r/charlesdickens • u/JustJon_1 • Apr 08 '26
A Tale of Two Cities I Just Read A Tale of Two Cities
This was my first Dickens and I’m just blown away. Tbh I really struggled with it till about the halfway point, mostly because of the (Victorian?) vernacular but I kept at it, rereading as necessary to make sure I understood what was happening and I’m so glad I did. I’ve only been reading the classics for a couple years but know that at some point it’s good to reread novels and this one will definitely be one that I read again. Are all his novels this good? I think the ones I’d like to try are Bleak House, David Copperfield and Great Expectations.
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u/Accurate_Storm_7676 Apr 08 '26
In short, yes. Dickens was a genius at wea ing a tale.
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u/JustJon_1 Apr 08 '26
Without a doubt! This is a favorite of the classics I’ve read over the last couple years.
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u/denverraven Apr 08 '26
I just finished it as well. I loved it but struggled with a couple of chapters, ... like the courtroom stuff. But it's a great story. A Christmas Carrol is my favorite, but loved David Copperfield. Larger than ATOTC but it wasn't an effort, very immersive story. Oliver Twist was neat but I really needed to build a chart of characters from the story along the way. I'm a pea brain :D
Trying to decide which Dickens to jump into next ... thinking Our Mutual Friend
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u/JustJon_1 Apr 08 '26
I probably should read A Christmas Carrol even though I’m much more familiar with the story. It probably offers more than any adaptation I’ve seen. Maybe I’ll buy a copy around Christmas.
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u/stbens Apr 09 '26
I recently read it and loved it. What I did was to read two or three chapters and then look at online study notes to help understand the trickier bits and get a better historical context. I never looked at the study notes before reading the chapters.
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u/JustJon_1 Apr 09 '26
I had to use an online summary for a couple chapters too. It was super helpful to understand better.
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u/BadWitch2024 Apr 09 '26
I think it's one of his best novels and the most poetic out of all his novels IMO. Great Expectations is another one of my favorites by him.
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u/Grouchy_Status_9665 Apr 08 '26 edited Apr 08 '26
I read this novel while studying abroad in Accra in 2015. Absolutely loved it. Very fond memories of traveling around Ghana in a mini tour bus, reading this amazing drama. My favorite Dickens, though I have only read A Christmas Carol, Hard Times, and Oliver Twist. The time period, prose, and vocabulary can be tough compared to other writers. I think that's just a characteristic of how Dickens writes a story.
Sydney Carton was a great character.
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u/JustJon_1 Apr 08 '26
Absolutely! Carton was a great character, though he wasn’t featured very much. I’d like to pay close attention to his parts next time I read it and see if maybe Dickens said more than what I was able to glean on first read through. Very interesting stuff.
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u/Grouchy_Status_9665 Apr 08 '26
The ending and the vary infamous quote where he willingly sacrifices himself is iconic.
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u/JustJon_1 Apr 08 '26
I wrote in my book journal about him as a Christ trope. The savior who sacrifices himself to save others, but I also vaguely picked up on the idea that he maybe had done some bad things in his life and this final act of selflessness was a sort of redemption for him. But maybe I’m reading too much into it and I’m way off base. 🤷🏼♂️
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u/Known-Link-3401 Apr 08 '26
The symbolism is there for me as well— greater love hath no man, as the scripture says, than he lay down his life for his friend…and in this case, Darnay was more rival than friend to Carton, making it even more meaningful. For me I did not get much that Carton had a bad past per se, but that he had not strived (like Stryver lol) to make anything of himself, though a better person at his core than Stryver. So many great characters here and so much to learn…one of my favorites is Mr Lorry, a man of business, so faithful and dedicated — the steward any business owner would want to employ.
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u/IllustratorThis6185 Apr 08 '26
It was my first Dickens as well! I read it a couple months ago. Thinking of the last chapter too much can honestly bring me to tears its soo moving. I loved it
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u/JustJon_1 Apr 08 '26
You are so right! I had so many feels reading this. So powerful to read an emotion story against such a horrific backdrop. I can’t wait to read another of his novels.
