12th Century England

When I returned to work after a recent ’staycation,’ I told people that I had been to Europe. After their look of surprise, I would add, “I went to 12th Century England. I read The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.”

I had heard about this book since it was published in 1989 but had always been put off by its 1000 pages.  Although the library request list for the book was long since it had been selected for her book club by Oprah, I got my copy just before my time off from work started. It was the perfect book to enable me to slip back into that lazy, luxurious feeling that summer vacation provided when I was a kid and was able to spend an entire summer day doing nothing but read.

Within the narrative framework of the building of a cathedral over the span of many decades, Follett has managed to create an extensive cast of fascinating characters whose lives intertwine over many decades. Priests, masons, bishops, outlaws and merchants are among the people we meet. Building a cathedral might not sound like the most exciting event around which to build a novel but within the first few pages a reader will become fascinated with the characters, setting and plot.