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It made my head hurt a bit, but this was great.
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A truly delightful read. I really enjoyed the background of the story; the characters (mostly) and how Follett used the story (1300's) to show emerging attitudes ie to the church and medicine.
The setting is 1300s in the reign of Edward 11. We see the changing of people's attitudes. This is shown mostly in treatment of the sick, attitude to land usage and the power of the church and state.
The emergence of sick people treatment from bleeding and dung mixture wound treatments: to treatment with clean washing and bandages. Particularly noticeable was plague victims being tended with nuns wearing masks, washing their hands in vinegar and being separated from other people.
Land usage was initially tightly governed by Lord of the manor rules. (All tied to getting the king his taxes - which did not alter). At the end of the period there was more flexibility for the peasant and labourer. Prompted by the thinking of land worers resulting from the plague - ie less people to work the land.
We see the emergence of entrepreneurs; driven by desire for profits. In this they slowly reduce the power of the church controlling their every day operations. But the king still gets his taxes.
Follett craftily used his characters to show all these changes. And he does it brilliantly. Using a powerful story with wonderful characters.
Unputdownable
The setting is 1300s in the reign of Edward 11. We see the changing of people's attitudes. This is shown mostly in treatment of the sick, attitude to land usage and the power of the church and state.
The emergence of sick people treatment from bleeding and dung mixture wound treatments: to treatment with clean washing and bandages. Particularly noticeable was plague victims being tended with nuns wearing masks, washing their hands in vinegar and being separated from other people.
Land usage was initially tightly governed by Lord of the manor rules. (All tied to getting the king his taxes - which did not alter). At the end of the period there was more flexibility for the peasant and labourer. Prompted by the thinking of land worers resulting from the plague - ie less people to work the land.
We see the emergence of entrepreneurs; driven by desire for profits. In this they slowly reduce the power of the church controlling their every day operations. But the king still gets his taxes.
Follett craftily used his characters to show all these changes. And he does it brilliantly. Using a powerful story with wonderful characters.
Unputdownable
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Second Ken Follett, second Ken Follett audiobook, second Ken Follett audiobook listened to in car, first time I have ever wished to be caught in a really humungous traffic jam.
This was an enthralling sort of sequel to the n The Pillars of the Earthn. I say sort of because it is set some 200 years after the end of that wondrous story. Just as the previous novel looked at the building of the Cathedral and the growth of the fictional city of Kingsbridge* through the disastrous 19 year reign of King Stephen and beyond, this novel covers the forty years or so of the middle part of the 14th Century embracing most especially the horrendous catastrophe of the Bubonic Plague's arrival in Europe in which perhaps a third or more of Europe died a horrible death.
The story centres around the lives of four young children who witness the killing of two men at arms who themselves had come to kill the young knight who turned the tables on them. From those deaths unfurl the long, long journey of the story which cleverly comes full circle right at the end of this huge work. A mysterious letter, buried by this young man, is pivotal to the story and, though it does not reappear fully until the end, punctuates the plot's every twist and turn like a hinted shadow or a glimpsed figure of menace.
The four children grow from pre-adolescent exploring and friendship to middle age and all the accrued experiences. Caris, a young rich girl who is beautiful as well as wealthy but who is a natural leader, strikingly independant in thought, vision and action and is, if I may be so bold, a tad anachronistic. This does seem to be a theme for Follett. Certainly in the two novels which I have read and loved, the main female character is brilliant and strong and intelligent and insightful and therefore, whether people like it or not, not a very accurate outline of how a woman would have been able to be in the 14th Century. We might 100% agree with everything she says and does, or at least a good deal of it, but she speaks and reacts and behaves as a woman might well speak and react and behave in 2012 but most certainly not how she would in 1312. She is a great character but not of her time.
Then we have Merthin, the great love of her life. Of lower gentry fallen on hard times. Should be of rich stock but incompetence by his father results in a lower standing. He becomes an Architect and Trailblazer and courageous man of honour and decency. Another visionary.
His brother, Ralph, an unbelievably squalid shit. Cruel and vengeful and vicious and murderous and irredeemably awful and then we have Gwenda. She is the token peasant not quite the tart with the heart but every soap opera has to have the poor girl whose role is to be the best friend of the rich girl thus enabling aforesaid rich girl to take on another mantel, that of democratic liberal. This is to belittle Gwenda really as she is a brilliantly drawn and brave character and her struggles serve to mark momentous moments in the story and the ebb and flow of her life is one which really holds the reader's sympathy.
