Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

51 reviews

dark hopeful tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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challenging dark tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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dark emotional tense slow-paced

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This book had graphic descriptions of terrible events (rape, murder, animal cruelty and death). I was interested in the characters and continuation of the series but wish rape hadn't been used as a plot device multiple times. The book and story of kingsbridge could have been told without that and it would have made almost no difference. The characters here were more likeable than in book 0 of the series 

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emotional informative reflective slow-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: Yes

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dark emotional slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Until the last quarter, nothing was particularly grabbing me, and it really felt like it was unsure of what story it was trying to tell for a good portion of the book. At a certain point I kept thinking about other, better books I could be reading. That's not do say I regret reading this or that I had a terrible time or anything -- I very much didn't, and I maintain that things really start cooking towards the end -- but it was all very dour. A very "people and their problems' style of plotting, where every section break we go to a different one of our pov characters, and boy do they have their own problems, and boy are some of them never mentioned again, and very few have anything to do with the overarching plot or theme. 

There's this but in the second season of Twin Peaks, where the evil entity, BOB, has lept into a few different bodies and is generally causing havoc and upset throughout the town, so the sheriff and the gang are discussing the nature of this evil. Miguel Ferrer's character essentially looks down the camera and says "BOB is the evil that men do." And like while I appreciate that as a moment in a television show that seems to be one of the primary themes of the book -- isn't humanity nasty -- with very little elaboration. I'm not saying that every atorcity had to have narrative justification or have characters receive a cumuppence, but at some point it just starts feeling voyeuristic. 

And aside from all of that I do truly love a "will someone rid me of this turbulent priest" moment and due to the historical setting this bad boy gets to have the original. 

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adventurous dark informative tense slow-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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes


I had so many ups and downs with this dang book. 
I hated Tom at first, but then he grew on me. William was THE WORST. He had me crashing out at some parts. 
I really liked Philip, Ellen, Jack, and Aliena, but I think you're supposed to.
 The whole book gave 'written by a man' vibes with all the descriptions of big(.)(.) women. 
This book was also very long. I often found myself asking, "Are we done yet?" But then the author would throw in some new issue or development that I just HAD to hear more about. I really felt like I was on a journey when reading this. Following some characters through the majority of their lives and watching them climb, fall, fight, lose, love, and live was quite interesting. 

Reading this made me realize how silly and shallow some of the other books I read are. Even if they are more fun. 
I don't think I'd read this again, but I'm glad I got through it. 
I wouldn't say this book is for everyone. It's long, slow, and quite boring in parts, but the historical drama theme was entertaining.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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