A Tale of Two Cities Audiobook

" Had to read this book in highschool, 30 years ago. I wanted my kids to hear it, and was glad they liked it. The reader makes a complicated story understandable. Very good performance. "

" One of the best books ever written! "

" I finally came around to reading this book and really enjoyed it. I had no idea what it was about. Yes, I supposedly studied it in school, but the Clif's Notes did not give me the same feeling as the real text. "

" This is a wonderful, thought provoking book. It takes quite a bit of effort, as the style of English is unfamiliar and lots of seemingly unimportant details turn out to be significant later. But it is a great story, with all kinds of theological themes woven in. This story will stay with me for a long time, especially Sydney Carton and his unrequited yet redemptive love for Lucie Manette. "

" I loved this book but I felt like I would have loved it more if I hadn't had to read it for class. Still a great book "

" One of the greatest novel of all time. "

" Found it quite gripping actually. Not read much Dickens, but he grabbed me with this one. "

" Somewhere between initially finding Dicken's style a little presumptively wordy and sobbing my heart out at the end, this grabbed me without me even noticing. The characters are clear and engaging, the context detailed and gritty and the plot compelling. I love a story about redemption and this also had strong elements of love and resurrection as well which I really enjoyed. It gave me a much stronger feel for the realities of the French revolution too. A top notch read. "

" Another great example of weaving disparite threads together. A bit verbose as all Dickens is but that is mostly quality writing and worth braving a bit of excess to experience. Not his best work though, even if some of the Characters like Dr Manette and Citizeness Defarge are vividly brought to life. Probably would be a lesser author's best work. "

" A great book. A must read! "

" My list of favorites includes this book. "

" Though it tested my patience in the beginning, in the end, it turned out that my patience was well rewarded. A tale of two cities was an amazing book and my heart went out to the characters who were very well portrayed. It had all the essential elements, the suspense, an interwoven plot, the romance and the perfect dark character that made the book an interesting and wonderful read.It gave an insight into the lives in England and France in the eighteenth century and the french revolution or La Guillotine. All in all, an amazing and wonderful read. "

" It was the best of books, it was the worst of books, it was a book some loved, it was a book others abhored, it was filled with sentences of eloquence, it was filled with sentences of tediousness, its chapters brought pure clarity, its chapters brought pure confusion, reading it was painless, reading it was agony, we had an entire novel before us, we had nothing before us, English teachers were going direct to paradaise, some students were going direct the other way -- in short, the book was so far unlike the present books, that some of the noisiest authorities insisted on it being read, for enjoyment or for suffering, in the superlative degree of education only. "

" I love the unexpected end ,it is a sacrified ,true love one "

" Read this driving between Paris and London - 1960 when I was 14 - thrilling! "

" I read this in my 9th grade English class. Though I understand Charles Dickens is a name to be familiar with, I cannot see why this is required in the curriculum for all 9th graders. I am not saying this was a book not worth reading, and I am certainly glad I had my teacher to help me figure out the archaic language of Dickens, but if I were asked what I learned or received from reading this book, I am not sure I'd have an answer. Other curriculum-required books such as Lord of the Flies and To Kill a Mockingbird, I can understand. A Tale of Two Cities just gave me nothing to work with and I can't see why this is so significant to high school reading. "

" I just read it twice in a row recently and I found the second reading was so much more enjoyable. You get used to the language on the first reading and it is so much easier to appreciate the story, the flow of some of the longer descriptions, etc. You realize that virtually every character is important and every sentence has a purpose, "

" Well worth a re-read, 40 years or more after I last read this masterpiece. "

" I admit I've never actually read any Dickens before, though I've seen many movie versions of A Christmas Carol etc etc and so on and so forth! Often when I finally get around to reading a classic, I find that the story isn't really what I expected ... and A Tale of Two Cities wasn't what I expected either, although I'm not quite sure what that was. In any case, I did get a bit bogged down in the language and some of the terminology (a lamplighter? Huh?) but that is my failing, not the author's. In the end, I found the story entirely compelling, very carefully plotted out, with a completely satisfying and bittersweet ending. "