Re-reading this it might sound as if i did not like the book. I did. It is excellent. A fantastically exciting story, enormously expansive in its canvas and has enough willthey/won't they moments and gasp-i-can't-believe-he/she/they/said/did/achieved that opportunities for plot development that you are swept along. However this volume, more than the first one I think, is a total Middle Ages Soap opera. I am not sneering at that; it is ridiculously addictive, hence my desire for a big traffic jam but this time the historical awkwardness jarred more. The language used, the opinions expressed...always by Caris and Merthin and sometimes by others of their allies....were not believable for people of the 14th century. Their middle class sensitivities and liberal attitudes are wonderful for middle class and liberal people living and working and falling in love in the 21st Century but though Caris may well have struggled with all sorts of things I felt she was struggling as would a 21st century women transferred by magic back to the 14th century. Her struggles were of a woman going to bed in 2012 Surrey and waking up in 1348, the Bobby Ewing shower scene in reverse.
Follett again keeps 'plates' spinning brilliantly and draws characters with sharp lines so that you do not need to think much but know exactly who you are to boo and who you are to cheer. There was an oddly convenient use of the Black Death where his scythe seemed always to cut down the right people to ease the plot along and enable the main characters to progress. Only one central character died of it and indeed that was massively convenient and came at just the right time. Once again i am not criticizing for the sake of it but it does reinforce the idea of Soap Opera. In Emmerdale or 'Corrie' we will have a plane crash or a train pile up. In the pre-machine, pre-Industrial age of Medieaval Kingsbridge we will use the mightily convenient pandemic making sure only minor characters or certainly those whose usefulness to the plot is past or maybe they want to move on to do a season in Pantomime at Blackpool for the Christmas season. Anyway they will be the ones who 'buy it'.
Things i found briliant were the ways Follett easily explains the development of social structures and the growth of industry and the discovery of different ways of weaving or dyeing or construction. I felt I was learning as i read without even realizing it. The development of surnames and titles and the beginnings of the loosening of the serf structure was fascinating. The political and ecclesiastical battles were cleverly hinted at. The hopelessness of the poor before the tyranny of the powerful was well expressed and the stagnating grip of the status quo was well illustrated. I felt myself groan with frustration along with Caris and Merthin even as I knew this was another anachronism. By this stage i didn't care. That is the power of Mr Follett, I recognize that he is manipulating and twisting reality to suit his story and characters but he did it so well that i was totally Team Caris.
Each time Ralph did something monstrous, each time Godwin was an underhand shite, every time Philemon...who obviously smelt, Follett did not spell this out but i knew this had to be......just breathed I let all these occasions collect in my memory knowing they would surely all be avenged in some way shape or form. Well, all i will say is......I was not massively disappointed....Follett does a good plate of comeuppance and here he parts company with Soap opera cos he, quite evidently, believes in happy endings.
*though I would point out that for threee years I lived just 10 miles from the small town called Kingsbridge which nestles in the beautiful area of the South Hams in Devon
This was an enthralling sort of sequel to the n The Pillars of the Earthn. I say sort of because it is set some 200 years after the end of that wondrous story. Just as the previous novel looked at the building of the Cathedral and the growth of the fictional city of Kingsbridge* through the disastrous 19 year reign of King Stephen and beyond, this novel covers the forty years or so of the middle part of the 14th Century embracing most especially the horrendous catastrophe of the Bubonic Plague's arrival in Europe in which perhaps a third or more of Europe died a horrible death.
The story centres around the lives of four young children who witness the killing of two men at arms who themselves had come to kill the young knight who turned the tables on them. From those deaths unfurl the long, long journey of the story which cleverly comes full circle right at the end of this huge work. A mysterious letter, buried by this young man, is pivotal to the story and, though it does not reappear fully until the end, punctuates the plot's every twist and turn like a hinted shadow or a glimpsed figure of menace.
The four children grow from pre-adolescent exploring and friendship to middle age and all the accrued experiences. Caris, a young rich girl who is beautiful as well as wealthy but who is a natural leader, strikingly independant in thought, vision and action and is, if I may be so bold, a tad anachronistic. This does seem to be a theme for Follett. Certainly in the two novels which I have read and loved, the main female character is brilliant and strong and intelligent and insightful and therefore, whether people like it or not, not a very accurate outline of how a woman would have been able to be in the 14th Century. We might 100% agree with everything she says and does, or at least a good deal of it, but she speaks and reacts and behaves as a woman might well speak and react and behave in 2012 but most certainly not how she would in 1312. She is a great character but not of her time.
