Charles Dickens has a way of breaking my heart with every book of his I read. Hard Times May never reach the heights that A Tale of Two Cities reached for me, in some ways it was trying to say too much - I wanted longer with these characters, especially Cissy, but I can’t forget the way it made me feel. Dickens is a phenomenon at characterisation, I am blown away and in awe of how he makes each and every one of them - even small players - feel lived in and real, you can’t help but root for or despise them. 
While I found some of the anti-union sentiment not to my taste, I appreciated the narrative on people needing more in their lives than work, facts and figures. This was obviously quite bold at the time, as was discussing the plight of workers in the Industrial Revolution. I enjoyed learning more about the times and also saw a lot of parallels to today’s world. 
Overall, it was a quick, relatively easy book to read for the age and subject and it made me cry at the end so I’d definitely recommend.

Dickens writing is always eerily  applicable to modern problems.  The main theme is whether logic or fancy (emotions) lead to a fulfilled life.  I couldn't help but draw the comparison to today's culture wars throughout. Half the characters miserably shouting fact and logic (or just following it because thats all they know) versus the societal outcasts who rely on emotion and connection to each other to survive. There's also some interesting things the book has to say on class and a womans place in the world.

Ultimately I think the focus is on the way both trusting only facts and following only your fancy can be selfish. The only character who ends up happy is the one who has a clear sense of duty and how she feels. Aka a functional society needs to have stucture and compassion.