Thank you to Tor Books for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Firstly, I'll say that this is a retelling of A Tale of Two Cities. Since I never finished the Dickens original, I am not equipped to discuss this book as a retelling.

Nonetheless, I was really intrigued by Parry's <i>A Far Better Thing</i>. It is an alluring mash-up of two worlds, each going through major upheaval, with characters torn between the two while also navigating battles with their own demons. It is very slow at the beginning, and I'll admit that it took nearly half the book to convince me that I wanted to finish it. After over three weeks of fighting, Parry got my buy-in and I raced through the second half. The ending was devastatingly predictable, but I just HAD to know.

The way that Parry laces magic through an already familiar landscape is not overbearing but rather subtle and beautiful. Changelings are not my favourite piece of folklore, but they were well-utilized in this story. The faerie world felt vague and fuzzy, and while that was frustrating because I wanted all my questions answered, it also felt like an accurate representation of how that world would feel from the outside.

I am heavily invested in the adventures of Addison and Rosemary, and I hope we get to see them again some day!

Overall, this was thought-provoking and eventually also captivating. I give it 4.25 stars.

Content Warnings:
- Alcohol and alcoholism
- Kidnapping
- Violence
- War
- Murder
- Death
- Rape

This book will be released on June 17, 2025.

As someone who loved The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door as well as A Tale of Two Cities, this one certainly piqued my interest. This was such a great fairy tale on Dickens! I loved each twist and turn.

I thought this was a well written book that simply wasn't for me. I love a main character that is very dry humored and goes about life saying they are the worst while doing everything in their power to help others. What I did not enjoy was the setting and direct tie in to the French revolution. It felt that our story was going at it's own pace with fairies, deals, and revenge, and then it had to follow the years and skips and the realities of French history which is not a device I enjoy. I also found it distracting as we now had the entirety of political drama tied closely to the drama of the Realm.

Thanks so much to Tor and NetGalley for the preview. All opinions are my own.

I AM UNWELL. You know how people say, "this book DESTROYED me, 10/10 would recommend?" THIS IS THAT BOOK. I think most of us had to read Tale of Two Cities in school; I know I did. I remember being a little moved by the ending, and that's about it. This retelling with faeries has so much more depth and emotion, and I think I cried for at least 30% of the book.

I don't know if everyone appreciates how hard it is to take a well-known story and add in magic and fae, and still somehow keep all the characters and plot points, and still make sense within all the new and old motivations. Parry does this so beautifully and seamlessly. Yes, we know what the ending is, but the twists and turns and faerie meddling that gets us there is mind-blowing. The use of changelings was inspired.

The Scholar & the Last Faerie Door was one of my top reads last year, and A Far Better Thing is guaranteed to be one of my top books this year. Do yourself a favor, and pick it (and honestly ALL of her books) up!

This book is your classic portal fantasy with your Faerie Realm. Historically set. Really fun to follow these characters as they navigate both the mortal and faerie realms and all of those within.

This book does not hold your hand as it jumps right into the story. It took me a bit to get into it and get on board with what was happening, but once I understood how exactly the real-world history and fantastical faerie realm blended together for the setting, I was locked in.

The premise was new and exciting. I mean, I can’t say in all of the books about fae and faeries I’ve read that I have ever encountered one that involved revolutionary France.

Ultimately, I think the book suffered from some pacing issues, but they weren’t egregious enough to put me off.

3.5 stars rounded up!

4.5 Stars

Sydney Carton was taken by the fairies at the age of two, and made to be a mortal servant of the Faerie Realm. After returning to the human world at the age of thirteen, and doing the work of the faeries, he has finally discovered his true name and found the changeling that was left in his place. Now he is plotting revenge against his changeling, Charles Darnay, and the inhabitants of the Realm. Sydney must find ways to hide his true intentions from the Realm and travel between London and Paris, during the Reign of Terror in France.

Changelings, faeries, and the Wild Hunt...sign me up!! A Far Better Thing is a unique retelling of Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities. Parry does a fantastic job of merging Dicken's original book with the fairy world. I really enjoyed the historical fiction background of the story being mixed with fantasy, by adding in magic and faeries.

