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    A Tale of Two Cities
    A Tale of Two Cities
    A Tale of Two Cities
    Audiobook13 hours

    A Tale of Two Cities

    Written by Charles Dickens

    Narrated by Simon Vance

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    About this audiobook

    This novel provides a highly charged examination of human suffering and human sacrifice, private experience and public history, during the French Revolution.



    A Tale of Two Cities is one of Charles Dickens's most exciting novels. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, it tells the story of a family threatened by the terrible events of the past. Doctor Manette was wrongly imprisoned in the Bastille for eighteen years without trial by the aristocratic authorities. Finally released, he is reunited with his daughter, Lucie, who despite her French ancestry has been brought up in London. Lucie falls in love with Charles Darnay, another expatriate, who has abandoned wealth and a title in France because of his political convictions. When revolution breaks out in Paris, Darnay returns to the city to help an old family servant, but there he is arrested because of the crimes committed by his relations. His wife, Lucie, their young daughter, and her aged father follow him across the channel, thus putting all their lives in danger.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateApr 14, 2008
    ISBN9781400176366
    Author

    Charles Dickens

    Charles Dickens was born in 1812 and grew up in poverty. This experience influenced ‘Oliver Twist’, the second of his fourteen major novels, which first appeared in 1837. When he died in 1870, he was buried in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey as an indication of his huge popularity as a novelist, which endures to this day.

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    Reviews for A Tale of Two Cities

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    7,229 ratings223 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This book changed my view of Charles Dickens and initiated my interest in his books. And the book has one of the greatest opening lines of all time.
    • 5/5
      I always think of this novel whenever I watch Casablanca. If you've seen it, you might notice a few similarities in their plots, with the striking part being the redeeming sacrifices in their endings, done on account of love. When Rick Blaine lets Isla Lund go off with Victor Laszlo, both proponents of a problematic love triangle, I see Sydney Carton being led to the guillotine to die instead of Charles Darnay, both of whom are in love with Lucy Manette. In both cases, you could easily argue that the former loves more than the latter, and that's why that one has to be the one to die for it, because it's the only way to save the girl. "Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own", as Heinlein put it in Stranger in a Strange Land, but I would go so far as to say that love is putting another's happiness above your own, in effect, eradicating your own happiness if necessary. Would a parent do any less for her or his child? Sure, it's unfair, but love often happens that way.
    • 4/5
       That took much longer than it needed to. I think I got the gist but now I need to watch the 1935 version just to make sure.

      "I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul"

      "I hope you care to be recalled to life?"

      "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we have everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authories insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only"
    • 4/5
      In a Nutshell: This Dickens classic isn’t for all, with its complicated plotline that comes together slowly but neatly. However, to those who enjoy classics based on historical and political events, it offers plenty of satisfaction.

      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Skipping my usual ‘Story Synopsis’ as I am sure most people already know this book. To those who don’t, please read the blurb.


      Just like ‘David Copperfield’, this book also was one of my childhood reads, courtesy my school’s classic reading list. The abridged version I read was enough to keep me fascinated, right until the end, which, I still remember, caught me by surprise. Until then, I hadn’t realised that *young* main characters could die in books! (A reading of ‘Little Women’ a few months later confirmed that authors could be brutal with their creations.)

      When I saw this audiobook come up on NetGalley, it offered a great way of checking out the complete version of the classic. Moreover, I have been reading one unabridged classic every year since 2020, so I might as well get done with the 2024 classic right at the start of the year.

      I guess I remembered the childhood version of this story with too much optimistic nostalgia. The unabridged version is far more convoluted in its journey, with extended social comments about the history, the society, and the politics of France and England in the 1770s. The story is set in the late 18th century against the background of the French Revolution, and it seems to critique both extremes: the indifferent royals and the wild revolutionaries.

      Dickens is known to be a character-focussed author, so the character development is as impeccable as always. But his plotting skills are truly visible and proven through this work. So many intricate arcs and varied characters, and yet, the culmination of the story does justice to all threads, though not necessarily in a happy way. The way Dickens recreates the setting and atmosphere of the era is almost true to life.

      That said, this Dickens work has never been my top favourite and I don't think I'll reread this full-length edition in future. I am glad I read it, but I am equally glad that it is done and dusted with. The slow-developing story with its strong political tone was very much a test of my patience. What also doesn’t help is that some of the elements haven’t aged well. The representation of women characters, as with most Dickens novels, is typical of his time, and keeping your eyes from rolling while reading those words in 2023 is a chore.

