World Without End (Kingsbridge, #2) in Around the Year in 52 Books

Jan 04, 2022 Ketutar Jensen rated it really liked it

WARNING!! ANIMAL ABUSE!!! graphic, in chapter 90, I think (my audiobook doesn't have chapters), it's a passage after "Gwenda walked to Earlscastle on a baking hot day. She knew what Ralph wanted her for, and the prospect made her miserable. As she crossed the drawbridge into the castle, the rooks seemed to laugh derisively at her plight."

I love Ken Follett's books. Eye of the Needle was the first book of his I ever read, and it was masterly. Oh my. Then I read A Dangerous Fortune which wasn't an ...more

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Aug 07, 2013 Graceann rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, series

While this is ostensibly a sequel to Pillars of the Earth, and there are some recaps of things that happened in the earlier book, it could easily stand on its own, and it does. It wasn't as riveting, for me, as Pillars was, but I found myself reading at 3am on several evenings, so clearly it was still a compelling story, full of intrigue, back-stabbing (sometimes literally), and love.

There are several main characters here, and each gets their own storyline. It all really starts to take off when ...more

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Jul 02, 2011 Joan rated it really liked it

This is the kind of book I really like; well-written historical fiction, with characters whose lives you can get and stay involved in. It may be just a quarter star below Pillars of the Earth, but only because that one came first.

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Feb 09, 2019 Kathleen (itpdx) rated it liked it

I like historical fiction that gives the reader an idea of how people lived—what they ate, what there dwellings were like, how they made a living. This book does a wonderful job of that for 14th century England including a good cross section of classes—lords, merchants, craftsmen, religious, peasants. Follett is also good at gently reminding readers of story threads as the action shifts from one person, family or group to another. The plot is lively but the author does have to push things a litt ...more

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Jan 01, 2008 Maggie rated it liked it

Shelves: read-2008, historical-fiction

I loved Pillars of the Earth, and have had a copy of World Without End since my mom gave me a copy for x-mas. I've been putting it off since then, I guess I was just worried I might be disappointed...and I was a little.

It was a great read, but it just went on TOO LONG. I pretty much skimmed the last 100 pages because I was just sick of it. I enjoyed it overall, but really like Pillars better. ...more

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