" This book made such an impression on me in twelfth grade that I chose for my first aol instant messenger name North105. "

" Epic in scope, but lacked a personal connection to draw me in. The last famous last words of Carton rang hollow for me. I wish I could believe in that sort of sentiment. "

" As always, an excellent re-read. Last time I read this book was 40 years ago. "

" I hated, HATED this book. It was required reading freshmen year. The only assigned book that I resorted to using Sparknotes for that year. "

" Forget the wading through mud that I know some people find with Dickens. This is a tale superbly told. "

" One of my Favorite books for Dickens as I enjoyed the plot and the story telling of the French Revolution. the writer was able to describe the events so that you live it yourself "

" I loved this book but I felt like I would have loved it more if I hadn't had to read it for class. Still a great book "

" Dicken's writing is so clever and playful that I would probably enjoy the book without a good story behind it. ut the story and characters are pretty good, too. It looses a little bit toward the end. Archaic in some ways. "

" By far, my FAVORITE Dickens novel, behind Oliver Twist. "

" Reading this book took longer than I anticipated, but it was well worth the effort. I was surprised by the ending and ultimately discovered that I LOVED the book. I don't know if I would have enjoyed this as much if I'd read it when I was in school as I did now. I highly recommend reading this novel. "

" Imagine this book being a chessboard. Dickens spend the first 200 pages putting his pawns on the board, talking about the form and the shape of the game, but nothing moves. By the time you wonder if the game will ever start, he makes 5 moves. The last 200 pages are as fascinating as watching Kasparov put on his best play. It makes you glad you patiently waited, and didn't put the book down. It's a descent in the hell of the French revolution, and it's so monstrous that you have to remind yourself that, yes, it really did happened. It took me 2 weeks to get through the excruciating first part, 3 days for the second part. So for that reason, I will say that this novel was the worst of books, and the best of books. "

" One of Dickens' best. The build up to the ending and the ending itself are almost overwhelming. "

" This was one of those books on my bucket list of books. It wasn't a chore to get through like I thought it was going to be(only took me a week); it actually kept me turning pages and sometimes I couldn't put it down. But I didn't understand some of it and I got confused here and there; could probably use a second reading. Wishing I had taken notes of characters; some of them are introduced in the beginning and play an important role at the end. Dickens is a master of character development and so I enjoy reading him and getting to know and love the characters. In my mind, this makes up for the ever-present themes of the human condition and the miserable mortal existence. I love the theme of redemption throughout. I feel smart for having read it and would recommend it. "

" It was the best of books, and not even close to the worst of books. "

" Only book I've read several times. Best Dickens by far (except for A Christmas Carol, of course!). "

" I loved this book so much, when I finished it, I slept with it for a week! "

" Some classics read well every time. "

" One of the best novels you can learn from, words can draw pictures too. "

" The devotion of the original suspect X. A great thriller. "

" I'm a huge Dickens fan. An excellent story with strong and wonderful characters. "

" Another required reading in High School. "

" Somewhere between initially finding Dicken's style a little presumptively wordy and sobbing my heart out at the end, this grabbed me without me even noticing. The characters are clear and engaging, the context detailed and gritty and the plot compelling. I love a story about redemption and this also had strong elements of love and resurrection as well which I really enjoyed. It gave me a much stronger feel for the realities of the French revolution too. A top notch read. "

" I thought that this was one of Dickens' least impenetrable works. Engrossing, exciting, and compelling. "

" Good book, wordy and complex (but that is characteristic of Dickens). Great characters, easily recognizable symbols/motifs of the French Revolution. "

" This was slow going for me until it actually reached the French Revolution, after which I sped through to the end. "

" While I didn't really like this book, I really enjoyed reading about what felt like a behind the scenes of the incidents leading up to the french revolution. "

" One of my favorite classics! I've read it twice. "

" My favorite book of all time! "

" What a book it is a must read. Grab it "

" Yes, I know it's a classic, but my attention was always slipping from the story and the whole love story was really impossible. It made me frustrated at certain points. "

