118 pages • 3 hours read
Charles Dickens, Richard MaxwellA Tale of Two Cities
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1859A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, is set in London and Paris before the French Revolution and follows banker Jarvis Lorry and Lucie Manette as they rescue her imprisoned father, Dr. Manette, and bring him to England. Years later, Lucie's fiancé Charles Darnay returns to France to help an innocent man and is arrested. The melancholic lawyer Sydney Carton, who loves Lucie, devises a daring plan to save Darnay from execution. The novel contains themes of imprisonment, revolution, and sacrifice.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities is praised for its vivid portrayal of the French Revolution and profound character development, especially of Sydney Carton. However, some readers find the plot slow and convoluted. Its timeless themes of sacrifice and redemption resonate strongly, despite occasional criticism of its melodramatic moments.
Who Should Read A Tale of Two Cities?
A reader who enjoys historical dramas with rich character development and social commentary would appreciate A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. Fans of Les Misérables by Victor Hugo or War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, drawn to the exploration of societal upheaval and personal redemption, would find this novel compelling.