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A review by mrs_ailurophile
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
5.0
I'M IN LOVE. SERIOUSLY. I'M IN LOVE.
Wow. Okay. I am really glad I bought a copy now. I had heard this was a great novel and over the years people have been telling me I'd really enjoy it. And they were right. The characters were so well written. I experienced sorrow at the death of Agnes and the extreme circumstances Tom's family endured; horror and hatred at the depth of William's selfishness and irritation that he kept coming back for more; and joy for Aliena who finally found her happy ending.
What makes this novel so interesting is that there's really no good and no bad. Yes, Philip was good, but it was his innocence that made him so. And yes, William was obviously a bad person, but instead of portraying him as a 100% villain, the doubts Follet gave him proved that even the most evil human being has cause to wonder and question himself.
Bishop Waleran Bigod was irritating. His belief that he was meant for greater things was ultimately his downfall, and it's sad that he only learned this at the end. Much like William's belief in his own superiority, Waleran was ruthless and had no qualms about shoving aside others in his quest to become Archbishop. He only achieved as much as he did because he manipulated the circumstances. In the end, he was a pitiful character who had risen to the highest of heights only to fall suddenly, without any hope of getting back up.
Prior Philiip. Oh Phillip. He was also childlike in some ways, but mostly due to his innocence and love of God. Raised as a monk, his goodness, love for others and undeniable wish to make the world a better place was based on what he believed was God's will. His fear of women, mostly women with opinions, was only due to his circumstances and the way society was back then. One cannot blame him for these faults, of course, and I think that's what made him so appealing (and also slightly irritating).
Aliena's brother, Richard, annoyed me. He was incapable of handling his own life and constantly relied on his sister to provide. I can't help but think he was Aliena's biggest flaw. She had made a vow but at the cost of her own happiness and independence. While she later saw this and took her life into her own hands, it was only after Ellen had convinced her to do so. Love is a fickle thing, but I give her props for going halfway across the world to find Jack, who was still in love with her. And thankfully, Richard grows up when he's forced to make way after Aliena's departure.
I will also add that the building of the cathedral was not just significant to the story, but also interesting on it's own. At least to me. I love architecture, always have, and so to see how cathedrals were built was just utterly fascinating to me. In medieval times, the Church was the center of society and the beauty of it's cathedrals was an indication to the wealth, influence, and leadership the Church provided to the growing communities.
In the end, this was a beautifully written novel. Follet did an amazing job in portraying his characters as human beings, not inherently good but not inherently bad. A page turner with it's wonderfully descriptive plot, one can't help but cheer for the likes of Jack and Aliena, Tom and Phillip. And while not all endings were happy, it was satisfying to read that everyone got what they deserved.
Wow. Okay. I am really glad I bought a copy now. I had heard this was a great novel and over the years people have been telling me I'd really enjoy it. And they were right. The characters were so well written. I experienced sorrow at the death of Agnes and the extreme circumstances Tom's family endured; horror and hatred at the depth of William's selfishness and irritation that he kept coming back for more; and joy for Aliena who finally found her happy ending.
What makes this novel so interesting is that there's really no good and no bad. Yes, Philip was good, but it was his innocence that made him so. And yes, William was obviously a bad person, but instead of portraying him as a 100% villain, the doubts Follet gave him proved that even the most evil human being has cause to wonder and question himself.
Bishop Waleran Bigod was irritating. His belief that he was meant for greater things was ultimately his downfall, and it's sad that he only learned this at the end. Much like William's belief in his own superiority, Waleran was ruthless and had no qualms about shoving aside others in his quest to become Archbishop. He only achieved as much as he did because he manipulated the circumstances. In the end, he was a pitiful character who had risen to the highest of heights only to fall suddenly, without any hope of getting back up.
Prior Philiip. Oh Phillip. He was also childlike in some ways, but mostly due to his innocence and love of God. Raised as a monk, his goodness, love for others and undeniable wish to make the world a better place was based on what he believed was God's will. His fear of women, mostly women with opinions, was only due to his circumstances and the way society was back then. One cannot blame him for these faults, of course, and I think that's what made him so appealing (and also slightly irritating).
Aliena's brother, Richard, annoyed me. He was incapable of handling his own life and constantly relied on his sister to provide. I can't help but think he was Aliena's biggest flaw. She had made a vow but at the cost of her own happiness and independence. While she later saw this and took her life into her own hands, it was only after Ellen had convinced her to do so. Love is a fickle thing, but I give her props for going halfway across the world to find Jack, who was still in love with her. And thankfully, Richard grows up when he's forced to make way after Aliena's departure.
I will also add that the building of the cathedral was not just significant to the story, but also interesting on it's own. At least to me. I love architecture, always have, and so to see how cathedrals were built was just utterly fascinating to me. In medieval times, the Church was the center of society and the beauty of it's cathedrals was an indication to the wealth, influence, and leadership the Church provided to the growing communities.
In the end, this was a beautifully written novel. Follet did an amazing job in portraying his characters as human beings, not inherently good but not inherently bad. A page turner with it's wonderfully descriptive plot, one can't help but cheer for the likes of Jack and Aliena, Tom and Phillip. And while not all endings were happy, it was satisfying to read that everyone got what they deserved.