A Tale of Two Cities
Dickens's most concentrated novel and his answer to Carlyle's history of the French Revolution — a popular epic of the Terror that imprinted the Revolution on the Anglophone imagination for a century.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…”
Why It Matters
Dickens's most concentrated novel and his answer to Carlyle's history of the French Revolution — a popular epic of the Terror that imprinted the Revolution on the Anglophone imagination for a century. The opening line is one of the most-recognized in literature; Sydney Carton is one of the great romantic-tragic figures.
The 
Take
Personal reviewSolid plot but took a while to get going. Backdrop of the reign of terror was nice. I liked it better than bleak house but not nearly as much as copperfield. Some of the characters weren’t that believable
Notable Quotes
“It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.”
“I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss.”