Apatt’s review of A Tale of Two Cities > Likes and Comments

Sabah wrote: "Great, super funny review Apatt! I'm glad you read this without ripping it to shreds. : )"

Thank you Sabah. Though I dunno what kind of fool would rip Dickens to shred. I maybe some kind of fool, but not of that subspecies.

Embarrassing that I haven't read anything from Dickens. Great review!

Will wrote: "Embarrassing that I haven't read anything from Dickens. Great review!"

Thanks Will, put it in your New year's resolutions ;)

Yet another entertaining review, Apatt.
If I could somehow use time dilation to my advantage, I would happily spend two hours of each 26-hour day rereading Dickens.
And you're right: who would rip Dickens to shreds? A nincompoop, that's who! : D

Kevin wrote: "Yet another entertaining review, Apatt.
If I could somehow use time dilation to my advantage, I would happily spend two hours of each 26-hour day rereading Dickens.
And you're right: who would rip ..."

Thanks so much Kevin, for all your kind feedback this year. There is always a danger in reviewing Dickens of making a fool of myself by missing or misunderstanding the nuances. Fortunately I don't really mind making a fool of myself :D

Merry Christmas!

Sabah wrote: "Kevin wrote: "Yet another entertaining review, Apatt.
If I could somehow use time dilation to my advantage, I would happily spend two hours of each 26-hour day rereading Dickens.
And you're right: ..."

You would have to be Killgrave for that to work (I'm sorry if you don't get my sci-fi nerd references, including that gif I just added to the review).
Google is your friend ;)

This is unfortunate because I think this — like all Dickens novels — works best if you just read it naturally without trying to analyze the hell out of it on every page.

Yes! *agrees*
While analyzing books at school, I was always like, "okay, I get the point, but do you really think the author thought in such ways about his works?" And I'm so glad I never had to read Dickens in school, because now I can get into his works by my own choice and without anyone forcing me to do it. Currently, "Oliver Twist" has a high place on my considerations as to which Dickens novel to read after I've finished "Great Expectations", but "A Tale of Two Cities" is one I definitely want to read as well. Great review, Apatt! :)

Councillor wrote: "This is unfortunate because I think this — like all Dickens novels — works best if you just read it naturally without trying to analyze the hell out of it on every page.

Yes! *agrees*
While analy..."

Thank you Councillor, you can counsel me any day ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Great Expectations is brilliant, I have to reread that next year. Next Dickens for me will probably be Our Mutual Friend because it's highly rated by The Guardian, and I haven't read it yet!

Then I hope it will be just as highly rated by you! ^_^

Brilliant review, Apatt: your trademark mix of daftly original and serious analysis.

Lucie may not say "boo" to a goose, but would she ever try to lead a horse to water? ;)

I'm not too fussy about neologisms, even verbs derived from nouns, but I think you're right to eschew "synopsize".
Cue one of my favourite cartoons:

Or read it here: http://www.603copywriting.co.uk/wp-co...

Cecily wrote: "Brilliant review, Apatt: your trademark mix of daftly original and serious analysis.

Lucie may not say "boo" to a goose, but would she ever try to lead a horse to water? ;)

I'm not too fussy abou..."

That reminds me I have a big book of Calvin & Hobbes somewhere, I can't find it now. :(
Do you like Peanuts also? (Charlie Brown, not KP's nuts).

I have a vague, residual fondness for Charlie Brown and Snoopy, but nothing more than that. My relationship with edible peanuts is more complicated.

great review of probably my favourite book ever and definitely my favourite by Dickens to date. I intend to re read it in 2016.

Tracey wrote: "great review of probably my favourite book ever and definitely my favourite by Dickens to date. I intend to re read it in 2016."

Thank you Tracey, I try to read a couple of Dickens a year. I've heard great things about Our Mutual Friend and I haven't read it yet, so I'm looking forward to that.

