from Great Expectations and Esther from Bleak House. Every moment I spent with her, I darkly hoped that Madame Defarge was adding some stiches to her list.
***
Dickens鈥檚 novels shone a light on the lower classes. He had an obvious social conscious when it came to the poor and the downtrodden, a consciousness fervently expressed by the Ghost of Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol. To that end, he clearly has sympathy for France鈥檚 peasantry, and the way their daily bread was subject to powers far outside their control. His outrage is nearly glowing when he describes the Marquis, who kills a child and pays the father off with a coin. It is just as clear, however, that the violence attending the French Revolution disturbed him. The most affecting part of this novel 鈥� or perhaps any of his novels 鈥� is the tumbril ride one of his characters takes to the guillotine. Meanwhile, the zealous Revolutionary Madame Defarge is portrayed as a villain.
In that way, A Tale of Two Cities really captures the tension of the French Revolution, where bad acts gave way to good intentions, which gave way to bad acts in the name of good intentions.
- Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
The opening of Charles Dickens鈥檚 A Tale of Two Cities is one of the most celebrated in the history of literature. 鈥淚t was the best of times, it was the worst of times,鈥� Dickens writes, beginning a lengthy, single-sentence paragraph that is marked by its rhythmic contradictions. 鈥淸I]t was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness鈥︹€� By the time you reach the end of this ambitious tease, you are compelled 鈥� at the least 鈥� to finish the page. In terms of grasping the reader鈥檚 attention, and convincing him or her to continue, Dickens succeeds marvelously.
Aside from hooking your attention with the skill that Quint uses to hook great white sharks, the first sentence of A Tale of Two Cities marvelously grasps the paradox of the French Revolution, which serves as the novel鈥檚 backdrop.
Begun in 1789 as a revolt against the poverty and hunger suffered by huge masses of the population, the French Revolutionaries sought the noble ideal of equality. In achieving this end, however, they unleashed a torrent of blood. They toppled a king, and then beheaded him. They killed thousands of people who resisted, many of those resisting in thoughts or words only. Finally, they started to kill each other, in a dispute over who was most pure. The result was a tumultuous decade in which lofty ends crashed against lethal means, leaving us with an event that is still hotly debated to this day.
***
For me, reading Dickens has been a lot like eating my vegetables. Both are good for you, but I have never been able to fully like either.
It has never been a question of talent. Dickens is an incredibly skilled writer with an unmatched eye for creating memorable characters. The problem I鈥檝e had with many of the works I have read 鈥� or attempted to read 鈥� is that the whole is often less than the sum of their parts. That is, Dickens published many of his novels in serial form, and it often feels like he is actively inflating his word count in order to pad his (oft-troubled) bank account. The resulting digressions, plot contrivances, and weak endings tend to dampen the enjoyment I get from the worlds he creates.
The best Dickens is 鈥� in my humble estimation 鈥� A Christmas Carol. The novella is slim, symmetrical, and achieves the perfect balance between character and plot. Though it has been adapted so often that the whole thing feels like a clich茅, there is a real genius to its structure and execution. There is not a single unnecessary moment, not a single misplaced beat. Compared to the shaggy meanderings of Great Expectations or Bleak House, A Christmas Carol is a breath of pine-scented winter air. Despite Dickens鈥檚 struggles to complete it, the finished novel knows exactly what it is trying to do, and exactly where it is going.
A Tale of Two Cities, one of two works of historical fiction Dickens published in his life, straddles the extremes. Certainly, it is not an endlessly growing story, such as the weighty, ever-expanding David Copperfield, but neither is it as sleek and efficient as Scrooge鈥檚 yuletide transformation. It is a bit of both, actually.
One is almost tempted to say it was the best of books, it was the worst鈥�
But no, I would not give into that temptation.
***
The two cities referenced in the title 鈥� Paris and London 鈥� provide Dickens with his setting. We begin in the year 1775, with a messenger flagging down the mail-coach between London and Dover. The passenger who receives this message is a banker named Jarvis Lorry, who has just learned that Dr. Alexandre Manette, a French physician, has been released from the infamous Bastille prison in Paris, after serving an eighteen-year sentence. Dr. Manette, it turns out, has a daughter named Lucie, who has always believed her father to be dead.
While Lucie reunites with her father, we are introduced to the cruel Marquis St. Evr茅monde, who gets our attention by running over a child in a carriage, and then yelling at the peasants for endangering his horses. The Marquis has a nephew, Charles Darnay, who narrowly escaped a conviction for treason against Great Britain.
Ultimately, Lucie and Charles fall in love, but Charles returns to France as the City of Lights is roiled by a storm of revolutionary violence. At the risk of spoiling anything, I will end my summary there. Suffice to say, the results are both entirely predictable and also entirely unpredictable. This is a function of Dickens鈥檚 propensity for over-plotting, as well as his habit of utilizing sheer melodrama to obscure the reality that his twists and turns aren鈥檛 all that clever. There are parts of A Tale of Two Cities that rely on reveals that would shame the writers of Scooby Doo.
