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Original poster

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!

OP posts:
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Original poster
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 06/05/2026 10:40

Great @Benvenuto, my only reading of OT was, intermittently, an abridged version which I heard some of as a TA to Year 6 pupils. I thoroughly enjoyed it and said I’d read the unabridged book one day. Looks like that day may be coming!

OP posts:
Benvenuto · 06/05/2026 08:34

I would like to join in with Oliver Twist too - it’s a good text to contrast with this one given it’s Dickens in his social crusader mode.

It’s also a significant text for me as it helped to put me off both Dickens and abridged texts. I first read it aged 8 (school reading text) and adored it - I then tried to reread it aged 13 or 14 and was very disappointed to discover there was a lot more book that I remembered and the language was much more challenging! I have reread it since, but will be good to revisit & discuss it!

Original poster
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 05/05/2026 20:08

Yes @TimeforaGandTSC had come to Paris expressly to deliver on his promise to sacrifice himself for Lucie, or those she loved 😢
Excellent news that you will join us for Oliver Twist 👍

OP posts:
TimeforaGandT · 05/05/2026 19:24

Sorry, a bit late coming back to the chat. I really enjoyed the book. Thank you @DesdamonasHandkerchief for hosting and everyone else for their insightful comments. Nothing insightful from me!

I agree that Lucie doesn't seem worth the sacrifice as she is so earnestly dull - although full marks to her for standing outside the prison for hours each day. True loyalty. Mme Defarge and Miss Pross are much more interesting female characters - but as others have already noted of a lower class.

I have forgotten - did Sydney come to Paris to look for the Darnays? Or is his appearance another coincidence? I wonder what he would have done if they hadn't encountered Solomon Pross/Barsad....

Very much looking forward to the BBC adaptation.

Count me in for Oliver Twist - I have never read it but am fairly sure I have a copy..

Original poster
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!

OP posts:
InTheCludgie · 05/05/2026 17:57

Yes I'm in, I tried to read this years ago and gave up because something in it (which will remain nameless!) annoyed me but I'm going to give it another go

Original poster
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 05/05/2026 17:18

That’s great @Scatterbugg, sounds like we’ve got at least a half dozen people who are up for it. Are you with us @InTheCludgie ?

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Scatterbugg · 05/05/2026 17:04

Sounds good, please count me in. I've read it before but so many decades ago I've forgotten all the side plots

cassandre · 05/05/2026 13:31

Yes please @DesdamonasHandkerchief and thank you! September sounds good, we can have a breather first.

FuzzyCaoraDhubh · 05/05/2026 12:46

Yes, great:)

Original poster
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 05/05/2026 11:27

Should we say a September start for Ollie and I’ll @ everyone who’s expressed an interest? And also check with Piggy that she’s not planning a Dickensalong.

OP posts:
LadybirdDaphne · 05/05/2026 10:19

I’d be up for Oliver Twist later in the year!

Scatterbugg · 05/05/2026 00:15

Thanks for the thread. As usual I've caught up slightly behind the pace
I loved the atmosphere of this one but it didn't grab me plot wise as much as some of the other Dickens, until the end then I was hooked. Go Miss Pross!

CutFlowers · 04/05/2026 19:41

I would be up for another readalong but maybe not until the autumn/next year. I haven't read Oliver Twist though so it is tempting! Looking forward to the TV adaptation. Thanks so much for the TOTC readalong - it has been fab.

FuzzyCaoraDhubh · 04/05/2026 17:03

I'd have to pay for it, Desdamona.
Getting the BBC iplayer seems complicated. I'd need a VPN and it still might not work.

Original poster
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 04/05/2026 16:28

Don’t you get BBC there Fuzzy?

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FuzzyCaoraDhubh · 04/05/2026 16:06

I'm not sure if I can watch the TV series of ATOTC because* *I'm in Ireland.

FuzzyCaoraDhubh · 04/05/2026 16:04

I would definitely love to read 'Oliver Twist'.

cassandre · 04/05/2026 15:16

I forgot to say that I also love the idea of reconvening to discuss the TV adaptation of A Tale.

cassandre · 04/05/2026 15:16

@HelenaWilson OMG yes Beth March! And that's a book by a woman author... I think Alcott herself was no Beth.

I'd be keen on an Oliver readalong, thanks Desdamona! I read it when I was young and hated it, but I was probably too young. Would like to read it again as an adult.

The idea of taking a break for a month or so is good too.

ChessieFL · 04/05/2026 12:54

I’m up for an Oliver Twist readalong. I have read it but that was probably 20 years ago so I don’t remember much about it.

Original poster
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 04/05/2026 12:43

I’d love to reconvene to discuss the adaptation of this book when it comes out.
PiggyWasPushed normally does the Dicken’s read alongs. I took on this one because she has already read it and it was a book I was keen to tackle. She did say after Dombey & Son however that she was ‘all Dickensed out’ as she’d read them all now apart from Edwin Drood and The Pickwick Papers neither of which she fancies so I don’t think we’d be stepping on any toes to start another read along.
Next on my personal Dickens hit list is Oliver Twist if anyone fancies that? Although I’m knee deep in Jane Eyre atm and I have a few Kindle books to finish so would be looking to start in June or July.

OP posts:
InTheCludgie · 04/05/2026 11:58

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 03/05/2026 23:02

Who is reading your Audible version @InTheCludgie ?
I listened to some TOTC chapters read by Julian Rind-Tutt free with Spotify and enjoyed his reading.

I think you’re right that SC would have got bored with perfect Lucy if he’d managed to snag her @HelenaWilson, but then I often think these literary love stories/happy ever afters would end in disaster IRL.

It was a loan via Libby and read by Adam Henderson. Will we be doing another readalong, what are peoples thoughts?

Original poster
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 03/05/2026 23:02

Who is reading your Audible version @InTheCludgie ?
I listened to some TOTC chapters read by Julian Rind-Tutt free with Spotify and enjoyed his reading.

I think you’re right that SC would have got bored with perfect Lucy if he’d managed to snag her @HelenaWilson, but then I often think these literary love stories/happy ever afters would end in disaster IRL.

OP posts:
HelenaWilson · 03/05/2026 15:14

I always thought Sydney would have done all right with a nice clever widow who had a bit of life experience and gently bossed him about a bit,

One of Georgette Heyer's heroines - Mary Challoner or Venetia or maybe Sarah Thane - might have suited him.

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