This book is huge--almost 1000 pages. On more than one occasion you will want to put it down and give up. But you will continue to read it because its just...SO good. The story of Pillars revolves around the building of a cathedral in medieval England. Building a cathedral in any circumstance is not easy, but toss in the mixed up world of Kingsbridge, England and the evil, grasping characters who are in power, and you're in for a real adventure.
Ken Follett is most known for writing mystery thrillers, so this historical fiction is definitely a strange turn for his writing to take. His experience in the world of "thriller" writing, however, is obvious in this book. He is masterful in keeping you on the edge of your seat as he moves from one part of the story to another--giving you just enough information to keep you satisfied, and keeping just enough back to keep you reading further.
Overall, I loved this book. I was sucked into the lives of the characters and was truly interested in what happened to them. I also loved all the material about medieval England politics--knights, kings, traitors to the crown, etc. But I can't give it my highest rating because its so insanely long I wanted to give up at least twice. And there is also a good amount of distasteful material in the book--a few violent rape scenes, for example. I'd still recommend you read this, but be cautious and know that its not all pretty.
B+
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