Book Review: The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

The central plot element of The Pillars of the Earth is the construction of a new cathedral in the fictional English town of Kingsbridge during the 12th century. But the story is really about the conflicts between the people building the cathedral and those who want to destroy it.

It is the early 12th century and England is about to erupt into civil war. The new prior of the monastery at Kingsbridge is determined to rebuild the current run down cathedral into one that will glorify God. He finds a young master builder who shares his vision of building the most beautiful cathedral in England.

Unfortunately, the local bishop is a power hungry man with other plans. He works to disrupt the prior's efforts at every turn. His frequent ally in this is a cruel and vengeful earl consumed by his own greed.

The story kept my interest and flowed well. The book is 970 pages but doesn't feel long at all. With a story spanning over 50 years (1123-1174) those pages are all needed to weave this multi-generational story together effectively.

It's like a medieval emotional roller coaster. There are moments of love, joy and happiness mixed in with scenes of greed, cruelty, violence and tragedy.

The book is divided into six parts with a drawing of the cathedral in its current state for the start of each part. The drawings are well done and a nice touch.

It was interesting to learn more about medieval life while reading this book. Little everyday practices like people walking right into someone's house unannounced or bringing your horse and other livestock inside the house added flavor to the story.

This is one of those books that so engrossed me in the story, it made me want to play a computer game related to the storyline. In this case, it was Lords of the Realm II where you compete against other nobles (including an untrustworthy Bishop) to control the realm.

Follett does a good job of telling the story from multiple view points. Each section or chapter is told from the perspective of one of the main characters so you get an understanding of their thoughts and actions.

The descriptions of how the cathedral is designed and built are very well done. There is enough information to picture the construction in your mind and complement the story without overwhelming the reader in technical details.

One odd thing is that the characters speak like they are living in modern times. There's very little use of language from the time period. Maybe I'm spoiled from reading the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian, but I enjoy historical fiction more when the characters sound authentic to the period.

1. An engaging story with interesting characters and plot twists.

2. Good description of the cathedrals, castles, battles and medieval life that enhance the story.

3. A cool glimpse into medieval times. I enjoyed learning about the construction of cathedrals, the political power struggles and the challenges of daily medieval life.

Medieval times, cathedrals, castles, knights, trickery, love, rivalry and intrigue...there's something in this book for everyone. On top of that, it's a good read and I really enjoy good historical fiction.

Several historical figures who lived during the years covered by the book were included in the story. Below are links to more info on the major historical characters:

Thomas Becket - Archbishop of Canterbury
Head of the Church of England, Thomas and Henry II were frequently in conflict over the independence of the church from the monarchy.

King Henry II

King Stephen
King of England during most of the story.

Empress Matilda
Referred to as Empress Maud in the book, she is the daughter of Henry I and rightful heir to the throne which her cousin Stephen claimed as his.

King Henry I

Robert - 1st Earl of Gloucester
Matilda's half brother and ally against King Stephen.

The White Ship
This ship sank in the English Channel while carrying the only legitimate heir to King Henry I. The sinking triggered several plot lines in the book.