Charles Dickens
This classic novel started out slow for me, to the point where I almost gave up on listening to it. About two-thirds into the book, though, I became caught up in the plot and characters and really began to enjoy it. I think I would’ve liked the book from the start had I know a little bit of history about France during the French Revolution. I struggled at points where Dickens makes a reference to history, and it wasn’t until I was well into the book that I actually started learning about the history of England and France during the late 1700’s. Ultimately, the book is about England and France before and during the French Revolution. The first half of the book, though a bit slow, really develops the characters and foreshadows several events that are to come. Lucie Manette discovers her father, missing for most of her life, is alive. While mentally unstable, after being imprisoned in the Bastille for years, he and Lucie begin their new life together and Dr. Manette (his profession before his imprisonment) begins to regain his old memory and life back. Lucie marries Charles Darnay, a Frenchman, and the two lead a happy life together in England. Several years into their wedded bliss, their lives take a turn for the worse when Darnay heads back to France and is captured by French Revolutionaries. Dr. Manette, Lucie, and their friends follow Darnay to France where they attempt to save his life.