The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: Kingsbridge (Book #1 of 5)
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 992 pages (Hardcover edition)
Word Count: 410,000 words
Publish date: October 1989 by Macmillan
The Pillars of the Earth has been hailed as one of the most triumphant novels of all time for decades now, and it deserves every acclaim it earned.
“When things are simple, fewer mistakes are made. The most expensive part of a building is the mistakes.”
If you have been following my reading journey this year, you would know that I’ve been struggling to encounter a book in the genres I tend to read—fantasy and science fiction—that blew me away. In fact, even though we’re in the month of July already, I still haven’t found any fantasy book this year that I would give a full 5 out of 5 stars rating. The Sun Eater by Christopher Ruocchio are exceptions, of course, but that series is more science fiction and space opera. This situation has pushed me to look into The Pillars of the Earth, the first book in a series of standalone novels titled Kingsbridge by Ken Follett. For the past 4 years, it has been in my to-read pile, and circumstances and reading mood have made my decision to read it this year. All of you were right. I’m not disappointed. This book did it for me. This riveting reading experience is what I’ve been looking for this year, and I’m gratified to give this doorstopper a 5 out of 5 stars rating.
“I imagined it. I wrote it. But I guess I never thought I’d see it.”
Picture: The Pillars of the Earth by Ludwig Seibt
I don’t think you need to hear me repeat what the premise of The Pillars of the Earth is about. If you’re like me, you might have heard it is about building a cathedral in the fictional city of Kingsbridge. At least, that is the simplest way to explain what the premise of the novel is about. And yes, essentially, The Pillars of the Earth IS a story that revolves around building an iconic cathedral. But is it ONLY about that? No. Far from it. There’s so much more to The Pillars of the Earth. So much more. It is a story about faith, war, survival, poverty, family, love, responsibility, and unity. This isn’t to say the cathedral building aspect is inferior compared to the others, but the explanation of architecture and the act of cathedral building isn’t what we would advertise to lure readers into trying to read a historical fiction that is supposed to be page-turning. But trust me. Despite the massive size of the novel, at 410,000 words long, this book never succumbed to boredom. I strongly believe many authors, not just historical fiction authors but fantasy and sci-fi writers as well, can certainly learn a thing or two from The Pillars of the Earth.
“Having faith in God did not mean sitting back and doing nothing. It meant believing you would find success if you did your best honestly and energetically.”
Picture: Kingsbridge Cathedral by Sebastian Wagner
Many components contributed to turning this historical fiction novel into one of the best books in history. Follett ensured every chapter—comfortable or uncomfortable to read—was integral to the narrative. I never felt a specific chapter was useless to the overarching storyline. Whether it is written to augment our investment in the characters or enrich the themes of the novel, no chapter ever felt futile to me. This is something that I unfortunately faced a lot lately in the fantasy genre. It seems like the books are written unnecessarily longer than they should be, and I am speaking as someone who loves reading big books, like The Pillars of the Earth proved. But in this case, by making sure every dialogue, interaction, and relationship the characters make feels crucial, even the premise of building a cathedral in medieval times can altered into one of the most engaging reading experiences.
“Nevertheless, the book gave Jack a feeling he had never had before, that the past was like a story, in which one thing led to another, and the world was not a boundless mystery, but a finite thing that could be comprehended. ”
Picture: Kingsbridge Chapter by Sebastian Wagner
I have always been fascinated by grand buildings and architecture. I think we humans are built to generally be amazed at the creation of massive proportions, whether they are man-made or by nature. The Pillars of the Earth effortlessly pushed me to look into the origin of things and REALLY think about their creation. To remember how much effort, advancement, devotion, sacrifice, struggle, luck, and determination are needed. It is physically impossible to construct a cathedral of this magnitude alone. Not only during the year 1100s when the story of The Pillars of the Earth takes place. But even now, in our lifetime and society, even putting every resource we have into account, it is still impossible to build a cathedral by yourself. This is a feat that can only be accomplished through an immense amount of resources, association with other people, unity, teamwork, meticulous calculation, and many more working in harmony toward the same goal. I was constantly fascinated by every technicality Follett wrote into this book. However, as I said, this book is not only about building a cathedral. There’s no shortage of intense and harrowing sequences, and I did not expect how well-written the characters would be in this 40-year-long epic storyline.
