As a new age dawns in England's 12th century, the building of a mighty cathedral sets the stage for a story of intrigue, and power, revenge and betrayal. It is in this rich tapestry that the common man shows eternal promise-- and one majestic creation will bond them forever.

This book is not very "deep," but the story is great and the characters come to life. It is 900+ pages, so be prepared for a big read.

On its way to MarysGirl as part of her Historical Fiction VBB

Arrived in the mail today. I'm looking forward to reading this one. Thanks for sharing, deadsteen!

Finished it today, but rushed it a bit in the end. Follett has a masterly grasp of the historical details from the organization of a monastic priory to the techniques used in building cathedrals. All this was set against the turbulent times of a protracted civil war in England (before Henry II takes power.) I liked his characters, they were (for the most part) 3-dimensional and appropriately complex. However, this did not have to be almost a thousand pages. Each major section was a repeat of the plot of the previous one: the same evil bad guys making the same good guys miserable, the good guys bouncing back and forcing the bad guys to hit them again. The bad guys were unredeemably evil and therefore uninteresting. Follett tried to give us some insight into why they were so bad, but ultimately it felt like cheap psycho analysis (it was the mother's fault.) He did keep me hooked with a mystery introduced in the prologue and spun out over the course of 40+ years.

I ultimately enjoyed the book, but felt it would have been much better, about two thirds the length. My husband wants to take a crack at it, then I'm pitching it back into the Historical Fiction Virtual Book Box.

Thanks for sharing deadsteen!

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

2009 KEEP THEM MOVING CHALLENGE #1

Am pitching it into the "Wrap-it-up" Book Box. I hope whoever gets this one, enjoys it!

Well gee...no wonder I picked this one! I haven't read it, but I do have it on Mt. TBR, so no wonder it sounded good! I've actually been dying to read this for a long time, but the length is daunting, making me put it off longer than I should. Never fear -- I'll find it a new home!
On second thought, I'm going to keep a hold of this. I think I loaned my other copy to my brother, so who knows if I'll ever get that back?!

11/5/11 -- I've wanted to read this book for a long time & have had it on my shelf for several years, but the sheer length of it put me off for a while. I decided it was finally time to tackle it, given all the stellar reviews I'd read.

Was it good? Yes. Was it outstanding? Eh, no, not really. I admit I enjoyed it, but I wasn't blown away. When a book is as long as this one, you have to invest a fair amount of time into it, so it's difficult not to get involved with the characters & plot, and it's kind of sad when it comes to an end, after investing so much into reading it. This book is an epic journey, spanning several decades. It's not flawless, but it's enjoyable. I found the lengthy descriptions of cathedral building & masonry a little tedious, yet informational.

It's definitely a worthwhile read, but not necessarily deserving of all the hype.

I still have another copy waiting to be read, so letting this one go to another anxious reader. Sending off to PBS member. Enjoy! :')

You have found a BookCrossing book! Please take a brief moment to journal your thoughts upon reading this book. Then, if you'd like, re-release the book (to a friend, a stranger, or back out into the wild). That way you can track its travels & its readers throughout the world!