papa_mike 's review for:

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

4.0

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A Tale of Two Cities takes place during the late 1700s. Recently released from the Bastille, Dr. Manette meets his daughter for the first time. The novel takes place leading up to and during the French Revolution. For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. The only reason I rated it a 4 out of 5 is because of the slow start. It didn’t feel like the story really began until about halfway through. On the other hand, I loved the characters and their development throughout the story.

Spoiler

By far the best and most emotional moment of the story was when Carton sacrificed himself at the end to save Darnay, which completed Carton’s character arc.

In addition to the story, I really enjoyed Dickens’ use of diction and figurative language. It is absolutely unmatched compared to most other authors. This includes the deservedly iconic introduction that perfectly sets up the setting and provokes the right emotions from the reader.