Then we have Merthin, the great love of her life. Of lower gentry fallen on hard times. Should be of rich stock but incompetence by his father results in a lower standing. He becomes an Architect and Trailblazer and courageous man of honour and decency. Another visionary.
His brother, Ralph, an unbelievably squalid shit. Cruel and vengeful and vicious and murderous and irredeemably awful and then we have Gwenda. She is the token peasant not quite the tart with the heart but every soap opera has to have the poor girl whose role is to be the best friend of the rich girl thus enabling aforesaid rich girl to take on another mantel, that of democratic liberal. This is to belittle Gwenda really as she is a brilliantly drawn and brave character and her struggles serve to mark momentous moments in the story and the ebb and flow of her life is one which really holds the reader's sympathy.
Re-reading this it might sound as if i did not like the book. I did. It is excellent. A fantastically exciting story, enormously expansive in its canvas and has enough willthey/won't they moments and gasp-i-can't-believe-he/she/they/said/did/achieved that opportunities for plot development that you are swept along. However this volume, more than the first one I think, is a total Middle Ages Soap opera. I am not sneering at that; it is ridiculously addictive, hence my desire for a big traffic jam but this time the historical awkwardness jarred more. The language used, the opinions expressed...always by Caris and Merthin and sometimes by others of their allies....were not believable for people of the 14th century. Their middle class sensitivities and liberal attitudes are wonderful for middle class and liberal people living and working and falling in love in the 21st Century but though Caris may well have struggled with all sorts of things I felt she was struggling as would a 21st century women transferred by magic back to the 14th century. Her struggles were of a woman going to bed in 2012 Surrey and waking up in 1348, the Bobby Ewing shower scene in reverse.
Follett again keeps 'plates' spinning brilliantly and draws characters with sharp lines so that you do not need to think much but know exactly who you are to boo and who you are to cheer. There was an oddly convenient use of the Black Death where his scythe seemed always to cut down the right people to ease the plot along and enable the main characters to progress. Only one central character died of it and indeed that was massively convenient and came at just the right time. Once again i am not criticizing for the sake of it but it does reinforce the idea of Soap Opera. In Emmerdale or 'Corrie' we will have a plane crash or a train pile up. In the pre-machine, pre-Industrial age of Medieaval Kingsbridge we will use the mightily convenient pandemic making sure only minor characters or certainly those whose usefulness to the plot is past or maybe they want to move on to do a season in Pantomime at Blackpool for the Christmas season. Anyway they will be the ones who 'buy it'.
Things i found briliant were the ways Follett easily explains the development of social structures and the growth of industry and the discovery of different ways of weaving or dyeing or construction. I felt I was learning as i read without even realizing it. The development of surnames and titles and the beginnings of the loosening of the serf structure was fascinating. The political and ecclesiastical battles were cleverly hinted at. The hopelessness of the poor before the tyranny of the powerful was well expressed and the stagnating grip of the status quo was well illustrated. I felt myself groan with frustration along with Caris and Merthin even as I knew this was another anachronism. By this stage i didn't care. That is the power of Mr Follett, I recognize that he is manipulating and twisting reality to suit his story and characters but he did it so well that i was totally Team Caris.
Each time Ralph did something monstrous, each time Godwin was an underhand shite, every time Philemon...who obviously smelt, Follett did not spell this out but i knew this had to be......just breathed I let all these occasions collect in my memory knowing they would surely all be avenged in some way shape or form. Well, all i will say is......I was not massively disappointed....Follett does a good plate of comeuppance and here he parts company with Soap opera cos he, quite evidently, believes in happy endings.
*though I would point out that for threee years I lived just 10 miles from the small town called Kingsbridge which nestles in the beautiful area of the South Hams in Devon
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Buen libro.
Por este libro me siento irresponsable. He terminado de leerlo hace más de un año y me ha gustado mucho, pero ni le he realizado reseña, ni tampoco lo he marcado como leído, sino que lo seguía teniendo en un infinito «Currently Reading». Para ser honesto quería realizar la actualización de estado cuando redactara mi reseña, pero cada vez que entro a mi perfil me molesto conmigo mismo por esta «tarea pendiente». Así que bueno, lo marcaré como leído para que no me estorbe visualmente mi postergación, pero indudablemente más adelante realizaré la reseña completa. Lo prometo.
