A Tale of Two Cities [Kindle Edition]

I will never, the rest of my life forget these two sentences. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness...." and at closing "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."

Wow, this is not your usual Dickens. No quirky characters with strange names and laugh out loud moments, just a darn good story -- the story of two cities, London and Paris. It is difficult to put the plot into words, but when the book begins you are in London at the time of the American revolution and spies (or suspected spies) abound, and the story eventually switches to France prior to and during the French revolution.

Dickens does a marvelous job (as always) of building his story one step at a time and slowly peeling back the layers one at a time. This is not a put down and pick it up a week later kind of a book, it is very intense and complicated and you have to pay close attention. I was just floored at how he sucked me in with his descriptions of the mobs, terror and the madness of the revolution leading you to a nail biting finish. I admit to holding my breath during those last few pages!

Highly recommended, and well worth the time to discover (or rediscover) an old classic.

I feel that this book is not viewed as being one of the top tier of Dickens works due to the fact that it is thrust upon grade 9 students as an introduction to literary classics and, being so, its impact and overall cultural power has become diluted due to the audience that initially received it. It is not in regards to the content of the work itself. The intellectual abilities of students of this educational level are not able to understand the historical era, appreciate the fluent descriptive nature of the writing nor to comprehend the literary nuances that the author presents. In sum, it starts out with a less than average evaluation, by a less than receptive audience, and never fully recovers from it. A similar writing that undergoes an equally unfair youth-driven summary is that of `Silas Marner'.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. etc...." Dickens in his introductory remarks clearly lays out the tone for the rest of his historical novel; everything that is presented has two different and opposing definitions depending solely on how one views life's occurrences. What appears to be a revolution to overcome decades of elitist oppression to some, appears to be a retaliatory blood bath to others and who the people that appear to be the heroes of a just and timely uprising to some, appear to be no more than blood thirsty criminals to others. The contrast that Dickens verbally paints for us goes that much deeper; the calm and serene life in England vs. the agitated emotional level of Paris, the significant differences between the French and English Tellson Banks operations, and the respect of the ruling elite of London for the utter disdain for Paris's monsignors. Couple these contrasts with Dickens's literary description of the guttural smells and aromas of death and revenge, the pathos and vengeance felt throughout Paris and the contrasting peace and calm experienced in London and you have a novel that highlights the dichotomy that life was during this era. The dividing line to how one viewed life was simply from where you viewed it. The English Channel was the line of demarcation and it solely depended on which side of it one resided to determine how one defined life itself.

"It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done. etc...." Dickens closes his tale in the same manner in which he began it; contrasting definitions. Sidney Carton, the drudgery of mankind who overdrinks, sells his soul to the highest paying litigant and resides in the gutters of society is the man who sacrifices himself for all that is pure, loving and honorable in life. He gives up his life such that the woman from whom he experiences unrequited love may go on and obtain the life that he realizes that he would never have.

No, this is not the tale we thought it was when we were forced to absorb its contents during our early high school years. But, yet, the overall opinions regarding this historical novel reflect our early formed and juvenile opinions. This, instead, is one of Charles Dickens most powerful and engrossing tales of human existence, belonging to not only a tier#1 level of Dickens's novels but a tier #1 level of all English literature.

It is always the best of times. It is always the worst of times......

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 resemblance 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.