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A Tale of Two Cities

by Charles Dickens
489 pages 1859 Historical Fiction, Classic, Literary Fiction 🌶️ Clean Standalone
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The Vibe

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Dickens' tale of the French Revolution follows two men who look alike — one an idle English gentleman, one a French aristocrat — and the woman they both love. The sacrifice at the end is the most famous in English literature. The best-selling novel of all time with 200 million copies.

Mood Meter

Romance
4/10
Fantasy / Magic
0/10
Pacing
5/10
Darkness
7/10
Humor
2/10
Angst
8/10

Mood Tags

EpicRevolutionaryRomanticSacrificial

Trope Tags

French RevolutionDoppelgangersSacrificeResurrection

Spice Check

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Clean — Victorian novel.

Content Heads-Up

Is This Book for You?

Skip if you dislike:

Ending: Most famous last line in literature
Pacing: Slow then explosive

What This Book Feels Like

Moods: Epic Revolutionary Romantic Sacrificial

Tropes: French Revolution Doppelgangers Sacrifice Resurrection

If You Loved This, Try These

Great Expectations
Charles Dickens
Same author same era
Les Misérables
Victor Hugo
Same French Revolution literary epic
Wolf Hall
Hilary Mantel
Same sweeping historical literary fiction

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it his best?

His most popular — 200 million copies. Also his most accessible.

Is the last line really that famous?

"It is a far, far better thing that I do..." — possibly the most quoted line in English fiction.

Is it hard to read?

More accessible than most Dickens — the Revolution sections are genuinely thrilling.

Keep Exploring

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