Name: A Tale of Two Cities
ISBN: 9780774033787

Charles Dickens

Coles Notes Staff

Notes

A Tale of Two Cities

Josephina Lucke

France, less favoured on the whole as to matters spiritual than her sister of the shield and trident, rolled with exceeding smoothness down hill, making paper money and spending it. Under the guidance of her Christian pastors, she entertained herself, besides, with such humane achievements as sentencing a youth to have his hands cut off, his tongue torn out with pincers, and his body burned alive, because he had not kneeled down in the rain to do honour to a dirty procession of monks which passed within his view, at a distance of some fifty or sixty yards. It is likely enough that, rooted in the woods of France and Norway, there were growing trees, when that sufferer was put to death, already marked by the Woodman, Fate, to come down and be sawn into boards, to make a certain movable framework with a sack and a knife in it, terrible in history. 

Alec Karlen

“…as I draw closer and closer to the end, I travel in the circle, nearer and nearer to the beginning. It seems to be one of the kind smoothings and preparings of the way. My heart is touched now, by many remembrances that had long fallen asleep, of my pretty young mother (and I so old!), and by many associations of the days when what we call the world was not so real with me, and my faults were not confirmed in me.”

Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities portrays a world on fire, split between Paris and London during the brutal and bloody events of the French Revolution. After eighteen years as a political prisoner in the Bastille the aging Dr Manette is finally released and reunited with his daughter in England. There, two very different men, Charles Darnay, an exiled French aristocrat, and Sydney Carton, a disreputable but brilliant English lawyer, become enmeshed through their love for Lucie Manette. From the tranquil lanes of London, they are all drawn against their will to the vengeful, bloodstained streets of Paris at the height of the Reign of Terror and soon fall under the lethal shadow of La Guillotine. This edition uses the text as it appeared in its first serial publication in 1859 to convey the full scope of Dickens's vision, and includes the original illustrations by H.K. Browne ('Phiz'). Richard Maxwell's introduction discusses the intricate interweaving of epic drama with personal tragedy.i

dickens was truly for the people what a legend 

Laura Layden

I honestly had no idea what this book would be about when I picked it up, so I was really in for a surprise. 

The beginning was really slow, but it picked up eventually and then I was really hooked. The plot was great, I thought it was really interesting and I was not expecting that little plot twist at all, really elevated the experience for me.

The characters were done so well, I really liked all of them and I was rooting hard for all of them to get what they wanted, even if both sides were opposed. I understood where they were coming from (Madame Defarge apologist mayhaps??). I loved their relationships with one another. The themes of devotion, sacrifice, loyalty and vengeance were really well explored in this. Also the setting for this being the French Revolution was really interesting.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”, truly a suitable opening line for a book with such a bittersweet ending.

bel 

I honestly had no idea what this book would be about when I picked it up, so I was really in for a surprise. 

The beginning was really slow, but it picked up eventually and then I was really hooked. The plot was great, I thought it was really interesting and I was not expecting that little plot twist at all, really elevated the experience for me.

The characters were done so well, I really liked all of them and I was rooting hard for all of them to get what they wanted, even if both sides were opposed. I understood where they were coming from (Madame Defarge apologist mayhaps??). I loved their relationships with one another. The themes of devotion, sacrifice, loyalty and vengeance were really well explored in this. Also the setting for this being the French Revolution was really interesting.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”, truly a suitable opening line for a book with such a bittersweet ending.

talk ab getting caught up in the moment! yowch!

elissa

a wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other.

a wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other.

i love every details of this book sm

Vicky  Nuñez 

I hesitated before reading this book, because I had read the first famous lines and had instantly fallen in love with them. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."
So, how could the whole book compare to such greatness? Well, let's just say it does.

The original to be titled "Recalled to life" talks about the resurrection and redemption of the soul. Dickens's does a marvelous job by juxtaposing characters and as well as the countries.

Dickens's lyrical writing is not to be missed, so go and read it!

Daymaris Arca

I would’ve liked it wayyyyy more if I didn’t have to write a 6 page analysis paper on it. But Lowkey the plot was pretty good. If I was able to take my time with it…easily 4 stars

C. J. Daley 

I have read more than one Dickens’ novel and liked those much more so than this. I have also read many other novels of the period and had better or similar luck. However, I found this so longwinded as to not be the slightest bit enjoyable. At points the dialogue was so long and drab that I genuinely forgot who was speaking it in the first place. I didn’t particularly enjoy these characters and I felt that I had to fight to absorb every single word. This sounds overly harsh, but as I’ve said, I have liked other works of his much more...

The audio I chose was also not an A-grade caliber unfortunately and that did not help.