“She loved him because he had brought her back to life. She had been like a caterpillar in a cocoon, and he had drawn her out and shown her that she was a butterfly.”
Tom the Builder, Ellen, Jack, Aliena, Richard, and Prior Philip. These are some of the most recognizable protagonists of the novel. Before reading The Pillars of the Earth, I kept hearing how much people loved Prior Philip, and I’m not surprised why. I still don’t know whether my favorite character is Jack or Philip, but one thing I definitely know is this. Every character in The Pillars of the Earth has their own strengths and weaknesses. The relationship they forged became one of their sources of energy and hope to fight back against the evil and injustice of the world, especially one caused by the actions of the Triple W gang and one bully I’ll refrain from mentioning. I will get to the villains in the next paragraph. But back to my point. By making the protagonists flawed, it felt easier to recognize them as real characters and individuals. Even Prior Philip, who most of the time is kind-hearted, generous, and virtuous to serve his faith is not an exception to this. Philip, too, has his own agenda, and sometimes he will enforce his will to get what he wants. I loved the character development the characters had. Their survival tale will be stories that I always remember. When I finished the novel, I reflected on how the 40 years of tumultuous events changed them, and I feel satisfied to have read where their conclusion ended. However, if I haven’t been clear enough in this review, I need to emphasize this once more… The Pillars of the Earth is not a book for the faint of heart.
“You never know… There may come a time when savages like William Hamleigh aren’t in power; 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!”
Let me tell you this. Out of every book in every genre I read, The Pillars of the Earth has some of the most despicable, disgusting, and malicious villains I have ever come across. William Hamleigh, Walter, and Waleran Bigod, especially William Hamleigh. Again, there is another character, but it will be a spoiler to name him. All you need to know is this. The mind of these villains will test your patience. Follett did not shy away from putting us readers in the mind and perspective of the villains for a long time while they were thinking sleazy and abysmal acts, not even when they proceeded to execute them. Imagine every nasty action a villain could do in historical fiction novels, and you will most likely see them in the pages of The Pillars of the Earth. I fully understand if readers do not want to read The Pillars of the Earth because of this. But personally speaking, I think having the POV of a villain—more of the time than not—elevates the tension and compelling factor of the narrative. Knowing how far William Hamleigh and his goons will go to achieve whatever selfish desire he wants has made me feel terrified for the characters because I know none of them are safe from danger. This kind of fear for the characters—in my opinion—means I am engrossed in the story and the lives of the characters I grew to care about. And Follett accomplished that. It is a sign of a great book.
Picture: The Pillars of the Earth User Interface by Sebastian Wagner
It is known in the construction of a cathedral, even though there is a master builder, that support and cooperation from other people are imperative. Same as books. Ken Follett mentioned the struggle and skills he needed to weave the beastly tome that is The Pillars of the Earth to completion. Without the help of other people, it will not be possible. Not only that, Follett also mentioned it is only thanks to the viral and continuous spread of word-of-mouth that The Pillars of the Earth reached the success it has. The glimmering quality and the worldwide fame of the story and the success of The Pillars of the Earth are as grand and rich as a Gothic cathedral. The popularity and success of the novel have spawned TV shows and video game adaptations as well; both are well-received. Knowing how much I enjoyed reading The Pillars of the Earth makes me excited to read the sequel as soon as possible. Especially when many readers have concluded that World Without End is somehow superior. I will read World Without End when I am in the middle of a 5-star book drought again. Or, who knows, maybe I’ll read it sooner than expected. But until then, I will end this review by saying The Pillars of the Earth is one of the best historical fiction novels ever penned.
“Human beings have the capacity to rise above mundane circumstances and touch the eternal.”
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