Reseña completa más adelante.
Por este libro me siento irresponsable. He terminado de leerlo hace más de un año y me ha gustado mucho, pero ni le he realizado reseña, ni tampoco lo he marcado como leído, sino que lo seguía teniendo en un infinito «Currently Reading». Para ser honesto quería realizar la actualización de estado cuando redactara mi reseña, pero cada vez que entro a mi perfil me molesto conmigo mismo por esta «tarea pendiente». Así que bueno, lo marcaré como leído para que no me estorbe visualmente mi postergación, pero indudablemente más adelante realizaré la reseña completa. Lo prometo.
Reseña completa más adelante.
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من الصعب على القارئ المعاصر أن ينجذب لرواية تتعدى صفحاتها الألف ومائتي صفحة خصوصاً وأنها تتحدث عن المجتمع الاوروبي في عصوره الوسطى وتلك الحقبة التي كانت فيها السيطرة السياسية والدينية بيد رهبان الكنائس حيث أنهم هم من كان يتحكم بإصدار القوانين و تسيير الشعوب
في سرد آسر ممتع يتحدث الكاتب الويلزي في روايته ( عالم بلا نهاية) عن المجتمع الاوروبي المعدم وتلك الحقبة التي زامنت داء الطاعون وما تخللته الأراء من نبذ الفكر العلمي خصوصاُ للطب لما تتعارض فيه تلك النقلة مع مصالح الكاتدرائيات .
متعة لا متناهية مع تعدد الشخصيات وتلك الخلاقية الملهمة من الكاتب والف تحية للمترجمة على هذا العمل.
في سرد آسر ممتع يتحدث الكاتب الويلزي في روايته ( عالم بلا نهاية) عن المجتمع الاوروبي المعدم وتلك الحقبة التي زامنت داء الطاعون وما تخللته الأراء من نبذ الفكر العلمي خصوصاُ للطب لما تتعارض فيه تلك النقلة مع مصالح الكاتدرائيات .
متعة لا متناهية مع تعدد الشخصيات وتلك الخلاقية الملهمة من الكاتب والف تحية للمترجمة على هذا العمل.
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Los pilares de la Tierra es uno de mis libros favoritos. Esta es su continuación y estaba emocionado por poder leerla. Una lectura de más de mil páginas que, sin duda, disfruté mucho. Aquí mi reseña:
En un mundo sin fin nos situamos en Inglaterra, a finales de la Edad Media; en un momento en que la peste negra afectó la forma de vida como se conocía. En ese contexto es donde se desarrolla la historia de unos personajes que conocemos desde jóvenes y acompamos a medida que crecen. Caris y Merthin son unos de los principales: cuando adolescentes son testigos de un suceso traumático y del que tendrán que guardar el secreto por el resto de sus vidas. Ellos dos se enamoran pero por diversos motivos su relación se ve amenazada. Además hay otras historias sobre guerras, campesinos que son explotados por sus señores feudales, movimientos turbios entre el clero y la nobleza, amores y desamores. Todo perfectamente entretejido como solamente Ken Follett lo sabe hacer.
Perdí la cuenta de las veces que sufrí con los personajes. Muchas veces parecía que estaban superando sus obstáculos y de repente sucedía algo que les hacía la vida imposible. En este libro hay mucha tensión, y esto hace que quieras seguir leyendo.
Le pondría las cinco estrellas si no fuera por el hecho de que Ken Follett, recurre a un mismo elemento reiteradas veces para poner a un personaje en aprietos, y para sacarlo de ellos: el sexo. Creo que el escritor buscó la vía fácil con ese recurso en algunas escenas. Aún así la historia es genial.
Posdata: algunos de los personajes son descendientes de otros que aparecieron en Los pilares de la Tierra, pero es una novela que se puede disfrutar sin necesidad de leer la primera parte, ya que esta es una historia completamente independiente, ambientada en el mismo lugar unos años después.
En un mundo sin fin nos situamos en Inglaterra, a finales de la Edad Media; en un momento en que la peste negra afectó la forma de vida como se conocía. En ese contexto es donde se desarrolla la historia de unos personajes que conocemos desde jóvenes y acompamos a medida que crecen. Caris y Merthin son unos de los principales: cuando adolescentes son testigos de un suceso traumático y del que tendrán que guardar el secreto por el resto de sus vidas. Ellos dos se enamoran pero por diversos motivos su relación se ve amenazada. Además hay otras historias sobre guerras, campesinos que son explotados por sus señores feudales, movimientos turbios entre el clero y la nobleza, amores y desamores. Todo perfectamente entretejido como solamente Ken Follett lo sabe hacer.