The story follows Sydney Carton and his chance to have his revenge against the Realm, for being taken as a child and replaced with a changeling, and made to serve the Realm in his adult life. As the story unfolds, Parry reveals the revenge, betrayals, and secrets that are at the heart of story. The book is slower paced, but it is very well-written, and Parry definitely held my interest. The pacing of the book did pick up, for me, closer to the end, and the way Parry tied everything together and completed Sydney's story, was heartbreakingly beautiful.

I loved that Parry balanced the tragedy and sacrifice of the book with friendships, love, and hope. If you enjoy historical fantasy, with a melancholic storyline and conflict between the Faerie Realm and the human world, then I would highly recommend A Far Better Thing.

I want to start this off by saying I love H.G Parry The Scholar and the Last Faerie door is one of my all time favorite books but I just don’t think this one was for me. I didn’t connect with the characters and the writing style felt different from the other books I’d read by H.G Parry. This is by no means a bad thing, and I think that this book will absolutely find its audience, I’ll be happy to recommend it for purchase at my store and continue to hand sell her other books. :)

This book is a lot. Historical fiction, fae, revolution, changelings, and a character who’s basically spiraling through all of it. It shouldn’t work as well as it does, but somehow it comes together in a way that mostly lands.

The pacing is definitely on the slower side, and the plot takes some attention to follow. But it’s also doing something deeper than your average fantasy, and once I settled into the rhythm, I found myself really appreciating how layered it all was. It’s less about action and more about reckoning. With your past, with your choices, with what it means to be the version of yourself you didn’t choose.

The magic is cool but understated. The characters carry most of the weight here, especially Sydney, who’s kind of a mess but still weirdly compelling. And while I wouldn’t call this a light or easy read, it stuck with me more than I expected.

This is not just a clever take on Dickens. It has something to say, and it earns the space it takes to say it.

I had a hard time reading this one at first. Only because I felt like the beginning was a little slow. But it did pick up. And I really enjoyed this read!

Such a fun and lovely standalone. Really enjoyed the retelling aspect. The vibes are perfect for the fall but with a faery magic twist!

This was one beautifully written book. Such a lovely and different historical take on changlings and faerie. It sucked me in from the beginning

I received a free copy from Tor Books via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Publish date June 17th.

I've read one of Parry's books in the past, and I was intrigued to see the changeling-themed premise of her latest. In A Far Better Thing, Sydney Carton was human child stolen by the faeries, and he's now bound into faerie servitude in late eighteenth century London. When a chance encounter results in Carton meeting his own changeling, he's plunged into a complex web of faerie manipulations, with himself at the heart of it...

A Far Better Thing is, of course, a retelling of Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities from the evil doppelganger's perspective. Having not read the Dickens myself, I can't comment on the novel's merits as an adaptation. I can, however, say that it was an awfully good book. Magician's Daughter, Perry's previous novel, had a lightness and naiveté that made it read as almost middle grade. A Far Better Thing has an intriguingly bitter and complex taste, mostly established through the viewpoint character, Sydney Carton. Carton is twenty-five years old, bitter as gall, an alcoholic, and more than a little suicidal. He's been haunted his whole life by the death of his childhood friend Ivy in the faerie realm, and despises his servitude stealing old bones and children. The existence of Charles Dufay, who looks like a beautiful, happy version of him, is not helping Carton's feeling that he effectively died as a baby.

The worldbuilding manages to add a few original elements to the well-trodden tale of the changeling, which is no mean feat. In this world, faeries are ethereal, inhuman beings who can't touch the real world, and steal human children to do their bidding on Earth. I was a little skeptical about the French Revolution setting from reading the premise, but I think Parry did a decent enough job with it. I don't necessarily agree with all of her interpretations, but it escapes editorializing, as so many books do, about the dangers of Change and Political Violence. It helps as well that the book is grounded in moderately formal prose. Not the full Dickens, but it suits the setting nicely.

A melancholy tragedy with a compellingly dark and bitter protagonist to match. And what an ending! Recommended for fans of historical fantasy.

