The Pillars of the Earth

I remember my mom reading this book and loving it. Then I remember the miniseries coming out, and I thought, “Oh! Ian McShane!” I didn’t watch it. Then I forgot about it for about a decade and a half.I saw it at my local library and checked it out in my usual attitude of “Of course I’m gonna read this and the other four books I checked out in the next 3 weeks!” I had a little pocket money, so I ordered it on Amazon when the time came to return the library book and admit for the thousandth time that I don’t have nearly as much time to read as I used to.Holy $#¡¥ am I glad I did.This book is tremendous. The detail, the readability, the huge time arc of the plot, and, most importantly , the characters.The characters drive the story. I know that’s a cliche , but I don’t care; the characters in this story are brilliant. Tom Builder, Prior Phillip, William Hamleigh, Aliena, Jack, Ellen, Martha, and more. Even the supporting characters are interesting and clearly have their own motivations, even if Follett swings between thumbnail sketch and staying mum about those motivations.I won’t wax too much about this book. It would take too many words, and Pillars of the Earth is already full of them. 973 pages in the paperback edition to be precise. I know that most people aren’t necessarily interested in a book that gives Lord of the Rings a run for its money in the length department, and I, as a fan of long books, am hardly unbiased. But it is worth it. You’ll miss meals reading this thing.Two points I want to make:1) This book avoids (mostly) one of the major pitfalls of historical fiction. The people in the story seem like they are actually from the Middle Ages, rather than being moral and philosophical transplants from the modern age. This is the Achilles heel of writers like Bernard Cornwell (whom I’ve read and enjoyed) and (I’m told) Phillips Gregory. The story may be fun or compelling, the detail may be solid and accurate, but the characters don’t seem like they are actually from the period. Scratch the surface, and they turn out to be a 20th/21st century citizen mentally, rather than a person from that “foreign country” called the past.Follett doesn’t do that. Or, at the very least, by the time he may have around page 600, I didn’t care.2) A warning: dovetailing with point number 1, there are parts of this book that are VERY difficult to read. When it comes to fiction, I’m a fan of sex and a fan of violence. But the unfortunate reality of the Middle Ages (and history and life in general) was that the two were often combined. Those of us that are lucky have never had to deal with this. But, even more so in innumerable areas of the past, this is a reality, and Follett does not shy away from it. One instance early in the book had me put it down and walk away. I came back, because, again, it is a spectacularly written and told story, but there are parts that will make your stomach turn. You have been warned.All told, this book is incredible. The building of the fictional Kingsbridge cathedral reflects the sheer amount of effort, ingenuity, and, most importantly, time it took to build these structures.Don’t believe me? Look up Salisbury cathedral on an image search and ask yourself: “How, seriously HOW, was this built back then?” This novel will tell you a story about that.

