What do you think? *spoilers*

Today I found out that a really good friend of mine read A Tale of Two Cities while she was on vacation. There were several long moments of shock and disbelief, followed by hugs and joyful celebration! Whenever I find out someone has read, or is at least familiar with, AToTC, it almost always makes my day. If they are interested in talking about the book or the characters (especially Sydney!!!), my day is made twice...

*MAJOR SPOILER! IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE END OF A TALE OF TWO CITIES, DO NOT READ FURTHER! YOU WILL REGRET IT IF YOU DISREGARD THIS WARNING! SO DON'T DO IT!!!*

As we were chatting, I wondered aloud whether Sydney's act at the end of A Tale of Two Cities was committed a) in hopes of atoning for his unruly past, or b) in hopes of redeeming himself and therefore saving himself. What do you think?

I don't think Sydney was relying on himself for his salvation, though we don't know a LOT about Sydney's spiritual beliefs in particular. (Then again, it's been ages since I've read ATotC, it's probably time to read it once more!) My friend and I did agree, however, that Sydney desired to make up for his wasted life by giving his life in exchange for another. What say you?

Btw...happy new year. And Valentine's Day. And all the other holidays between the last post and this one... 

Happy 9th of Thermidor!

Ninth of Thermidor...
When: July 27, 1794
What: Robespierre guillotined

After the French Revolution, the French calendar was remade.  The 7-day week changed to 10 days, the months and days were renamed and the calendar began when the republic began.

After the Great Terror, the last remaining leader of the French Revolution, Robespierre, was guillotined on the 9th of the month of Thermidor, the second year of the republic (which translates to July 27, 1794).  Robespierre, after ordering the deaths of many French citizens during the Great Terror, found himself under the guillotine's shadow himself.

I'm not sure if "Happy 9th of Thermidor" is an appropriate phrase here and I doubt this is a sufficient post to give the day credit. However I mixed up the dates and thought it was the 29th, so when I realised it was today, I was a little late in formulating a post.  Anyway, if you are curious, there are lots of great websites on the internet talking about the French Revolution!

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I "met" Sydney when I was a preteen.  I'd watched the 1989 version of A Tale of Two Cities a couple years beforehand, but I re-watched it again.  I'm guessing this was at the same time I was really interested in the French Revolution, and trying to read all the books / read all the internet articles / watch all the movies about the FR that I could.  But A Tale of Two Cities quickly became much more than just "a book / movie about the FR".  It became one of my favourite books ever.  But first, I had to get a copy of the book.  I'd read one of those abridged copies before, those picture-on-every-page ones, but they don't quite give you the Dickens feel.  I knew we were going to London (we lived in England at that time) and visiting the British Library, so I bought a copy of A Tale in the gift shop.  It took me about six months to read it, but it was most certainly worth it.  I kept checking out the movie from the library and watching it over and over again.  (Eventually my mom bought it for me.  :))  Although my admiration of Sydney never faded, the obsession did.  Until recently, when I read A Tale of Two Cities for school.  I went slightly insane again.  I also found out there was a musical of A Tale, which went right along with my latest obsession - musicals.  (Well actually my latest-latest obsession is Josh Groban...but that's another story).  So, even though I have a better control over my emotions now ;), I am still and hopefully always will be, a Sydney Carton fan.

So now it's YOUR turn.  How did you meet Sydney?  When did you fall in love?

(Btw I do understand that probably no one reads this blog and I highly doubt anyone will comment on it.  But I'm just going to treat it like people are reading it.  Because otherwise it feels lonely.)

What in the world?

Maybe you know me in real life and are peeking at my other blog... and suddenly, you see a new blog (I know, another one!).  "What in the world?  WHO is Sydney Carton?  And who would want to blog all about one guy who's a...fictional character!!!???"

My "friendship" with Sydney Carton started several years ago when I first read A Tale of Two Cities and fell in love (using that as an expression) with his character.  I still have his name on the "Board of Epicness" and my A Tale of Two Cities DVD's have a very special place in my closet (well, sort of).

Even so, I've been reluctant to introduce Sydney to others because a lot of people don't seem interested in a drunken lawyer and his love of the beauty, Lucie Manette.  Perhaps sitting people down to watch a 4-hour version of a movie that came out in 1989 seems a little daunting (James Wilby: one of the best Sydney's ever!  Just my humble opinionated opinion.  :) ).  I knew there must be other people who loved Sydney, but I didn't have any in the neighborhood or over e-mail either.

Recently I read A Tale of Two Cities for school and fell in love all over again.  Not only that, but my interest in Dickens novels has combined with my love of musicals in Santoriello's musical of A Tale of Two Cities.


So, I guess I'm getting a little ahead of myself.  I'm not sure what I'll put on this blog...  maybe articles about Dickens, Sydney, books, reviews of AToTC adaptions, etc. but I'll try to keep it AToTC-related.  (I might end up getting pressured into writing something about Charles...I have Sydney fans who are also partial to Mr. Darnay.  :))  If you're patient enough to stick with me, you might find something of interest once in a while.  :)

Signing out for now,
The knitter who would really like to be the seamstress...  but not ACTUALLY be her, I mean, she gets guillotined.  But you know.  She gets to hold Sydney's hand and everything, that's pretty epic.  But I don't want to get guillotined.  So...  never mind.  I don't even know.