I didn't think anything could make A Tale of Two Cities better, but Parry did it. I loved the portrayal of Sydney as a complicated, cynical, yet ultimately endearing character. The inclusion of the fae was masterfully done. This was a most anticipated 2025 read for me and it absolutely, totally delivered.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to review this book

I will say it was hard to get into the book but once you are in it then you are in for a great book of fairies and their games.

I absolutely loved the faires and how they interacted with the humans and the human worlds. One thing I feel like Parry needs to do better is a cleaner explanation of what is going on but it was a good mystery.

This is definitely a tales of two cities...fairies and human. Changeling and their human counterpart. And a murder.

Where I have an issue with the statement that this is like Strange and Norrell is that the language is not in the same time of the 1800s and I feel like this takes me out of the book a bit.

Other than that this was a must read for me.

Please give this a good shot. About 25% in it gets good.

A beautiful coming of age for our main protagonist "Memory". I couldn't put this book down, every chapter we dove into the magic system which wasn't overbearing or complicated! Memories transformation thought out the book was both painful and compelling and the ending although may have been understandable and made sense for Memory and his journey had me loathing in bed tossing and turning!

Did I forget to say we have evil Fairies ?!?! Ones who steal young children and replace them with "Changelings". Perfect counter parts who are clones of the children? Must read for 2025!!!

A Far Better Thing
By HG Parry
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book of year: 18
Favorite quote:
“Making deals with a hole in your brain is a good way to lose another kidney.”

First and foremost, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC of A Far Better Thing. It was a privilege to dive into this story ahead of its release.
When it came to rating this book, I found myself torn between four and five stars. Ultimately, I settled on five, as I believe this is a story that will linger in my mind long after I’ve turned the last page. While I read extensively, there are only a handful of books that leave an indelible mark, for better or worse, and A Far Better Thing is undoubtedly one of them.
Admittedly, the book started off at a slower pace, and coupled with a recent reading slump, it took me some time to fully immerse myself in the story. That said, I was eager to begin, as my previous experience with H.G. Parry’s work (The Magician’s Daughter) had been nothing short of delightful. I’m thrilled to have discovered another gem from her and look forward to exploring more of her writing.
While certain aspects of the plot felt predictable at times, the ending more than made up for it. The narrative takes a dramatic turn, and just when you think everything is neatly tied together, you find yourself staring at the acknowledgments, utterly stunned. It was a brilliant conclusion that left me reeling.
On a personal note, this book couldn’t have come at a better time. As I’ve been helping my best friend move across the country , a process that has involved multiple flights, A Far Better Thing proved to be the perfect companion. It made the hours fly by, and for that, I’m grateful.
In short, this is a book that will stay with me, and I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a story that balances predictability with unexpected twists and emotional depth.

I read and enjoyed Parry's "The Magician's Daughter," and in high school I read and did not enjoy "A Tale of Two Cities." I was hoping the Parry would outweigh the Dickens in this retelling, but no. The pacing made it difficult for me to stay awake, despite the interesting tweaks in concept. Perhaps more fun for someone who is a fan of both authors!

A Far Better Thing
by H. G. Parry
Pub Date: Jun 17 2025

I feared this was the best of times; I hoped it could not get any worse.

The faeries stole Sydney Carton as a child, and made him a mortal servant of the Faery Realm. Now, he has a rare opportunity for revenge against the fae and Charles Darnay, the changeling left in his stead.

It will take magic and cunning—cold iron and Realm silver—to hide his intentions from humans and fae and bring his plans to fruition.

Shuttling between London and Paris during the Reign of Terror, generations of violence-begetting-violence lead him to a heartbreaking choice in the shadow of the guillotine.

I wish I had reread A Tale of Two Cities before reading this book, because I think I would have gotten even more out of it. That said, it’s an impressive reimagining of the novel, attributing the alikeness of Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton to a shadowy, dangerous fairy world where children aren stolen, changelings installed in their place, and human servants carry out the bidding of the fairies, who are cold and calculating. Memory, a human servant, and the real Charles Darnay, finds himself in a terrible bind when he poses as his alias Sydney Carton and meets his changeling. What ensues is a decades-long adventure, full of dark twists and turns. I didn’t always love this, but I can’t deny it engrossing.