A Tale of Two Cities

Anton Lesser reads Dickens's historical romance about a French-English family caught up in the French Revolution in a voice fraught with incipient emotion, acting out roles with intensity but without becoming tiresome. A one-man ensemble, he distinguishes characters clearly yet effortlessly, without crudely broad strokes. He renders moments of quiet emotion with delicacy, perhaps even more effectively than big emotions, though he gives rioting Parisians their due. He manages, almost without faltering, to keep the novel vivid and intimate, pressing it into the listener's heart and mind, though at times Dickens's sentimentality and melodrama are hard to take. This is as fine a performance as one can reasonably expect from a narrator. W.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2006 Audie Award Finalist (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... Dickens's story of The Terror of the French Revolution tells of its impact on the honorable gentle Charles Darnay and the drunk, good-for-nothing Sydney Carton, both of whom are devoted to the same woman. This excellent full-cast radio dramatization captures the turbulence of the times. Dr. Manette ("105, North Tower") is a standout as his life takes him from madness upon release from the Bastille to contentment when he is happily reconnected with his daughter. Maybe Charles Dance (Sydney Carton) is the only narrator we've heard of in this production, but it wouldn't hurt to tell us the rest. A.B. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

Arguably Dickens's most widely read and best loved book, this has everything you need for a marvelous heart-rending story of redemption and resurrection. The real hero is Sydney Carton, the drunken, idle lawyer whose love for Lucie Manette lifts him to nobility when he sacrifices himself, not simply to save her, but to save his rival, Charles Darnay, the man she loves. Only Dickens could pull this off. Full of memorable characters--from the bloodthirsty Madame Defarge to her British equal, Miss Pross. the story is brought to life with feeling, immediacy, and wit by John Lee. Dickens's work lends itself exquisitely to being read aloud, and Lee makes the most of a wonderful book. D.G. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine

Charles Dickens's novel about the French Revolution is a bit daunting to listen to. Dickens develops several plot lines as he examines the clashes between justice and human suffering in France and England. However, David Butler's reading makes the novel accessible. Each of the many characters is individualized; listeners can tell their class origins from Butler's shift in accent alone. Equally important, Butler can handle the extended descriptions and rolling rhythms that make up Dickens's style. Listen to this and you'll hear a great story retold by a master storyteller who knows when to pause, how to deliver rhetorical repetitions, and when to intensify his delivery for heightened emotion. G.T.B. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine

This dramatization of Dickens's novel is spare and modest in everything but its voices; they are rich, varied and consistently fine. As in DAVID COPPERFIELD, the script writers seem to have assumed that the story and period need little or no introduction. J.N. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

It's fun listening to Martin Jarvis read this book. He clearly enjoys himself and knows the story. His rich English voice is easy to follow, and he reads with confidence, eloquence and glee. Jarvis is also Dickens's equal when it comes to characters, creating a theater of voices, inflections and attitudes. In lesser hands this classic could have become a caricature on audio, but Jarvis makes this familiar story seem fresh. He treats Dickens with the respect he deserves, and the result is utterly satisfying. R.I.G. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine

The presentation of this classic about the French Revolution, the sufferings of Dr. Manette, and the sacrifice of Sidney Carton maintains Cover to Cover's high standards. Richard Pasco's plummy voice gives the text the richness and dignity it deserves. His characterizations are fine, but his greatest contribution is the measured pace he establishes with the narrator's voice. A scene in which a peasant child is ground under the carriage wheels of a scolding marquis allows Pasco to capture with moving impact the stark opposites of the Revolution. Intensifying the sense of drama, his restraint and deliberation also encourage reflection by the listener. For unabridged recording, a Dickens book requires the verbal presence of a master storyteller solidly in control, and Pasco's voice admirably meets these demands. G.H. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine

Dickens specialized in large casts of characters, and Tom Baker artfully differentiates major and minor characters, men and women, young and old, French and English in this story of the French Revolution. With intonation Baker creates the sound of galloping horses, the terror of those soon to be guillotined, the joy of the crowd. Certainly, this is deservedly labeled a "Classic Bestseller." M.G.S. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