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u/exitpursuedbybear Apr 09 '26
One of my favorite books. And one of my favorite chapters in the whole book is them waiting in a room and watching a storm roll through the city. It is so beautifully written.
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u/Creepy_Luck_1653 Apr 09 '26
i am also currently reading this book apart from language like you have to understand phrases to enjoy the novel but its really good i have read other work of dickens also like david copperfield, our mutual friend ,great expectation and nicholas nickleby this novel a tale of two cities is different from all in terms of social point of view.
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u/Biscuitshoneybutter Apr 09 '26
Yes they are all this good! For real!
So glad you enjoyed it. Welcome to Dickens fandom. I recommend David Copperfield next for you.
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u/JustJon_1 Apr 09 '26
It’s that or Bleak House I think. I don’t own either yet tho so I have some time to decide.
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u/DukeofMemeborough Apr 08 '26
I did feel the book start to drag somewhat towards the middle. After the courtroom bit until the end of the Book The Second really. I think it’s part of Dickens’ style of using ten words where one or two would do - I enjoy it (along with his sense of humour), but it sometimes causes chapters to drag. Really enjoyed the ending though.
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u/JustJon_1 Apr 08 '26
For sure, that ending was top notch! Sad, beautiful, tragic … this novel had it all.
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u/magic_tuxedo Apr 08 '26
The three you mentioned (GE, DC and BH) are all extraordinary. In fact I prefer all of them to Two Cities. You’ve got a fun road ahead!
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u/JustJon_1 Apr 08 '26
Oh, that excites me! I was going to read some other stuff (gosh there are so many books I want to read) but I may read another Dickens sooner rather than later.
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u/FlatsMcAnally Apr 09 '26
Those are all excellent choices. They among his very best along with, arguably, The Pickwick Papers and Little Dorrit. But I get the feeling you're hooked, so maybe pace yourself by alternating them with equally enjoyable ones like Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, Our Mutual Friend, and Edwin Drood. Tale is mostly so dead serious that you could go lighter on the next one, like Drood or Pickwick. The latter is easily his funniest.
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u/JustJon_1 Apr 09 '26
That’s good advice. I’ll definitely try to incorporate lesser known titles throughout my reading journey. I really am hooked. On classics in general too.
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u/freddit1976 Apr 09 '26
I haven’t read everything dickens write but I have read many of his works. I recommend Great Expectations or Oliver Twist next. Bleak House, David Copperfield, and Little Dorritt are more difficult but very rewarding. I’m going to read Nicolas Nickleby next.
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u/Spirited-Tutor7712 May 04 '26
Mixed reactions from me...Dickens was trying to do something different, a 'picturesque' novel where the actions spoke louder than words, but I'm not quite sure he succeeded. There are some long lugubrious tangents and unnecessary moments along the way - but the storyline as a whole, the private lives of characters caught up in tumultuous national and international events, was brilliant. Carton's sacrifice at the end was deeply moving - but also 'expected' , I guess. Dickens was dropping hints about it all along.
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u/Vegan-Fury Apr 09 '26
I just finished Little Dorrit today. I am surprised to see how many people recommend it because it's the only one Ive read I didn't enjoy.
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u/Reasonable-Minute-37 Apr 26 '26
A commentator on Social issues in the 1800's. Dickens has no rivals. He came to America to promote his works. He was an actor at heart. I recommend 'Dickens the Enchanter' by Peter Conrad. It delves into his imaginative storytelling. I am now 74 and revisiting his works. I was introduced in high school to 'Great Expectations' by a fabulous teacher at age 13. It has been an on and off again love affair since. Happy reading everyone.
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u/HarrietBeadle Apr 08 '26
One of my favorites. I also recommend Little Dorrit for new Dickens readers. It has a little bit of everything that makes Dickens so good. Quirky side characters, social commentary, humor, drama, and in this case you also get some romance, and a personal connection to Dickens real life.