      Regardless, this book has one of the all-time best opening lines! I have always loved the way this book sets off its journey, and hearing those words even umpteen times later gives me goose bumps. For my own rereading pleasure, pasting those lines here:
      “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”


    • 5/5
      Charles Dickens' novels are brilliant and The Tale of Two Cities is probably one of the best ones I have read. The audio version here is of total excellence and a work of art executed by the reader. I would say that the reader brought the novel to life to the extent that it urges one on to listen to the end of this incredible story.
    • 5/5
      Such a timeless story. Human nature just doesn’t change. Wonderful narration. Brilliant storytelling by Dickens
    • 4/5
      Maybe not Dickens' best, but reading it is like visting an old friend. You tell the same old stories, laugh at the same old jokes, and find it endlessly entertaining and comforting. And is there anything quite so dramatic as the conversation between Jerry Cruncher & Mrs. Pross as Madame DeFarge approaches?
    • 2/5
      Documentair zeker waardevol, maar als roman echt mislukt.Geen doorlopende verhaallijn: de stukjes lijken nergens naar toe te voeren.Stilistisch: soms opflakkerend, maar over het algemeen flauw; overdreven toepassing van de spiegelingstechniek (Londen-Parijs, Darnay-Carton)nogal doorzichtig-sociaal gedreven
    • 5/5
      A well read version of a timeless classic! Highly recommend!
    • 3/5
      Probably nothing I can say that hasn't been said before: a socially-conscious novel from Dickens full of gorgeous description and startling passages of anger against the inhumanity of man. Particularly interesting to read in 2016, as the Arab world recovers from several years of revolution and the English-speaking Western world faces some surprising outsider politicians.

      Coming along in 1859, after Dickens had spent a couple of years primarily enjoying the theatre lifestyle and working for the betterment of sick children, it seems as if CD felt the need to write a historical novel to cleanse some personal creative desires. His 12th novel (and 20th important work), Two Cities doesn't seem to follow logically from the works that precede it. Unlike most of Dickens' novels, the characters here are particularly wooden (Lucie Manette just seems to faint a lot, really, and Dr. Manette and Charles exist primarily for things to happen to them) and the plot rather straightforward. I've seen it likened to Barnaby Rudge but I somewhat disagree; that book still had a lot of typical Dickensian aspects to it, even if it was ultimately a "historical novel" like this one. Still, it's a quick and entertaining read, with plenty of alternating sentimentalism and anger. The two most redeeming characters - Madame Defarge and Miss Pross - make it all worthwhile. How can anyone not adore a woman so English she refuses to cross the Channel? And Sydney Carton's final internal monologue is every bit the equal of that powerful first paragraph. Sydney is not as developed a character as those who came before, but this seems in part because he is seen through other people's eyes so often. Nevertheless, the desire to start him off so unlikable and gradually create his portrait is admirable.

