In Today's Fast Paced World, We Like to Take Shortcuts. Please Don't Take a Shortcut. Read the Book. The Movie Does Not Do Justice to the Storyline. The Only Way to Impart the Feelings of This Book, is to Read This Book. If Charles Dickens Were a Playwright, I'm Sure He Would have Written Some Magnificent Plays, But His Works Were Meant to be Read Not Visualized on the Screen. A Great Deal is Lost. It Likens Me Back to When I Saw The Exorcist. Everyone Said how Horrifying the Movie Was and How it Would Change Your Entire Belief System. I Went and Saw it and Nothing. I Didn't Even Think it Was That Good of a Movie, not Even One I'd Want to Watch Twice. A Few Years Later, at a Friends Urging I Read the Book. A Damned Good Book. Goose Bumps Ran Up Me. The Book Was Completely Different From the Movie. The Book Made Sense. The Movie Was Hollywood. Lesson Learned. Always Read the Book First. You Might Avoid Some Unnecessary Disappointment.

A Tale of Two Cities Was Written By English Author Charles Dickens (1812-1870. Dickens Received Most of the Background on the French Revolution From his Friend Thomas Carlyle. This is a Long Book, But Because it is So Gripping, it Does Hold Your Attention For Long Periods of Time. You'll Find Yourself Not Wanting To Put It Down. The Characters and Lives are All Intertwined and it Adds a Depth and Richness to the Book. This is a Historical Fiction that Spans nearly 20 Years From the Time Preceding and During the French Revolution. The Two Cities to Speak Of, Are London and Paris.

The Main Storyline Characters Involve:

Miss Lucie Manette (Main Character) "Spoiler Alert" (She Falls in Love and Marries Charles Darney)

Doctor Alexandre Manette (Lucie's Father) "Spoiler Alert" "She Thought He Was Dead. Nope!!! He Was In Prison For 18 Years"

Miss Pross (Lucie's Governess)

Mr. Lorry (Dr. Manette’s Associate)

Mr. Ernest Defarge (Dr. Manette's Former Servant)

Mr. Charles Darney (Kidnapped French Aristocrat) "Spoiler Alert" "Abducted and Stashed on a Ship-Later Rescued, Charged With Murder, Marries Lucie Mannette."

Mr. Stryver and Mr. Carton (Barristers Representing Charles Darney) "Spoiler Alert" "They Worked Tirelessly Trying To Get Charles Acquitted of Murder-And They Did"

France Seems to Be Pretty Cold Blooded in this Era of Time, but I Guess History Backs That Up. There are a Lot of Hardships and Tragedies in the Book, but Triumphs Too. A Tale of Two Cities Has it's Share of Twists and Turns, but Sometimes Goes on More Than it Needs To. Still, This is a Must Read and Rightly So. It's One of the Classics and One of the Best Read and Most loved Books of All Time. I'm Just Sorry I Waited so Long to Read it After Watching The Movie. I Recommend the Book. I Don't Recommend the Movie.

★ THANK YOU FOR READING MY REVIEW

The only Dickens story I have ever read was A Christmas Carol. That being short, I was unsure of what to expect from a full length book. After finishing the book, I can see why people have such high regard for Dickens. The story is broken up into 3 "books". The first book was short and kept my interest. The second (and longest) book started to get tedious, but then it began to pick up in the 2nd half of that book. The final book was fantastic.

What I liked most about the way Dickens wrote this story (and hopefully others as I will begin reading them) is that he seems to treat the reader like they are intelligent people who can understand how characters should react and how they would approach their emotions. He does not spoon-feed every part of the book. He gives you the information you need (with beautiful prose) to allow the reader to determine themselves what happened "off-screen".

As an example, how the Manettes react when they see the final person in the carriage is never discussed. It doesn't have to be. Anyone with any emotion or experience with life would know exactly how they react, why write it. Dickens leads you to the conclusion and allows you to determine in your own way what happened. Do we need to have the author discuss every meeting Dr Manette has with the leaders of the Revolution or can we can guess the outcome and Dickens just tells us the final result.

And the ending, do we need to know if what Sydney Carton saw was real or his imagination? No. We as the readers know. Dickens does not need to hit us over the head with it.

I will be reading other stories by Dickens, but I'm glad I started with this one.

