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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Overly wordy and incredibly dry at times, yet when he gets down to the meat of the story I couldn't put it down. Overall a good read, with some nice twists & turns, despite skipping whole pages of needless description.
I have loved this book since about 5th grade. I have read it at least 3 times that I can remember. It has a great beginning live and an even better ending line.
challenging
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I read this as an audible book. The narrator was Simon Vance and anything that he reads makes the book better than it was, which is true of A Tale of Two Cities. You are probably familiar with the book, but if not its set around the time of the French Revolution and is ultimately about one man laying down his life for another.
The most fascinating characters in this book, for me at least, are the intractably evil Madame Defarge who wants nothing more than revenge on the Everemonde clan to which Charles Darnay belongs and will do anything to get it, and Sidney Carton who has lived a wasted life spent gambling and partying.
Mr. Carton bears a remarkable resemblance to Charles Darnay and eventually drugs him while in prison awaiting the guillotine and takes his place. The novel ends with Mr. Carton going to the guillotine with the words: "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."
The novel is a little convoluted and drags at places, but the theme of the ultimate sacrifice, and the tension Dickens weaves as Carton sneaks into the prison and takes Darnay's place against Darnay's will is excellent and timeless.
The most fascinating characters in this book, for me at least, are the intractably evil Madame Defarge who wants nothing more than revenge on the Everemonde clan to which Charles Darnay belongs and will do anything to get it, and Sidney Carton who has lived a wasted life spent gambling and partying.
Mr. Carton bears a remarkable resemblance to Charles Darnay and eventually drugs him while in prison awaiting the guillotine and takes his place. The novel ends with Mr. Carton going to the guillotine with the words: "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."
The novel is a little convoluted and drags at places, but the theme of the ultimate sacrifice, and the tension Dickens weaves as Carton sneaks into the prison and takes Darnay's place against Darnay's will is excellent and timeless.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
"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..."