The grim tale of the people who were caught up in the wave of violence and murder which marked the French Revolution

Vilandra

Once you get into the meat of the story, you are riveted. The twists can make you laugh or cry or tear your hair out in frustration at the characters. You really become invested in the story, and the suspense is palpable.

Jamieson

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Such a memorable opening that perfectly summarises this book. 

A Tale of Two Cities has been on my to read list for a long time, and it took me some time to get through. Overall, however, I thoroughly enjoyed this book

It contains a hosts of characters interesting and quirky, but all with their own faults and stories. 

The ending is satisfying, and one which finally gives meaning to Sydney Carton, who was the character that intrigued me most. 

I think I'm going to have to read this book again, now it's been done once. I think a reread would be good. I loved this book!!

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' After finishing A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens said 'it has greatly moved and excited me in the doing'. One of his most haunting novels, it has, since its first serial publication in 1859, continued to exert a grip on the popular imagination. Set during the French revolution in a lethal, vengeful Paris and a leafy, tranquil London, the two cities of the title are only a part of the novel's stark dichotomies, which are continued as Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay - their lives touched by the same woman - are drawn against their will to the vengeful, bloodstained streets of Paris only to fall under the lethal shadow of La Guillotine. Enriched eBook Features Editor Kristie Allen provides the following specially commissioned features for this Enriched eBook Classic: * Filmography for Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities * Filmography for Dickens’s Novels * Early Reception of A Tale of Two Cities * Suggested Further Reading * What is “Dickensian”? * Psychology in A Tale of Two Cities * Dickens and Melodrama * Dickens and Alcohol * The Gothic in A Tale of Two Cities * Dickens and Prisons * Dickens and Servants * Dickens Sites to Visit in England * Illustrations of Eighteenth-Century Fashion and Culture and Dickens’s Victorian World The enriched eBook format invites readers to go beyond the pages of these beloved works and gain more insight into the life and times of an author and the period in which the book was originally written for a rich reading experience.

A Penguin Enriched eBook Classic

Tilde C

What's funny is that I initially read one quarter of this book and I couldn't for the life of me get into it at all, I thought it was a lot denser and duller, less colourful than Dickens other works -- and then a year later, lacking other literary options, I try again and am absolutely smitten.

There's less of Dickens' humor, dark or otherwise, but there's all his trademark earnestness. I think this might be his finest work when it comes to effective use of themes -- death and resurrection (what a wonderful phrase it is, "recalled to life"), how the whims of the mob are constantly likened to a churning sea (with fun little asides, like how the horrible Patriot prisonkeep looks bloated like a water-logged corpse).

It's also a very dynamic novel in how its sympathies change: The civil unrest is so passionately described that in the chapters before the storming of the Bastille Dickens really did make me fall in love with the DeFarges, he made me anticipate the great social explosion, how change seemed to be in the air (not unlike our current social climate). And then those noble ideals crash down again as the mob takes over, the DeFarges become two of Dickens' most despicable villains, and the drunken lovesick Mr. Carton becomes a greater hero than even the main character ever could be.

My favourite part must be after Dr. Manette has overcome his second mental health crisis, and Mr. Lorry, who's patiently looked after him through it, asks in the most empathetic way how he can better help him if it should happen again, what his triggers are, if there are things that would speed his recovery. I'm continually blown away by just how empathetic and modern in his sensibilities Dickens truly was.

Isabela H 

Ok, one of my favorite classics EVER

Dickens' masterful way of weaving the colorful lives of these characters struggling to survive and come out on top during a tumultuous time in France's history is simply AMAZING. 

I read this book for school but would so read it again for my own enjoyment simply because of how well it is written and how riveting the story is. The writing itself is beautiful and captivating. This is probably my favorite Dickens novel.

asia sky

finished by using context clues.

it’s a matter of business.

Callie Anna

This book is hard to explain. I liked it, especially the end, but it sure was hard getting there. You should read this book, but take your time with it. If you skim through it, as I kind of did, you WILL forget who certain people are, which will greatly confuse you later on! The symbolism is amazing, so don't let anyone tell you that you are "reading too much into it" (no pun intended)! I almost cried at the end!

Mary Rose Luksha

I am a firm believer that the book chooses you, and you shouldn't read a book before you're ready. My theory has been further proved with this book. This was my third attempt reading it. The other two times I couldn't get past page 40. But this time, I was looking at my bookshelf, and something just clicked and out of the blue I said, I'm going to read A Tale of Two Cities.

