A Tale of Two Cities (Penguin Classics)

I found this a very difficult read.
Perhaps it was the subject matter, I must admit to never having had an interest in the french revolution and its consequences, but I genuinely struggled to get through this. Indeed, I find it hard to comprehend why this is more highly regarded than his other historical novel the excellent Barnaby Rudge.
That said there is no denying that both the opening paragraph and closing sentence deserve their place in the upper echelons of literature!

A Great Work of Art (0/0 people found this helpful)

This is great art at its best, offering a profoundly moving spectacle even though you may disagree with the specific contents of the work. The slow, logical build-up brings you to the climax with such finality that it could not have ended otherwise, and Dickens' prose delivers unforgettable images. Never was the life of wastrel better portrayed, nor his final attempt to redeem himself. It seems indeed that the theme of the novel is redemption or justice, for Dickens portrays the horrors of The Terror as the unavoidable cleansing bloodbath French society had to go through in order to make good its former inequities. Here one must disagree, of course. Nevertheless, A Tale of Two Cities is a timeless piece of great art, whatever your own opinion on that matter may be.

The most unforgettable opening and closing sentences ever found in a book! (0/1 people found this helpful)

I will never, the rest of my life forget these two sentences. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness...." and at closing "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."

Wow, this is not your usual Dickens. No quirky characters with strange names and laugh out loud moments, just a darn good story -- the story of two cities, London and Paris. It is difficult to put the plot into words, but when the book begins you are in London at the time of the American revolution and spies (or suspected spies) abound, and the story eventually switches to France prior to and during the French revolution.

Dickens does a marvelous job (as always) of building his story one step at a time and slowly peeling back the layers one at a time. This is not a put down and pick it up a week later kind of a book, it is very intense and complicated and you have to pay close attention. I was just floored at how he sucked me in with his descriptions of the mobs, terror and the madness of the revolution leading you to a nail biting finish. I admit to holding my breath during those last few pages!

Highly recommended, and well worth the time to discover (or rediscover) an old classic.

Not as good as the other 'slim' Dickens novels (4/8 people found this helpful)

Dealing with an international event of major significance (the French Revolution) rather than the usual Dickens subject matter, this is the worst of Dickens' 'slim' novels. The neatness of the coincidences grate here more than elsewhere, and the dense, flowery prose is at its least easy to read. Despite its smallness, it is slow-moving, too. Sub-standard for Dickens, however, is still superior to most of what other authors turn out. It's just that there are better ones out there. For better 'quick Dickens reads', I would recommend Oliver Twist or the sublime Great Expectations.

Awesome (3/4 people found this helpful)

In my opinion Dickens is the master craftsman of English literature. The ultimate storyteller, he didn't just write these tales he, as we know, acted the parts as well. Dickens has the exceptional ability to conjure up a feast of colourful characters, served on platters of sublime emotional intensity and gorged on by generations of readers. A Tale of Two Cities is just such a banquet. Its opening sentence being one of the most well known in English literature which, for me, conveys what it means to be human: striving for a life of peaceful security and happiness, but occasionally tainted by uncontrollable forces of darkness. And Dicken's historical context (the butchery and appalling vengeance of the French Revolution) acts as a dramatic contrast to his themes of love, friendship and loyalty. Parisian chaos and the implied serenity of London provide a captivating medium for the story's principle protagonists and their interweaving lives: the undying love of a daughter for a lost father; Ancien Regime injustice and abuse; the ever present danger of arrest and incarceration; and, ultimately, heroic self sacrifice. The `twin town' setting provides a remarkable mix of urban texture, filtering through the narrative and providing the reader with moments of humour, humanity and respite (Tellson's Bank, Mr Cruncher, a quite corner in Soho) from the hatred of the mob and the menace of the Guillotine. As with the opening the last sentence is sure to remain in the mind of the reader for a long time.

A Tale of Two Cities (Penguin Classics)

Charles

Reader Reviews:

Had its moments but not for me (0/0 people found this helpful)

A Great Work of Art (0/0 people found this helpful)

The most unforgettable opening and closing sentences ever found in a book! (0/1 people found this helpful)

Not as good as the other 'slim' Dickens novels (4/8 people found this helpful)

Awesome (3/4 people found this helpful)

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