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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
It took me several years to get through this--shameful, I know. I had to be in the right mood to read it, and when I was I usually enjoyed it, but it was by and large not an exciting read. It was, however, masterfully written, even if the story dragged and was at times confusing. The characters were quite unique and interesting, although not always delved into deep enough, especially the characters Lucie and Darnay. Near the end I finally felt more into the story and wanted to read more than one chapter at a time. The story seemed to have a good message, one of sacrificial love and of the wrong of tyrants, yet the horror of war. It was my first reading of a Dickens' novel, and though not my favorite story, it will not be my last Dickens' novel.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Boring- I found myself asking “what is this book about?” Several times while reading. It’s essentially the story of London and Paris during the height of the guillotine. Themes involved: unjust imprisonment, healing of trauma, and the eat the rich mindset. I just couldn’t get invested in the characters- and didn’t care what happened to them.
Overly sentimental and (for Dickens) weakly plotted. Still frequently compelling and occasionally electrifying.
adventurous
challenging
tense
slow-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
Really exceptional moments and modes of story telling but so unbelievably wordy at times, too
I am a Dickens fan so I'm not sure this review is going to be completely unbiased.. But I did enjoy this book. It had a lot of substance to it and it was witty and funny. Sure, there were a ton of cliches but it was still thoroughly enjoyable.
That being said, there were some things I didn't enjoy. For one thing, the end just made me unhappy because I loved Sydney as a character. He was the one who I enjoyed the most. I also thought Charles fell flat as a character even though he tried to be a hero. Obviously this gets trumped by Sydney in the end because honestly, who can compare?
I also disagreed with Dickens' justification for Madame Defarge's revenge. I understand that a family did her own wrong but the person who her rage is directed towards did nothing wrong. In the grand scheme of things, she should have kept her rage directed at the right people (the nobility and aristocracy of France) instead of trying to eliminate one measly family line.
The last thing I didn't like was the fact that Dickens made it seem as though being French was wrong.. I'm not sure if I'm the only one who feels that way but I had a sense that he was trying to impose English values on all of his French characters. He sort of Englicized them (to use a made word) in a way.
Other than that, I liked the book. It's not as good as Great Expectations but I can't wait to read to read his other books.
That being said, there were some things I didn't enjoy. For one thing, the end just made me unhappy because I loved Sydney as a character. He was the one who I enjoyed the most. I also thought Charles fell flat as a character even though he tried to be a hero. Obviously this gets trumped by Sydney in the end because honestly, who can compare?
I also disagreed with Dickens' justification for Madame Defarge's revenge. I understand that a family did her own wrong but the person who her rage is directed towards did nothing wrong. In the grand scheme of things, she should have kept her rage directed at the right people (the nobility and aristocracy of France) instead of trying to eliminate one measly family line.
The last thing I didn't like was the fact that Dickens made it seem as though being French was wrong.. I'm not sure if I'm the only one who feels that way but I had a sense that he was trying to impose English values on all of his French characters. He sort of Englicized them (to use a made word) in a way.
Other than that, I liked the book. It's not as good as Great Expectations but I can't wait to read to read his other books.
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Grief
Moderate: Violence
informative
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
slow-paced