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A Tale Of Two Cities, Four Month Read Along. (Title edited by MNHQ at request of OP)

285 replies

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 03/01/2026 11:24

Welcome to a 6 month read along of Dicken’s 12th novel A Tale of Two Cities
We will be reading it using the following format, and discussing the chapters on the first day of the following month: (So January chapters discussed from 1st Feb onwards etc)

A Tale of Two Cities

6-Month Read-Along Calendar

Start: 1 January 2026
Finish: 30 June 2026

🗓️
JANUARY 2026

Book the First: Recalled to Life
(Chapters 1–7)

✔ Book the First complete

🗓️
FEBRUARY 2026

Book the Second: The Golden Thread
(Chapters 1–6)

🗓️
MARCH 2026

Book the Second: The Golden Thread
(Chapters 7–12)

✔ Midway through Book the Second

🗓️
APRIL 2026

Book the Second: The Golden Thread
(Chapters 13–18)

🗓️
MAY 2026

Book the Second: The Golden Thread
(Chapters 19–24)

✔ Book the Second complete

🗓️
JUNE 2026

Book the Third: The Track of a Storm
(Chapters 1–15)

✔ Novel complete

I know very little about this book other than its set in revolutionary Paris and London, let’s hope it’s a goodie!

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Original poster
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 11/09/2026 13:21

Oooh that is interesting Benvenuto I’ve never seen TDKR but might have to seek it out.

OP posts:
Benvenuto · 11/09/2026 07:35

On dramatising the book, my family has been watching The Dark Knight rises:

SPOILER ALERT

At the end after the final battle, Michael Caine has a very moving funeral speech, ending:

”It is a far, far better thing to do…”

According to the film’s Wikipedia entry, the book was a great influence on the film & there is a character called Stryver. I can remember an ATOTC-style courtroom scene, but I’m going to have to watch it again to spot the links (I wasn’t paying too much attention at the beginning of the film not being especially fond of comic book superhero films, but was drawn in towards the end).

As said, I’m not a particular fan of superhero comic book films, but I suspect I’ve got rather more tolerance for a Dickens inspired superhero films (likely to benefit both plot & dialogue) than a traditional adaptation “deviating” too much from the text.

OP posts:
Terpsichore · 09/09/2026 09:01

Thanks @DesdamonasHandkerchief - I failed miserably with ATOTC and regretted it (there were good reasons but even so…) - however I’ll do my very best with OT as I think its theme of an unmothered/un-cared-for young boy was a very personal one for Dickens. So it’s interesting!

TimeforaGandT · 09/09/2026 06:50

Thank you @DesdamonasHandkerchief - I'm in as I have never read OT (despite having a copy on my shelf). I don't mind which approach we take.

LadybirdDaphne · 08/09/2026 19:51

I’m in! Slight preference for 3 months but don’t mind either way

ChessieFL · 08/09/2026 17:40

I’m happy to go with the majority for timings. I don’t mind if it overlaps the Middlemarch readalong.

CutFlowers · 08/09/2026 17:30

I think Oliver Twist is about 600 pages. I would be happy with either six months or three months - although if it was three months, I'd quite like to check in fortnightly rather than monthly so I don't get too far behind!!

FuzzyCaoraDhubh · 08/09/2026 17:01

I'm in! I've never read 'Oliver Twist'.

Original poster
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 08/09/2026 15:16

That’s interesting @MagicSpaceTurtle
I asked ChatGPT about reviews from the USA airing and the summary agrees with you with regard to the changes:

A Tale Of Two Cities, Four Month Read Along. (Title edited by MNHQ at request of OP)
A Tale Of Two Cities, Four Month Read Along. (Title edited by MNHQ at request of OP)
A Tale Of Two Cities, Four Month Read Along. (Title edited by MNHQ at request of OP)
A Tale Of Two Cities, Four Month Read Along. (Title edited by MNHQ at request of OP)
OP posts:
MagicSpaceTurtle · 08/09/2026 15:00

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 08/09/2026 14:18

Also where the bloody hell is that Tale of Two Cities adaptation, they must be saving it for the Christmas schedules.

