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mllejoyeuxnoel's review against another edition
4.0
I can’t for the life of me remember who, but someone in my life recommended a whole bunch of Follett’s books to me. And now that I’ve finished this series (because I’m a completionist), I have absolutely no idea why.
The books are fine. They’re fine. The story and characters are fine. The writing is fine. But honestly… I’ve got a whole bunch of unread Follett books in my library that are probably just gonna continue to sit there unread in perpetuity.
The books are fine. They’re fine. The story and characters are fine. The writing is fine. But honestly… I’ve got a whole bunch of unread Follett books in my library that are probably just gonna continue to sit there unread in perpetuity.
morgob's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my goodness. I am in such a book hole after this. I never want to read anything again unless it is this series over again. Perhaps I'm being a bit dramatic, but this series was amazing! And I got so attached to the characters. Seriously, I just followed a family throughout a century, and I just can't believe it. I started the first book over a year ago, and now I just plowed through the last two books in a few months. When I first started the series, I thought it would be awful to try to remember who was who, because there were so many characters, but that was actually done really well. And I loved Ken Follett's writing. I wish there were more books, but I know that it is a good thing they ended where they did. It completed the story.
I do think his writing changed a little bit with this last book. It did seem rushed. It seemed like at the beginning he had all the time in the world, and then towards the end it was a lot less in the moment and a lot more of just flying by history. However, I suppose he did have a lot of history he wanted to include (but then why not just make the book really really long?).
This book made me want to cry. The thing that got to me the most was when some of the original characters started dying. Those parts were the saddest. I was just like, I watched you grow up! I saw you at your highest and lowest points. And now you're dying on me. So much time passed. Heck, even some of the main characters from the last book were dying. A few scenes that got to me the most were when Ethel and Fitz talk in the middle, when she is dying. Oh my goodness, that part wrecked me. Just as equally devastating was when Lev finally went back to Russia to see Grigori on his deathbed... and met Volodya!!! THAT PART MADE ME CRY!!! Also, the entire chapter on Jack Kennedy's death was so great. It was such a great moment, and so well-written.
And the politics in this book were so different! It was almost reminiscent of the first book, with the pre-World War I tension, but it seemed so much more dangerous. People went in to work every day thinking the world was going to end. It was so interesting to read, mostly because every single little move by each country mattered. One wrong move could start nuclear war. My favorite part of the book was the Kennedy era, mostly because we got to see so much of the inside of politics, with George and Maria working in the White House. We got a direct view of the room where it happens, and it was really diverting, especially with that dynamic between Bobby and George. I just loved George's relationship with them. I could relate to him quite a bit. That is also why Bobby's death scene was so devastating. At any rate, the politics for me kind of lost their luster once George was done in the White House. The only other interesting part was Russia's political situation with Dimka, and even that was a little stale at points.
Throughout this whole series, my favorite character has switched, but I think my favorite family will always be Grigori's. He and Volodya were my favorite characters. And Maud and Walter, but they were from a different time almost. So sad. After all of this, I think I can say that the first book was my favorite, but that's mostly because of the time period. As the characters aged and history was brought forth on them, and progress along with it, I got sadder, just because the times were changing, and I felt that those characters should stay in that special time period, the golden age, when everything was familiar to them. Books that cover historical periods where lots of technological advancements occur make me so sad for the characters witnessing those changes. I'm not really sure why. Now I'm rambling.
Anyway, I loved this book so so so much. I would read it again in a heartbeat. Part of the reason this series is so special to me is because the love of my life recommended it to me, and we went through the story together. He started reading it before me and gave me the books once he was done with them. This series has been the source of many hours of phone conversations between us, and for that I am indescribably grateful. I now have to find a good enough book to read next, after this monument of literature. I loved every page.
I do think his writing changed a little bit with this last book. It did seem rushed. It seemed like at the beginning he had all the time in the world, and then towards the end it was a lot less in the moment and a lot more of just flying by history. However, I suppose he did have a lot of history he wanted to include (but then why not just make the book really really long?).