I read the Kindle version. I saw no issues with the book. There were one or two words not available in the Kindloe dictionary. I'm not sure if they were misspelled or words Dickens used that maybe are in the UK English and not the US English. I never bothered to research and it only occurred two or three times. There is an active table of contents and it also has page numbers. I can't think of what a paid version of the book would offer over this free version.

The book came in excellent shape. Oxford World Classics are my favorite classics publishers. I always keep my fingers crossed that they will print more titles. I would collect them all if I could.

As for the story, this was my introduction to Dickens. When I finished, bawling my eyes out over the beautiful ending, I read some reviews online, which stated this was not his best work. I couldn’t believe it. However, now that I’ve read more Dickens, I know they were correct. While not his best work, it is still reaches a high standard of beautiful literature. Dickens has a way of making inanimate objects breathe, and live. He transplant you in the scene, and makes you feel as if you are there. Even trees and weather and window panes have personality. He is an amazing world builder. He introduces you to characters and worlds that he meshes together like a beautiful tapestry.

It’s a very poignant story, heart-wrenching, hopeful, and thought-provoking. I think it is a story of duality every character and every location in this book has its opposite, its doppelgänger. I think the overarching message is also a warning: In the ardor of seeking justice, do not become worse than those you seek to conquer.

From what I understand, this was originally intended as a stage play, so it does deviate a bit from his normal style of writing. However, it has a precious place in my soul, because it was the tiny spark that lit my fiery adoration of Dickens’ literature. I would definitely recommend this one as a good one to start with if you would like a short and easy introduction to Charles Dickens. Happy reading!!

Highly recommended. My wife and I read this book aloud together. It engaged our emotions and intellect as we attached ourselves to the main characters of the story.

Having one of the most famous opening paragraphs in Literature notwithstanding, this long tale stands on three solid pillars… along with a whole host of decorative posts. Pillar one is the historical detail, accurate to the very last aristocraticly-cruel glare over laced collar. The strong, ever-moving plot follows and stitches the bits of London and Paris history together into a finely woven story, one that echoes long-forgotten epic ballads, though in true literary form.

The last pillar is the drama, not overly done, not poured so fast that the plot drowns as a spindly seedling in a lake... but patiently unfolding. Dickens caught up fistfuls of the rampant emotion present during that tumultuous time, hearkening forth the bloodcurdling bawls of long-maligned peasants whipped into a frenzy by the madness of mob rule. This review will not reveal all but merely attempt to incite curiosity in readers to entrench themselves in this classic book.

It is difficult to remember throughout this story that this is indeed a ’Dickens’ book… an author known for his rather hopeful stories, whose plots tend to lean heavily on the milk of human kindness. Though Dickens excelled in painting humans as they are with his pen, this tome is by far his most macabre in flavor... yet, I knew as I read it that this was due more to the actual events than to the writer, for historical accounts show that despite one or two literary straying from known paths into storytelling, this piece may have almost been a chronological account of the revolution in question.

The tale begins as most great stories do, with an innocent person suffering an enormous wrong by greedy overlords bent by decades of excess, wont to do as they please. This ‘beginning’ is gradually revealed as the plot goes along similar to now movies use flashbacks to give background filler. I digress: a young peasant girl falls victim to a particular, tyrannical aristocrat; as she is laboring to give birth to the nobleman’s illegitimate child a local doctor, Alexandre Manette, is called in to assist. Tragically, he is unable to save her or the child, and for some reason instead of merely warning the doctor into silence about the scene he’s just witnessed, the aristocrat ushered the good man into a waiting, blanketed carriage and hustles him off to the worst place in all France: the Bastille prison.

Though the man wishes to decry his chains, his name is written down in the prison ledger and he is closeted away in one of the foul, stinking cells of stone. There he remains for 18 years, not knowing how his servants or young daughter are or how to contact them. Eventually one of his former servants Defarge finds him and is allowed to care for the man. Defarge and his oddly cold wife Therese run a wine shop and secretly nurture a blossoming secret revolutionary group referred to as ‘Jacques’, a name taken from an actual French Revolution group, the Jacquerie. Therese has her own dark reasons for zealously provoking rebellion, which are revealed later in the book.

Time goes on; Dr. Manette’s daughter Lucie (a lovely, sweet-tempered girl) is cared for by the capable, motherly housekeeper; Lucie is laboring under the delusion that her father is dead. Eventually Tellson’s Bank in London gets word somehow of Manette’s real condition and in order to verify the information (the reason involved money)sends an astute and dedicated employee named Jarvis Lorry to Lucie. He explains that her father is alive and enlists her help; normally a17-year-old girl that that time would have been a traveling liability, but Lorry is clever enough to know that 18 years in the Bastille may have thrown a damper on Manette’s reasoning ability, and that seeing his daughter may slowly snap him out of it. This thinking proves correct.