It’s started in USA. I’m feeling slightly trepidatious about it as they seem to have made a lot of changes to the plot. It’s my favourite book and I don’t think it needed changing

BestIsWest · 08/09/2026 14:51

I’ll be in for Middlemarch. I read OT last year so will skip that one.

Benvenuto · 08/09/2026 14:39

I’m in!

InTheCludgie · 08/09/2026 14:31

I'm in thanks 😊

Summerbaby81 · 08/09/2026 14:18

Definitely want to join the read along for Oliver Twist xx

Original poster
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 08/09/2026 14:18

Also where the bloody hell is that Tale of Two Cities adaptation, they must be saving it for the Christmas schedules.

OP posts:
Scatterbugg · 08/09/2026 14:18

Hello! I read Oliver Twist such a long time ago it would be great to read it again. Sounds like a good plan, as usual I'll probably be ahead and behind anyway 😆

Original poster
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 08/09/2026 14:15

Hello everyone, I’m looking to start the Oliver Twist Readalong next month. It was published as a three volume book so my thoughts are we could read it over 3 months, a volume a month, and be done by Christmas leaving January onwards clear for those who are also doing the Middlemarch Readalong. Or we take a more leisurely pace and I split each volume in two and read half a volume a month over 6 months finishing in March 2027, any thoughts? I’ll go with the consensus.
Apologies if you’re not interested in this but for ease I’m just going to @ everyone who has commented on this thread so I don’t miss anyone!

@Benvenuto@BestIsWest@BitOutOfPractice@ChessieFL
@CutFlowers @FlimsyMimsy@Forgotwhatimdoing @FuzzyCaoraDhubh @HelenaWilson@Hellohah @InTheCludgie @LadybirdDaphne @MagicSpaceTurtle @Midnightstar76 @Misspost @MotherOfCatBoy @MrsALambert @NotWavingButReading @Scatterbugg @Summerbaby81 @SydneyCarton @Terpsichore @ThePoshUns @TimeforaGandT @TremendousThirst @Troubledwords @TubeScreamer @WearyAuldWumman@cassandre @crumpet @greenteaandlimes @nowanearlyNicemum @peafritterandcurrysauce @rivierliedje @stealthninjamum

OP posts:
Original poster
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 07/05/2026 18:08

The more the merrier @SydneyCarton

OP posts:
SydneyCarton · 06/05/2026 15:40

I'd like to join the OT readalong as well please. The only Dickens I really know is A Tale.. and A Christmas Carol, although I did read a funny bit of the Pickwick Papers where Mr Pickwick falls into a pond.

Like PP I only know OT from the musical which is fab, although I think the book does feature some more amazing Dickensian coincidences. Ron Moody, who was Jewish, was initially uncomfortable playing Fagin because of the way the character was written by Dickens, and tried to make him as far removed from the version in the book as he could.

FuzzyCaoraDhubh · 06/05/2026 13:08

When my brother was little, he played the character of Oliver in a production of Oliver! I still remember the songs. I've never read the book, however.

cassandre · 06/05/2026 12:56

I recall that Dickens edited the novel and removed some of the references to Fagin's Jewishness, due to people criticising the character in Dickens' own day. I'm sure that elements of anti-Semitism remain, however 😥

Original poster
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 06/05/2026 12:39

Yes, I think everyone knows the plot because of the musical. I think Fagin was somewhat sanitised/softened in Oliver! but I remember Oliver Reed’s, Bill Sykes being terrifying to a young me! I hope Oliver in the book isn’t as wet as Oliver in the film!

OP posts:
CutFlowers · 06/05/2026 12:19

My only knowledge of Oliver Twist is the 1970s musical. I think we did it at school. I can still remember most of the words to the songs.

InTheCludgie · 06/05/2026 10:57

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 05/05/2026 18:05

Was it the antisemitism? It should probably have a trigger warning for that. If not I hope you spill the beans as to what it was that annoyed you when we’re reading it!

You got it! I pretty much stopped dead at a certain point in the novel as it annoyed me so much. Was years ago though and I do want to read it properly so I'll just skim when I get to that bit again 🙈