The Pillars of the Earth is a heavy book, though that should not cloud your opinion about its contents. You need to read it to believe what it has. Set in the 12th century England, this is the story of building a cathedral in Kingsbridge. Complete with historical references, The Pillars of the Earth tells you how the intermingling of politics and religion can be a remarkable tale to follow.
The research work done by Ken Follett is thorough and the description is vivid (to say the least). The protagonist, Tom Builder, has a grand dream to build a cathedral. He is a poor mason, so he is looking for someone who can hire him to build the cathedral. He also brought his family along with wife Alice and two children. During child birth, Alice died and Tom left the son in the forest since he believed he would not be able to bring up the child. He came back after some time due to guilt but the child was not there. His son was taken by a monk who named the boy Jonathan. The boy lived and grew up in a nearby monastery.
Aliena, the daughter of Earl Bartholomew, is another interesting character. Earl Bartholomew (her father) was accused of treason hence they were expelled from the castle. She was abused by Willliam Hamliegh, and she took a vow at the time of death of her father that she would do her best to make her brother an earl. Kingsbridge is a prosperous place and the Bishop Waleran Bigod and William Hamleigh are not happy with it. The Pillars of the Earth is a compelling story where the characters triumph in spite of revenge and politics happening all around them.
Ken Follett was more known for his spy thrillers when this book first came out, and his sudden turn first flummoxed his readers. They were gradually taken in by the mystery - and the stories of the people who either tried to build the cathedral or were affected by these actions. The suspense quotient is definitely on the lesser side (compared to the spy thrillers), but there are moments which would leave you breathless with anticipation (old habits die hard, the suspense is still there).
The way the author describes the process of construction of cathedrals shows his love for it – especially the way he follows Tom Builder as he plans the structures of the cathedral. In the later part of the book, Jack wants to create natural shapes instead of geometric shapes he has been asked to work on. These sequences of the book make Pillars of the Earth more real and endearing to the readers.
His Son Was Taken By a Monk
The research work done by Ken Follett is thorough and the description is vivid (to say the least). The protagonist, Tom Builder, has a grand dream to build a cathedral. He is a poor mason, so he is looking for someone who can hire him to build the cathedral. He also brought his family along with wife Alice and two children. During child birth, Alice died and Tom left the son in the forest since he believed he would not be able to bring up the child. He came back after some time due to guilt but the child was not there. His son was taken by a monk who named the boy Jonathan. The boy lived and grew up in a nearby monastery.
Aliena Vows to Make Her Brother an Earl
Aliena, the daughter of Earl Bartholomew, is another interesting character. Earl Bartholomew (her father) was accused of treason hence they were expelled from the castle. She was abused by Willliam Hamliegh, and she took a vow at the time of death of her father that she would do her best to make her brother an earl. Kingsbridge is a prosperous place and the Bishop Waleran Bigod and William Hamleigh are not happy with it. The Pillars of the Earth is a compelling story where the characters triumph in spite of revenge and politics happening all around them.
The Suspense Is Still There
Ken Follett was more known for his spy thrillers when this book first came out, and his sudden turn first flummoxed his readers. They were gradually taken in by the mystery - and the stories of the people who either tried to build the cathedral or were affected by these actions. The suspense quotient is definitely on the lesser side (compared to the spy thrillers), but there are moments which would leave you breathless with anticipation (old habits die hard, the suspense is still there).
Ken Follett Understands His Craft
The way the author describes the process of construction of cathedrals shows his love for it – especially the way he follows Tom Builder as he plans the structures of the cathedral. In the later part of the book, Jack wants to create natural shapes instead of geometric shapes he has been asked to work on. These sequences of the book make Pillars of the Earth more real and endearing to the readers.
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