      The relatively few bits of humour in the novel are less successful, because Cruncher lacks the human elements of previous grotesques but also lacks the purely "fantastic" elements that allow us to separate our sense of morals from our respect for their self-preservation. Miss Pross is good for a few laughs, admittedly! Still, for the kind of work it is, A Tale of Two Cities is a dashing good read nonetheless. Now on to the final black spot in my knowledge of his books: Our Mutual Friend!
    • 5/5
      This was a Superb reading of this treasured classic story
    • 4/5
      I love History, but this was a tad too slow.
    • 4/5
      A drunkard loser lawyer is pulled into the drama of the Darnay family, who foolishly returned to post-revolutionary France. Sydney Carton defends them as best he can, but the wheels of revolution and vengeance will not be stopped for long.
      My second favorite Dickens novel.
    • 1/5
      Dry and boring all.... the.... way .... through ?
    • 4/5
      I started this book for two main reasons. First, I read Great Expectations last year for the second time and love it. Second, I teach A.P. European History and we study the French Revolution in detail each year. Since this book is the classic novel of the time period, it only makes sense that I read it. Now that I am finished, I am truly glad that I chose to read the book. Dickens does a fantastic job of bringing out the emotions and chaos of Paris during the Reign of Terror. From the blind hatred and violence of the Defarges and their fellow "citizens", to the love and heartache of the Manette and Darnay families, I felt immersed and connected with all the characters involved. It is easy to read the history books and learn all about the Revolution, but living the story through the mind of Dickens has given me a real appreciation of what it was like.
    • 4/5
      “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. It was the age of wisdom. It was the age of foolishness. It was the epoch of believe. It was the epoch of incredulity. It was the season of light. It was the season of darkness. It was the spring of hope. It was the winter of despair. We had everything before us. We had nothing before us. We were all going direct to heaven. We were all going direct the other way.” The Tale of Two Cities was originally serialized in the author's own periodical All the Year Round beginning in 1859. Dickens uses a period of history roughly 70 years earlier to parallel present times. He is warning England of the dangers of revolution as occurred in the French Revolution. Doing history was a way of capturing the pressure of the time. "The weight of this time must we obey; Speak what we feel and not what we aught to say."As one who likes the detail with which Dickens develops a story, I did seem to get bogged down in the middle of a Tale of Two Cities. The point in the story where everyone is confessing his love for Lucie seemed to stall for me. I was already there with most of the characterization that was being portrayed by these various confessions. “In the hour of my death, I shall hold sacred the one good remembrance—and shall thank and bless you for it—that my last avowal of myself was made to you, and that my name, and faults, and miseries were gently carried in your heart. May it otherwise be light and happy!” Sydney Carton has resurrected his poor drudged self into a savior for the love of remembrance. Memory plays a key role in this history of the French Revolution as seen through the eyes of an English novelist 70 years later. It is the memory of the evils of nobility that forge the vengeance that the Defarges shape into Revolution. As in many of Dickens novels, memory in a Tale of Two Cities revolves around one event that the main characters share in. It’s a small world after all.Recalled to LifeAs Dr. Manette was buried alive so did Charles Evremonde bury his past to become Charles Darnay only to join Dr. Manette’s earlier fate. But, there is the ever-present Jerry Cruncher to dig him out again. It seems all the characters experienced individual resurrection of some sort or other. By the end of the novel, Darnay is one of three characters that have experienced a spiritual rebirth, and it is resurrection with decidedly Christian overtones that comprises the salient theme of the novel. Intertwined together in the theme of resurrection and renewal, life, death and rebirth in this story of the French Revolution. Dickens implores his readers to undertake their own spiritual renewal, to shun the desire for revenge and to act in a spirit of Christian compassion and self-sacrifice towards those in their midst.
    • 4/5
      While I initially struggled to understand this book, I was very glad I stuck with the text and fought through my lack of comprehension. While Dickens is a rather verbose writer, I enjoyed his attention to detail and description as I became increasingly connected with the characters and events of the story. Dickens did an incredible job describing the utter wretched state of the poorer classes in France. The rising tide of anger and frustration amongst this group made me think about how this type of revolution could occur right here in the United States, with the rich becoming wealthier and the poor and middle class, shouldering the tax burdens moreso.I did find the relationship between Charles Darnay and Lucie Manette very predictable. However, I was glad that this relationship did in fact occur, as Charles' character and morals were best suited for someone who could share them. The love between Charles and Lucie was believable and, while Lucie was a tender-hearted woman, she had a wealth of strength and resolve which helped her withstand the challenges of her mentally ill father and later, her imprisoned husband.Women, while second-rate citizens, really were instrumental in the development of this story. Lucie was truly, one of the strongest characters. Her innocence, faith and compassion allowed her to aid in the healing of her father and extend mercy to Mr. Stryver. Lucie also loved Mr. Lorry and made him feel as though he had a daughter and was able to share in a love that was important to him, as he became older. Lucie's character was also instrumental in Miss Pross' actions at the end of the story. The love and devotion between these two women were strong bonds which kept them connected and willing to lay down their lives for each other. Madam Defarge, while often found knitting in her husband's wine shop, was instrumental in the revolution of the Saint Antoine neighborhood and the killing of many aristocrats of that area. She and the Vengeance, together, led the women of St. Antoine to take up arms and revolt against those who had made their lives miserable. Sadly, these women became misdirected in their hatred of the aristocracy and began thirsting for the blood of innocent men and women."A Tale of Two Cities" is a fine work of art. While it revealed the emerging events of the French Revolution, it revealed quite a bit about the human condition. Lest we learn that materialism and the hunger for wealth are meaningless, we too, are destined to find ourselves faced with a revolution of some sort. It is humility and compassion, such as demonstrated by Lucie and Charles, that we should all embrace.
    • 5/5
      Great historical dramatic Dickens novel read by a great narrator!!!
    • 5/5
      It was the best of times, it was the worse of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness… Thus starts one of my favorite books. This could have been written today, for it is so appropriate to our times! And who doesn’t know the first words of Dicken’s “Tale of Two Cities”? Well, actually I had never read it—English not being my mother tongue—and am very glad I do now. What a marvelous book. (I actually read about it in Mrs. Kantor’s excellent “Politically Incorrect Guide to English and American Literature.”) This is the story of love’s redeeming qualities: it purifies the soul, it saves the lost—the best of times; it is also the story of the horrors of the French Revolution and its many excesses and crimes—the worse of times… A tale of love and hate, of the duality of human soul, but also the endurance of good. The movies I watched based upon this book could not perfectly recreate the beauty of its very touching end: one must read it to understand its meaning in the author's own words. Dickens was certainly a Christian man and everywhere we find mentions of God; but I am inclined to believe this will not be an impediment to the agnostic or the atheist readers. Definitely a must read for its literary quality, its lessons and the unmistakable Dickensonian style.
    • 3/5
      A lot of it was boring and too dragged on.
    • 3/5
      Charles dickens only wrote one historical novel, and this is it. It is hard to find a year when there is not a new edition of this work. The plot hinges on the very odd occasion of twp men, not linked genetically, who are identical twins. They are contrasted, the favoured one, who is monied and blessed with the love of a beautiful girl, and the other who is a self made lawyer's clerk. they are finally acquainted, and the less well off person, chooses to sacrifice himself so that the well-to-do one may continue his pampered existence. Not a favourite plot of mine. There is a reasonable attempt to cover some of the incidents of the French revolution, but it does not shine in that area. The book was first published in 1859.
    • 5/5
      I'm glad I finished this book. Let's be honest, I almost want to give up on this one, yet I loved this book. The main reason I almost gave up was for the dumb fact I read a Victorian book during the summer. Note to self, don't read Victorian books during the summer. Should have stuck with my easy reads. OH WELL! At least I gave myself a challenge.