" Rather slow in places, but it all ties up beautifully towards the end. "

" Fantastic plot but I feel like it contains a lot of unnecessary words and could be more succinct and still convey everything. "

" Best novella i read in years , complex views of troubled times , yet ultimately fun "

" Great story, but it's really Simon Prebble's narration that's garnering the fifth star from me. "

" Cleverly written drama about the French Revolution, told from a British perspective. Dickens is elegant, witty, charming, and erudite in this prosodic trot from London to Paris and back and back again. "

" It was a really good book. "

" Complicated tale of deceit and treachery, rich vs poor, and, of course, revolution and revenge. Now I know where the line, "This is a far, far better thing," comes from. "

" Knitting, knitting, knitting. Now whenever I see women knitting I will be terrified. Great book. I don't like it as much as other Dickens novels but it is still really good. "

" I couldn't pass 30 pages...sorry "

" A classic of loyalty and selflessness, this Dickens classic lives up to its fame. It's really rather a short read, I was surprised to discover. It appears a bit slow at first but takes off after the first few of chapters, so be sure to pay close attention to the symbolism within the first few chapters to keep up with the rest of the story. If the reader wants a complete effect of what Dickens is writing about and why, do a historical search on the French Revolution. It makes the story that much more potent and really only takes a handful of minutes. "

" I've read that book four years ago ... And I think that I must read it again . Tremendous story and great characters , Inquisitive non-like experience . In short ; Best of Dickens' novels ever . "

" THE best book by Charles Dickens "

" I've read that book four years ago ... And I think that I must read it again . Tremendous story and great characters , Inquisitive non-like experience . In short ; Best of Dickens' novels ever . "

" Confusing but an inspiring ending. "

" Plodding at times, but an intricate plot line that makes the book well-deserving of its place among the classics. "

" I read it so young that it had imaginary enchanted vision kind of thing on memory, will read it some time again. "

" My favorite Dickens- I re-read every few years "

" Wow, this is a tough read. Once you get the style of the prose it becomes easier. This is one you should read because it is a great story. "

" this book is so awesome "

" When I become discouraged about the behavior of mankind, I am reminded of this book, and it restores my hope. What a fantastic plot and intriguing characters! Charles Dickens can't be topped, in my book. "

" I really didn't fully realize the tragedy that befell France during the revolution, until I read this book. "

" I lied. I did not finish this book. Did my best, but it was painful. "

" The first book I've ever read about French revolution and it is such a great piece--the vivid description of the complex hatred between the aristocratic class and the deeply oppressed poor people. Cruel revenge takes the life as the price. Breathtaking. "

" "These are desperate times and these are unsavory indivduals who will take desperate measures to get what they want." "

" This book was so hard for me to continue reading but I'm so glad I did! In the end I loved it! "

" I read the last chapter and I cried. Then I read the last few paragraphs, and I cried again. This was an amazing book. "

" Confusing but an inspiring ending. "

" I loved this book, returning to it after many years and finding new characters I had forgotten, themes misunderstood, and a compelling ending which made me almost miss my tube stop! This is probably one of Dickens' most accessible books as it seems to have fewer characters and a simpler storyline. "

" Never realized the phrase "It's a far, far, far better think..." came from Dickens. Happy but bittersweet ending. "

" Well, the story and the final was surprising. I finally had a chance to read that book and it took 2 weeks to end it, but i am happy to read that book. "

" My "D" book for 2013. Love Dickens! "

" Classic Dickens: the writing was dry and dreary. Its one redeeming quality was the ending. The last 5 chapters or so were OUTSTANDING!!!! I would love to see this done as a mini series for television. "

" Got halfway through, gave up. Impossible to maintain interest in this book. I loved David Copperfield, though. "

" I love how the one-star raters all haven't finished the book. Well, it's one of those types of books. It'll be something that you swear you'll end up hating the first few chapters, but later on, it gets really good. It's one of the few English class books I was assigned that actually made me cry. "

" I can't believe kids would complain about reading this book in high school.....this book was amazing! "

