The Pillars of the Earth (Kingsbridge, #1) in Reading the Chunksters

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The Pillars of the Earth (Kingsbridge, #1)

Ken Follett

Start date: June 5, 2011

Finish date: October 29, 2011

Discussion: Side-Reads

Discussion leader: Bookworm Adventure Girl

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Side-Reads

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What Members Thought

Aug 02, 2012 Nina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favourites, united-kingdom, chunksters

I did it! I finished this mammoth tale of cathedral building in twelfth century England. Bloody brilliant it was too!

Never before has it taken me two months to read a book but I guess that is post-university life for you.

Anyway, my thoughts:

I think the reason why I bought this book in the first place was that I knew there was an adaptation of it starring - among others - Matthew MacFadyen. That was all I needed, really. And I like big chunkstery reads but hadn't delved into one for a while. So I I did it! I finished this mammoth tale of cathedral building in twelfth century England. Bloody brilliant it was too!

Never before has it taken me two months to read a book but I guess that is post-university life for you.

Anyway, my thoughts:

I think the reason why I bought this book in the first place was that I knew there was an adaptation of it starring - among others - Matthew MacFadyen. That was all I needed, really. And I like big chunkstery reads but hadn't delved into one for a while. So I bought this one, not knowing what it was about at all. Other than cathedral building.

It is about cathedral building, but at over 1000 pages it's about so much more than that. Here is drama, twist and turns, greedy, violent, cruel and ambitious people, good, kind, hard-working, clever and caring people, lust, betrayal, alliances, cunning schemes and devastating reversals of fortune. Also, hate, travelling, rape and lots of horses. (Not just horses, but warhorses, coursers, cobs, palfreys etc)

We follow the lives of lots of people, from the poor to the king(s), and how their dreams and ambitions affect each other. At the center of the story is Prior Philip who is one clever creation. Pious and a thoroughly good man he escapes the epithets "boring" and "uninteresting" because, frankly, he is neither. Good and practically perfect characters are often boring or uninteresting and I am almost amazed that Prior Philip is not. But Philip is not solely concerned with the afterlife, and so takes an eager interest in the well-being of the people around him and he fights hard against injustice and takes on hugh responsibilities to make the world a better place. He is cunning, clever and resourceful, a good leader, and yet he sometimes doubts himself and his motives and he has a temper. So not perfect perfect, but almost. Great character.

Apart from him, I was rooting for Jack and Aliena, two fantastic and lovely characters. I loved them and was happy they took up so much space. Jack's mother Ellen was a character and a half as well. And this line from Aliena thinking about her childhood is so poignant, I think, that I just have to mention it: "I didn't know I was happy, she thought. I had no idea how fortunate I was to have nothing to be afraid of". Aliena had a perfect childhood, well protected with no worries or fears, as she can see now that life has given her all the troubles and fears she didn't have then.

William I will try not to mention. His childish insistence on fear and respect from everyone made him the vilest and most loathsome creature I have met in a long time.

The book does become a bit soap opera-ish sometimes, but it is so strong overall, and such a page-turner, that I don't mind at all. And now, if you'll excuse me, I'll try and find the DVD version of Pillars of the Earth... ...more

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Jun 28, 2008 Ellen Librarian rated it liked it

For those who like epic escapism, this book will probably be just the ticket. Set in medieval England the larger-than-life characters fight wars, famine, and court intrigue, fall in love, double-cross each other and, like the rest of us mere mortals, muddle through it all somehow (albeit with far more drama) despite mistakes and missteps along the way.

The focus of the book is ostensibly about the building of cathedrals in medieval Europe and there are many long passages about construction, buil ...more

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Sep 16, 2008 Jen rated it liked it

Shelves: abandoned-dnf

I really do want to finish this book. It's sitting next to my bed calling me, but at this point in life and baby waiting, it's just too dense for me to get much out of. I will be back. ...more

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