A Tale of Two Cities [Recorded Books]

By: Charles Dickens

Narrated by: Frank Muller

Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." So begins this classic, one of the most beloved novels of all time. Charles Dickens brings the French Revolution to life through such vivid characters as Charles Darnay, the Old Doctor, Sydney Carton and Lucy Manette. The action peaks with the storming of the Bastille, the dreaded symbol of government authority. And the blade of La Guillotine falls again...

(P)1986 by Recorded Books, Inc.

Beautiful writing, beautifully read.

A great listen. Dickens writes a fascinating window into a facinating time in history and the events are enlivened and given scale by the characters he draws. Like all Dicken's work, there is a lot of scene setting and build up but the wait is worthwhile.

The narration is clear and the characterisation is kept at the level where it assists understanding rather than getting in the way.

A very educational and enjoyable listen.

Perfect!

This is everything an audiobook should be. A perfect performance of a great novel. Everything is perfect, pauses, accents. Nothing could be improved. Highly recommended. Jim Dandy sez "check it out".

Wonderful novel, polarizing narrator

I realize that many have praised Frank Muller's narration of A Tale of Two Cities, but I wish to offer a dissenting opinion. There is no denying Mr. Muller's considerable talent as a reader, let alone the splendid quality of his sonorous voice. My problem with Muller's performance is that the voice he employs for the narrator of the novel is every bit as dramatic as the voices he craftily invents for the characters. Thus it requires a bit of concentration to listen to the narration without feeling like one is listening to an intense speech. Listeners who--like me--prefer the sobriety of the voice of the very excellent Ms. Davina Porter, will likely feel a bit put off by the colorful and portentous narration of Mr. Muller. As to the quality of the novel, I humbly agree with the other reviewers.

Muller makes this

Frank Muller's narration makes this an up-to-date read and even the long Victorian explanations are a sheer pleasure to listen to. He puts so much into it. We all know the story but Muller brings the people to life...

A timeless classic very well read

I read this book years ago, but enjoyed listening to it again. Highly recommend this.

A wonderful literary masterpiece

Where does A Tale of Two Cities [Recorded Books] rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Amongst the top 5 (maybe the top two or three?) His writing is so unique, yet so easily grasped. You would believe that the use of the old English style of writing would make reading this book difficult and burdensome, yet it is neither. Maybe it is because the writing is so enthralling or maybe the performance is so vivid and inspirational that finding a stopping point during the read is most of the time impossible to locate. This book seizes you, the listener, and forces you to not interrupt its progress for fear of missing a "moment".

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Tale of Two Cities [Recorded Books]?

Spoiler alert... the visit by Madame deFarge ??? to Lucy's home... after the guillotine moment

What about Frank Muller’s performance did you like?

Passages that at times are somewhat predictable are made memorable by the performer.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Most definitely!!!

Any additional comments?

A must read.

"Classic" is an Understatement

This story has everything. Humor, intrigue, suspense, romance, tragedy, unrequited love, rebellion, bravery, grace, loyalty, corruption, patriotism, ultimate sacrifices... You can't help but be totally in awe of Dickens' beautiful prose, his profound interpretation of the human condition and emotion. Without giving away spoilers, Sidney Carton, although he appears late in the story, is my most beloved character. Dissolute yet the ultimate hero, Carton sets the bar for noble characters throughout the years, with Mr. Jarvis Lorry being a close second. The suffering of Dr. Manette, the wicked decadence of the French government, the callousness of Jerry Cruncher...all the characters have a redeeming moment. An unforgettable story that celebrates the English language. In my opinion, one of the greatest of all time and arguably the best Dickens novel. It is the complete emotional journey, tear provoking, and light pit loud. This Classic is NOT to be missed. Everyone should experience it.

The narrator enhances this story perfectly. The delivery is wonderfully smooth and emphatic at all the right places. The humor and comedy comes through as well the tragic. One of my favorite narrators!

A Tale of Two Cities

I got the version narrated by Frank Muller; it was fabulous!! I had started to read a hardcopy and had trouble getting past the archaic writing style. However, Mr. Muller got me totally engrossed and, of course, I ended up loving the book.

great on our road trip

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

yes.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Tale of Two Cities [Recorded Books]?

the entire book was riveting

What does Frank Muller bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

great accents, good tone and timing, pleasant voice, enthusiastic and expressive

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

loved it

WOW WOW WOW

Great story, great narration. A bit hard to follow mind you but once you get in the groove my goodness. Interesting fun fact, this book was released in parts and people (often illiterate) would pay to have it read to them, so an audiobook is perhaps its truest form! I even think there is some saying or catchphrase that has derived from this practice can't remember what it is though. It's not a history book but the general feelings and events described I believe give a better understanding of the times than any historical book, and in terms of the readership and long lasting effect this book will be what defines humanity's remembrance and understanding of the French Revolution, excepting films. Don't mind the haters, I guess its just above their heads or something.