It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way — in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
- A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickinson
Such an amazing way to open a novel! I must admit though that I only got halfway through this book in high school and still haven't gone back to it. I think it's a story, like Wuthering Heights, that is supposed to make you angry, but it made me so sad and angry that I couldn't finish it.
Reply DeleteOddly enough, I've always really loved the opening, but didn't realize forever that the version I had read (one of those cheap paperbacks sold at grocery stores) was abridges, for, like years! But I've never gotten around to reading the unabridged version.
DeleteI didn't realize Wuthering Heights was SUPPOSED to make one mad (I mean, it annoyed me, but I thought maybe that was just me), since people seem to portray it as super-romantic... so, I've never managed to finish it OR Jane Erye either.... wow. I sound like a horrible book reader. I finish books, really!