Hard Times is one of a series of retellings of classic literature by publisher Real Reads. True to the original plot, characters and themes, Real Reads also imitate the original author's style. An intelligent, lively and enjoyable retelling of this classic tale.Louisa Gradgrind in the practical daughter of a powerful industrialist. Sissy is the imaginative daughter of a clown. What will happen when two such different lives collide? A disappearing father, an unhappy marriage, a handsome suitor and a bank robbery all bring challenges to Louisa's life. Will she be able to control her powerful emotions or will they lead her to ruin?

Set amongst the noisy, dangerous factories of an industrial town, where the workers struggle to survive, 'Hard Times' explores the power that people can have over others, and the suffering that is caused when human emotions are ignored.