Thank you to NetGalley and to MacMillan Audio for the ARC of A Far Better Thing by H.G. Parry.

I absolutely LOVE Parry's The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door and The Magician's Daughter. I think they were some of my favorite reads for all of 2024, and they made Parry feel like a must read author for me.

In A Far Better Thing, Parry returns more to her earlier published works like A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians, where she retells history/a story (A Tale of Two Cities) by adding in the fae realm to flesh out one of the character's actions in a different and interesting way while still maintaining the original plot. For me, this didn't entirely fill my cup the way her more original works do. While I didn't remember the character names from A Tale of Two Cities right off the bat, I do remember the story fairly clearly, and in my older Goodreads reviews Dickens work was a 5 star read for me, so, in my head, it's hard to see why / how that could be improved, even by an author I really appreciate. I think what's harder is that we now live in a world where if I want a Dickens retelling, Barbara Kingsolver and Demon Copperhead exist and man, she really blew it out of the water with that one - -the bar is set so high now for anyone else touching Dickens and what it means to do a retelling. I think, when I started reading and then matched the character names, I felt a bit misled because the tagline of the description is "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell meets A Tale of Two Cities in H. G. Parry’s A Far Better Thing, a heart-rending fantasy of faery revenge set during the French Revolution" -- so, in my head, this wasn't going to be a retelling, but it was going to use the influence of these two books to create a new story in the vein of The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door and The Magician's Daughter. Again, it's also a bit on me for not remembering the two character names, but I read A Tale of Two Cities in February 2015, so I understand that the decade just wiped it away in my head -- I also just thought the title was an homage to A Tale of Two Cities, not incorporating a complete retelling.

That being said, I enjoyed the audiobook. Nathaniel Priestley does well bringing the action forward, as well as doing a range of different types of English/French accents and the accent for the land of the fae. For already knowing how the real world ending would come about, I thought Parry made Carton's ending chapter/scene incredibly beautiful and meaningful that held really true to the Dickens version and really true and resonant with her own faerie story that becomes his backstory/adventure in this novel.

I would have liked a bit more time understanding faerie in this novel, as it was hard to understand what the children experience in the place they are held when kidnapped and replaced by changelings that makes them hate faerie so much. I struggled to bridge the gap of understanding how, if the fae are dying out, that the fae are all basically kidnapped children who chose not to become mortal servants. I would have liked more time understanding the hatred these children feel who elect to become mortal servants who will feed more children to become fae vs becoming fae themselves and why the fae wanted to open gates, etc. I would have loved to have spent much more time diving into Memory, Ivy, Rosemary, and everyone's lives in faerie and spending less time with the real world/the Dickens plot. I think the problem here is that Dickens was paid by the word so there is always so much ground to cover with his retellings, and so that ate up more of the plot than the originality I wanted to see Parry expand upon.

Overall it was a pleasant read, but I think Parry shines best when she isn't beholden to history or other source material.

If you never read a tale of two cities, I could see this being a very confusing read. It takes all of the characters of the original and adds in the layer of the fairy world with several characters related to that realm. There were times that even I knowing the original had to remind myself of which secondary character was which. This was an excellent but complicated retelling.

Even if you read a tale of two cities, if it’s been a while, you should probably revisit the character list and summary. I received this as an advanced listener, copy and wish I had it in print because of the complexity. I am a regular audiobook person, but I’m not sure that a book has layered as this one is best consumed by audio.

In the third act, there is some info dumping to clarify the “why” and “how” of the fairy layer of this book. I almost wish that this retelling simplified the Dickens plot or that some of his characters had been removed. In addition, elements of the French revolution were included that probably didn’t need to be here. For example, the assassination of Marat. Someone with French heritage and a keen interest and knowledge of the time that part was interesting, but did not serve the overall plot.

The final sequence is beautifully done and had me in tears. Dickens never moved me so!


For anyone who knows HG Parry well, there is one bunny in this story. It has a very brief appearance about 20% into the story.

First, the narration for this book is fantastic! The voice is exactly how I'd imagine his character, and it honestly made the story easier to follow.

I reaaaally enjoyed this book and debated between a 4-5 star rating for awhile. I'm not a huge Dickens fan, but I do have fond memories of A Tale of Two Cities, as an incredibly weighty and emotional read. This book is as well, and the additions that Parry makes to the story, with the bits of faerie lore and with this Sydney's quandaries, are really meaningful.

