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A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities

List Price: $4.95
Your Price: $4.95
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Isn't it Ironic
Review: " The Tale of Two Cities," was a book of many twist and turns. It clearly demostrated both suspense and Irony. This book was overwhelmed with action and emotion. It is easy for readers to be drawn in.
As a reader, I never expected Charles Darnay, of the Evremond House, to fall in love with and marry Doctor Manette's daughter. Especially, since the Evremond House played a key role in Doctor Manette's capture during the French Revolution and his loss of sanity (excessive shoemaking and forgetting who he was or the fact he even had a daughter). However, I feel the most suprising event throughout the story, was when Sydney Carton(alcholic lawyer) realized the only way he could be happy was to sacrifice his life to insure the Darnay's happiness. I find this ironic because it was obvious throughout the story that Carton was in love with Miss Manette and dispised her husband (Darnay). You would assume that he would have loved to seen Darnay killed in prision, so he could pursue his love for Miss Manette.
The entire book was ironic and the ending completely unpredictable.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: It was ok but not that good......................
Review: This novel was good but not very good. m The events were exciting and interesting. But, the plots were confusing and events were intrined into description which made it very confusing. The part Monegnieur de Marquis is sloughtered is incessantly perplexing. The event, again, were good. However, the ending was not very good. You don't even know if the family gets back to England and Sydney Carton's head is chopped off. The description is magnificent. That's what I thought of ths novel.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: For anyone interested in The French Revolution.
Review: I tend to divide Dickens' work into two fields - the straightforward novels, and the socially relevant ones. This belongs in the latter category, which means it is slightly less fun to read. However, the worst novel by Dickens is better then most author's best. This is a great work and when I think of The French Revolution and The Reign of Terror, it is A Tale of Two Cities that I usually imagine. Also, it contains two of the most famous passages in all of literature: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." and "It is a far, far better thing I do now than I have ever done..." It is a great novel to be sure, but it should not be your INTRODUCTION to Dickens.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: My introduction to wonderful British literature
Review: Charles Dickens's classic tale of the French Revolution is told vividly through the struggles and woes of a family and its group of friends, with the incredible eloquence that can only be found in British works of literature.

I read this book for my English class, and I was immediately engrossed and went right out and bought it for myself. Although hard to follow sometimes, it's a gripping story of a family's love against a country's hate.

The characters are very human and emotional despite the flowery language which tends to distance the reader from the story; sometimes Dickens's subtle humor actually makes you laugh! Pretty good for a book published in the 19th century. Definitely my favorite British classic!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: dickens' humor and drama
Review: "I]f statues were decreed in Britain, as in ancient Greece and Rome, to public benefactors, this shining citizen [his witness] would assuredly have one. That, as they were not so decreed, he probably would not have one."

This is a funny line from the first trial of Charles Darnay, in Book the Second, Chapter Three. Dickens is criticizing the law system. This entire speech is given by the "Attorney General" and he goes on and on about the love of his witness's country. The second witness is the servant, whose patriotism "forced" him to search Darnay's papers. The cross-examiner finds that the first witness served time in debtor's prison and gets in trouble for cheating at gambling. The second witness is also found to be untrustworthy. Such great humor can be found in the book, but more has to do with its drama and character study.

In character study, when it comes to Darnay and Lucie Manette, there isn't much to study. They never change, they're still good and brave, etc., until the end, just the way they started. If you're looking for the study of a character who hides behind himself, suffers unseen scars, (in other words a hemingway character that lost his way in a Dickens book), you can read about Sydney Carton. Dr. Manette is also a fascinating character who suffers through 18 years in prison and gradually recovers with the help of his daughter, and by the end is a strong, helpful character. Mme. Defarge is interesting partway through the novel, but at the climax all she represents anymore is pure evil, which is probably the point Dickens was trying to get across.

If you're looking for a weird character, like in most Dickens novels, you still have Jerry. He's pretty weird.

And if you still don't want to read this book, at least try it until chapter 8 in the second book, where you can read about how the Marquis needs assistance of four men just to drink hot chocolate. It shows the power, but ultimately helplessness of the French aristocracy.

And if you're looking for historical stuff, it's covered in here, but it's merely a conflict with the characters.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: It is a far, far-fetched 'Tale'...
Review: It amazes me that any modern, educated reader can seriously enjoy reading Dickens. His work is a mix of revolting sentimentality, unbelievable contrivance, and overly simplistic themes; we can see this clearly in 'A Tale of Two Cities.'

The novel was written in serialized form for sheer entertainment value, and it shows. We are expected to believe a multitude of completely implausible coincidences, all leading up to a ridiculous ending in which every piece of the puzzle fits together precisely. Entertaining? Maybe briefly, but the enjoyment is superficial. We realize that real life does not tie up every end so neatly, and we are left feeling manipulated.

In Dickens' world, good is unquestionably perfect and bad is utterly evil. There are no shades of gray. Lucie Manette and Charles Darnay are paragons of virtue: neither displays one identifiable fault throughout the entire novel. They are flat, boring characters; it is not possible to identify with them or to have any measure of sympathy for them. Even Sydney Carton, a slightly more rounded character, undergoes an unbelievable redemption by the end of the novel and becomes almost a Christ figure. Meanwhile, the evil villains, of course, get their due!

I must say that Dickens occasionally shows a gift for description. He is at his best when he uses extended metaphors, recurring symbols, and detailed descriptions. The scene in which peasants in Saint Antoine drink spilled wine in the street is eloquently written and filled with haunting imagery: it is one of the few passages that manages to convey the atmosphere of revolution. However, these passages are few and far between.

If you are one of those people who delight in discovering yet another connection among characters, or if you really want to believe that love always triumphs over hate, Dickens is the way to go. If you don't want to deceive yourself, look elsewhere.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Social-Historical
Review: This is a good book set around the time of the French Revolution and subsequent disturbances. The story is of a transcending love. Recommended.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Amazing!
Review: Charles Dickens is a great writer. This is my favorite Dicken's book. Let me tell you about this: The first time I read it, I struggled with it up until the end. Some of my friends have never made it past the second chapter. Keep up with it. It may be a challenge to read, but it is the most rewarding book to finish. I have read it three times now. Every word is a savory, sweet and succulent experience. I have never came across another book with the same quality. I highly, highly reccomend it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Magnificently Intresting!!
Review: It was very wonderful and easy to get in to. It has some surprises, which everyone likes!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Doesn't even deserve 1 star.
Review: This is an awful book. I would just assume to eat it than read it again. If you have anything better to do, don't read this book. I would give it 0 stars if I could.


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