I'm reading
A Tale of Two Cities for my book group. Here are just a few thoughts about the book:
- I'm kind of annoyed at how Mr. Lorry and Miss Pross (and other characters) conspire to hide events and truth from Lucie, as if she weren't strong enough or capable enough to understand them and appropriately process them.
- I found the rather matter-of-fact description of Mr. Cruncher beating his wife to rather shocking. I know the laws at the time permitted such behavior (and I know domestic violence is still epidemic in the present day) but still, it was rather horrifying.
- The description of the poverty and distress of the French people was pretty awful. I don't know what the rates of poverty are in present day. Considering other works of literature, it seems the grinding aspect of poverty wasn't eliminated because of the French Revolution.
- Some of the parallels with our present day are quite striking--the mass incarceration of people for relatively minor offenses in London could very well be a description of present day in the United States.
- Syndey Carton's character is my favorite in the book. I found his despair about his own character very sad. Somehow he found hope in finding redemption. His final act was profound and powerful.
- I LOVE redemption stories and this was packed full of redemption.
- I find Dickens easier to understand and absorb while listening rather than reading it.
- The first chapter, man.... The first sentence is one of the best I have ever read.
- So many funny moments...
- Why hasn't a current film been made of this story? It is so relevant and almost modern-despite being over 150 years old. What about a setting in Syria or the middle east?
Have you read this book? If so, what did you get out of it?
© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