Perdí la cuenta de las veces que sufrí con los personajes. Muchas veces parecía que estaban superando sus obstáculos y de repente sucedía algo que les hacía la vida imposible. En este libro hay mucha tensión, y esto hace que quieras seguir leyendo.
Le pondría las cinco estrellas si no fuera por el hecho de que Ken Follett, recurre a un mismo elemento reiteradas veces para poner a un personaje en aprietos, y para sacarlo de ellos: el sexo. Creo que el escritor buscó la vía fácil con ese recurso en algunas escenas. Aún así la historia es genial.
Posdata: algunos de los personajes son descendientes de otros que aparecieron en Los pilares de la Tierra, pero es una novela que se puede disfrutar sin necesidad de leer la primera parte, ya que esta es una historia completamente independiente, ambientada en el mismo lugar unos años después.
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Total rip off of the first (Pillars of the Earth). Not impressed. Could barely get through it.
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World Without End (Kingsbridge #2), Ken Follett
World Without End is a best-selling 2007 novel by Welsh author Ken Follett. It is the second book in the Kingsbridge Series, and is the sequel to 1989's The Pillars of the Earth. The novel begins in the fictional city of Kingsbridge, England in the year 1327. Four children - Merthin, Caris, Gwenda, and Merthin's brother Ralph - head into the woods on All Hallows Day. Together the children witness two men-at-arms killed in self-defence by Sir Thomas Langley, aided by Ralph. The children then flee, with the exception of Merthin, who helps the wounded Sir Thomas bury a letter with instructions to dig up and deliver it if and when Sir Thomas should die. After this Sir Thomas flees to Kingsbridge and seeks refuge in the monastery and becomes a Benedictine monk, while the four children swear never to speak of what they saw. ...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش:
عنوان: جهان بی پایان؛ نویسنده: کن فالت؛
جهان بدون پایان، رمان پرفروش سال 2007 میلادی، توسط نویسنده ولزی «کن فولت (فالت)»، و دومین کتاب از سری «کینگزبریج» است. داستان در سال 1327 میلادی، در شهر خیالی «کینگزبریج»، انگلستان آغاز میشود. چهار کودک: مارتین، کاریس، گوندا، و برادر مارتین: رالف، در جنگل به سر میبرند. این کودکان در کنار هم شاهد بودند که دو مرد مسلح توسط «سر توماس لانگلی» به یاری «رالف»، در دفاع از خود کشته شدند. «سر توماس» به «كینگزبریج» فرار میکند، و به صومعه پناه میبرد، و راهب بندیکتین میشود، در حالیکه این چهار کودک سوگند یاد میکنند که هرگز از آنچه دیدند سخنی نگویند. ...؛ سری سه گانه ی کینگزبریج تاریخ شهر «کینگزبریج» است. عنوان کتابهای این سری: «ستونهای زمین»، «جهان بیپایان (بدون پایان)» و «ستون آتش» است. دو جلد اول و دوم این سه گانه، فروشی نزدیک به 38 میلیون نسخه را در سراسر جهان داشته است. ا. شربیانی
World Without End is a best-selling 2007 novel by Welsh author Ken Follett. It is the second book in the Kingsbridge Series, and is the sequel to 1989's The Pillars of the Earth. The novel begins in the fictional city of Kingsbridge, England in the year 1327. Four children - Merthin, Caris, Gwenda, and Merthin's brother Ralph - head into the woods on All Hallows Day. Together the children witness two men-at-arms killed in self-defence by Sir Thomas Langley, aided by Ralph. The children then flee, with the exception of Merthin, who helps the wounded Sir Thomas bury a letter with instructions to dig up and deliver it if and when Sir Thomas should die. After this Sir Thomas flees to Kingsbridge and seeks refuge in the monastery and becomes a Benedictine monk, while the four children swear never to speak of what they saw. ...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش:
عنوان: جهان بی پایان؛ نویسنده: کن فالت؛
جهان بدون پایان، رمان پرفروش سال 2007 میلادی، توسط نویسنده ولزی «کن فولت (فالت)»، و دومین کتاب از سری «کینگزبریج» است. داستان در سال 1327 میلادی، در شهر خیالی «کینگزبریج»، انگلستان آغاز میشود. چهار کودک: مارتین، کاریس، گوندا، و برادر مارتین: رالف، در جنگل به سر میبرند. این کودکان در کنار هم شاهد بودند که دو مرد مسلح توسط «سر توماس لانگلی» به یاری «رالف»، در دفاع از خود کشته شدند. «سر توماس» به «كینگزبریج» فرار میکند، و به صومعه پناه میبرد، و راهب بندیکتین میشود، در حالیکه این چهار کودک سوگند یاد میکنند که هرگز از آنچه دیدند سخنی نگویند. ...؛ سری سه گانه ی کینگزبریج تاریخ شهر «کینگزبریج» است. عنوان کتابهای این سری: «ستونهای زمین»، «جهان بیپایان (بدون پایان)» و «ستون آتش» است. دو جلد اول و دوم این سه گانه، فروشی نزدیک به 38 میلیون نسخه را در سراسر جهان داشته است. ا. شربیانی
