A review by sarah_dietrich
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I loved this the first time I read it, but on my second read I was left unsatisfied. The first two thirds of the book were mostly exposition, without much substance. Some scenes gripped me, such as the crowd reacting when a young boy is hit by the Marquis' carriage and dies. But it usually felt like I was just waiting for the final third of the book.
The final third has some captivating sections, including the descriptions of capital punishment in the French revolution. I found that this wasn't enough to make up for my dissatisfaction with the first two thirds.