This book made me want to cry. The thing that got to me the most was when some of the original characters started dying. Those parts were the saddest. I was just like, I watched you grow up! I saw you at your highest and lowest points. And now you're dying on me. So much time passed. Heck, even some of the main characters from the last book were dying. A few scenes that got to me the most were when Ethel and Fitz talk in the middle, when she is dying. Oh my goodness, that part wrecked me. Just as equally devastating was when Lev finally went back to Russia to see Grigori on his deathbed... and met Volodya!!! THAT PART MADE ME CRY!!! Also, the entire chapter on Jack Kennedy's death was so great. It was such a great moment, and so well-written.
And the politics in this book were so different! It was almost reminiscent of the first book, with the pre-World War I tension, but it seemed so much more dangerous. People went in to work every day thinking the world was going to end. It was so interesting to read, mostly because every single little move by each country mattered. One wrong move could start nuclear war. My favorite part of the book was the Kennedy era, mostly because we got to see so much of the inside of politics, with George and Maria working in the White House. We got a direct view of the room where it happens, and it was really diverting, especially with that dynamic between Bobby and George. I just loved George's relationship with them. I could relate to him quite a bit. That is also why Bobby's death scene was so devastating. At any rate, the politics for me kind of lost their luster once George was done in the White House. The only other interesting part was Russia's political situation with Dimka, and even that was a little stale at points.
Throughout this whole series, my favorite character has switched, but I think my favorite family will always be Grigori's. He and Volodya were my favorite characters. And Maud and Walter, but they were from a different time almost. So sad. After all of this, I think I can say that the first book was my favorite, but that's mostly because of the time period. As the characters aged and history was brought forth on them, and progress along with it, I got sadder, just because the times were changing, and I felt that those characters should stay in that special time period, the golden age, when everything was familiar to them. Books that cover historical periods where lots of technological advancements occur make me so sad for the characters witnessing those changes. I'm not really sure why. Now I'm rambling.
Anyway, I loved this book so so so much. I would read it again in a heartbeat. Part of the reason this series is so special to me is because the love of my life recommended it to me, and we went through the story together. He started reading it before me and gave me the books once he was done with them. This series has been the source of many hours of phone conversations between us, and for that I am indescribably grateful. I now have to find a good enough book to read next, after this monument of literature. I loved every page.
mrbear's review against another edition
4.0
If you've gotten this far in the series, you probably mostly know what to expect and will be excited to listen to the third book. This book starts with the Cuban Missile Crisis and concludes roughly with the falling of the Berlin Wall. It studies the rise to prominence of music over this period, the slow deterioration of the communist economy, the civil rights movement, free journalism, and a few other more minor themes. Unlike some of the previous books, I felt this book did less of a good job connecting the generations. Though some families, such as George's and Rebecca's, are still relevant in the story, most of the characters from the previous book take a very secondary role in this one and are rarely if ever POV characters, despite the previous book ending just 10-15 years before the start of this one. While new characters were certainly needed to carry through to the end of the time period, I felt this decision was a little questionable.
Overall, if you've gotten this far, it's absolutely worth the read. That said, trying to piece through the Follett books in my head, I think I probably enjoyed the Kingsbridge trilogy more.
Overall, if you've gotten this far, it's absolutely worth the read. That said, trying to piece through the Follett books in my head, I think I probably enjoyed the Kingsbridge trilogy more.
cllamach's review against another edition
3.0
A great book, a fitting end to an amazing trilogy, it catches you from the start and at least for me was a point of finishing in a couple of days with a long sitting in one day in which i practically devoured more than half the book.
A vision of times of great changes, expertly combined with human and personals histories that give this book a sense of placement in space rather than just the time of political shifts and conflicts. A great cast of characters, although i must say that lacking in regards of the first two entries of the series, but with a good touch of endings for some that were a part of the stories since the first book, not so, in my opinion, for the ones in the center of this particular novel.