In 1123, English villagers await the hanging of a petty thief who stole a chalice from a monastery. When a young, pregnant woman appears and pronounces a curse on three principal characters who allowed the hanging, it foreshadows a series of overlapping events to come.Eleven years later, Tom Builder has nearly completed his work on a house, though his lifelong passion is to be the master builder of a cathedral. In the meantime, he has worked for William Hamleigh, son of the ruthless Regan and Percy Hamleigh, until William abruptly dismisses Tom. The Hamleighs had pressed William's union with Aliena, daughter of Earl Bartholomew of Shiring, but she refuses to marry anyone she cannot respect. Neither William nor his parents can easily forgive a slight, which Bartholomew, Aliena, her brother Richard and even Tom eventually learn.With no means of providing for his pregnant wife, son Alfred and daughter Martha, Tom wanders around England. He meets a mysterious forest dweller, Ellen, and her awkward son Jack, who offers them a brief respite from their journeys. Tom suffers a series of misfortunes that culminate in the death of his wife, and he decides to abandon their newborn at her gravesite. Luckily, a traveling priest finds the baby boy. The priest Francis delivers the child to Prior Philip, who possesses a genuine, selfless heart. His one flaw is pride that will not allow anyone to get the better of him. Francis arrives with news of a planned revolt against King Stephen of England, a plot supported by Bartholomew of Shiring.Philip believes that delivering the news to a highly placed clergyman will benefit the Church. He meets with the ambitious Waleran Bigod and determines he can be of assistance. In exchange for his loyalty, Philip gains Waleran's support for his quest to become prior of Kingsbridge. But he also learns that Waleran's backing is costly, to more than himself. Waleran informs the Hamleighs of the plot and they launch a surprise attack on Bartholomew's castle, resulting in the arrest and eventual death of Bartholomew, and the ruin of his children. Tom, who had worked at Bartholomew's castle before the raid, now travels to Kingsbridge with Ellen and their respective children. He is desperate and Ellen's son Jack provides him work with an impetuous decision to burn down Kingsbridge Cathedral.Before his death, Bartholomew extracted oaths from Aliena and her brother Richard that they would do everything possible to regain Shiring. Others have their own designs on the children's birthright: Philip and Waleran have competing interests in the stone quarry, while the Hamleighs want the property outright. King Stephen's decision brings the conflict to a boil, ensuring that Philip, Waleran and the Hamleighs will remain lifelong adversaries.Although Aliena and Richard know nothing of Philip's role in their downfall, he soon becomes their benefactor when Aliena enters the wool trade and Philip becomes her first buyer. She prospers at Kingsbridge, ensuring her brother's training as a knight in King Stephen's service, but remains totally ignorant of the attachment Jack has developed for her. The only rival for Jack's devotion to Aliena is his admiration for Tom's work. He pursues the study of it with the same zeal as he does Aliena. Tom's son Alfred becomes his rival in both aspects. Philip sees the perfect solution to their rivalry in having Jack become a monk, but the boy's passion for building the new cathedral and Aliena can't be suppressed for long.Kingsbridge has prospered and cannot escape the notice of the Hamleighs. When William attacks the town, Tom Builder dies. William burns Aliena's wool stores. Penniless, she accepts Alfred's marriage proposal to maintain the support Richard requires. She makes love to Jack on the night before her wedding, but still chooses Alfred. Devastated, Jack leaves for the Continent. Ellen puts a curse on the wedding, and the birth of Jack's son ensures Alfred and Aliena will never be happy. Aliena sets out to find Jack and she does, at a moment where he has learned about working with stone and his heritage. It's time to return and continue the work on Kingsbridge Cathedral. The novel comes full circle, with the revelation of some of the characters' earlier connections and to the thief hanged in the prologue.The Pillars of the Earth is one of the best works in historical fiction, in terms of its immense scope and rich details. It's not a short read, but an entertaining one. The writing tugs at the emotions, evoking sadness, happiness and spirituality. Of all the diverse characters, Prior Philip truly stands out. His persistent flaw plagues him, but he demonstrates the difficulty to rise above the challenge each time. It isn't often clear he is aware of the consequences of every action, but those that result in great harm to others cause him deep pain. The characterizations of the villains are also excellent. Their actions are sickening, yet there is also understandable motive behind almost each deed. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and the cable series that premiered this summer. While there is often something lacking in the dramatization of historical fiction, and certain story elements are different, both the series and the book are excellent.

Um espetáculo de leitura. Interessante, difícil parar de ler.

I loved how the story grow as you keep reading it.For some people, this book sounds like a soap opera, but for me, the details in each description from a place to a person, are amazing.I enjoyed it much, but I have to admit it was a little difficult to hook up at first. As the pages changed and the characters began to appear, I loved how all stories floated around Kingsbridge town and the cathedral.I do recommend reading this but in English, especially if you are not a native speaker. It has a lot of rich vocabulary.

Can’t believe I waited this long to read this. Easily one of the best books I have ever read, the plot – someone really wants to build a cathedral in the Middle Ages– seems deceptively simple and dull. What is presented to the reader is historical fiction at its best. The book is close to perfection, I can’t think of anything that I would criticise or wish to change, though a couple of trigger warnings might help for a few people – this is about life in the medieval times after all.The plot, the story, characters, political intrigue, love, betrayal, lust for power, it’s all there, and it’s all happening. A surprisingly fast read, which could still take a while to read, given it’s over a thousand pages. And still leaves you wanting more.If you’re apprehensive about starting a series, don’t worry, this can easily be read as a standalone. The next book is set in a later time period, so you can stop here and get a complete story. And what a tale Ken Follett has written. A work of fiction with very real characters you will end up caring deeply for.

Il capolavoro di Follett da leggere in lingua originale. É uno di quei libri che dá dispiacere quando finisce

One of my all time favorite books. A monumental tale, beautifully woven in the most elegant way.Each plot line is gripping, heart-wrenching, and gratifying to follow. Not just this, but more often than not it will play a crucial role in resolving another one in the most satisfying fashion. Some of the plot lines influence each other over literally the whole span of the book, which contains more payouts than you’ll find at a fortune 500 company after a record breaking year.The story takes place over several decades and features amazing character development, and also one of the most detestable villains I have ever come a cross. This of course makes you root even harder for the main characters.