It was the best of books and possibly the best of recorded versions. Dickens's dramatic narrative of the French Revolution and the unremitting vengeance of both Mesdames Defarge and La Guillotine are brought to life by Gordon Griffin's fully voiced reading. His reading is not as rushed as some, but is equally dramatic with flawless enunciation and a broad tonal range. What's more, each thirty-five minute side of the twelve tapes has a certain narrative completeness, ending with about thirty seconds of period harpsichord music. Classroom teachers might find these tapes useful for introducing the book, dealing with difficult passages or simply encouraging reluctant readers. P.E.F. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

[Editor's Note--The following is a combined review with DAVID COPPERFIELD, GHOST STORIES, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, HARD TIMES, MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, NICHOLAS NICKLEBY, OLIVER TWIST, OUR MUTUAL FRIEND, and THE PICKWICK PAPERS.]--New Millennium presents the distinguished Academy Award winner Paul Scofield interpreting abridgments of the novels and stories of Charles Dickens. These are excellent readings, sonorous and compelling. However, they lack the verve and character of the old Victorian qualities that have been so wonderfully captured on cassette by Martin Jarvis and Miriam Margolyes, among others. And while few authors benefit more from pruning than the paid-by-the-word Dickens, some of these cuttings are far too drastic. In addition, hurried post-production is evident in numerous audible edits, frequent mouth noises, and occasional overlapping of announcer and narrator. Y.R. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine

Charles Dickens's classic of the French Revolution is expertly dramatized by Simon Vance. It's also a grand romance. Charles Darnay, the French ÄmigrÄ who relinquishes his title in disgust at the poverty wrought upon the peasants by the titled class, and Sydney Carton, the world-weary drunken London barrister, both love Lucie, the daughter of the unjustly imprisoned Dr. Alexandre Manette. Vance will have listeners weeping as Carton greets Madame Guillotine with some of the most famous lines in literature. Carton's depression and ultimate redemption are crystal clear; Madame Defarge, with her clicking knitting needles, takes on appropriate menace; and Jarvis Lorry, the reliable "man of business," loves Lucie as if she were his daughter. A.B. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

Jim Weiss shares the essence of Dickens's TALE OF TWO CITIES--from the storming of the Bastille at the start of the French Revolution to the intricate rescue of French aristocrat Charles Darnay from the vengeance of Madame Defarge and other revolutionaries. Weiss opens this "story of extremes" with insights into the life of Dickens, "a man who knew a thing or two about the good and evil people are capable of." This is a thrilling telling, and it's amazing that it can be so eloquently and clearly condensed into a little over an hour, with the characters and settings, historic London and Paris, sharply delineated by a master storyteller. D.P.D. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

Charlton Griffin is a master of distinctive voices in this Dickens classic about the French Revolution. Indeed, the novel itself, with its plot twists and complex narrative, is beautifully suited to the audio format, thanks to the author's rich descriptions and Griffin's understanding of the characters. With a few notable exceptions--main character Lucie's awkwardly high-pitched breathiness among them--Griffin's performance is appealing. Most of the other characters--and since this is Dickens, there are many--feature vocal nuances that add dimension and color. Listeners are transported from place to place and conflict to conflict without confusion because of Griffin's control of the material. Whether one is new to this classic or revisiting an old literary friend, this production can be viewed as "the best of times." L.B.F. 2011 Audies Finalist (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Simon Prebble is the perfect narrator for Charles Dickens's complex saga of love, betrayal, and self-sacrifice during the French Revolution. Beginning in 1775 and continuing through the storming of the Bastille by French peasants to its inevitable outcomes, the story of Charles Darnay, Sydney Carton, and Lucie Manette is given new life in Prebble's truthful characterizations. Leaving no doubt which person is speaking, Prebble's vocal artistry provides each character with ingenious quirks and idiosyncrasies, allowing listeners to picture real people in a full range of economic conditions. From the infamous Madame Defarge to the villainous Marquis EvrÄmonde, Prebble heightens tensions, making even lengthy descriptive passages as vital as the social inequities and romantic entanglements. Here's an undisputed classic given a fresh performance by a master audio-actor. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine

Expectations should be great when listening to a classic like A TALE OF TWO CITIES. Narrator Simon Callow has the expected British accent, a multitude of inflections for the many different characters, and smooth transitions from dramatic reading to scene-setting narrative. But the production quality of this work falls short. Too often a deep breath preceding a passage, or a portion that's recorded with the volume too low, takes away from Callow's obvious enthusiasm for what must be a fun challenge to any professional reader. Callow's introduction to the work, it should be noted, is fascinating. However, greater attention to the production details could have made this audiobook far better. J.P.S. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine