Review of "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens

A TALE OF TWO CITIES  ★★★★☆

by Charles Dickens

What an unexpected ride that was.

This is definitely not my first Dickens book; I've already read several others before, and thus far, I considered Great Expectations as my favorite. I was expecting that A Tale of Two Cities would change that opinion, this being primarily a love story and all (I am a sucker for romance, just so you know), but while I was reading, I wasn't too impressed.

When I was about halfway the third book, I told myself that Great Expectations still held the dearest place in my heart. I didn't find the romance in this novel sufficient for my liking; after Lucie and Charles had married, I thought that no other predicament could be encountered in their relationship anymore, thus I supposed I wouldn't have a touch for romance any longer. After all, Sidney Carton didn't seem like someone who'd suddenly interfere in their love for each other. I was disappointed with Dickens; for a novel so famously branded as "romance," it wasn't enough. Sadly, I didn't get what I was hoping for.

But then again, perhaps that's what made everything stand out. A good romance isn't merely about love triangles and such. Sometimes, one has to break the conventions and shine on its own right.

I'll talk more about that later. For now, I'll devote a few paragraphs for the characters in the story. I find some flaws in the way Dickens wove some of his characters; in this case, the problem is Lucie. She was just too perfect, too nice, too caring - she didn't seem to embody any fault; there basically wasn't anything disagreeable about her. The whole time I was reading, I found her character very suffocating, and it was a bit of a struggle to read her flowery and polished statements. But if her person wasn't too pleasing, the other women were commendable. The intimidating and domineering figure of Madame Defarge is an exemplary example. You could almost feel her coldness and apathy oozing out from the pages. And, of course, there was Miss Pross. That amazing, brave, and devoted woman - who wouldn't admire her?

For the other characters, I initially liked Charles Darnay, perhaps because of his rather rebellious air. I considered Sidney Carton too insignificant to garner my attention, and how very wrong I was. Anyway, as the novel progress, my admiration for Darnay began to dwindle; he too was becoming perfect. On the other hand, I suddenly became to notice Carton. When he headed to Lucie to confess his love, I was thoroughly irked. I liked Darnay to end up with Lucie then, I wanted the former to be happy after his struggle...but then again, after that chapter, my attention has wholly focused to Carton.

I think, I just found my favorite character so far in Dickens's books. His faults, his flaws, they all made him so human. Toward the end of the novel, when he visited Darnay in his cell, and when the enormity of what he was intending to do finally struck me, I was rendered speechless. Goosebumps dotted my arms, I was too stunned to go on, so much so that I closed the book and paused for a few minutes. He was ready to sacrifice his life, for someone he loved whom he knew he could never have. If thatwasn't enough romance, then I don't know what is. It's the very existence of Sidney Carton that made this novel very gripping and very powerful.

About majority of the time while I was reading, I was already ready to give this three stars, but as already mentioned, the conclusion changed that for me. Although it ended very tragically (as compared to his other works), it was the best choice for a conclusion. I didn't like the second book; I was confused on some parts and the other didn't make much sense. Of course, the third book was my favorite. It made me question humanity, too, especially in that instance when Darnay was freed because of the Doctor's influence - suddenly I felt Lucie's doubts and found logic in Madame Defarge's reasoning. Indeed, what about the others who weren't as lucky, but were as innocent as Darnay? 

But I didn't agree in most of Madame Defarge's point-of-view, of course. She was the embodiment of the crowd surrounding the La Guillotine - although it was wrong to kill the innocent, they'd agree to it, primarily to satiate their intense hunger for blood. It was the exact case with Madame Defarge, she had been too much blinded by her need for revenge, by her grim past, that she failed to distinguish the right and the wrong. A Tale of Two Cities was a powerful novel, perfectly showcasing how the society, how the human mind, works in the midst of a great distress. If there's one thing this novel taught me, it's never to give up on a book. Who knows, a gem might be hiding underneath, waiting to discovered. And the gem that I stumbled upon in the midst of all those mess is something that I will forever cherish.