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Set in fourteenth century, Kingsbridge is a prosperous town. Merthin and Ralph go to the archery field to try out Merthin's homemade bow and arrows. Because he is an eleven year old child, Merthin is not allowed to practice. Caris, Edmund Wooler's daughter, suggests they go to the forest to practice, which is against the law. Gwenda, a laborer's daughter, with her dog, trails along with them. When they reach the forest, Merthin shots an arrow and misses the chosen mark. Ralph, Merthin's younger brother, tries and is successful. All the children hide in the bushes when they hear men running in the forest. A knight is being chased by two men-at-arms. The knight, Sir Thomas Langley, kills one man and Ralph kills the second man. Three of the children run off leaving Merthin and Sir Thomas Langley to hide the dead men in the bushes. Merthin helps Thomas bury a leather wallet containing a secret scroll. Thomas tells Merthin to keep it a secret because men would kill to find the scroll. If, however, Thomas dies, Merthin is instructed to give it to the prior. Sir Thomas rides to the priory hospital for the treatment of his wound. He asks to join the priory and become a monk.
Gwenda, Caris, Merthin and Ralph grow up. Merthin and Caris love each other. Gwenda is in love with Wulfric, who is in love with Annet. Ralph is training to be a knight in the household of Earl Roland, the Earl of Shiring. Merthin is an apprentice under the master builder, Elfric. Life never goes as planned. When Merthin refuses to marry Elfric's daughter, he is dismissed as an apprentice. Caris loves Merthin but does not want to be restricted by the vows of marriage. She wants her independence and Merthin too. He wants to be a master builder, have a family and own a house. Gwenda is sold as a commodity by her father to Sim Chapman. Caris is working with her father in the wool business. Ralph despairs of ever becoming a knight.
Then the bridge collapse and Kingsbridge is threatened with economic ruin. Without a bridge, the merchants and traders will travel to Shiring for market days and fairs. Kingsbridge Fleece Fair merchants and traders will suffer from lack of trade. The priory will not pay for a new stone bridge because they have no money. It will be up to the townspeople to raise the funds, with the promise of reimbursement from the priory. Merthin is hired to build the bridge. In replacement for part of his pay, Merthin receives Leper Island as his property. Leper Island joins the expansion bridges. He has great plans to build up the property with rentals and storage areas. Then Caris is accused of witchcraft and enters the nunnery to save herself. Merthin is heartbroken and decides to leave for Florence, Italy, after he is dismissed as the builder of the bridge.
This epic tome follows the life of the four individuals -- Merthin, Ralph, Caris and Gwenda -- and the people connected to Kingsbridge. Two hundred years after the Kingsbridge cathedral is built in the Pillars of the Earth, we are carried along in the lives of its descendents. Through love, greed, lust, plague, and prosperity, we witness the lives in and around Kingsbridge. From lives decimated from the plague to the resurgence of the community, we ride along on the journey. This is a character-driven novel. Though the plot and subplots are important, it is the characters we identify with throughout the book. The settings and descriptions are stunning. The pace is consistent and flows smoothly. I could set this book down for a respite and pick it back up and still be enthralled in its pages. This over a thousand page book isn't for everyone, but if you are looking for a story that is full-bodied, rich and textured, then this is the novel for you.
