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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Read this because of the The Dark Knight Rises. That ending and Sydney Carton's arc was so good.
read this initially to understand other references in a couple of my other favorite books and ended up really liking it
challenging
dark
emotional
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
I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. There are parts that are beautifully written; parts that say important things. But ultimately, I felt that while Dickens identified aspects of the human condition that are valuable and aspects that are terrible, he failed to truly express them. Lucie is not a person, she is a caricature. Characters in this book rarely break beyond the bounds of caricature into actual characterization. So often Dickens relies on melodrama - bodies and poverty and lovers swearing their undying affection for one another - without actually addressing how those things play out in the human experience. He touches on poverty, but never honestly addresses it. Relationships and love drive the novel, but none of those relationships seem honest or authentic. The whole thing was very Victorian but not particularly profound.
النهاية هي ما جعلت الرواية مؤثره! فبكل صراحة لم أشعر بأي شي في غالبية الصفحات، أشفقت على بعضهم وقبحت أفعال بعضهم وتعاطفت مع بعضهم.. لكن هل كان له تأثير فعلي قبل النهاية؟ فالإجابة هي: لا.
أما النهاية كانت (كل شيء)، جعلت تقييم هذه الرواية يتصاعد من كونها نجمة إلى أربع نجوم! أثرت فيني كثيرًا، بكيت وتأثرت وقدرت التضحيات الحقيقية! ولا أظنني سأقدر على نسيان رواية كهذه.. وسعيدة بهذا.
أما النهاية كانت (كل شيء)، جعلت تقييم هذه الرواية يتصاعد من كونها نجمة إلى أربع نجوم! أثرت فيني كثيرًا، بكيت وتأثرت وقدرت التضحيات الحقيقية! ولا أظنني سأقدر على نسيان رواية كهذه.. وسعيدة بهذا.
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
After reading this book, it’s obvious why it is considered a classic. There are so many themes and ideas that are still relevant today. I really enjoyed my reading experience with this one—I sank into the historical aspect, learned a lot, and immersed myself in its beautiful language.
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The language/literary devices in this book are masterfully done! The descriptions are incredible, and the use of metaphor woven throughout the entire story blew me away. The language truly captures the human experience and demonstrates what life was like in France during this time period. I was very impressed with how the storylines of the various characters slowly come together over the course of the story (especially with them starting seemingly so far apart). My inner English major was so, so happy🤓
•
Character development is such a big thing for me. Unfortunately, many of the characters in this book are more of “stock characters.” However, Sydney Carton’s transformation from a secondary character to the focal point of this book is very well done and something I didn’t see coming (I went into this book completely blind).
•
Check out what I’m reading next on Instagram @LeahsLitReview!
•
The language/literary devices in this book are masterfully done! The descriptions are incredible, and the use of metaphor woven throughout the entire story blew me away. The language truly captures the human experience and demonstrates what life was like in France during this time period. I was very impressed with how the storylines of the various characters slowly come together over the course of the story (especially with them starting seemingly so far apart). My inner English major was so, so happy🤓
•
Character development is such a big thing for me. Unfortunately, many of the characters in this book are more of “stock characters.” However, Sydney Carton’s transformation from a secondary character to the focal point of this book is very well done and something I didn’t see coming (I went into this book completely blind).
•
Check out what I’m reading next on Instagram @LeahsLitReview!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder
Dickens thought he could glow in Victor Hugo’s shadow but he couldn’t.
1 extra star for all the French men named Jacques.
1 extra star for all the French men named Jacques.
It takes a little while to get sucked in, only because it is a demanding book. Definitely my favorite dickens book. A must read.