That is the thing that did this book great for me, reconnecting with names and personalities that make a deep impact in "The Fall of the Giants" and the "Winter of the World", and although some were left implied, it's lack of closure felt for the primary ones in this last entry that leaves a weird taste after closing the book.
Without a doubt the fall of the infamous wall is the perfect point from a historical point to set an end to the historical part of the novel, but the fictional part of it, somewhat suffers for it, some of the most charismatic and dear characters were in the URSS, that continued to exist still for some time after the german reunification and missing to show the reader their reactions, expectations, plans and dreams make it hard to say i was satisfied with a mere epilogue that treated only a single portion, and i would dare to say not the main one, of the political conflicts in the book.
So, making a long list of ramblings late in the night short... a great book with a expected, but somewhat lacking ending for a book expected by me for years.
A vision of times of great changes, expertly combined with human and personals histories that give this book a sense of placement in space rather than just the time of political shifts and conflicts. A great cast of characters, although i must say that lacking in regards of the first two entries of the series, but with a good touch of endings for some that were a part of the stories since the first book, not so, in my opinion, for the ones in the center of this particular novel.
That is the thing that did this book great for me, reconnecting with names and personalities that make a deep impact in "The Fall of the Giants" and the "Winter of the World", and although some were left implied, it's lack of closure felt for the primary ones in this last entry that leaves a weird taste after closing the book.
Without a doubt the fall of the infamous wall is the perfect point from a historical point to set an end to the historical part of the novel, but the fictional part of it, somewhat suffers for it, some of the most charismatic and dear characters were in the URSS, that continued to exist still for some time after the german reunification and missing to show the reader their reactions, expectations, plans and dreams make it hard to say i was satisfied with a mere epilogue that treated only a single portion, and i would dare to say not the main one, of the political conflicts in the book.
So, making a long list of ramblings late in the night short... a great book with a expected, but somewhat lacking ending for a book expected by me for years.
meghanrherold's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
andrew_m's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
b0hemian_graham's review against another edition
5.0
Follet did it. He managed to condense essentially 47 years of history and political turmoil into approximately 1000 pages. I enjoyed this one the best out of the entire trilogy. I especially liked how music was employed as a political tool and tied everything together. There was some sensationalism, and some rather ridiculous plot points, but at the same time, they worked within the frame of the novel as 1961-1989 (with the 2008 epilogue)were pretty sensational, and at times, utterly ridiculous in so many ways.
I'm also very surprised and slightly disappointed over the lack of Britain other than the music scence of the 1960s. You'd think there would be more on Thatcher in this novel.
I'm still trying to adjust my thoughts on this one, but it's definitely a trilogy I wouldn't mind seeing adapated into a miniseries such as his Pillars of the Earth novels were.
Edit: Also, Follett still seems to be unable to write sex scenes that don't come across as if they were written by a horny 13-year old boy who writes fanfiction in his spare time. Thankfully, they didn't seem as prominent as they are in some of his other novels, but some of them were still distracting and entertaining for the wrong reasons, as in, I was giggling like a school girl and rolling my eyes at how bad some of them were.
I'm also very surprised and slightly disappointed over the lack of Britain other than the music scence of the 1960s. You'd think there would be more on Thatcher in this novel.
I'm still trying to adjust my thoughts on this one, but it's definitely a trilogy I wouldn't mind seeing adapated into a miniseries such as his Pillars of the Earth novels were.
Edit: Also, Follett still seems to be unable to write sex scenes that don't come across as if they were written by a horny 13-year old boy who writes fanfiction in his spare time. Thankfully, they didn't seem as prominent as they are in some of his other novels, but some of them were still distracting and entertaining for the wrong reasons, as in, I was giggling like a school girl and rolling my eyes at how bad some of them were.