Gwenda, Caris, Merthin and Ralph grow up. Merthin and Caris love each other. Gwenda is in love with Wulfric, who is in love with Annet. Ralph is training to be a knight in the household of Earl Roland, the Earl of Shiring. Merthin is an apprentice under the master builder, Elfric. Life never goes as planned. When Merthin refuses to marry Elfric's daughter, he is dismissed as an apprentice. Caris loves Merthin but does not want to be restricted by the vows of marriage. She wants her independence and Merthin too. He wants to be a master builder, have a family and own a house. Gwenda is sold as a commodity by her father to Sim Chapman. Caris is working with her father in the wool business. Ralph despairs of ever becoming a knight.
Then the bridge collapse and Kingsbridge is threatened with economic ruin. Without a bridge, the merchants and traders will travel to Shiring for market days and fairs. Kingsbridge Fleece Fair merchants and traders will suffer from lack of trade. The priory will not pay for a new stone bridge because they have no money. It will be up to the townspeople to raise the funds, with the promise of reimbursement from the priory. Merthin is hired to build the bridge. In replacement for part of his pay, Merthin receives Leper Island as his property. Leper Island joins the expansion bridges. He has great plans to build up the property with rentals and storage areas. Then Caris is accused of witchcraft and enters the nunnery to save herself. Merthin is heartbroken and decides to leave for Florence, Italy, after he is dismissed as the builder of the bridge.
This epic tome follows the life of the four individuals -- Merthin, Ralph, Caris and Gwenda -- and the people connected to Kingsbridge. Two hundred years after the Kingsbridge cathedral is built in the Pillars of the Earth, we are carried along in the lives of its descendents. Through love, greed, lust, plague, and prosperity, we witness the lives in and around Kingsbridge. From lives decimated from the plague to the resurgence of the community, we ride along on the journey. This is a character-driven novel. Though the plot and subplots are important, it is the characters we identify with throughout the book. The settings and descriptions are stunning. The pace is consistent and flows smoothly. I could set this book down for a respite and pick it back up and still be enthralled in its pages. This over a thousand page book isn't for everyone, but if you are looking for a story that is full-bodied, rich and textured, then this is the novel for you.
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n "It was said that pilgrims should not spend too much time planning their journey, for they might learn of so many hazards that they would decide not to go."n
World Without End occasionally felt like a book without end, taking me close to a month to read. But the time invested felt appropriate, as Ken Follett leads us through a lifetime's worth of intrigue, love and hardships.
Set in 14th century England, this sequel to The Pillars of the Earth is set a 150 years later, featuring some descendants of the characters we got to know in the first book. Speaking of the first book, this one is strikingly similar in the way the story unfolds: we've got a doomed romance, overly ambitious men of the church, a town to re-build. While I'd criticise that about most authors (let's think Nicholas Sparks or Dan Brown), more in this specific case only meant something positive, as it gives the reader enough time to feel integrated into the story, slowly watching it all grow and evolve.
The Power of a Woman
One character I particularly enjoyed was Caris, who is the epitome of a strong and intelligent woman. I found myself cheering for her multiple times, solely because she didn't act as thick-headed as many women in historical novels do, throwing everything away for some random dude who winks at them. She is not easily fooled, has got her priorities in place, the desire to help, while not being afraid of standing up to men.
There's more than Black and White
But just like in The Pillars of the Earth, World Without End is full of diverse and layered characters. What I greatly enjoyed was the fact that even the bad guys (and believe me, there are some very bad guys) were pictured in a way where you'd at least understand where they were coming from. They're complex enough to feel like real people and the characters have ambiguous opinions about each other as well.
The Black Death is part of the story line, as is the beginning of the Hundred Years' War. Kudos to Ken Follett for being able to weave history into fiction so neatly with his flowing and accessible prose. I'm not surprised at all this series was made into a TV series, because with all its twists and turns it just has this kind of ongoing suspension that you get on TV shows. All that drama, all that drama and oh, how enjoyable it is.
World Without End occasionally felt like a book without end, taking me close to a month to read. But the time invested felt appropriate, as Ken Follett leads us through a lifetime's worth of intrigue, love and hardships.
Set in 14th century England, this sequel to The Pillars of the Earth is set a 150 years later, featuring some descendants of the characters we got to know in the first book. Speaking of the first book, this one is strikingly similar in the way the story unfolds: we've got a doomed romance, overly ambitious men of the church, a town to re-build. While I'd criticise that about most authors (let's think Nicholas Sparks or Dan Brown), more in this specific case only meant something positive, as it gives the reader enough time to feel integrated into the story, slowly watching it all grow and evolve.
