Cedricsmom’s Comments (group member since Jan 02, 2020)

Cedricsmom’s comments from the #ClassicsCommunity 2021 Reading Challenge group.

Dickens is witty and sarcastic. I often think of him as the British Mark Twain.

Darina wrote: "@Cedricsmom, I’m currently on chapter 16 of the 2nd book...."

Damn, you're really getting after it! Another 60 pages and you will catch me. My previous Dickens was Great Expectations and Oliver Twist, which are 2 very character-centered books. I notice that is missing in ToTC.

Darina wrote: "I started A Tale of Two Cities! 📚🤛🏻
@Cedricsmom, you are way ahead of me, but still... I guess it is a readalong ;)"
Hi Darina! Yes it is a readalong. I haven't read much this week but I am moving along now, and I hope you can make some progress in it this week. Lemme know what you think of the characters. I don't have strong feelings about any of them because Dickens doesn't really have a central character in this book AFAIC.

Darina wrote: "I love to be in my corner with a beautiful physical edit..."

That does sound lovely.

I love Wuthering Heights. So many reasons.

Darina, the actress Patricia Rutledge does a great reading of Wuthering Heights and if you can find it on audio it's helpful. Your library may have it.

I’m making tremendous progress, especially since watching the 1980 film version with Peter Cushing and Alice “the Borg Queen” Krige. The movie follows the book closely.

I know it’s cheating but I’m still reading the book. I think the reason this one hasn’t gripped me like Great Expectations is because of the scope of the story. Dickens is essentially presenting a survey of events and people leading up to the French Revolution and thus not focusing in terribly much on anyone. We end up with almost two-dimensional characters: the angelic Lucy, the repentant and self-sacrificing Charles Darney and the alcoholic but virtuous at heart Sydney Carton.

Darina it’s hard to tell how many stars I will give this one because I think it’s a book that isn’t revealed until the end. Fortunately its not a long book even though I have been taking my time reading it. It’s no Great Expectations; I can tell you that much right now 😁

Hi Gia and Darina. Good to hear from you both. Yes, I am still reading this book. I read a few chapters yesterday and I’m now in chapter 17, part 2. I would love some company.

Has anyone been reading? I haven't read/listened in a few days. But I will listen today during chores. Currently still in chapter 15.

Jenn, perhaps. You’re more compassionate than me. It’s hard to read these characters without modern sensibilities. I’m only 40% through the book. More will be revealed.

It seems that events are not linear in the chapter. SPOILER ALERT! I noticed that the Monseigneur was killed (yay!) before the chapters where Darnay speaks with the doctor and where Carton speaks with Lucie. I recall the cryptic remark the Monseigneur made about the doctor and Lucie at the end of his conversation with his nephew. Seems like the doctor would've been imprisoned before the Monseigneur was murdered? Like I said, I don't think the story is told in a linear fashion.

Gia wrote: "I thought that Darnay's heartfelt..."

Isn't that how they all spoke to their elders in those days? I found myself having to mentally edit the wordy sentences to understand what was being said. I do get that Darnay loves Lucie and wanted to get her father's approval of Darnay's love for his daughter.

I'm up to chapter 14 now and I hate to say this but Carton is a bit maudlin for me. The ladies seem to swoon over him, all except Lucie, but to me he sounds like a drunk who wants her but can't or won't give up the bottle to try for a better life. In real life, these guys are losers.

I don't know about anyone else, but without historical context, this book has zero impact on me. Now that I'm learning a tiny bit about the French Revolution, the book feels much more grounded to me. I suspect the reason why classics get ignored so much is because people feel they have no relevance to current times and our lives and that's easy to think when we don't know the context of the book. Just a thought.

Hey everyone. Here’s a general update. I was actually reading about a different book today, Stendhal's the Red and the Black. I found out that Napoleon was a result of the French Revolution! So what a kicker! They overthrew the aristocracy and ended up with a dictator!😳 There’s a lesson in there somewhere. I’m pretty ignorant when it comes to History; perhaps that’s obvious. Certainly the evil Monseigneur was one of these aristocracy types. Hate that guy!

Jenn what chapter are you in? I’m in book 2, chapter 10.

Oh botheration!🤣 Its readability is improving. I can’t wait to see what Carton’s problem is. He’s obviously the better lawyer but doesn’t care about success at all. Even before he was moping over Luci he was up one instant and down the next. I wonder why???

Here’s a question. Who’s narrating the story? He keeps calling the attorney general “my Lord” and I think “who is this?!”

I’m sorry but I had to skip over all the “that”s when the attorney General was talking about the prisoner. I couldn’t stand it. My brain just can’t right now.

Hi Gia. The part is in book 2, chapter 1, paragraph 4.