Eventually the seekers find Defarge, whom leads them to a cell where a half-catatonic, wasted Manette sits, making shoes in a compulsory manner, having severely withdrawn into his own mind. Eventually, the sight of his daughter’s golden tresses stirs a small memory in his mind, and he grows to recognize her and know himself again. Lucie and Lorry liberate him and carry him back to England to convalesce in the arms of family and devoted servants. Thus ends the first third of the book, and one of the few happier moments. Two more parts lead these characters into a web of mystery, love and finally, resolve.

Notonly for readers but writers, this tome is well worth the time and energy required to read and enjoy the historical drama, well-developed characters and genteel intrigue overshadowed by the hideous wraith of revolution. Few today write as well--or as honestly--as Dickens did here.

3.4/5

A Tale of Two Cities sweeps through London and Paris, diving into the French Revolution’s turmoil with a story of love, vengeance, and redemption. The emotional core hit me hard—redemption, sacrifice, forgiveness, and reconciliation shine through, laced with gripping betrayal and revenge. The Christian undertones, like whispers of resurrection and selfless acts, added depth, and the hope for freedom and a better life felt real and moving. The characters, flawed yet loyal, carried the story’s weight, their struggles and bonds making the big moments land with profound impact. Those scenes of sacrifice and forgiveness delivered the emotional payoff I love, keeping me invested despite the challenges.

The prose, though, was a major hurdle. It’s dense, wordy, and often confusing, making the story tough to follow and, at times, flat-out boring. The writing felt clunky, not lyrical, bogging down the epic scope with unclear details and slow pacing. The historical sweep had potential but got lost in a tangle of overly long descriptions, which dulled the stakes. It’s a shame, because the heart of the story—love triumphing over hate—deserved a clearer voice.

Overall, I enjoyed the story’s emotional depth and powerful themes, but the prose made it a grind to get through. It left me torn: moved by the heart, frustrated by the delivery. A few lines stand out: “The vigorous tenacity of love, always so much stronger than hate…”; “I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live…”; and “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done…” It’s a classic with a soul worth finding, but brace for a rough read.

That's right FREE!!!

If you have an audible.com account, you can receive a free audibleboook version, as well as, akindle version of this this classic story of redemption, new life, hope and love against the backdrop of a tumultous and troubled period of Europe's history. You begin by processing your free checkout at Amazon and then link over to audible.com. One crucial point to keep in mind - the audible.com account must be linked to your amazon account through a common email address. If you have multiple amazon or audible.com accounts, make certain that you log into the linked accounts. You don't have to do anything special to link the accounts, they just need to have the same email login.

Simon Vance does a remarkable job narrating A Tale of Two Cities conveying its characters' depth of feeling, as well as, the potency of Dicken's social critique. When it comes to audible versions of classic works, the value of the narrator cannot be over emphasized. Because many such works are not protected by copyrights, poorly produced, inexpensive versions abound waiting to lure the inexperienced listener, who sees only the price. By contrast, I cannot recommend Simon Vance's work too highly. A view supported by audible.com reviews.

In addition, all you need is a kindle, ipod, iphone, or ipad (any device that supports a kindle app) and you have a free copy of the book at your fingertips.

As an added bonus, you will have the opportunity to sample Amazon's new Wyspersync technology that links the most recent page viewed through the kindle app with its correlating spot in the audible book and similarly opens the kindle app to the page containing the material you last listened to in the audible version. It really is a fantastic way to move seemlessly between the two formats.

Lovers of audiblebooks will find even greater savings from audible.com for many books, which can be purchased for $7.95 or less (nearly half the $14.95 cost of an audible.com monthly credit) when the kindle version of the book is purchased. In many cases you can get both versions for only a few dollars more than the normal soft/hardcover book....and you get them instantly without cluttering up your house! Imagine that.

So while highly recommending A Tale of Two Cities to you in both its kindle and audible.com formats, I also encourage you to look for bargains on more modern books, especially with the holidays approaching.

This review is also posted on Crazy for YA: [...]

