Book Review
Jul. 31st, 2021 06:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariThe Pillars of the Earth
by Ken Follett
This doorstopper of a novel covers about four decades of the 12th century in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, England, where the monastery is building a cathedral. On the side of the cathedral we have Prior Phillip, Tom Builder, his stepson Jack, and Aliena, wool-merchant and daughter of a deposed earl. Against the cathedral, we have the ambitious bishop Waleran and the brutal knight and lord William Hamleigh, both of whom see the Kingsbridge cathedral project as competition and impediment to their own personal desires and political goals.
The Pillars of the Earth is a long saga that spans almost three generations and follows the lives of a large cast as they interact in different ways with the process of building a gothic cathedral. I found it very absorbing. I really liked the way Follett works in just enough information about how gothic cathedral design and building works so that it adds to the story without bogging things down with explanation. The plot takes a lot of twists and turns, and illuminates the way politics influences a building project for good or ill. The characters are vibrant, and even the villains aren't one-dimensional. I especially liked Jack and Aliena for the way they were both strong people who kept going and pursuing their goals despite incredible setbacks. In addition, I found it satisfying that the characters who were kind, ethical, and cared about their community prevailed over the selfish and brutal characters.
by Ken Follett
This doorstopper of a novel covers about four decades of the 12th century in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, England, where the monastery is building a cathedral. On the side of the cathedral we have Prior Phillip, Tom Builder, his stepson Jack, and Aliena, wool-merchant and daughter of a deposed earl. Against the cathedral, we have the ambitious bishop Waleran and the brutal knight and lord William Hamleigh, both of whom see the Kingsbridge cathedral project as competition and impediment to their own personal desires and political goals.
The Pillars of the Earth is a long saga that spans almost three generations and follows the lives of a large cast as they interact in different ways with the process of building a gothic cathedral. I found it very absorbing. I really liked the way Follett works in just enough information about how gothic cathedral design and building works so that it adds to the story without bogging things down with explanation. The plot takes a lot of twists and turns, and illuminates the way politics influences a building project for good or ill. The characters are vibrant, and even the villains aren't one-dimensional. I especially liked Jack and Aliena for the way they were both strong people who kept going and pursuing their goals despite incredible setbacks. In addition, I found it satisfying that the characters who were kind, ethical, and cared about their community prevailed over the selfish and brutal characters.
