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Set in twelfth-century England, this epic of kings and peasants juxtaposes the building of a magnificent church with the violence and treachery that often characterized the Middle Ages.
nessreader: CTHT is another medieval-set, multiple generation, religous institution novel, about a minor convent in England, sprawling over multiple generations and giving a sense of time passing, lightly touching on the lives of the nuns, but with the institution as the main character.… (more)
BookshelfMonstrosity: The Jester and The Pillars of Earth are intricately plotted, suspenseful tales set in the Middle Ages. These books focus on the treachery and drama of the period.
Yeah, yeah, it had its problems. It took awhile to draw me in, but then I was - it was the architectural details that did it, on top of a good story. Admittedly, there was way too much violence - I get we have to hate the villains but a single rape scene would have done that for me. And there were anachronisms, small (how literate people were) and large (female empowerment) but they made for a better story. And yeah, the characters were somewhat one-dimensional. But the story kept me turning the pages...and now I'm going to dive back into the sequel! ( )
This was an enjoyable book. However, it was also an extremely easy and straightforward book. I'd say the reading level is on par for early high school, although the content includes detailed sex, rape, and violence. The book frequently reminds you what happened a hundred pages ago to make sure you don't miss anything, and there are no hidden or hard to discern messages in this book; it's about as straightforward and obvious as you can get. Still, nothing wrong with that--just don't start the novel expecting any high literature. ( )
I read this book a number of years ago and I'm reading it again now to prepare for the sequel. I liked it pretty well. My only complaints are that it is a little longer than necessary and I could really do without the naughty bits. But the story was really good. ( )
Great literature? Of course not. To begin with, the plot relies far too heavily on coincidence, and the characters tend to be chiseled into predictability. The writing depends heavily on dialogue - and although it's well-done dialogue, it's the stuff of escapism, not of the ages. But so what? It's a long, rich and rewarding story, full of glory and violence told in the tradition of medieval troubadors. Few among us could turn away from a tale that begins: ''The small boys came early to the hanging.''
Le nuit du 25 novembre 1120, le Vaisseau blanc appareilla à destination de l'Angleterre et sombra corps et biens au large de Barfleur: il n'y eut qu'un survivant... Le vaisseau représentait le dernier cri en matière de transport maritime et il était muni des plus récents perfectionnements connus de la construction navale d'alors... Si l'on a beaucoup parlé de ce naufrage, c'est en raison du grand nombre de personnalités qui se trouvaient à bord; outre le fils du roi, héritier présomptif du trône, il y avait deux bâtards de sang royal, plusieurs comtes et barons et presque toute la maison du roi... Cela eut pour conséquence historique de laisser Henry sans héritier... Cela provoqua la guerre de succession et la période d'anarchie qui suivit la mort d'Henry. A. L. Poole From Doomsday Book to Magna Carta
On the night of 25 November 1120 the White Ship set out for England and foundered off Barfleur with all hands save one. ... The vessel was the latest thing in marine transport, fitted with all the devices known to the shipbuilder of the time. ... The notoriety of this wreck is due to the very large number of distinguished persons on board; beside the king's son and heir, there were two royal bastards, several earls and barons, and most of the royal household ... its historical significance is that it left Henry without an obvious heir ... its ultimate result was the disputed succession and the period of anarchy which followed Henry's death. -A. L. Poole, From Doomsday Book to Magna Carta
Dedication
To Marie-Claire, the apple of my eye
First words
Preface The small boys came early to the hanging.
Chapter 1 In a broad valley, at the foot of a sloping hillside, beside a clear bubbling stream, Tom was building a house.
Quotations
The baby cried, and the sound tugged at his heartstrings like a well-loved hymn. p.89 All birds and men are sure to die, But songs last forever.
Last words
After today, he thought, the world will never be quite the same.
Set in twelfth-century England, this epic of kings and peasants juxtaposes the building of a magnificent church with the violence and treachery that often characterized the Middle Ages.
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From Publishers Weekly Set in 12th-century England, the narrative concerns the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge. The ambitions of three men merge, conflict and collide through 40 years of social and political upheaval as internal church politics affect the progress of the cathedral and the fortunes of the protagonists. "Follett has written a novel that entertains, instructs and satisfies on a grand scale," judged PW. Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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