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Book Club selection - No spoilers - I know lots of book clubbers are still reading it.
I've heard about this book since its publication, and I picked it up a few times, but then quickly put it back down again - I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, and, given that, the length was definitely daunting. It wasn't my first choice for a book club book, but Melinda (our fearless leader) recommended it highly, so I decided to give it a try.
GREAT read. I found it hard to tear myself away from it. The ...more
I've heard about this book since its publication, and I picked it up a few times, but then quickly put it back down again - I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, and, given that, the length was definitely daunting. It wasn't my first choice for a book club book, but Melinda (our fearless leader) recommended it highly, so I decided to give it a try.
GREAT read. I found it hard to tear myself away from it. The ...more
Hard on the heels of the tv series, I read this and the similarities and differences constantly washed back and forth through my mind. Usually in these cases, if they are any good at all, one's emotional loyalties stay with the first version that you came across, and so I must say the adaptation for the screen was an absolutely splendid job, tying together much that is disjointed from the novel. Now the novel is good, and long, it can afford to have disparate characters wander in and out, it can
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This book was just OK. The writing was fairly simplistic, and it seemed like a lot of the plot was driven by the need to fill enough time for a cathedral to be built by hand than by the organic demands of the story itself. Sort of like the author was staring at the manuscript and thinking "crap, it's going to take them at least another 15 years to build this thing...let's see, I guess the villain should do something else villainous for a while." Even the villainous deeds got pretty repetitive. I
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A great machine of a story, easy to read as drinking good wine, and as hard to put down. I enjoyed it immensely.
I can't take it anymore! I've gotten through 540 pages (550 to go; had to resort to skimming just to get this far) and I still can't figure out what this book is supposed to be about. Building a cathedral?
So...much...agonizing...detail, from Follett's descriptions of every single frickin' building (inside and out) to every single rape and other act of violence committed by one of the brutish villains. Don't need to see it on tv, certainly don't need to see it in my head. I'm going to throw it - ...more
So...much...agonizing...detail, from Follett's descriptions of every single frickin' building (inside and out) to every single rape and other act of violence committed by one of the brutish villains. Don't need to see it on tv, certainly don't need to see it in my head. I'm going to throw it - ...more
I'm ashamed that I tried to read this book for as long as I had. This is not a book that I would recommend to anyone, it's too full of needless violence and sex. I expected a beautifully written novel about the struggles of building a cathedral, but hardly any mention was made. I thought that Follett's writing style was very well done, but there were too many scenes which sickened me to sludge through more. Filth is still filth, even if it's articulately presented.
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There are a few things about his writing that bother me. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book a lot. It's a page turner, and though close to 1000 pp, I didn't weary at all. Fun story, fun characters, and interesting information about life in the 12th Century.
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Outstanding! I can read this tome again and again.
Dec 04, 2007
Meg
marked it as to-read
Dec 14, 2007
Michelle
marked it as to-read
Dec 31, 2007
Min
marked it as nevermind
Mar 04, 2008
Novi Maizir
marked it as to-read
Apr 11, 2008
Ada
marked it as to-read
Sep 01, 2008
Kelsie
marked it as to-read
Apr 09, 2009
Rosemary
added it
Apr 16, 2009
Angela
marked it as to-read
Mar 01, 2011
Cathy
marked it as to-read