" crazy how different my reading of this was this time from years ago when i read it. brilliant stuff. "

" Loved this book. Taught it back in the days when I taught history. A classic must-read. "

" Obviously this is an excellent book. It was definitely slow reading and a 2nd-read of it wouldn't hurt! Takes place during the French Revolution and the Storming of the Bastille - it helps if you are familiar with the details of these. "

" yes its classic, and brilliant, but did he need to use so many words? seriously he probably could have gotten his point across just as well, and perhaps more eloquently if only he had an editor, but he seems to love the sound of his own voice. "

" First read as a teen in Lit class and it really opened my eyes to what a good book should be. "

" This is one of my all time favorites. I read it first in High school, later just for fun and now with my daughter's book club. "

" One of the best novels ever which antedated the French Revolution "

" Believe it or not ,until the last chapter,I was still expecting Carton would somehow get out of it but apparently I was so very mistaken.Maybe I was too naive.Ok so Carton sacrifices himself for the one he loves . How very touching. "

" Slow going but such a wonderful, fantastic story. One that teaches us about the power of sacrifice. "

" I just finished the spanish edition (which had a lot of gramatical and ortographic errors) and I'm still assimilating the beautiful and moving ending. I understand now the reason this book is considered a masterpiece and Dickens a genius. I loved it. "

" Oh Sydney. I love you, Sydney. You're my kind of wastrel. "

" I read this book my Sophomore Year in High School. I didn't particularly like it. "

" Essentially a soap opera for the times - throughly engaging and exciting. "

" Good book just not what I like to read. "

" Fantastic plot but I feel like it contains a lot of unnecessary words and could be more succinct and still convey everything. "

" SO good, I shed a tear for many books but seldom does a book give me the chills and make up almost panic for the characters themselves. I was sobbing at the end of it! "

" One of Dickens' best. The build up to the ending and the ending itself are almost overwhelming. "

" Well, that wasn't half bad. "

" Required reading in high school. "

" This book has it all. Love, action, violence, revenge, and some of the best villains of all time. "

" This will always be my favorite book because it was the first as a teenager to make me weep and the only one since then. "

" Absolutely loved this book!! A classic tale that must be read by all. I couldn't help crying at the end... "

" The middle section drags but the book three is exciting. "

" I read this in high school and really loved it. However, as an adult, I cannot get past page 60. I keep trying, but oh well!!! "

" A heavy book but Charles Dickens was an incredible writer. I always enjoy anything written by him. "

" Utterly boring. If I hadn't had to read it for Freshman English in high school, I probably wouldn't have even bothered to finish it. "

" Read in high school, love the first line. Must rereadsoon! "

" Rather slow in places, but it all ties up beautifully towards the end. "

" Yea, I'm going back to Young Adult books... This was a real task to finish. I suppose I'm glad I read it--represents the French Revoltion in stark, personal terms, but I'm going to have do the classics over the summer, not in my first year of teaching. "

" The only Dickens book I actually enjoyed. "

" When I become discouraged about the behavior of mankind, I am reminded of this book, and it restores my hope. What a fantastic plot and intriguing characters! Charles Dickens can't be topped, in my book. "

" such a beautiful classic. one of my all-time favorites "

" Thank goodness for Spark notes - Enjoyed the experience of this epic novel but would not have had the pleasure without the support of background. Will tackle "Great Expectations" next. "

" I know it's a classic. I was trying to listen to it while I worked and I couldn't follow it at all. Two hours in and I couldn't tell you what is was about so I gave up. "

" I hate slow beginnings which is the only reason i gave it a 4 instead of a 5. This book was really good. I always thought that I would hate Dickens after attempting to read David Copperfield, but I actually really loved this one! :D "

" Read it in high school and remember loving this. Want to read it again. "

" I found it difficult to keep focused on the story. However, my interest peaked toward the middle and I wanted to know how it ended. "

" Read this in high school about 30 years ago and loved this classic. "

" The last third (or so) of the book makes the long setup worth it. Madame DeFarge and Miss Pross, 'nuff said. "

