Simi's Review

While The Tale of Two Cities was a difficult read, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  From the humor that Charles Dickens weaves into the story to the bravery of Sydney Carton it was a masterpiece.  It was not, however, a masterpiece that I always appreciated. The eloquent language used was beautiful, but made the book hard to understand. I often missed most of the dialogue and action in a single page and had to go back and read it many times in order to fully understand what had happened. However, as the story progressed and elements of the French Revolution began to show, I found myself much more invested in the story.  I found myself in tears when Sydney Carton offered himself as tribute (if you'll pardon my Hunger Games reference).

As for questions, I have one that has been pressing on my mind: How could Lucie Manette, in all of her goodness and selflessness, have allowed Sydney Carton to sacrifice his life for her happiness?  I understand her love for Charles Darnay helps her justify it, but I disagree her reaction.