Still, the storylines get so tangled and confused, it almost feels like a surprise when things happen. More importantly, Dickens seems to write with a clear idea of where he is going. In that sense, the plot is actually rather satisfying. It also helps that A Tale of Two Cities is less than four-hundred pages long. Thus, despite being serialized in weekly installments from April to November 1859, I didn鈥檛 feel like Dickens was trying to get paid by the word.
As I mentioned above, Dickens is famed for his fictional creations, whether that is flinty Ebenezer Scrooge, sycophantic Uriah Heep, or the sadistic Miss Havisham. Here, that list is added to greatly, especially Madame Defarge, a devoted Revolutionary who chillingly knits patterns that represent the names of people to be killed. At one point, her husband starts to worry about the excesses of the Revolution. Not Madame Defarge. She says to him: 鈥淭ell the wind and fire where to stop, but don鈥檛 tell me.鈥� The supporting cast alone makes A Tale of Two Cities worth reading.
Not all the characters are winners, though. The blonde, saintly Lucie, for instance, described as 鈥渢he golden thread鈥� holding her family is together, is absolutely insufferable, to the extent I can only surmise she is the love child of Pip from Great Expectations and Esther from Bleak House. Every moment I spent with her, I darkly hoped that Madame Defarge was adding some stiches to her list.
***
Dickens鈥檚 novels shone a light on the lower classes. He had an obvious social conscious when it came to the poor and the downtrodden, a consciousness fervently expressed by the Ghost of Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol. To that end, he clearly has sympathy for France鈥檚 peasantry, and the way their daily bread was subject to powers far outside their control. His outrage is nearly glowing when he describes the Marquis, who kills a child and pays the father off with a coin. It is just as clear, however, that the violence attending the French Revolution disturbed him. The most affecting part of this novel 鈥� or perhaps any of his novels 鈥� is the tumbril ride one of his characters takes to the guillotine. Meanwhile, the zealous Revolutionary Madame Defarge is portrayed as a villain.
In that way, A Tale of Two Cities really captures the tension of the French Revolution, where bad acts gave way to good intentions, which gave way to bad acts in the name of good intentions.
November 15, 2024
An awesome tale of the horrors of political revolution!
What an interesting thought.
If it was possible for Dickens to write something that was less Dickensian than the rest of his impressive body of work, A TALE OF TWO CITIES would qualify as the least Dickensian of them all. An absorbing historical work, a sharply moving forward tempo, little if any comic relief and a minimum of florid prose (at least relative to his own characteristic standard of an abundance of unnecessary embellishment) make A TALE OF TWO CITIES a tense, somber, compelling and moving piece of work that is the shortest, yet perhaps most well known, of his major novels.
The characters, as one would expect from Dickens, are still ambitious, magnificently described creations - Charles Darnay, son of the Marquis Saint Evr茅monde, who moves to England and disowns his heritage as part of the ruling French aristocracy; Darnay's look alike, Sydney Carton, a hard-drinking ambitionless lawyer who comes at last to the realization that his life has been wasted; Lucie Manette, the typical Victorian heroine, who lives and loves with a faint heart, teary eyes and heaving bosom; her father, Alexandre Manette, who barely survives a long imprisonment in the Bastille and recovers his health and his reason only in the nurturing environment of his family in England; Jarvis Lorry, the man of business, the Tellson's Bank representative in Paris and the steadfast family friend of the Manettes; Ernest and Th茅r猫se Defarge, the maniacal, metaphorical representatives of France's working class who evolve (or might that be devolve) into the citizens and citizenesses of a post-revolutionary French Republic; and, of course, Jerry Cruncher, a close to the edge Londoner, who makes his dubious living as a "resurrectionist", that is, a procurer of recently deceased corpses for medical research.
Covering the history of London and Paris during the period from 1775, just prior to the onset of the American Revolution, to the storming of the Bastille in 1789, the height of Robespierre's Terror, and the daily bloodshed of the close shaves of France's barber, Madame La Guillotine, A Tale of Two Cities dwells on a multiplicity of themes - romance; unrequited love; altruism; the terrors of revolution; the evils of class distinctions; the power of friendship; the terrifying ability of power to corrupt; and the amazing ability of a faith in God to comfort through troubled times.
If you're already familiar with Dickens, but have yet to read A TALE OF TWO CITIES, run to the nearest library or bookstore, curl up by the fire and read it as soon as you can. If you have yet to try your first Dickens novel, this is a fine place to start. Compose yourself and relax. Be patient and take the time to discover Dickens' style of writing. With the possible exception of Wilkie Collins, I don't believe there's another author who could have got away with writing complex, enormously lengthy paragraphs that, upon hindsight, the reader will discover were but single sentences. Of a sudden, you'll discover you're at the end of the novel. And, I defy you - I defy you - to read the last chapter of A TALE OF TWO CITIES without finding a lump in your throat.
