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forgottensecret's review against another edition
4.0
'It sheared off heads so many, that it, and the ground it most polluted, were a rotten red. It was taken to pieces, like a toy-puzzle for a young Devil, and was put together again where the occasion wanted it. It hushed the eloquent, struck down the powerful, abolished the beautiful and good. Twenty-two friends of high public mark, twenty-one living and one dead, it had lopped the heads off, in one morning, in as many minutes.'
A Tale of Two Cities is the third Dickens that I have read. It is also the best. Set in London and Paris, during the murmurings and eventual climax of the French Revolution, Dickens explores many themes: of individuals acting during major events, redemption and the world's impact on moulding evil.
The novel is loosely centred on the French doctor Alexandre Manette, who is imprisoned in the Bastille for 17 years. He is saved, and returns to his cradling daughter, Lucie. From here, a host of characters enter. Dickens expertly weaves them together; such that, I found myself nodding approvingly when he crossed a character in London with one in Paris. Indeed, one couldn't help but think: who is in an afar city right now whose lives we may impact?
As with many reviewers, my favourite character was Sydney Carton. Unscrupulous and damaged when introduced, he comes to symbolise that redemption is possible - for anyone. An enjoyable work, this won't be the last Dickens that I embark on.
A Tale of Two Cities is the third Dickens that I have read. It is also the best. Set in London and Paris, during the murmurings and eventual climax of the French Revolution, Dickens explores many themes: of individuals acting during major events, redemption and the world's impact on moulding evil.
The novel is loosely centred on the French doctor Alexandre Manette, who is imprisoned in the Bastille for 17 years. He is saved, and returns to his cradling daughter, Lucie. From here, a host of characters enter. Dickens expertly weaves them together; such that, I found myself nodding approvingly when he crossed a character in London with one in Paris. Indeed, one couldn't help but think: who is in an afar city right now whose lives we may impact?
As with many reviewers, my favourite character was Sydney Carton. Unscrupulous and damaged when introduced, he comes to symbolise that redemption is possible - for anyone. An enjoyable work, this won't be the last Dickens that I embark on.
kidicarus's review against another edition
I don't think I've got the time to sit down and finish this just yet. I'll file it away for another time when life isn't as busy and I can sit down and just take it in.
xanadu_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
garyjw's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
sbn42's review against another edition
4.0
It wasn't as bad reading this for "entertainment" as it was reading decades ago for "education." Dickens' writing is so dense you need to chew your way through the lush descriptive story. I find it difficult to think of a case where I would make the same sacrifice as Carton. Fortunately, I have never had to consider that.
It is a perfect Covid read to take up a good deal of time.
It is a perfect Covid read to take up a good deal of time.
uselesspirateraven's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Mental illness, Police brutality, and Death of parent
lakmus's review against another edition
4.0
I humbly propose we supplement the endless adaptations of Austen with some freshly televised Dickens – this would make a /dope/ period drama. With emphasis on drama, because boy does it have some good plot-twists.
I decided I'm going to treat the main leads (Lucie and Charles) as stand-ins for abstract ideal humans, rather than "duhovnye ovcy", pardon my Russian, because that is the only explanation I have for this peculiar phenomenon. I highly doubt, given the wide array of otherwise very real and colourful and delightfully flawed humans, that Dickens is mysteriously unable to write an interesting noblewoman (or nobleman, for that matter, because Charles Darnay is not much better tbh), and chose this bland cutout of A Lady and A Gentleman from some 19th century magazine on purpose.
I'm sure this has some social/historical/political context that I cannot pick up on; similarly for other various literary devices, allusions, etc, but I don't particularly care. It's Dickens and so is first of all entertaining, even if a little hard to read because of the more flexible grammar than is used now and the random obscure words.
I decided I'm going to treat the main leads (Lucie and Charles) as stand-ins for abstract ideal humans, rather than "duhovnye ovcy", pardon my Russian, because that is the only explanation I have for this peculiar phenomenon. I highly doubt, given the wide array of otherwise very real and colourful and delightfully flawed humans, that Dickens is mysteriously unable to write an interesting noblewoman (or nobleman, for that matter, because Charles Darnay is not much better tbh), and chose this bland cutout of A Lady and A Gentleman from some 19th century magazine on purpose.
I'm sure this has some social/historical/political context that I cannot pick up on; similarly for other various literary devices, allusions, etc, but I don't particularly care. It's Dickens and so is first of all entertaining, even if a little hard to read because of the more flexible grammar than is used now and the random obscure words.
poppysmic's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5