A Tale of Two Cities (Classics Illustrated Notes) by Charles Dickens. © 1997 Acclaim Books. ISBN 1-57840-003-1. Paperback. Classics/Young Adult/Graphic Novel. $4.99 US. [ Purchase ] Source: local library

** This review is part of the 2010 Graphic Novels Challenge and the Classics Graphic Novels Mini-Challenge. **

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times …
it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

Who could ever forget those haunting opening lines?

Back in middle school, A Tale of Two Cities was my first taste of Dickens (I’m excluding A Christmas Carol here as what child wasn’t exposed to that *grin*). I first saw it as an adaptation on the PBS television show, Wishbone, and from there I knew I had to read the book. To this day, it is still one of my favorite classics, so when I saw it at my local library as graphic novel format, I couldn’t resist grabbing it up for this challenge.

For a book of so little pages, I think Evelyn Goodman did a marvelous job of adapting and chipping away such a dense tome and pulling out the main scenes and plotlines one needs to grasp an overall story of hidden identities, family, love, vengeance, war, sacrifice, and redemption. While I don’t think a student could use this alone to pass a test or write an essay, it would definitely help one to follow along with the story if Dickens’s book proves a tedious read.

The included study guide proves to be a wonderful addition to the graphic novel, aiding the reader in learning more about Dickens and the story and times expressed in the book.

Joe Orlando’s colorful illustrations draw you into a rich nineteenth century world on the brink of the French Revolution and keep your attention, without losing the integrity of Dickens’s era.

Really, really enjoyed this.

Rating: 5 French Revolutionaries out of 5!