      With that said, I do like this book a lot. If this didn't take place during the French Revolution, I'd think I'd be bored with it. Some people like the characters in this novel, to me that the only fault I found. I didn't really care for any of them. Inset what I liked about this book was the time period. It kept the story interesting and it was a character on it's own.

      I wish Dickens wouldn't add so many characters in his book some times. I like the names he uses and usually like the main character, but the other characters he creates aren't very interesting in my mind. and like I said before, this one is an example of that.

      A Christmas Carol is the only other Dickens thing I read before this and liked that better. It was easier to follow and the character I liked better too. I still liked A Tale of Two Cities, but he could of cut out some of his characters in this one.

      I still think this is a book everyone should read. Let's face it if you don't know the first line in this book, then I question your reading material. Can't say this is Dickens best work (cause it's not my favorite out of the two I read), but I love his writing style in this one.
    • 5/5
      Why has it taken me so long to go back and read this incredible book?
    • 4/5
      Lucy & Charles, Dr. Minette, and the menacing de Farge's. Hearing it, rather than reading it, helped me get through this classic with some understanding of the plot and what was going on. I will have to try some other Dickens because I really enjoyed this one!
    • 4/5
      An actual thriller. Loved it and cried.
    • 5/5
      Historical Fiction set during the Terror of the French Revolution by Charles Dickens; although starting at a slow pace, and sometimes exhibiting a confusing change of time and setting, by the time you reach Book III it really takes off and beats out any modern Hollywood action drama film by far. Aside from having perhaps two of the most well known literary quotations at the beginning and end of the book, it is a classic in how it deals with the nature of human perseverance during the darkness of times, the nature of sacrifice, and fickleness of the mob versus the solidity of individual principle. A book more relevant for our time than I'd like. A must read.
    • 5/5
      Classic book drama. What an wonderful story of treason, romance, and danger.
    • 4/5
      One of my all-time favourites, because of Dicken's political and social insight, and because of how the story ends with a man's ultimate sacrifice for the sake of love.
    • 1/5
      Too longwinded. Gave up.
    • 5/5
      A historical fiction novel from Dickens which follows a group of characters in London and Paris at the start of the French Revolution. The story follows a group of characters including an ex-prisoner of the Bastille who is dealing with the after effects of his imprisonment; a French nobleman who is trying to break free of his high social status and a pair of revolutionaries (one of whom knits constantly). There is an interesting mix of characters and the street riots along with the storming of the Bastille were exceptional. The juxtaposition of the two cities is reflected in the characters, and the heartless and brutal nature of the revolution is reflected in the story.