" love it ....most amazing novel I have ever read it..Charles dicknes have reached to the max when he was writing it. how do he describe suffer and hope, poor and hopeless people. gentlemen how have paid prices and do sacrifices. chapters love most is the jackle and 2 promises "

" This is one of my all time favorites. I read it first in High school, later just for fun and now with my daughter's book club. "

" enjoyed it very much... good story, well written. "

" He got paid by the word, and boy can you tell. Ugh, throw in some dialogue once in a while, Mr. Dickens. Spice it up. "

" Well, it was a story. And, well, Dickens. "

" I have not read this book in 30 years or more, but I remember it being my favorite Dickens story. A true hero in Sydney Cotton and a great look into the French Revolution. "

" Charles Dickens is not now and has never been my cup of tea. Despite this fact, I have had to read a considerable amount of his catalog of writing. It is proof that teachers have a sadistic streak. "

" I read this book on Audio and Book version at the same time. Being a English as a Second language girl, it was a hard read without the audio. It really helped doing both at the same time and I got way more details out of the book than my husband who only read it in book version. "

" The only Dickens book I actually enjoyed. "

" In all of literature, is there any purer expression of love. "

" A must read. One of the best classics I have read. Definitely on my top 10 books of all time. "

" I hate Lucy Manet, but the other characters are really interesting, especially Sydney Carton. Love Dicken's hatred of the law & Mr. Manet "recalled to life." A somewhat cursory view of the French Revolution with some too-extended metaphors, but it is still one of Dickens' best. "

" I think this is the perfect first novel for beginners to Charles Dickens. "

" Good book just not what I like to read. "

" Dickens is a classic - must read. "

" I really didn't fully realize the tragedy that befell France during the revolution, until I read this book. "

" amaaaaaazzzzzziiiiiinnnnnnng! its a must read people! "

" This was my fifth time reading this book, and my first time teaching it to my AP students. And I loved it just as much as I did the first time. "

" A really great storyline. If only Dickens wrote the book in a way people could understand better... "

" Rather difficult to get in to but in possession of an exciting finish. "

" Very good...once you get used to the language. Great story! "

" I loved it. It was so very good. "

" i learned more about the tragedies of the French revolution from this one book than from any history book. "

" Really a second read, but had forgotten how much work it is reading Dickens...still enjoyed it. "

" One of my favorite books of all time "

" Wow...that took a long time! I enjoyed it, but I think I will review the Spark notes to see what I missed! "

" Dickens work is always a great read. The characters and their situations are remarkably alive... "

" One of my favorite classics! I've read it twice. "

" I loved it. It was so very good. "

" One of my FAV5 book . . . "

" Oh my! Fabulous book by Charles Dickens. The detailed descriptions provide an insight into how sparse and desolate life was for a majority of people during that unstable time in history. Recommend viewing spark notes as you read each chapter or two. "

" The one Dickens classic I can say I truly enjoyed. "

" This book was great, but Dickens is so time consuming and requires a lot of concentration. He has a very interesting sense of humor but when he wasn't being funny, I was either feeling depressed or daydreaming about the book I was going to read afterwards. "

" After I finished this book I had two emotions; one, I felt happy for the first time that I was literate, and two, I realized the flaws in me that I can't ever write something like that. "

" I listened to the audiobook. "

" What an excellent read! I really enjoyed this book, it was amazing! It needed lots of concentration but, I needed to reread parts of it at times "

" I had to read this in high school and I'm glad I did. I still remember a lot from this amazing book. "

" i learned more about the tragedies of the French revolution from this one book than from any history book. "

" I was prepared to give this book 1 star but then I remembered how much I liked Madame Defarge so it gets 2 stars instead. "

" Forget the wading through mud that I know some people find with Dickens. This is a tale superbly told. "

" Another required reading in High School. "

" A book that I never get bored of. And every time it is read, it's almost as if it's the very first time again and again and again. "

" Great book about the French revolution and the way it was seen by Dickens. It shows both the possibilities and the dangers of a revolution. "

