Reviews tagging 'Murder'

World Without End by Ken Follett

21 reviews

rosietomyn's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Revisiting Kingsbridge two hundred years after Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett's The World Without End isn't quite as impressive a read as it's predecessor. 

While Pillars expertly weaves life stories that span a couple of generations, the second novel sticks closer to one generation of Kingsbridge residents. Although it would seem more likely readers would get a deeper understanding of a smaller cast of characters, this set felt hollow and less dimensional than the larger cast in the previous book. If this had been book one, I don't believe I would pick up book two. 

The series as a whole is known for its violence, but book two feels especially brutal when compared to book one. Needlessly so.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Murder

linda_wolf's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Murder, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, Sexual violence, Blood, Pregnancy, Violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Abortion, and Sexism

heartfelthullabaloo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

It was pretty on par with the way the first one played out. The author really knows how to get the reader to feel things. The church was still frustrating and corrupt. Caris and Merthin were great characters. The villain was slightly less loathsome than William and there was less rape so that was good. Still lots of mentions of breasts, it would make a good drinking game, take a shot every time breasts are mentioned 😜

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Medical content, Infidelity, Violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abortion, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Pandemic/Epidemic, Misogyny, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Adult/minor relationship, Torture, War, Rape, Murder, and Medical trauma

hmatt's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It's hard not to rate this 5 stars. I read the first third of the book in Fall 2020, and barely picked it up again until late 2023 - most of it, I read in the last week. Even though many years had passed, I remembered most of the characters and their plotlines. The storytelling in this series is so incredibly rich, it feels like it is history. It follows characters throughout their entire lives, basically, so you really end up connecting with and either loving or despising them.

There are many, many graphic and vulgar scenes, so I can see how this isn't a read that everyone would enjoy. I feel that the author toes the line of "too much" and doesn't necessarily cross it given the historical context, but this is my opinion.

I'm going to read around this time period, I think (ahem, Wolf Hall), and then perhaps pick up the third book in the series which takes place 200ish years later.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Medical content, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, War, Sexism, Sexual content, Stalking, Animal death, Violence, Animal cruelty, Police brutality, Blood, Torture, Body shaming, Bullying, Slavery, Abortion, Alcohol, Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Classism, Gore, Grief, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Religious bigotry and Self harm

Minor: Dementia

au3ke's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Dementia, Abortion, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Rape, Bullying, and Death of parent

koorte's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Animal cruelty, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Death

katieismay's review against another edition

challenging tense 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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual violence, and Rape

melina_30's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring relaxing tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Physical abuse, Blood, Abortion, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Slavery and Suicidal thoughts

siniandi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

A densely packed story, drawn out over several decades as is typical for Follett. One gets invested in the characters and their fates quite easily. The connection of the plot to historical occurances is mostly well done. The central mystery is woven into the story skilfully while never overpowering it and is solved in the end in a surprising twist.

I commen Follett for always including strong female protagonists. Caris is a relatable, strong female character I emphasised with. However, I am having trouble placing her in the Medieval environment the story takes place in; she probably wouldn't have existed or not quite be able to hold (or at least voice) the same views as she does in the book. Personally, I find her less believable than Aliena in Pillars. As always, descriptions of women in Follett's work often seem quite male gaze-y as do the sex scenes.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gore, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Abortion, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Misogyny, and War

Minor: Miscarriage and Suicidal thoughts

brighteyed's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

i LOVE the discussion of architecture and minute historical details in this book. the characters are loveable and compelling :) 

i do think some of the plot points are a little simplistic and/or hackneyed but overall it’s a fun read! 

i wish the villains were a bit more fleshed out, although with sam i think they started approaching moral ambiguity

also feel like the author definitely cheated on his wife and was looking for forgiveness bc that was so many of the romantic subplots but that’s neither here nor there

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, War, Murder, and Sexual content