That being said, the pacing at times is somewhat ponderous. It took me at least 30% of the book to really settle in, and at times I found myself kind of glazing over with the specifics of the faerie lore. I do think those who love Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell will enjoy this, as it does have a similar style and take on faeries, though the main character and tone are distinct.

I'm continuing to love Parry's books and can't wait for more!

I loved "the Magician's Daughter" by Parry so much, so I was very excited to get a copy of this one. Parry does such an amazing job of writing characters that pull at your heartstrings. Sydney Carton/Memory is a true tragic hero, and I loved him. He's not perfect, but he does the right thing - even when it seems impossible or inconceivable. Parry really captures the tragedy of the French Revolution in a visceral way, and the atmosphere is palpable (especially once the story moves to Paris). I loved the way that she seamlessly wove actual historical events/people into the story. Again, if you have read her books before, you know there is going to be some heartbreak here, and she doesn't pull those punches. The plot weaves itself intricately in and out of the lives of her characters, and the way that she ties them all together is quite surprising and delightful. Her writing is beautiful and captivating, and her characters are just stunning. I cannot recommend this book enough.

This is my first read/listen by HG Parry, and I am a fan! I loved every moody, atmospheric, minute of A Far Better Thing. Filled with complex characters and sizzling tension, I could not stop listening!

Thank you to NetGalley, H. G. Parry, and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

This book is darker and colder than H. G. Parry's other works. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was an interesting story from the characters to the storyline. Sydney Carton had a haunting and tragic life. I wasn’t expecting a beautiful love story that was in the background. This book explores grief and the consequences of our choices. I wasn’t expecting this book to be filled with so much emotional depth. H. G. Parry never misses. This is the kind of story that will stick with you. I highly recommend it! Especially, if you are a fan of H. The G. Parry's other works. I will be re-reading.

5 stars

The audiobook was excellent! Nathaniel Priestley did a fantastic job narrating this story. Please, pick up the audiobook!

I listened to the audiobook of A Far Better Thing and honestly? Great choice. The narration pulled me in, even when the plot took its time getting started. It’s a slow burn, but the voice acting really carried the emotion and helped me stay connected—especially during the quieter, more introspective parts.

The narrator does a great job capturing the main character’s mental state—he’s struggling, he’s messy, but he’s trying. I really felt for him. It made the character feel even more real and grounded, and I don’t think I’d have connected as deeply if I’d read it in print.

And the vibe?? So atmospheric. There’s this eerie, subtle tension that the narrator brings to life perfectly, especially when the fairy stuff starts creeping in. It gave me chills in the best way.

If you’re into audiobooks that are emotional, a little haunting, and character-driven with just enough magic to keep you guessing—definitely give this one a listen.

I tend to enjoy a good retelling of myths, fables, and fairy tales, though Charles Dicken's original A Tale of Two Cities doesn't quite fall into those categories, the idea of retelling it as a (dark) fairy tale piqued my interest. Its been some years, since I read A Tale of Two Cities so I won't judge as to how faithful the adaptation is on the minutia, but much of the general flow of the tale and characters of A Far Better Thing hold up well to the spirit of the original work I remember. There is a change in perspective and, obviously, the introduction of fae that throw the story a few curves. I liked the idea of a changeling explanation of the doppelganger, Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay. The story stands on its own merit well enough for those that have never read the original, or who don't remember the details. That said, those unfamiliar with the original who expect something of a romantic, light story might be disappointed as it is a bit heavy with themes of justice, classism, and sacrifice. I appreciated the way that the fae characters and their realm were merged into the story and the setting of London and Paris ahead of and into the French Revolution. And, I admired the way that this retelling honored the themes of the original right up to the end.
I enjoyed the audiobook of this novel and the narrator, Nathaniel Priestley, did a marvelous job of bringing the tale off the page.
I received the ALC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Macmillan Audio) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

This was A Tale of Two Cities with fae magic—and I loved every dark, emotional, beautifully written moment of it. H.G. Parry blends historical fiction and fantasy so seamlessly, it feels like this version was meant to exist all along.

The story is moody, atmospheric, and full of complicated characters, slow-burn tension, and big emotional payoffs. If you’re into dark retellings, magical realism, or just love a good cry over morally messy characters, this one definitely deserves a spot on your TBR. I recently obtained the audiobook from Macmillan audio of this and don’t miss out on it it was an excellent listen the narrator was top knotch.