A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

This was quite a book. It was not an easy read. Dickens was the most popular writer of his time. This book first appeared in a serialization in his own magazine published over a series of months in 1859.

The book takes quite some time to make sense. There is a backstory to many of the characters and with patience it all does tie together.

Charles Darnay a young Frenchman who renounces his title and moves to England to make it on his own. He meets a young woman whose father also has a tie to a common past. The story centers much of the time on The French Revolution and indeed the Revolution is the backdrop.

There are many allegoric references in this book. Christianity is a backdrop and certainly the character of Sydney Carton is one of the truest to Christian theology. Carton was not a man who had accomplished much with his life, in fact he had not been the person he wished he had been. In love with Miss Manette, the good doctor's daughter he realizes it will be an unrequited love.

I saw the end coming and the twist with about one hundred pages left but many may not. The end of the book certainly contains allegory to Christian sacrifice and the horror of The French Revolution is made apparent.

It is hard to talk about all that happens in this book and certainly do not want to give up the ending.

This book is an investment in time but once you get into it the payoff is there. Dickens is not Shakespeare but he is not Stephen King either. His writing takes effort to enjoy. This is a great book.