I've read A Tale of Two Cities, Now What?
A new feature on our blog will be further recommendations for the people who enjoyed the book club pick and are waiting with aching hands for more. Our first I've read this book, now what? will be for A Tale of Two Cities. If you want to know more about this book first, read the (Dutch) review here and then let's move on to what others book to read if you liked Dickens, The French Revolution and sappy father-daughter stories.
Let's start with Charles Dickens. You've entered the world of crazy characters and long descriptions that will make you laugh anyway. Dickens' style came sometimes be a bit overwhelming. His sentences are runny and his books are filled with more characters than the pages can contain. If you're looking for something shorter and more accessible, I suggest trying Oliver Twist. The story is already familiar, which makes it easier to grasp and the book is one of Dickens' shortest. However, all the tell-tale signs of a Dickens novel are present. The novel is filled with caricatures, the ever-expanding gap between rich and poor and all of this against a stark English background.
From this image you would think Bleak House is the one with the ghosts For anyone who really enjoyed Dickens and is looking to dive in deeper, try Bleak House. A whopping 1000+ pages of scathing criticism on the English Chancery Court. It's the only novel Dickens ever wrote from a female perspective and a definite must read for lovers of his writing.
How can you not be intrigued by a book that gets people drawing?! If the French Revolution really got you going and Madame Defarge and The Vengeance had your full support, but you are looking for something a bit more modern, try A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel. The Queen of Historical Fiction uses real characters to pen her take of the French Revolution. The story is about the consequences of power, something we talked about as well during the book club, and another biggie (750+ pages).
Personally, I was terrified by the calm knitting of Madame Defarge, but that might just be your bag. If you like knitting and terrifying ladies involved with murder, give Knit One, Kill Two by Maggie Sefton a try. It's a real knitting murder mystery about discovering a great hobby and solving the murder of Kelly Flynn's aunt. And if you like this one, there are nine more books waiting for you!
Lucie and Doctor Manette were quite something. Either you hated them or you loved them, but one thing was certain, as far as a father-daughter relationship goes, they had something going on. I'm still not sure if they just deeply cared about each other or if they had a very unhealthy relationship, but if you want to explore the topic a bit more, try To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. Atticus Finch might just be the greatest dad in fiction!
Although it was only a small part of the story, I can't help but get excited about a doppelgänger/look-alike switcheroo. If you like the challenge of Dickens and you love a mystery then I recommend The Double by José Saramago. Definitely not an easy read, but magical realism at it's best. If you still don't know what to read we're always happy to answer any questions in the comments. If we missed any books that are a definite YES after A Tale of Two Cities, let us know as well. We'd love to hear from you.