Dickens And Me

Charles Dickens and I have a tenuous relationship. He’s Dickens so I want to worship at his feet as this giant of English Literature. But then I’ve been forced to read some of his work and it’s left me feeling…relieved to have gotten through it.

I’m thinking mostly of Hard Times. Hard Times really left a sour taste in my mouth.

But I did enjoy Great Expectations and A Christmas Carol always gives me goosebumps. I really just haven’t read enough Dickens to decide. But then I think aboutHard Times and I just can’t seem to move past it.

I think that Dickens and I might have gotten through our rough patch and are now on firm footing as best friends.

Maybe.

A Tale of Two Cities. *Sigh* Dickens made me cry. Tears. It was so beautiful.

But that was the reward. I was confused for easily the first third of the book. Dickens was into some serious foundation laying and the edition that I had didn’t have those lovely clarifying notes about the time, the customs and the terminology. (I love those notes! Am I alone in this? They are so helpful!)

My inner snob plowed on though. She was all “Its Dickens! You are supposed to enjoy it!”

And I did! I really did! It was wonderful and unexpected and beautiful.

For those of you that have not had the pleasure of A Tale of Two Cities – I really don’t want to give too much away. I’m sure that you can Google it and find out the major plots in about 7 seconds but it would ruin it. And I can’t be a party to that.

Let’s just say that there were tears and although I cry at the drop of a hat at the movies, there are few books that have this power (probably because I read a lot in public and nothing says “crazy” like hysterics on transit). It wasn’t quite Beth–dying level of tears but definitely tissue worthy.

So if you haven’t already, add A Tale of Two Cities to your Must Read list. It will change the way you look at Charles Dickens. Unless you already love him and then it will just solidify things.