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Summary: A true classic stands the greatest test of all... TIME!
Review: Even after many centuries, a classic novel can still be read, understood and charm a wide audience. For it teaches the reader about life and death, society and history through a magnificent story. "A Tale of Two Cities", written in 1859, is one of those classics.This magnificent story begins a year before the American Independence and several years before the French Revolution. As only Dickens can, he breathes life into the most bizarre, comical and memorable characters... such as Madame Defarge, Miss Pross, Jerry Cruncher and a slew of others. But in the midst of these people, the light shines on the few characters on which the story hence revolves. About Lucie Manette who has a true and beautiful heart that affects everyone around her and her aristocratic husband Charles Darnay, an ambitious man of French blood. Dr. Manette who after surviving 18 years in jail overcomes his weakness to rescue another. The light shines strongly upon Sydney Carton... a man who doesn't seem very redeemable in the beginning but who has a heart of gold who is capable of the greatest sacrifice of all for the woman he loves. It is these people whom Dickens chose to give life to during the grim and bloody French Revolution. This novel is one of my most favorite of Dickens' novels. The hero and the heroine are rather complex and admirable characters. However, they are not necessarily the ones that win the sympathy and the heart of the reader... but suprisingly (and pleasantly) to the most unexpected of Dickens' character. On another note, the novel starts with a famous and recognizable opening line, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." and ends with a very memorable line, "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far better rest that I go to than I have ever known." To which I give great credit to the novel by Mr. Dickens.
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Summary: Carton: a hero
Review: I'm 36 and just read this book for the first time! I believe I will be crying for years! I enjoy looking for the Christ references and symbolism in so many of Sydney Carton's scenes. For instance: the last chapter is called, "The Footsteps Die Out Forever." I wondered, the footsteps are those Lucie fancied would come into her and her father's life -- why should they die out with Carton? If you look back into the footsteps chapter in the house in Soho, you see that Carton says of those footsteps, "I take them into mine! I ask no questions and make no stipulations." When he dies for Darnay, he takes the fury of the mob onto himself, out of love sparing Lucie and the lives she loves. When Carton is sitting by the fire with Mr. Lorry, in the moments after he has made the deal with Barsad, the description of his appearance -- dark, long, shaggy hair; very pale; the wasted look; the handsome features; the expression of a prisoner -- are surely meant to evoke Christ. Even the white topcoat and boots -- the paleness of the shoulders and feet -- are surely meant to evoke the image of christ on the cross, don't you think? And, when Carton is comforting the little seamstress as they wait on the scaffold, she practically makes the identification, saying he seems to have been sent to her by heaven, and enables her to think of "Him who was put to death." Are there many, or even any, thoughts, incidents, descriptions, or images wasted in the book? Nothing there, it seems, but that it is significant. The theme of Carton's life, death, and resurrection (you might say), are elaborated a hundred ways as he ruminates during his last solitary walk around Paris: each experience, each thought he has, each remembrance is meaningful. I cannot even think of these passages during my workday without a swell of emotion. I could not make a thing out of Carton's name, until at last I read that "Sydney" is derived from St. Denis, itself derived from Dionysius. In addition, St. Denis was the patron saint of Paris, who died from beheading. Can anyone corroborate this? This is the book for someone seeking great and profound themes, characters (Carton, at least,) so real you could touch them, considerable artistic merit, and possibly a refreshed or even changed outlook on life!
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Summary: Phenomenal book! Extraordinarily written... a must read!!
Review: This is one of the best books I have read in a while!!! Sure it seemed a little too tedious, and boring at some points (because some chapters were utterly useless-- or so I thought...) As one reviewer put it "everything ties in together", which is a very true fact; thus my reason for reiterating the point. I absolutely loved this book and hope everyone at least tries to take up the 'challenge' for reading this masterpiece. I assure you, when you finish reading it, you will be very proud of beginning it in the first place!! Oh, and one little suggestion: Make sure you have a dictionary around you somewhere (because you will need it with Dickens' superfluous use of archaic vocabulary).
Rating: 
Summary: Hard to read but story is great!