And it was phenomenal. This was my first Dickens novel, and I really enjoyed it. The other two times I didn't notice what a sarcastic bugger Dickens is, but this time I was laughing out loud. The observations he made over 200 years ago are still true today; that's why Dickens' novels are timeless. Even though the story was old, there were a lot of modern themes. A man being persecuted for his background; trying to do the right thing. And the most modern part of the book, and why it's not traditional, is that innocence does not win out. Innocence is shown to be useless and ignorant. Sidney Carton is the ultimate anti-hero, though he finally finds redemption - but he does it through lies and underhandedness.

The only qualm I had, and apparently a lot of people had it as well, is Dickens' portrayal of women. Lucy made me want to just gag. Miss Pross was an insane caricature probably meant to be funny, but by today's standard, just sad. And Madame Desarte is the only one who had promise of being interesting, but Dickens' managed to make her static as well.

In short, Dickens' had no clue about women, but he could write the hell out of men. It's a good read, and well-deserving of being called 'classic.'

Richard Maxwell

Presents Dickens' classic tale of love, courage, and sacrifice set against the cataclysmic events of the French Revolution.

Meredith Boster

This book took me SO LONG to read, but it was worth it. My neighbor gave me this book for Valentines Day because it was her favorite and she hoped I would enjoy it, saying, "You probably won't read this for 5 years." I then made it my goal to read this book this year, and boy was it worth it. In the beginning, it is a little hard to get started and a little difficult to understand what is happening, but I'm glad I kept reading because this was one of the best books I've ever read. I love Charles Dickens and I am DEFINITELY going to be reading this again.

Skye

It was difficult to get through the first half. After that it became much more interesting and quite a bit easier to follow.

Arden Kowalski

I'm suing Charles Dickens for emotional distress and no one can stop me.

After eighteen years as a political prisoner in the Bastille the aging Dr Manette is finally released and reunited with his daughter in England. They're two very different men, Charles Darnay, an exiled French aristocrat, and Sydney Carton, a disreputable but brilliant English lawyer, become enmeshed through their love for Lucie Manette. From the tranquil lanes of London, they are all drawn against their will to the vengeful, bloodstained streets of Paris at the height of the Reign of Terror and soon fall under the lethal shadow of La Guillotine.

Tale of Two Cities

Sophia De La Garza

"I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul.  

Wow. I did not expect to cry at the end of this book but my love for Sydney Carton has no bounds. 

I completely understand why Cassandra Clare made this book special to The Infernal Devices. After reading this, I can see the different connections and inspirations for the characters and their personalities. 

Also, does anyone else want to start a Sydney Carton support group? Cause that man deserves so much more than he got. 

Overall, 4.5 stars and makes me want to read more Dickens.

hope

Ojalá saber hacer reiews para hacer una decente para este libro porque honestamente la merece pero COMO NO SÉ simplemente diré que estoy enamorada es BUENÍSIMO INCREÍBLE BRILLANTE!!!!!!!!!!!! Tenía las expectativas altas por culpa de los wessa nadie está sorprendido pero lo empecé y no entendía nada y yo por favor que está pasando pero me gustaba mucho como estaba escrito así que dije venga palante y seguí y ya fui entendiendo todo poco a poco y honestamente................ es bestial este libro es que estoy todavía en shock de lo mucho que me ha gustado le doy personalmente un 1000000
y solo diré una cosa más: wessa rights!!!!!

Lulu Bonning

When there's a Dickens work lying around, it seems to take me way too long to pick it up and actually begin.
Maybe because Dickens is timeless. Maybe because I'm lazy and it always takes a bit of work to get invested in the characters and the plot...
Nonetheless, Dickens does always deliver on the investment, and A Tale of Two Cities was no exception. The story is divided into three books; try and get through Book One, I promise it gets easier from there. 
I didn't initially like any of the characters, which meant I didn't particularly care what happened to them. By the time I started Book Three, I had completely changed my tune and felt thoroughly invested in all the characters - for better or worse. In the final few chapters, my eyes could barely keep up with the pace my brain wanted to devour the story at.
Long story short - we're still reading Dickens for a reason.

Trevor Berrett

I read this one on the subway. I have to admit that at the beginning there were slow parts, and I would not have kept reading it had I anything better to do on a subway. However, soon I was entranced and felt I knew the characters. Though I don't think this is Dicken's best work, on a smaller scale it showcases his ability to weave the lives of many characters together for a great story with a great resolution. In other words, push through the seemingly slow beginning and enjoy this classic.

Elizabeth Raines

Hard time getting into this one. I was getting characters confused but once this story gets to France it gets good. This was going to be a three star until I got to the ending.

Madeleine Munroe

This was the second Charles Dickens book I have taken on. I enjoyed it once it was done because I thought the ending was spectacular and magical. It took me three months to read, so it dragged on for me but in the end I'm happy with what I got from it!

A Tale of Two Cities Notes

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