A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

Recommended for ages 12-adult.

Charles Dickens appears on just about every "Top 100" book list you can find, and for a good reason - the guy was a masterful storyteller. He weaves a magical web of language that makes his books as enjoyable to listen to as comprehend. You don't have to understand the complex plot of this book to be mesmerised by his metaphors and turns of phrase. And the guy is pretty funny too - more than once I burst out laughing at his expressions (not a good look if you're in the USA Social Security offices like I was...) 

In A Tale of Two Cities Dickens crafts a dramatic tale of espionage, adventure and love. Although I found the first half of the book slow-going (owing to my increasing exposure to the {for the most part} simple and poor-quality novels available today), the dénouement and final conclusions of this book left me reeling. It deals with the almost-forgotten codes of decency, gallantry, justice and family by exposing a time where each struggled to survive: the French Revolution. You will love Dicken's central characters: Lucie, Charles, Mr Lorry, and ultimately even the incorrigible Sydney Carlton. You will gasp in horror at the sinister Madame Defarge and her knitting. And you will cry (more than you did in the Hunger Games series) bitter-sweet tears at the courage of the little seamstress and the knowledge she carries to the guillotine.

Lots of young adult fiction works today dramatise and heighten their suspense and romance to the point where it is almost unbelievable. Dickens doesn't. Instead, his portrayal of human emotion is sincere and often understated. He chooses to show, rather than tell you how much his characters love and hate one another, and in doing so sets himself apart from his weaker counterpart authors. Let yourself be caught up in the turbulence and uncertainty, the terror and treason that is the French Revolution.

Recommended for kids over 12, because of the language complexity more than anything. Stick with it until you have gotten into a 'Dickens groove' and can really enjoy it.