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Lucy Manette's father has finally been found! Well, her financial guardian, Mr. Lorry, knew, but kept it from her to guard her heart. When she finally meets with him above a wine shop, he is mad. His mind is set on making shoes, and he will not rest. When he catches sight of his daughter, he gets slightly better, and eventually, with much coaxing, Lucy--and only Lucy--brings him out of his madness. They help in the trial of Charles Darnay, who is accused of treason. Little do they know that Sydney Carton is the one really running the trial. Lucy is taken on a journey through the bloody French Revolution. Secrets are revealed, and when Lucy was just trying to find peace between the two cities, she is brought into the heart of the Revolution.

I’ve decided that I am going to try harder to read all the classics, and I decided this would start my adventure. Why? After finishing The Infernal Devices, I couldn’t stand not knowing who Sydney Carton was, and why Will is somewhat like him. Y’all know Will is my number one book crush, so I had to read this. Anywho, that’s why I read this. Plus I heard it was good. ;)

This was very hard to read. It was written very well, but incredibly hard to read. I like to call it “wading through language.” Dickens just goes on and on and on and on. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, I just got a little bored. Even if you get bored with the plot, KEEP READING.

*****This is one of those books that nothing really makes sense until the end, so keep reading! I happen to love this kind of book: when nothing seems to fit together, and then once you hit a certain point (usually later in the book), it all comes rushing back like a slap in the face. Everything becomes clear, and then you just can’t stop. SO KEEP READING!!! If you take anything from this review, please keep reading!

Anyway, on to the characters. I liked Lucy enough, but Dickens didn’t give her much to do. What she did do, though, I admired her bravery. She’s very caring, something you don’t find in many protagonists, and if they are, you don’t really see it, but here you do. Now, Charles Darnay...I really don’t know what to think of him. I guess he was only trying to escape his fate, not because it was dangerous, but because that’s just not the life he wanted. So I guess I do like him; I would probably do the same thing. Mr. Lorry is one of my favorites, though, just because he’s so loyal, protective, and brave. Sydney Carton: my favorite of the novel (Lucy’s second, Mr. Lorry third). (Surprise!) I can only explain this by the end. ***SPOILER*** My thoughts at the end: “Sydney, you selfless idiot no!!!!” ***END SPOILER***

Dickens creates a cast of lovely characters (you know what, I just like them all), uses incredible detail, and everything comes together at the end.

I had forgotten just how brilliant this novel is and truly could hardly put it down. It is one of Dickens' shorter novels and has a tremendous pace, the characterisation is irresistible, and the historical accuracy of the uprising against monstrous injustice which resulted in the horrors of the French revolution are contrasted to the safety and peace of London. The characters encircling Sydney Carton are vividly realised, but he really is the star of the book. His very fallibility makes him more real, his intelligence makes the reader long for a better life for him, and his heroism is unforgettable. The opening and closing passages are amongst the most famous in all literature, and they deserve to be.

Maravilhoso, mas tem de ser lido em inglês.

Review by Mary Haskett

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is a mesmerizing read. This timeless novel set in the time of the French revolution portrays the evil and the good in man. The French poor, spurred to anger and hatred by the injustices incurred upon them by the French aristocracy, by degrees turn into an unrelenting murderous mob as they seek justice. Many innocent victims are trundle to Madame Guillotine day after day, adults and children alike, and Madame Defarge filled with hatred for injustices done to her family sits and knits at the foot of the guillotine along with her peers, reveling as heads fall.

Across the sea in England, society is more civilized. In London, the reader meets a variety of characters, Charles Darnay, formerly Evermonde, Lucie his wife, and Lucie’s father, all have escaped from France. Charles feels compelled to return to France and rescue his overseer wrongly imprisoned. He meets the same fate. Lucie and her father set out to save him.

In the shadow of this drama is one, Sydney Carton, a heavy drinker, who strongly resembles Charles in appearance. The true character of Sydney Carton surfaces as he devises a plan to take Charles place at the guillotine. He arranges the escape of the family, with the help of good servants.

If you have never read a Tale of Two Cities, you have doubtless heard of Sydney Carton’s last words as he went to the guillotine. “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done: it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.” He emerges at the end of this tale as a true and noble hero.

Penso che sia utile rivisitare i grandi scrittori inglesi, preferibilmente in lingua originale. Molte parole sono oggi desuete o hanno un significato diverso. Anche l'inconfondibile stile di Dickens non e' certamente un modello per l'inglese moderno, che si vuole conciso ed essenziale, quindi il contrario del modo di scrivere di Dickens.

Delivery is fast but book covered was not is good condition!!!