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maarkean's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed getting into the lives of the people of this era. It's interesting to see the evolution of life for the characters around this major world event, especially from the perspective of all the different nationalities. The characters are engaging on their own but this is enhanced as you get to see history unfold before them.
While it is fiction, and therefore tainted by the needs of a story and colored by modern views on things, its accurate enough to give a good sampling. Any fan of Downton Abbey would appreciate this book as it focuses on the same time frame.
While it is fiction, and therefore tainted by the needs of a story and colored by modern views on things, its accurate enough to give a good sampling. Any fan of Downton Abbey would appreciate this book as it focuses on the same time frame.
jol69's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 to 3. Some really interesting characters, but so many to keep track of. Follett needs to have his work edited more, I felt sometimes his desire to give historical detail was over the top - just too much. At over 900 pages, and just part 1 of a series this is a serious investment of your time. Not sure if I'll invest in the rest of the series.
mboere's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
slow-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? It's complicated
3.75
lilletalks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
stefhite's review against another edition
3.0
Well ... it's not Pillars of the Earth, so a bit disappointing on that front. One of the things I loved about Pillars - I learned so much about the time period due to Follett's impeccable historical research. The same attention to detail holds true in Fall of Giants, but about a time period that we know much more about (World War I). So the book became more a formulaic experience, a little history, a little character-driven plot ...a little history, a little character-driven plot - wash, rinse, repeat. That being said, it held my interest for the 1000+ pages - so good read. But it's not Pillars.
tamracielle's review against another edition
4.0
This book was not as good as the stellar Pillars of the Earth. It captured my attention at the beginning, and the characters were well-drawn and captivating, but after a while, it started to drag. The endless descriptions of wars and political strategies began to be monotonous. Will this war never end, the reader thinks. Maybe that was the point. I'm sure those who lived through WWI felt the same way. I certainly learned a lot about that war and that period of history. Ken Follett definitely does his research. I liked it well enough to continue with the second book in the trilogy at some point.
ciara_cronin's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
ninasbooks57's review against another edition
4.0
I loved learning more about WWI- seems to be a subject lacking much information. Wish Follett had included more about the flu epidemic! I think it started slowly but picked up soon after. I do think that Follett could have condensed some of the political stuff which would have shaved some pages off the 900+ length!! All in all I really enjoyed the book!! One thing though- Ken- leave the “romance” to women writers ! Your characters came off looking like 16 year old horny ( did I really say that ) schoolboys rather than supposedly mature men.
mimstery's review against another edition
Couldn’t get into it I’ll try again another time