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Title: A Far Better Rest by Susanne Alleyn, Charles Dickens ISBN: 1-56947-197-5 Publisher: Soho Press Pub. Date: 01 July, 2000 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $25.00

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Average Customer Rating: 3.9 (10 reviews)

Rating: 5
Summary: Adds believability to Dickens' classic
Comment: For anyone who found the plot and ambiance of A Tale of Two Cities exhilarating but was somewhat disappointed by Dickens' lack of depth in characters and blatant misportrayal of historical fact, Susanne Alleyn's vivid reimagining of Dickens' classic does much to enhance the believability of the original work. While maintaining Dickens' air of tense and high drama, as well as (quite incredibly) Dickens' language, Alleyn adds depth and background to Sydney Carton's ultimate self-sacrifice and does pays much attention to the historical details of the French Revolution, something Dickens himself scrupulously neglected. By weaving compelling strands of Dickens' original plot together with some brilliant ones of her own (including Eleanore d'Ambert, Carton's brilliant and brave lover who I like a lot more than Lucie :)) , Alleyn makes Carton's final decision more understandable, and yet, far more laudable. A Far Better Rest is an exquisitely crafted page-turner that will have surprises even for the most avid reader of Dickens.

Rating: 5
Summary: Wonderful novel of the French Revolution
Comment: A Far Better Rest is a wonderful retelling of A Tale of Two Cities from Sydney Carton's point of view. It tells the story of Carton's entire life, filling in the gaps in A Tale of Two Cities, where Carton disappears for several years. But not only does Susanne Alleyn do a great job at filling in Carton's "missing years", but she also writes an excellent novel of the French Revolution that stands completely on its own. Yes, it does help if you've read A Tale of Two Cities first, but it is not absolutely necessary. I have not read it for several years, and it's amazing how much I had forgotten. (For example, I had forgotten that Sydney Carton had gone to school in France.) Alleyn's description of the events of the Revolution is far more accurate than Dickens', as she explains in the afterword. Also, I love the way Alleyn introduces historical figures into her narrative; it was a clever touch, to have Carton and Darnay go to school with Robespierre and Desmoulins, for example. And Alleyn's original characters, especially Eleonore, are great additions to the story. I have read many historical novels about the French Revolution; this is one of the best.

Rating: 1
Summary: ghastly
Comment: The plot is moderately interesting but the writing is too contrived. It reads like a Regency romance novel with literary asperations.