Written by Charles Dickens for serial publication in 1859, ""A Tale of Two Cities"" is a historical novel that takes place in London and Paris in the years leading up to the French Revolution. Its first sentence, ""It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,"" is one of the most recognizable opening lines in all of literature. This new Bloom's Guide will provide the best of study times for those assigned this famous and widely taught novel. Readers will find this an accessible, quick-reference introduction to the work, as well as a source of key literary viewpoints spotlighting specific aspects of the story.