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rishankl's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A beautifully crafted classic. Though hard to read, depicts the life of people during the French Revolution, and has an ending that will never be forgotten.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, and War
Minor: Rape
beth_m_house's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
It was one of the more difficult books I've read in terms of the vast disregard for human life and some of the references were from an age that I am not familiar so I had to use cliff notes, especially in the beginning. The book was slow paced for me up until I got quite involved with the love story of the main couple. It really picked up in Book 3. I love the show down in Chapter 14 of Book three -- well worth the 460 pages leading up to it. Overall I liked it though it a difficult read. It was my first Dickens novel and I'm glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Genocide, and Murder
millie_eevee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Violence, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Gun violence
saint_mikael's review against another edition
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Sydney Carton didn't have the right to hurt me like that..i swear to god. A tale of two cities? MORE LIKE SYDNEY CARTON AND COMPANY
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
soph22's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
It broke my heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Alcohol
ayphyx's review
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism
argamnials's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
My first foray into literature about the revolution, and I think it will be hard to beat. It damns and sympathizes with the revolution all in one breath, and gives it the credit due as the most alive time in history (for most), while not saying away from its frenzied bloodlust.
The characters are excellently written - Sydney Carton is one of my new favorite characters in literature, as is Madame Defarge. Mr. Lorry is a fantastic foil to the passion of those two, with the English sensibility turned to 10. I do think that Dickens does what most writers of the 18th and 19th centuries do, which is to exalt some characters to pure virtue - it works sometimes better than others, and in this case Dr. Manette and Lucy are both infallible. It creates good tension with the forces outside of their control, but also makes them feel just like set pieces, although set pieces around which a fantastic story are told.
Carton's sacrifice at the end was so beautiful, especially against his arm length proclamation of love earlier in the book. His ride to the guillotine in the arms of, to the reader, an absolute stranger, was one of my favorite bits of fiction I've ever read. So impactful, cried real hard.
Only taking away quarter star, due to the Manette's (Lucy especially) feeling 1 dimensional. Contrasting with the other characters, she just felt like a character who was an object for love, who was interesting only in that she's sad and beautiful.
4.75 stars for me - a book that has lasted in memory for all this time for a reason.
Beware of furiously knitting women.
The characters are excellently written - Sydney Carton is one of my new favorite characters in literature, as is Madame Defarge. Mr. Lorry is a fantastic foil to the passion of those two, with the English sensibility turned to 10. I do think that Dickens does what most writers of the 18th and 19th centuries do, which is to exalt some characters to pure virtue - it works sometimes better than others, and in this case Dr. Manette and Lucy are both infallible. It creates good tension with the forces outside of their control, but also makes them feel just like set pieces, although set pieces around which a fantastic story are told.
Only taking away quarter star, due to the Manette's (Lucy especially) feeling 1 dimensional. Contrasting with the other characters, she just felt like a character who was an object for love, who was interesting only in that she's sad and beautiful.
4.75 stars for me - a book that has lasted in memory for all this time for a reason.
Beware of furiously knitting women.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Violence
bookstore_plantlover's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
quixie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The opening and closing lines of this novel are just incredible, so is the plot. The prose was bit hard to get through, and I didn’t connect much with the characters. Also, I felt that the book could have been 1/3 shorter. There were several ghastly scenes that made me audibly gasp and I learned a lot about the French Revolution. Overall, incredible book, just a little difficult to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, and Gun violence
Minor: Alcohol
not_nosferatu's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Death
Minor: Rape