A Tale of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities is a historical novel published in 1859 by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long imprisonment in the Bastille in Paris, and his release to live in London with his daughter Lucie whom he had never met. The story is set against the conditions that led up to the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. In the Introduction to the Encyclopedia of Adventure Fiction, critic Don D'Ammassa argues that it is an adventure novel because the protagonists are in constant danger of being imprisoned or killed. As Dickens's best-known work of historical fiction, A Tale of Two Cities is said to be one of the best-selling novels of all time. In 2003, the novel was ranked 63rd on the BBC's The Big Read poll. The novel has been adapted for film, television, radio, and the stage, and has continued to influence popular culture.
Themes & atmosphere
What you might want to know about A Tale of Two Cities
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
London and Paris in the years before and during the French Revolution, a doctor pulled from prison after eighteen years, his daughter, and the men who love her are drawn into the coming storm.
A Tale of Two Cities was written by Charles Dickens and serialized in 1859. It is set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. It remains one of the best-selling novels of all time.
Dickens's prose is intricate and uses long Victorian sentences, but the narrative is one of his most plot-driven. Most readers find it more accessible than Bleak House or Our Mutual Friend, particularly after the opening chapters settle in.
Yes. A Tale of Two Cities was published in 1859 and entered the public domain long ago. Free editions are available legally through Project Gutenberg, Standard Ebooks, and similar archives.
A Tale of Two Cities is 387 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, A Tale of Two Cities takes most readers 6 to 8 hours to finish.
A Tale of Two Cities is a standalone novel by an unknown author, not part of a series.
A Tale of Two Cities is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.