" This is the real deal. I compare all books I read to this one in terms of beautifully painted scenes, dynamic and moving characters, powerful but not overbearing imagery and metaphors, and well-executed drama. This is my favorite book from one of my favorite authors. "

" I would give this five and a half if I could. "

" I read this some time ago. "

" Excellent read. It has everything: injustice, hope, love, drama, French Revolution, sacrifice. Hats off to Dickens, definitely one of my favorite authors. "

" I hate Lucy Manet, but the other characters are really interesting, especially Sydney Carton. Love Dicken's hatred of the law & Mr. Manet "recalled to life." A somewhat cursory view of the French Revolution with some too-extended metaphors, but it is still one of Dickens' best. "

" Essentially a soap opera for the times - throughly engaging and exciting. "

" my fav book of all time! have read it three times! "

" Full review on my blog. "

" Much better the 2nd time around. "

" I waited until both feet were planted in middle-age before reading, not sure why. It is a great, great book. "

" Listened to this audio book on the way to and from Charleston, sometimes confusing myself by listening to the same chapter twice. (Wait, how can he be getting arrested again?) It is a far, far better thing I do.... "

" So much about this book was different than I'd remembered it that I'm glad I revisited it. "

" I learned something about of France freedom war. "

" the most beautiful Novel i read in my life "

" Only book I've read several times. Best Dickens by far (except for A Christmas Carol, of course!). "

" Seriously, is there a more famous combination of opening and closing lines in literature? What a wonderful read! "

" My all time favorite book!!! Ingenious! "

" My all time favorite book!!! Ingenious! "

" My all time favorite book!!! Ingenious! "

" My all time favorite book!!! Ingenious! "

" My all time favorite book!!! Ingenious! "

" My all time favorite book!!! Ingenious! "

" My all time favorite book!!! Ingenious! "

" I read through DailyLit emails, a great way to read or re-read the classics. "

" I read through DailyLit emails, a great way to read or re-read the classics. "

" I read through DailyLit emails, a great way to read or re-read the classics. "

" I read through DailyLit emails, a great way to read or re-read the classics. "

" I read through DailyLit emails, a great way to read or re-read the classics. "

" I read through DailyLit emails, a great way to read or re-read the classics. "

" I read through DailyLit emails, a great way to read or re-read the classics. "

" I hate Dickens, and have always had a serious dislike for this book. Wrote a paper on it even. Boring. "

" I hate Dickens, and have always had a serious dislike for this book. Wrote a paper on it even. Boring. "

" I hate Dickens, and have always had a serious dislike for this book. Wrote a paper on it even. Boring. "

" I hate Dickens, and have always had a serious dislike for this book. Wrote a paper on it even. Boring. "

" I hate Dickens, and have always had a serious dislike for this book. Wrote a paper on it even. Boring. "

" I hate Dickens, and have always had a serious dislike for this book. Wrote a paper on it even. Boring. "

" I hate Dickens, and have always had a serious dislike for this book. Wrote a paper on it even. Boring. "

" What a book! What an ending! "

" What a book! What an ending! "

" What a book! What an ending! "

" What a book! What an ending! "

" What a book! What an ending! "

" What a book! What an ending! "

" What a book! What an ending! "

" One of my faves, read many many times. "

" need a lot of vocab skill to understand this book.. for me of course. but after all, it's gorgeous! "

" One of my faves, read many many times. "

" need a lot of vocab skill to understand this book.. for me of course. but after all, it's gorgeous! "

" One of my faves, read many many times. "

" need a lot of vocab skill to understand this book.. for me of course. but after all, it's gorgeous! "

" One of my faves, read many many times. "

" need a lot of vocab skill to understand this book.. for me of course. but after all, it's gorgeous! "

" One of my faves, read many many times. "

" need a lot of vocab skill to understand this book.. for me of course. but after all, it's gorgeous! "

" One of my faves, read many many times. "

" need a lot of vocab skill to understand this book.. for me of course. but after all, it's gorgeous! "

" One of my faves, read many many times. "

" need a lot of vocab skill to understand this book.. for me of course. but after all, it's gorgeous! "