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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
This brutal and marvelous story was the most satisfying experience I could’ve hoped for, and I maintain that Ken Follett is one of the most phenomenal writers of our time. It took me the better part of a decade before a nagging friend convinced me to pick up Follett’s Pillars of the Earth. I couldn’t accept that a medieval tale about building an English church could be anything but a snooze fest. I was completely wrong—the series it begins is about the most extraordinary set of books I’ve ever read. More to the point, I’m convinced that only Follett could have made them work.
The Evening & The Morning is a prequel to Pillars, and it was the finest Christmas gift I could’ve asked for. The story is vast, weaving its way through decades of hopes and sorrows with masterful precision. Follett’s characters are each so uniquely rich that, by the end, it felt truly uncomfortable to be separated from them, like family you’ll never get to see again.
The audiobook was flawless, and I think John Lee is one of the finest narrators in the business. I can’t imagine how much raw skill and talent it takes for an Englishman to convince me that he’s actually a medieval French noblewoman in disguise, but Lee somehow managed it every chapter.
This was another perfect novel from a brilliant writer that could not recommend more. For now, I will dream that Follett one day manages to find another church to build for me.
The Evening & The Morning is a prequel to Pillars, and it was the finest Christmas gift I could’ve asked for. The story is vast, weaving its way through decades of hopes and sorrows with masterful precision. Follett’s characters are each so uniquely rich that, by the end, it felt truly uncomfortable to be separated from them, like family you’ll never get to see again.
The audiobook was flawless, and I think John Lee is one of the finest narrators in the business. I can’t imagine how much raw skill and talent it takes for an Englishman to convince me that he’s actually a medieval French noblewoman in disguise, but Lee somehow managed it every chapter.
This was another perfect novel from a brilliant writer that could not recommend more. For now, I will dream that Follett one day manages to find another church to build for me.
A good story but the writing is really pedestrian and dull. Still, it was a good tale.
This was an easy read. I really enjoy historic fiction and this was not disappointing.
As with all Ken Follett books, this story kept me interested the whole time.
adventurous
fast-paced
Despite being a prequel, it was a delightful return to Knightsbridge. The writing was so familiar. I haven’t loved Follet’s newer works as they often felt bloated and unedited, but this felt downright slim in comparison. The pacing was good and cast was limited so it didn’t feel distracting. The commonality of the kinds of characters to those in Pillars made it feel familiar without feeling regurgitated.
But I took off one star for the sex. I’m not a prude and the occasional scene would have been fine. But the frequency in which he indulged felt like I was reading a Joan Collins book set in Viking times. And the casual way he writes about rape, especially child rape, is depressing. Yes, life was different than it is now (although given that sex trafficking is still an international crisis, not too different). However, just because it was done more openly and generally accepted among the ruling class, does NOT mean it needs to be written that way for our entertainment. At least four 13 year old slave girls were secondary characters, all used for the simple pleasures of men and giving one a “happy ending” does not excuse the nonchalant way in which their repeated rapes were described. It felt very much like the 80s view of sex in which much can be excused if one raped ends up the hero of the story and the rapist “gets his” in the end. This tiresome way of viewing rape needs to end.
Otherwise, it’s a nice, if predictable, piece in the Kingsbridge series and I did enjoy it better than the sequel.
But I took off one star for the sex. I’m not a prude and the occasional scene would have been fine. But the frequency in which he indulged felt like I was reading a Joan Collins book set in Viking times. And the casual way he writes about rape, especially child rape, is depressing. Yes, life was different than it is now (although given that sex trafficking is still an international crisis, not too different). However, just because it was done more openly and generally accepted among the ruling class, does NOT mean it needs to be written that way for our entertainment. At least four 13 year old slave girls were secondary characters, all used for the simple pleasures of men and giving one a “happy ending” does not excuse the nonchalant way in which their repeated rapes were described. It felt very much like the 80s view of sex in which much can be excused if one raped ends up the hero of the story and the rapist “gets his” in the end. This tiresome way of viewing rape needs to end.
Otherwise, it’s a nice, if predictable, piece in the Kingsbridge series and I did enjoy it better than the sequel.
This book was so well written but it was rather long. I haven’t read the original work so I’m excited to get to the next book. The overall story is interesting. I love historical fiction.
Another fantastic Kingsbridge tale, many twists and turns some predictable but none the less a great journey to tag along on.
dark