I love Dickens, and this one is my favorite! Maybe because the only required Dickens' read here was oliver twist-which I consider probably the worst of his novels.

The newspaper joke you posted may need explanation for GR friends unfamiliar with the pronunciation of British place names, otherwise their great expectations of your puns will fall on hard times:
Bicester = BISS-tuh
Worcester = WOOS-tuh

Cecily wrote: "The newspaper joke you posted may need explanation for GR friends unfamiliar with the pronunciation of British place names:
Bicester = BISS-tuh
Worcester = WOOS-tuh"

It's a pun and not a Palin-drome then 😉

Thank you Cecily. Everyone knows Worcester (from Worcestershire sauce—though most non-English mispronounce it anyway), but even now that I'm back in the UK, I needed the pronunciation guide for Bicester (I was wondering whether it was Bis- or Bes-).

Apatt wrote: "It's a pun and not a Palin-drome then 😉"

What the Dickens? Don't be silly. Palindromes are spelled the same way forwards and backwards unless they're "Ipswich" or "Bolton". Which would make Python's famous palindrome joke A Tale of Two Cities. (view spoiler)[Yes, I know, neither one is actually a city (hide spoiler)]

I say go with "synopsize", but since it's Dickens and the English have a thing about not using "ize", even when it's right, use synopsise.

On the subject. I did read A Tale of Two Cities in school, and it was one of the few required books that I really loved. The only other one I remember was Fahrenheit 451, but there were probably a couple of others.

Originally published in two newspapers: It was the Bichester Times, It was the Worcester Times

Great review Apatt.

Lars wrote: "Great review Apatt."

Thank you very much, Lars 😊

Kimber wrote: "What a dazzling review Apatt! You have, yet again, made me laugh and convinced me that this book deserves another look. : )

"...who would rather die than say boo to a goose (which is a crazy pasti..."

Thank you, Kimber 😊

You know, saying "boo" to a goose is a crazy pastime. But how can it possibly be used to mean a timid person? Only a daredevil would say "boo" to a goose. Geese are mean; geese are scary. And geese can fly! Never say "boo" to a goose!

Derek wrote: "You know, saying "boo" to a goose is a crazy pastime. But how can it possibly be used to mean a timid person? Only a daredevil would say "boo" to a goose. Geese are mean; geese are scary. And geese..."

I don't say mcuh to geese at all, not even hello, and Daredevil is "The Man Without Fear"!

Derek wrote: "Only a daredevil would say "boo" to a goose. Geese are mean; geese are scary. And geese can fly! "

LOL, though it sounds as if you're talking from experience!

Apattwrote: "I don't say mcuh to geese at all, not even hello,"

That might be just as brave as saying "boo": what if the goose takes offence* and being ignored?

* Remember you should never take offence at a farm (view spoiler)[ or else the animals get out! (That works better aloud than read) (hide spoiler)].

I am in the same boat you are, coming back to reread a story that I had once loved but couldn’t remember why. A Tale of Two Cities has once again proven why Dickens’ has stood the test of time. I also noted that we are both sympathizers of Sydney Carton. The poor drunken man with a big heart is constantly wronged by the world, forced to live a life alone pining after the only woman who truly knows the true him. I think it’s safe to say though, that he was the true hero of the tale. He made the ultimate sacrifice for love and remained level headed in the midst of chaos. On the other hand of the spectrum, Madame Defarge proved to be a personification of pure evil, exemplifying radicalism and the inability to be compassionate. Awesome review!

Vivian wrote: "I am in the same boat you are, coming back to reread a story that I had once loved but couldn’t remember why. A Tale of Two Cities has once again proven why Dickens’ has stood the test of time. I a..."

Thank you so much, Vivian 😊

Amazing review! Well done!

I should really read this one again.

NILTON wrote: "Amazing review! Well done!"

Thank you so much, Nilton 😊

TMR wrote: "I should really read this one again."

So should I! 😊

Wait, wasn't it serialized in Dickens' magazine All the Year Round?