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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This classic takes places in England and France just before and during the French Revolution. It looks at a single family all of French origin who for various reasons escape to England and build their lives there. As the French Revolution builds this family must return to France where hijinx ensue.
I chose to read this book because it’s a classic. I was surprised, as I often am with classics, how much I enjoyed it. What a great talent Charles Dickens was to develop these characters and describe the tragedies unfolding during this time in history. I'm sure that I missed a lot more the book offered, but from what I was able to comprehend, I was captivated and thoroughly pleased with this book. The character’s courage was my favorite part. It was a love story that was just so beautiful.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Somehow I escaped High School w/o ever reading this book, or any of Dickens' works. I liked this more than I thought I would, so I have to thank Oprah for choosing it for her latest book club, and Barnes & Noble/nook for making it so inexpensive and easy to download and start reading.
It starts with
And ends with
And in between is a whole lot of wonderful.
It took me a little while to get used to the language, and I highly recommend looking things up if you don't understand. (For example, I was completely confused about why Jerry Cruncher was so mad about his wife praying for him, and also why his boots were covered with clay each morning.)
I found the descriptions of France, before and during the Revolution, to be fascinating and with too many similarities to the current divide between the very rich and the very poor. I didn't connect with the characters in this one as much as I did with those in [b:Great Expectations|2623|Great Expectations|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327920219l/2623._SY75_.jpg|2612809], finding the good characters (Manettes and Charles) too good. (Sydney & the Defarges were much more interesting.) But the great historical backdrop more than made up for that.
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.
And ends with
“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.”
And in between is a whole lot of wonderful.
It took me a little while to get used to the language, and I highly recommend looking things up if you don't understand. (For example, I was completely confused about why Jerry Cruncher was so mad about his wife praying for him, and also why his boots were covered with clay each morning.)
I found the descriptions of France, before and during the Revolution, to be fascinating and with too many similarities to the current divide between the very rich and the very poor. I didn't connect with the characters in this one as much as I did with those in [b:Great Expectations|2623|Great Expectations|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327920219l/2623._SY75_.jpg|2612809], finding the good characters (Manettes and Charles) too good. (Sydney & the Defarges were much more interesting.) But the great historical backdrop more than made up for that.
the plotting was excellent, but Lucie was too good to be true
long - I got the gist. Was kinda half listening icl
Read Again: No
Content: 2/5
Romance: 1/5
Sadness: 3/5
Funny: 1/5
Ending: 4/5
Favorite Character: Sydney Carton
Favorite Quote: “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.”- Charles Dickens
Content: 2/5
Romance: 1/5
Sadness: 3/5
Funny: 1/5
Ending: 4/5
Favorite Character: Sydney Carton
Favorite Quote: “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.”- Charles Dickens
Very good book. There is lots of detail but it is Charles Dickens. What would Dickens be without superfluous amounts of obscene and exaggerating detail?
It's one of the very best love stories ever told, but I had a hard time with Dickens' work in generel. Definatly one of his best.