Don't mind the snobs!
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It seems to me that most of the people who dislike this novel have their heads shoved so far up their own arses, that it would have been very difficult for them to actually read the thing! More than one reviewer griped condescendingly that it wasn't "intellectual" enough, while the other poor reviewers mined a similar vein. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It's vividly written, at times shocking, introduced me to a time and place in history that at the time (more than 10 years ago)was entirely new to me. It's not going to change the world, it's not going to make me a different person (a reason one reviewer gave for disliking it!), but it was a damn good read, and hugely entertaining. And surprise, surprise, that's what some of us look for in a novel!
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Great read!
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I really enjoyed reading this book! It gives a very interesting view about cathedrals were built and why. It makes one want to read it at least twice to get all the details because the story is so filled with life and history!
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Didn't really get it
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I was looking forward to this book - I like historical fiction and visiting cathedrals - but I found it distinctly underwhelmimg.
Mr Follett clearly knows how to keep a story going - but the slow building of a cathedral is really not very dramatic. So the plot devices thrown at the protagonists (mostly by stereotyped villains) in order to bring excitement to the tale become progressively more forced and unlikely.
Maybe 2 stars is a bit ungenerous, its certainly better than books like Sarum, but it really isn't up to the standard of other Maud/Stephen era fiction by the likes of Sharon Penman and Ellis Peters.
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This book has saved me
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Of looking at old churches or cathedrals! Just realising that bunches of people spent their whole life to build those beautiful monuments to praise God - it's incredible. The plot of this book also is. It's the story of Phillip, Prior of Kingsbridge and his lifelong struggle and fight to get the cathedral built, run the priory and be a good monk. It's also the story of Tom and Jack - both of them addicted to masonry and especially to building cathedrals. And it is the story of Ellen, Aliena and Martha - three women whose life was intertwined with the cathedral built, not matter if they liked it or not. It is also a story about power and greed, political intrigues and personal interests of people around the King and in the Church who all have different reasons to want to stop the building of the cathedral. An excellent story that keeps you thrilled from first to last sentence. I would also recommend reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates--if you haven't read it yet.
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Stone and a steeple
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I hadn't come across Ken Follett until The Pillars Of Earth was reviewed in my sunday paper.Having bought it I couldn't put it down,everything about it demands your attention.I honestly believe that this could be one of the great books of this decade, if not longer.I can only urge you to buy this book and become lost in 12th.century England.If you don't become involved seek your nearest Undertaker,because you're obviously dead!
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