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The Pillars of the Earth (Kingsbridge, #1)

Ken Follett

Start date: April 1, 2021

Finish date: June 30, 2021

Discussion: Pillars of the Earth

Why we're reading this: April to June 2021 Completist Big Read Poll Winner
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Pillars of the Earth

Pillars of the Earth - General Discussion
By Matthew , Assistant List Master · 4 posts · 20 views

last updated May 31, 2021 06:22PM

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What Members Thought

Mar 08, 2018 Matthew rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018, revenge, audio, historical-fiction, library, classic, tear-jerkers, favorites

7.2 MILLION STARS!

Did I just read one of the most amazing books I have ever read? Yes, yes I did!

I cannot say enough about this book, the story, the writing, the characters, etc. etc. etc. Everything is perfect!

If someone had said to me, “Here is a 1000 page book about the building of a cathedral 1000 years ago in England” I probably would have fallen asleep before the end of their sentence. But, do not judge a book by its description – it is a 1000 page book about the building of a cathedral, 7.2 MILLION STARS!

Did I just read one of the most amazing books I have ever read? Yes, yes I did!

I cannot say enough about this book, the story, the writing, the characters, etc. etc. etc. Everything is perfect!

If someone had said to me, “Here is a 1000 page book about the building of a cathedral 1000 years ago in England” I probably would have fallen asleep before the end of their sentence. But, do not judge a book by its description – it is a 1000 page book about the building of a cathedral, but Follett does an amazing job of crafting a historical fiction story around it that will keep you engaged from page one until the very end.

With 1000 pages, there has to be filler, right? There is not! Every sentence, every word – all of it adds to the story. And, events on page 25 may have ramifications on the events of page 825. How the author kept the storyline together, intertwined, and fully applicable throughout is amazing. I picture him referencing a very complicated flowchart covering his entire wall while writing this book. Sounds confusing – it is not! Despite the intricacies, it was very easy to follow.

Do you love to hate evil characters and feel passionate emotions for the ones you love? READ THIS! I don’t think I have ever wanted to reach into a book more and strangle a character than I did with this book. Then, I found myself audibly cheering and groaning as the relationships of my favorite characters developed, succeeded, and sometimes failed. I was emotionally spent loving and hating these characters – and it might be the most I have ever been emotionally invested in characters in a long time (if ever).

I cannot say that this book will be for everyone, but it is worth giving it a try. Especially if you like any of the following:

• Historical Fiction
• British Fiction
• Stories about church vs government
• Knights, monks, kings, and other medieval dramatis personae
• Character studies

This comes with a warning, though: I know I have some book friends who do not like violent depictions of sex. If that is a problem for you, either go into this story being aware that you will be uncomfortable, or steer away from it completely. ...more

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Dec 23, 2017 Judy Robertson rated it it was amazing

I have a soft spot for historical pieces, but this was exquisite. My first book by this author and I understand he does not usually write in this genre. It was amazingly written. When books are this long, it's a careful balance to keep your attention throughout. This was not an issue with this author. I bonded with each character quickly and enjoyed feeling like I was there while they grew up. I'm not religious so I was unsure I would enjoy a book about "cathedrals" but of course it's so much mo ...more

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