The Power of a Woman
One character I particularly enjoyed was Caris, who is the epitome of a strong and intelligent woman. I found myself cheering for her multiple times, solely because she didn't act as thick-headed as many women in historical novels do, throwing everything away for some random dude who winks at them. She is not easily fooled, has got her priorities in place, the desire to help, while not being afraid of standing up to men.
There's more than Black and White
But just like in The Pillars of the Earth, World Without End is full of diverse and layered characters. What I greatly enjoyed was the fact that even the bad guys (and believe me, there are some very bad guys) were pictured in a way where you'd at least understand where they were coming from. They're complex enough to feel like real people and the characters have ambiguous opinions about each other as well.
The Black Death is part of the story line, as is the beginning of the Hundred Years' War. Kudos to Ken Follett for being able to weave history into fiction so neatly with his flowing and accessible prose. I'm not surprised at all this series was made into a TV series, because with all its twists and turns it just has this kind of ongoing suspension that you get on TV shows. All that drama, all that drama and oh, how enjoyable it is.
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I have finally finished this 1000 page novel and I am more than ready to move on.
If you have recently read Pillars of the Earth, and liked it, I would strongly recommend you take some time before diving into this one, because it's a long haul. It is very much the same pacing, and a similar setting as its predecessor, so unless you're a very fast reader (I'm not), 2000+ pages of 1100-1369AD England may wear very thin for you.
I waited about ten years, and so was very ready to revisit the town of
Kingsbridge.
Like Pillars of the Earth, World Without End centers on a cast of characters and their lives set against the rule of the Church, Earls and knights.
Unlike Pillars, the cast seems smaller than I remembered...the story follows two pairs of siblings, and their lives over thirty years or so, so this was great. Follett had less characters to spread out, and characterization was very nicely fleshed out.
Although this novel for some reason took me a month to read (I read it on my Kindle, but I seem to remember looking at the book a while back and noticed it was 1000 pages of very small print. I guess that's why), in no way did the story drag. This is Follett's talent. He can sure draw out a story and make you care about these people. I felt their joy, I was outraged at the injustices they were forced to endure, and I was hopeful of things to turn out for the best for everyone and the town, and for the evil ones to get what was coming to them.
Add in a dash of engineering lessons in building bridges and other structures and this makes for a fantastic read.
The only issue I had was that for the last 80 pages or so it seemed to me that Follett was stalling to end it. Clearly he was vested in these characters.
But it could very well be that after a month it was more a case of me getting antsy to move on to something else.
When I started writing this review, I was set on rating it a solid 4. But, I am very impressed with his ability to maintain the fast pace of story for a thousand pages.
So, really 4 and a bit, but I think I'll round up to 5 stars.
If you have recently read Pillars of the Earth, and liked it, I would strongly recommend you take some time before diving into this one, because it's a long haul. It is very much the same pacing, and a similar setting as its predecessor, so unless you're a very fast reader (I'm not), 2000+ pages of 1100-1369AD England may wear very thin for you.
I waited about ten years, and so was very ready to revisit the town of
Kingsbridge.
Like Pillars of the Earth, World Without End centers on a cast of characters and their lives set against the rule of the Church, Earls and knights.
Unlike Pillars, the cast seems smaller than I remembered...the story follows two pairs of siblings, and their lives over thirty years or so, so this was great. Follett had less characters to spread out, and characterization was very nicely fleshed out.
Although this novel for some reason took me a month to read (I read it on my Kindle, but I seem to remember looking at the book a while back and noticed it was 1000 pages of very small print. I guess that's why), in no way did the story drag. This is Follett's talent. He can sure draw out a story and make you care about these people. I felt their joy, I was outraged at the injustices they were forced to endure, and I was hopeful of things to turn out for the best for everyone and the town, and for the evil ones to get what was coming to them.
Add in a dash of engineering lessons in building bridges and other structures and this makes for a fantastic read.
The only issue I had was that for the last 80 pages or so it seemed to me that Follett was stalling to end it. Clearly he was vested in these characters.
But it could very well be that after a month it was more a case of me getting antsy to move on to something else.
When I started writing this review, I was set on rating it a solid 4. But, I am very impressed with his ability to maintain the fast pace of story for a thousand pages.
So, really 4 and a bit, but I think I'll round up to 5 stars.
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Holy moly, this was fantastic! I think I liked this one better than the first. It got to the action faster and the characters were just so good! Loved it and I will definitely be finishing the trilogy this year.
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