I totally agree with all the positive views on this message board. Charles Dickens is one the most amazing writers of the 19th century. His foreshadowing is great (using Carton's sayings to predict his heroism at the end) and his characterizations are wonderfully composed. I agree that Sydney Carton and Madame Defarge are the most highly developed and interesting characters, but Dickens doesn't do a bad job bulding Cruncher, Lorry, or Dr. Manette either (however Darnay and Lucie are lame...but purposefully!) Many readers need to understand that the great detail (sometimes found boring by students) was necessary to keep readers involved. Dickens was an extremely smart man, and earned a lot of money by selling his book in installments. He sold small installments every week or so, then sold a few chapters, and then sold the entire book when he was done. This made his books very profitable, and is the reason why he goes into such great detail. This book was taught to me in a joint history/english class, and I believe that this is the best way to understand the book, its history, and its implications. Take the time to read A Tale of Two Cities, and although it may take you a while to get into the plot, you are up for a big suprise by the end!