Book Cover of A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities

by Charles Dickens

Its immortal opening lines, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." set the stage for a sweeping narrative that combines drama, glory, honor, history, romance, brutality, sacrifice and resurrection. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is one of the most widely read and famous works of historical fiction in the English language. Dickens had recently launched his magazine All the Year Round in 1859. In the same year, he began featuring A Tale of Two Cities in 31 weekly installments in his new magazine. The book was eventually combined into a single copy and split into three major sections as it is presented today. In this epic tale of love and tragedy set during the turbulent times of the French Revolution in 1789, the motif of two's appears constantly as opposing sides of the same coin. London and Paris are the two cities, Sidney Carton and Charles Darnay are the two heroes, Lucie Manette and Madame Defarge are the pure and evil women respectively, and these along with shadows and darkness, sacrifice and dishonor, brutality and spirituality form the recurring dual motifs in the novel. Sidney Carton, a young, debauched and dissolute English barrister defends a young French aristocrat Charles Darnay accused of treason in London. The two bear a striking resemblance to each other. Lucie Manette, a lovely young French girl and her father Dr. Manette, who had suffered under the atrocities of the nobility in France, now live a quiet life in London. Charles and Lucie are in love, but Sidney Carton also falls in love with her. Meanwhile in France, the storm of revolution is about to break. A wine store owner and Dr. Manette's former servant, Monsieur Defarge, leads the revolutionaries. His wife, Madame Defarge is a vicious woman who revels in cruelty. She too has suffered under the aristocratic regime and now seeks to destroy all those who persecuted her. Charles Darnay returns to Paris to rescue an old servant of his who has been captured by the revolutionaries. He is captured by the rebels and condemned to be executed by guillotine. The story then takes several dramatic twists and turns before reaching its final and most unexpected conclusion. As one of the most exciting and deeply moving stories penned by a brilliant and gifted story teller, A Tale of Two Cities is indeed a riveting and unforgettable experience for readers of all ages.

Book Details

Language

English

Original Language

English

Published In

1859

Author

Charles Dickens image

Charles Dickens created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. Charles John Huffam Dickens was born on 7 February 18...

More on Charles Dickens

Listen/Download Audiobook

Read by:
00:00
Playback Speed 1.0
00:00
  • Select Speed

Related books

El juguete rabioso Cover image

El juguete rabioso by Roberto Arlt

"Adéntrate en las calles crudas de Buenos Aires y embárcate en un salvaje viaje a través de la mente turbulenta de un joven desilusionado en la cauti...

Inside the Lines Cover image

Inside the Lines by Earl Derr Biggers

A young woman finds herself trapped in a dangerous game of espionage on the eve of World War I. Inside the Lines is a thrilling spy novel by Earl Der...

The Grandfathers' War Cover image

The Grandfathers' War by Murray Leinster

In a time-bending tale that defies the boundaries of space and generations, "The Grandfathers' War" by Murray Leinster immerses readers in a thrilling...

I Will Repay Cover image

I Will Repay by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

I Will Repay was written by Baroness Emmuska Orczy and originally published in 1906, this is a sequel novel to the Scarlet Pimpernel. The second Pimpe...

Damon and Delia Cover image

Damon and Delia by William Godwin

In a world where love is often dictated by social status and wealth, Damon and Delia by William Godwin dares to defy convention and explore the depths...

The Story of Avis  Cover image

The Story of Avis by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps

This is the story of a woman who possesses the talent and the discipline to become a great artist, but who loses the opportunity when she finally agre...

The Iron Heel Cover image

The Iron Heel by Jack London

The Iron Heel is a science fiction novel by American writer Jack London, first published in 1908.

The Sleeper Awakes Cover image

The Sleeper Awakes by H. G. Wells

The Sleeper Awakes is a dystopian science fiction novel by English writer H. G. Wells, about a man who sleeps for two hundred and three years, waking...

Doctor Luttrell's First Patient Cover image

Doctor Luttrell's First Patient by Rosa Nouchette Carey

In the heart of Victorian London, a young and ambitious doctor's life takes an unexpected turn when he encounters a mysterious patient with a secret t...

A Poor Wise Man Cover image

A Poor Wise Man by Mary Roberts Rinehart

A Poor Wise Man is a timeless classic that takes readers on a captivating journey through the challenges of life, the pursuit of justice, and the powe...

Reviews for A Tale of Two Cities

ALL REVIEWS: Really Favorable (2)

Melchizedek

Posted: 10 months ago

Recommended

Different Era

Thought provoking

Umer T.

Posted: 2 years ago

Recommended