A Tale of Two Cities

When my 10-year-old self was given this book to read by my school teacher, I semi-enthusiastically accepted it, went home and threw it in the corner. I should have devoured every page, but I didn't.

Luckily, my reading conscience caught up with me 20 years later and I’m glad it did because this is bleak, incredibly descriptive and brilliantly evocative of 18th century France.

Charles Dickens is about the closest thing the British have to Dostoevsky: his character studies and the grime and fear of life during the French revolution described in amazing detail, are so immersive.

A Tale of Two Cities is surprisingly thrilling and borderline fantastic and I only wish I could do it justice with a proper review. I need to read it again at some point to do that, it's been such a long time.

I’ve skipped a lot of Dickens for more modern and titillating reads, but I recommend this 100%. My 10-year-old self thoroughly wishes he could recommend it to you too.