Review: This story occurs during the terrible time of the French Revolutionary War where corruption, bloodshed and poverty run rapid. The story takes place in two countries, England and France. It all started in England when Jarvis Lorry, the businessman meets with Lucy Manette, a beautiful young lady, to tell her that her long lost father had been found. Doctor Mr. Manette was a prisoner of the Bastille for eighteen years and this gives him great authority over the French prisoners later in the story. The phase, " recalled to life" is used as a code to refer to the release of Mr. Manette. Two men by the names of Charles Darney and Sydney Carton also fell in love with Lucy Manette but Lucy ended up marrying Darney. Her devotion to her husband, Charles Darney, brings her great misery when he is imprisoned for his secret life of being a French noble. Charles Darney's family was the one that put Dr. Manette in jail and took the lives of two innocent people, which are the father and brother of Madame Defarge. She being a revengeful person tried her very best to get Darney and his family put to death by the guillotine. After Charles Darney was sentenced to death, only one man can save him that is Sydney Carton who looked exactly like Darney. He decided to use his life for the happiness of the woman - Lucy Manette, he loved deeply and for his friend, Darney. A character in the book I like most: The person, who I admired and who left me with deep feelings, is none other than Sydney Carton. He was a great man who sacrificed his life and everything for the woman he loved. He was intelligent but due to his laziness and constant drinking, he had not been a success in life. Being pessimistic, Carton thus thought that he was useless and that he had never done good for everyone. He was wrong. In the trial of Charles Darney in the earlier part of the story, it was his ingenious idea that saved Darney from being imprisoned. He and Darney were so alike in looks that everyone on court was shocked and due to this, the judge had to release him because of the lacking in evidence. His devotion to Lucy Manette was indeed admirable. He loved her so much that he promised he would die for her and in the end he really did. When Lucy Manette and Charles Darney got married and had their first child, Sydney Carton though heart-broken at first, came to their house very often, buying gifts for the child and playing with him for hours. This shows how caring and generous he was. Towards the end, he cunningly use John Barsad who was a spy to help him get into the dungeons to save Charles Darney who was sentenced to death for being a noble. Carton forced Darney to take off his clothes and change into his. Then, he knocked out Darney and called for the guards to take him out. He wanted to replace Darney and to die for him! Reading at this point, I was deeply touched and impressed by Carton's actions. He wanted to die for Darney so that Lucy will be happy. He sacrificed his life for his friend and his love! He was a genius and if he not been so pessimistic and so lacking in confidence, he could have made a great name for himself. Forgiveness, sacrificial, devotion... In my life, I had never seen someone like Sydney Carton or even close to him. In this selfish and materialistic world, when most people are pursing money and fame to the extent of backstabbing each other, how many will give up their lives for a friend? How many will have the courage and to give up everything and accept absolutely nothing in return? MINI DATA Character Study: Physiological Characteristics: - Intelligent - Tall - Devoted - Handsome - Faithful - Young (middle-aged) - Caring - Fit - Generous - No facial hair - Courageous - Short and neat hair - Pessimistic - Lack of confidence - Sacrificial Review of the book I had read: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." This is the famous opening line of the great novel, " The tale of two cities." Charles Dickens, in this book more than any of his others, twists and sews the plot in circles, keeping the reader in suspense and a state of unknowing--all while the tension continues to build to a climax. Love, betrayal, drama and suspense, the makers of a great novel, are also found in the story. This book starts a little vaguely at first so it's hard to understand what's going on. Some might stop reading at this point but do not do that because you will learn that everything ties together during the second half. Every chapter is special and time must be taken to read it thoroughly to find out the exciting ending. The plot was also very interesting because Dickens mixes fiction, historical facts and events together. Furthermore, the story is well written with fantastic descriptions, making the characters come alive as if the whole event is happening right in front of our eyes. The dramatic ending, which is emotional and powerful, will leave the reader proud of the decision made and sad as it took such a painful price. After reading the story, a clear understanding is achieved of why Charles Dickens is such a renowned author. This classic novel is a unique and great masterpiece of literature. People of any race, age, and gender would definitely enjoy reading it but I think the older readers might be able to interpret the story better as Charles Dickens uses old English to write the story.
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Summary: A Literary Masterpiece
Review: I found the Tale of Two Cities to be incredibly engaging. Charles Dickens was a great author, with a tantalizing grasp of the English language that comes out in his metaphorical, deeply symbolic style. Rather than divulge too much of the story, I'll just say: read this book at least once in your life. The dual nature of man, politics, war, love, sacrifice...it's all there in beautiful 19th Century Prose. Hurray for Dickens!
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Summary: It Is A Far, Far Better Book Than Dickens' Others.
Review: A Tale of Two Cities is the best plotted and most readable of Dickens' works. Broad in scope, the story spans main character Dr. Alexander Manette's lifetime and the English Channel. Dickens portrays London as the opulent center of the civilized world, and Paris, in the throes of the French Revolution, as a cesspool of tortured humanity. The complex tale of love, honor, and courage is woven over the backdrop of this politically charged and culturally polarized time in history. Interestingly, it has been alleged that this book, which is shorter and stylistically different than Dickens' other books, was not actually written by him. Dickens was a unique character in English literature, being perhaps the first writer to achieve wealth and fame during his lifetime. Some suggest that he either lent his good name to the manuscript of an unknown in a duplicitous scheme to boost sales, secretly sharing the proceeds, or that he flat out stole the story from one of the many hopeful writers who sent him manuscripts for comment. We'll probably never know the truth. But it doesn't matter who wrote it. That only adds to the mystique of a fantastic book. --Christopher Bonn Jonnes, Author of Wake Up Dead.
Rating: 
Summary: Huge disappoinment
Review: I found this book difficult to follow and hard to hold my interest. I am an English teacher so I don't think it's me. I was revved about the book and started it immediately unpon receipt. I didn't even finish it--which is something I can say about few books...
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Summary: Read it again - As an Adult
Review: Many of us were forced to read this book in school. Most of us were too young to fully appreciate it. Read it again as an adult. You will savor every moment. The story, the history, the writing style all meld to create a wondrous book. This is a classic that still deserves to be.
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Summary: A exiting story
Review: First and foremost, I thought this was a great book. I am in eighth grade, and we were told to do a book report on a historical book. I chose A Tale of Two Cities after a recommendation from my mother. The opening line was great, but for the first chapter of two I was really confused. After I got the thing sorted out, I started to really get into. I really loved the compassion for Doctor Manette from Lucie. I also thought at the very end that Sydney Carton was a hero instead of a depressed, unexiting character as I once thought him to be. I must admit that at times I was lost, confused and bored, but those times were not nearly as frequent as me being enthraled in the book. I truely recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: A Superb Masterpiece
Review: Charles Dickens gives outstanding detail for all of the characters in this novel. The setting is in France and England in the late 1770's, and the detail is great. I recommend this book to anyone who can sit down and not rush through books. I also recommend Oliver Twist.
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