Synopsis:
Ken Follett's novel The Pillars of the Earth is set during the mid 12th century in England. The story centers around the building of a magnificent cathedral in Kingsbridge. Despite setbacks, opposition, and the death of the original master builder, the cathedral's construction begins in 1136 and continues until its completion and consecration in 1170. We follow the lives of Tom, Ellen, Alfred, Jack, Alaina, Richard, Philip, Waleran, and William as they each either support or oppose the building of the Kingsbridge Cathedral based on their own personal desires. Weaving in actual historical events and figures with this fictional tale, makes for a convincing story of religious corruption and greed in the midst of the abject poverty of medieval citizenry.
Comments:
Although we all felt that the vividly brutal descriptions of warfare, rape, and even everyday medieval life occurrences were difficult to read and sometimes more than we cared to envision, we agreed that it accurately described life in that time period. There were times we had to stretch our minds to visualize such a drastic existence. Jack states, "You never know, there may come a time when...the laws protect the ordinary people instead of enslaving them; when the king makes peace instead of war. Think of that--a time when towns in England don't need walls!" Philip's response? "What an imagination. It won't happen before Judgement Day." (p.696)
The advances in architecture during this time period are astounding, especially when considering how rudimentary the tools and education of the workers were at that time. It took decades for them to build these huge cathedrals with intricate carvings, steeply pitched roofs, decorative buttresses, and solid foundations. The fact that so many of these magnificent structures stood for hundreds of years is a testament to the dedication and expertise of the tradesmen.
In discussing the comparison of medieval warfare to modern warfare, we discovered similarities in the psychological effects of killing both during battle and afterwards, along with the brutality and loss of life. It was interesting to note how easily and how often the characters changed sides in times of war based on what best benefited them. Loyalty was bought and traded like a commodity. The story definitely gave us insight into the seemingly limitless power the church wielded at that time. It highlighted how greed and ambition motivated religious leaders to make history changing decisions. We were appalled each time absolution was offered before the criminal act was even committed and without any expression of remorse on the part of the offender.
Overall, we were disappointed with the book. It was difficult to stay focused during the drawn out architecture descriptions and the graphically violent scenes while jumping from character to character in the story.
Most Memorable Quote:
Philip, the prior of Kingsbridge, says, "Perhaps greed will always outweigh wisdom in the councils of the mighty; perhaps fear will always overcome compassion in the mind of a man with a sword in his hand." (p.763). So much has changed in the past 800 years, and yet as this medieval quote demonstrates, some aspects of mankind still have not changed.
FAB Rating:
Characters: **** (4 out of 5 stars)
The characters were interesting, although not captivating in the sense that we wanted to get to know them better. The heinous acts of William Hamleigh infuriated us, and it frustrated us that he got away with so much for so long. Brenda's research uncovered an interview where the author told how he kept William in the story to anger the reader and keep them emotionally involved. It worked! We did like the two main women in the story: Ellen and Alaina. Ellen was spirited, independent, and strong. We found it distasteful that she seduced Tom less than 24 hours after the death of his wife and that she crudely desecrated the monastery's holy books. However, she was a force to be reckoned with in a world where men ruled women with absolute authority. In the same way, we admired Alaina for her ability to survive despite being raped and having to care for her younger brother. She was resourceful, smart, and devoted. Alaina made her way in the world of business and managed her family's estates with the savvy of an educated lord.
Storyline: *** (3 out of 5 stars)
As one of the FAB girls succinctly put it: "You keep going forward even though you don't want to read anymore!" At 896 pages, The Pillars of the Earth was a long read. What made the reading even more difficult for some of us was not just the vividly described rapes and killings, but also the infinitely detailed descriptions of the architecture without any sketches to assist our understanding. The bookend hangings offered a sense of completeness in the story's beginning and ending.
