If there is a fictional book I have read and enjoyed right from start to finish, it has to be The Pillars of The Earth by Ken Follett.
I had mentioned a while back that I have purposed to buy a book at least every two months, and even gave you my reading list.
This is the first book I decided to get and it did not disappoint.
It’s interesting that the author, Ken Follett, decides to make the building of a cathedral the main subject of the book, even though he does not believe in God. Being brought up a Puritan, he had no idea of how magnificent churches can be because, for them, churches were simply bare. Like he says in his own words, “Nothing happens the way you plan it.”
The Pillars of the Earth is set in England in the 12th century. It is divided into six parts, which tell the story of the building of the Kingsbridge Cathedral during a time of civil war.
At first, I was confused because it starts with the hanging of a man who was convicted for being a thief and a pregnant woman places a curse upon those who condemned the man. As I flipped the pages, I always wondered who the woman was. The plot only gets better as the search for the truth behind a ship that sank is sought. Let me just say, the lengths that people will go to for power are wueh! This is all shown throughout the journey.
In The Pillars of The Earth, Ken Follett explores different themes that make it even more interesting. There’s the importance and hindrance of family bonds, loyalty, betrayal, love, and various concepts of death and religion.
In the beginning, it was hard for me to keep up with all the character’s and remember who did what because there are multiple characters such as Tom the Builder and his family, Prior Phillip and other monks, Jack Jackson and his mother Ellen, Aliena and her brother and so many other characters you will get introduced to. You may fall in love with some and dislike others even more, with the turning of each page (like I did).
I have never read any historical fiction book, but the way Follett combines the plot and his characters so interestingly makes me say that this is the best I have read.
I must also add that the novel is quite lengthy (it has taken me over a month to finish) and you may find the audio version or the movie much better for you. I watched the movie and in as much as it was interesting, nothing beats the detail in the book.
Also, it’s quite graphic detailing violence, sex scenes, rape, incest, and the effects of war which might be triggering for you (I sometimes had dreams of the war😅 ). So keep that in mind before getting the book.
If you love fiction, this is a book I would highly recommend.
The Pillars of the Earth is available in PDF. If you’d like this version, fill this form.
