The Pillars of the Earth

Published by admin | Filed under Fiction

Description:

“Follett risks all and comes out a clear winner,” extolled Publishers Weekly on the release of The Pillars of the Earth. A departure for the bestselling thriller writer, the historical epic stunned readers and critics alike with its ambitious scope and gripping humanity. Today, it is a beloved favorite of countless readers, standing as a testament to Follett’s unassailable command of the written word and to his universal appeal. A spellbinding epic set in twelfth-century England, The Pillars of the Earth tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known…of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect-a man divided in his soul…of the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame…and of a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state, and brother against brother.

Reviews:

I have rearely seen such a vivid description of incredibly believable characters. The book starts in a harch and grim way, with the death of a few characters and a horrid rape. At this point it was almost too much. But then, the story unfolds and the gruesome debut of most characters give them their substance for the rest of the book. This story is an epic on the timescale of three genrations but at the same time stays very human and close to its charcters. It is a story of hardship and achievement, violence and friendship, cruelty and intelligence. Five stars without an afterthought. I even bought a pretty hardback copy for my sister’s birthday as a present. This is one of the few books I do not mind burdening my physical library with.