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rattledragons's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
raxorrr's review against another edition
4.0
4.0 stars
The best of Charles Dickens I have read up till now. Each chapter is incredibly vivid and raw. The third book makes it worth reading the lengthy introduction.
The best of Charles Dickens I have read up till now. Each chapter is incredibly vivid and raw. The third book makes it worth reading the lengthy introduction.
kaulhilo's review against another edition
5.0
read this again after 7 years and god, the amount of things that didn’t click the first time i read it (granted, i was 15 but still). this really is a book that keeps giving.
mandyfish's review against another edition
5.0
If you only read one Dickens' novel, read this one. It's Dickens at his best.
grace2age's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
As good as literature gets. Despite a little bit of a language barrier, since the book was written in the 19th century, I still found all the characters highly relatable. Dickens, obviously, is a master writer and storyteller, and understands his characters on a level not many writers do. It can be a slow read, at times, but it’s completely worth the effort.
ec_newman's review against another edition
4.0
The first time I read this was in ninth grade and most of it was covered while in class (I don’t believe we read a lot at home). I remember it being difficult and it taking a really long time, so long that we had to rush through reading Romeo & Juliet to end the school year.
I also remember really liking the story, enough that I’ve tried to read several Dickens’ novels since without much luck. I get lost in the verbosity and often just give up. But since I was teaching it, it was nice to come back to it with an adult’s eyes and see just how good it really is.
Getting my students to read it was/is a challenge. They see the dozens and dozens of words (uncommon words) and they shut down. I’ll have to figure out a better way to present the work for next year because this year didn’t go as well as I wish it had.
But the story still gets me. It takes ages for it to really pick up in plot because so much of the beginning seems unnecessary to a modern reader, but you need all of that exposition and knowledge of the characters and their experiences to make the ending hit like it does. And I totally teared up. Even knowing how it all ends.
I enjoyed going through it, catching the foreshadowing (so much) and symbolism. I dislike Lucie Manette because she’s as good and dull as can possibly be (Victorian ideals, I suppose), but I love Sydney Carton even though I’m sure I wouldn’t want a person like him in my life. My students were upset at how his story ends, but it had to end that way or he wouldn’t be the great character that he is in British Literature.
I’m glad I had the opportunity to reread A Tale of Two Cities because I’d always wanted to after ninth grade, but I’m not great at picking up classics to reread just on a whim. I need incentive.
I also remember really liking the story, enough that I’ve tried to read several Dickens’ novels since without much luck. I get lost in the verbosity and often just give up. But since I was teaching it, it was nice to come back to it with an adult’s eyes and see just how good it really is.
Getting my students to read it was/is a challenge. They see the dozens and dozens of words (uncommon words) and they shut down. I’ll have to figure out a better way to present the work for next year because this year didn’t go as well as I wish it had.
But the story still gets me. It takes ages for it to really pick up in plot because so much of the beginning seems unnecessary to a modern reader, but you need all of that exposition and knowledge of the characters and their experiences to make the ending hit like it does. And I totally teared up. Even knowing how it all ends.
I enjoyed going through it, catching the foreshadowing (so much) and symbolism. I dislike Lucie Manette because she’s as good and dull as can possibly be (Victorian ideals, I suppose), but I love Sydney Carton even though I’m sure I wouldn’t want a person like him in my life. My students were upset at how his story ends, but it had to end that way or he wouldn’t be the great character that he is in British Literature.
I’m glad I had the opportunity to reread A Tale of Two Cities because I’d always wanted to after ninth grade, but I’m not great at picking up classics to reread just on a whim. I need incentive.
chachized's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0