Historical · Classics
A Tale of Two Cities
Bestseller: about 200 million copies (estimate)Set between London and Paris in the years leading up to and through the French Revolution, this novel follows a wrongly accused man, the woman he loves, and a worn-out lawyer who looks strikingly like him.
- First published
- 1859
- Pace
- medium
- Length
- medium
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you want a classic with a famous opening, a sweeping historical backdrop and a final act that lands hard.
Skip this if you dislike Victorian prose, long sentences or a slow first half before the plot tightens.
The feel
Content warnings
Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Bookshop.org | Check price | Buy new from Bookshop.org |
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Barnes & Noble | Check price | Buy new from Barnes & Noble |
| Print, used | ||
| AbeBooks | Check price | Buy used from AbeBooks |
| ThriftBooks | Check price | Buy used from ThriftBooks |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Libro.fm | Check price | Buy audiobook from Libro.fm |
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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If you loved A Tale of Two Cities
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Les Misérables
Another large-hearted tale of revolutionary France where mercy and sacrifice matter as much as the politics.
-
The Count of Monte Cristo
Also set in a turbulent France, with a faster, more plot-driven pace and plenty of satisfying reversals.
-
Wolf Hall
Shows another world coming apart through political upheaval, told in a more modern, sharp-edged voice.
Historical
