1 of 1 members found this review helpful.
“I find it difficult to believe that I did not read A Tale of Two Cities as a student, but I didn't. Maybe it's better that I waited until Dickins' wonderful story, at turns horrifying and inspiring, could be really appreciated. I knew, in general what would happen - I must have seen the old film - but I was not prepared for how vividly the characters are drawn or how beautifully the language is crafted. I was not prepared for the savagery of the action, or for my emotional reaction at the end. Dickins writes a cautionary tale of the terrible fruits of oppression, for in this novel aristocratic cruelty begets Republican cruelty, and the innocent suffer along with the guilty. Liberty comes at a terrible price in Revolutionary France. But despite the paradoxes of the time, we are reminded that for every Madame DeFarge or cruel aristocrat, there is a person who embodies love and honor. ”
sthurner wrote this review Monday, September 21 2009.
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