Paul Weiss
What an interesting thought.
If it was possible for Dickens to write something that was less Dickensian than the rest of his impressive body of work, A TALE OF TWO CITIES would qualify as the least Dickensian of them all. An absorbing historical work, a sharply moving forward tempo, little if any comic relief and a minimum of florid prose (at least relative to his own characteristic standard of an abundance of unnecessary embellishment) make A TALE OF TWO CITIES a tense, somber, compelling and moving piece of work that is the shortest, yet perhaps most well known, of his major novels.
The characters, as one would expect from Dickens, are still ambitious, magnificently described creations - Charles Darnay, son of the Marquis Saint Evr茅monde, who moves to England and disowns his heritage as part of the ruling French aristocracy; Darnay's look alike, Sydney Carton, a hard-drinking ambitionless lawyer who comes at last to the realization that his life has been wasted; Lucie Manette, the typical Victorian heroine, who lives and loves with a faint heart, teary eyes and heaving bosom; her father, Alexandre Manette, who barely survives a long imprisonment in the Bastille and recovers his health and his reason only in the nurturing environment of his family in England; Jarvis Lorry, the man of business, the Tellson's Bank representative in Paris and the steadfast family friend of the Manettes; Ernest and Th茅r猫se Defarge, the maniacal, metaphorical representatives of France's working class who evolve (or might that be devolve) into the citizens and citizenesses of a post-revolutionary French Republic; and, of course, Jerry Cruncher, a close to the edge Londoner, who makes his dubious living as a "resurrectionist", that is, a procurer of recently deceased corpses for medical research.
Covering the history of London and Paris during the period from 1775, just prior to the onset of the American Revolution, to the storming of the Bastille in 1789, the height of Robespierre's Terror, and the daily bloodshed of the close shaves of France's barber, Madame La Guillotine, A Tale of Two Cities dwells on a multiplicity of themes - romance; unrequited love; altruism; the terrors of revolution; the evils of class distinctions; the power of friendship; the terrifying ability of power to corrupt; and the amazing ability of a faith in God to comfort through troubled times.
If you're already familiar with Dickens, but have yet to read A TALE OF TWO CITIES, run to the nearest library or bookstore, curl up by the fire and read it as soon as you can. If you have yet to try your first Dickens novel, this is a fine place to start. Compose yourself and relax. Be patient and take the time to discover Dickens' style of writing. With the possible exception of Wilkie Collins, I don't believe there's another author who could have got away with writing complex, enormously lengthy paragraphs that, upon hindsight, the reader will discover were but single sentences. Of a sudden, you'll discover you're at the end of the novel. And, I defy you - I defy you - to read the last chapter of A TALE OF TWO CITIES without finding a lump in your throat.
Paul Weiss
June 12, 2008
Years of teaching this novel to teenagers never dimmed my thrill in reading it 鈥� if anything, I grew to love it more every time I watched kids gasp aloud at the revelations! Critics are divided on its place in the Dickens canon, but the ones who think it an inferior work are simply deranged. It has everything: dark deeds, revolution, madness, love, thwarted love, forgiveness, revenge, and a stunning act of self-sacrifice. And melodrama! Oh, how Dickens loved melodrama, but in A Tale of Two Cities it reaches truly grand proportions.
It鈥檚 the ultimate mystery novel: characters act strangely, but always for a reason. Miscellaneous people drift in and out, but they鈥檙e not truly miscellaneous 鈥� you just have to wait to see how they鈥檙e connected. And like any good mystery, the payoff at the end is worth the time it takes to get there...and what a payoff! Dickens is a master of the type of narration that simultaneously moves forward and back in time. In other words, strategically placed revelations from the past inform the present and shape the future. The brilliant timing both of his hints and of the actual revelations is a bonus field of study. Merely the drama of the dark past and its impact on the 鈥渉ere and now鈥� story is thrilling enough. Plus, A Tale of Two Cities is a profoundly moral story, with themes of vengeance versus forgiveness, sins of the fathers being visited on the children, resurrection and rebirth, and the possibility of redemption.
It鈥檚 the ultimate mystery novel: characters act strangely, but always for a reason. Miscellaneous people drift in and out, but they鈥檙e not truly miscellaneous 鈥� you just have to wait to see how they鈥檙e connected. And like any good mystery, the payoff at the end is worth the time it takes to get there...and what a payoff! Dickens is a master of the type of narration that simultaneously moves forward and back in time. In other words, strategically placed revelations from the past inform the present and shape the future. The brilliant timing both of his hints and of the actual revelations is a bonus field of study. Merely the drama of the dark past and its impact on the 鈥渉ere and now鈥� story is thrilling enough. Plus, A Tale of Two Cities is a profoundly moral story, with themes of vengeance versus forgiveness, sins of the fathers being visited on the children, resurrection and rebirth, and the possibility of redemption.
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