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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Apparently Dickens never met a description he couldn't repeat 10 million times or a character he couldn't make more didactically simplistic. Giving up because I could no longer stand it.
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Read this at 13 with the 25th of Jan revolution in Egypt happening in the background. Closest thing to an 8D-experience.
This was a phenomenal book... for falling asleep. The best part about finishing it is I never have to pick it up ever again. Fantastic. Up until the last fifty pages this was so tediously boring. Maybe the introductory paragraph is so infamous because most readers only make it through the first chapter before putting it down? My favorite genre is historical fiction and I could not have been more disappointed.
There are some decent parts - the first scene of the wine shop with the cask breaking, Monseigneur throwing coins - but sadly it's not enough. The descriptions are oftentimes so frustratingly overwritten that it's a challenge to focus on the story. My mind wandered more on this than any other fiction novel I can recall and I often had to read chapter summaries to have a full grasp on what was happening. The only other novel I can recall doing that on was, predictably so, Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury which I really enjoyed.
In addition to being grossly overwritten at times, it's oppressively repetitive - one of many examples on p228, Chapter 24 in Part II "Drawn to the Loadstone Rock": He held the letter out inquiringly; and Monseigneur looked at it, in the person of this plotting and indignant refugee; and Monseigneur looked at it, in the person of this plotting and indignant refugee - like why? Why are you doing this to me? It's overwhelmingly frustrating. It's not enough that the text is blatantly repetitive, the plot is too! Darnay's is beyond redundant and I have yet to see a single decent reason as to why this was included aside from it was a great way for Dickens to stretch the story out in "suspense" and peddle more circulars. A modern editor would have cut that out of the story so fast if it was being published for the first time today.
The characters are so underdeveloped that they're not likeable until the very end, but at that point I don't care what happens to them. There are zero subplots and the main plot is not interesting enough to be considered timelessly engaging. The climax and ending were halfway decent but by that point I was so annoyed and frustrated with the first 80% of the text that I just wanted to close this out, and honestly? What a joke! If this had been written by someone less famous than Dickens it would have been lost to the annals of history. But because it's a Dickens work people feel compelled to enjoy it.
I read other peoples' opinions on A Tale of Two Cities to find if maybe it's me, maybe I'm the problem here. I found more teachers gave this a 5 star review than all the other book reviews I've read on Goodreads COMBINED. As of this review writing, the 6th genre listed on this book is School. That tells me teachers need to believe they love this book because they were taught it was a great book and they must teach it as a great book - if they don't then they must have failed at being a teacher, will be rejected by their peers in the literary community as a whole and ultimately failed themselves. It's a really unique exercise in what's wrong with the peer pressured echo-chamberism of the failing American education system. I found that they're wrong, this book isn't great - it's terrible. It's dull, it's dreary, it's dry (that alliteration was just as good as any you'll find in this Dickens work).
Plenty of honest opinions I read said "this was the only Dickens novel I couldn't finish" or "this is the only Dickens novel I didn't enjoy". For me this is the only Dickens novel I've read to date and it makes me want to not read another one.
Off the top of my head:
Other 19th Century novels that are miles better than this: Moby Dick, War & Peace, Little Women, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Other economic inequality themed novels that are miles better than this: The Grapes of Wrath, Norris' The Octopus, Vardis' The Jungle
There are some decent parts - the first scene of the wine shop with the cask breaking, Monseigneur throwing coins
Spoiler
after his carriage runs over a child, and then the coins are thrown back at himIn addition to being grossly overwritten at times, it's oppressively repetitive - one of many examples on p228, Chapter 24 in Part II "Drawn to the Loadstone Rock": He held the letter out inquiringly; and Monseigneur looked at it, in the person of this plotting and indignant refugee; and Monseigneur looked at it, in the person of this plotting and indignant refugee - like why? Why are you doing this to me? It's overwhelmingly frustrating. It's not enough that the text is blatantly repetitive, the plot is too! Darnay's
Spoiler
first arrest in Paris, before he is cleared and again arrested less than 24 hours laterThe characters are so underdeveloped that they're not likeable until the very end, but at that point I don't care what happens to them. There are zero subplots and the main plot is not interesting enough to be considered timelessly engaging. The climax and ending were halfway decent but by that point I was so annoyed and frustrated with the first 80% of the text that I just wanted to close this out, and honestly
Spoiler
Carton is such a cuckold that he kills himself so Lucie's husband can liveI read other peoples' opinions on A Tale of Two Cities to find if maybe it's me, maybe I'm the problem here. I found more teachers gave this a 5 star review than all the other book reviews I've read on Goodreads COMBINED. As of this review writing, the 6th genre listed on this book is School. That tells me teachers need to believe they love this book because they were taught it was a great book and they must teach it as a great book - if they don't then they must have failed at being a teacher, will be rejected by their peers in the literary community as a whole and ultimately failed themselves. It's a really unique exercise in what's wrong with the peer pressured echo-chamberism of the failing American education system. I found that they're wrong, this book isn't great - it's terrible. It's dull, it's dreary, it's dry (that alliteration was just as good as any you'll find in this Dickens work).
Plenty of honest opinions I read said "this was the only Dickens novel I couldn't finish" or "this is the only Dickens novel I didn't enjoy". For me this is the only Dickens novel I've read to date and it makes me want to not read another one.
Off the top of my head:
Other 19th Century novels that are miles better than this: Moby Dick, War & Peace, Little Women, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Other economic inequality themed novels that are miles better than this: The Grapes of Wrath, Norris' The Octopus, Vardis' The Jungle
I loved the first few pages. Thought it was the best. Never finished it. I stopped after about a quarter of the way. Maybe less.
3 stars for Parts 1 & 3. 4 stars for Part 3, when the story really got going.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-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
A hard read but worth it for one of the best ending I've ever experienced. If you can get through the difficulties of the writing, you will be in for a breathtaking ending.
Perhaps Dickens best novel and as good as anything I've read by Shakespeare.
Incredible read. I've read part one multiple times just because it is so well-written. Having read it in full, I admit there are times the book is hard to follow, but it is an amazing journey you don't want to miss!
DNF. I'm sure there's something I could learn from it. But. I can't do it.
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Curses on Penguin Classics footnotes for being 50% super helpful and 50% spoilers (I should’ve known! but I have never been able to resist a footnote 😭). So, although I saw the end coming, it still broke me into a billion pieces. This is my new favorite Dickens. Terrifying, beautiful, hideous, intricate, and so well done.
The first third or so is definitely a bit slow, but if you can make it to the second half, suddenly everything starts barreling forth at a breakneck (sorry) pace. And it’s incredible.
I can’t wait to go to Paris later this year and stand in Place de la Concorde and cry.
The first third or so is definitely a bit slow, but if you can make it to the second half, suddenly everything starts barreling forth at a breakneck (sorry) pace. And it’s incredible.
I can’t wait to go to Paris later this year and stand in Place de la Concorde and cry.