A Tale of Two Cities

Paperback, 410 pages

English language

Published Sept. 29, 1970 by Penguin Books.

ISBN:
978-0-14-043054-7
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(10 reviews)

This stirring tale of resurrection, renunciation and revolution is one of Dickens's best and most popular novels.

Superficially it appears the least Dickensian of all his novels. However, George Woodcock points out that, written at a point of crisis in Dickens's life, it was closely linked with past and present matters of deep personal importance to him. As such, this novel becomes the embodiment of Dickens's own passions, fears and forebodings: the revolution which engulfs the characters symbolizes his own psychological revolution, both as man and artist. The three main characters, Charles Darneay, Sydney Carton, and Lucie Manette, become projections of Dickens himself. And the title, which contains the whole sweep of the author's vision, suggests the basic dichotomy on which the novel rests: the choice between changing society and changing oneself; the gulf between revolutionary ideals and methods; and the duality in the human heart externalized by the Darnay-Carton …

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Review of 'A tale of two cities' on 'Goodreads'

This is the second book I've now read of the Penguin Clothbound Classics series and again it is a lovely book, great looking cover with vivid colours and it feels great in your hands. This series is why I prefer paper over electronic when it comes to books.

I've read a couple of Dickens's books before and I enjoyed them, a lot of people found them tough to read, to those people I say read A Tale of Two Cities. Being partly historical fiction and based around real events it becomes much easier to read. The French revolution was an evil time and Dickens doesn't shy away from the details, in fact he seems to enjoy describing the workings of the Guillotine even being quite poetic at times. A smaller cast than usual means you really get to know the characters and even get to have a favourite, Mr Lorry …

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