The Pillars Of The Earth

[dUSt]

Has anyone either read "The Pillars of the Earth" book by Ken Follett, or watched the miniseries?

 

 

Thoughts?

[Catlick]

I read the book couple of years ago. I generally enjoyed it (Follett writes well and his historical research is quite sound) but was already annoyed by his anti-clericalism - I was not even a Catholic at that time. Follett very much clings to old-fashioned Socialism in his historical fiction: the 'working class' is good, the nobility and clergy are bad.

 

I quit his last book - on European aristocracy on the eve of World War I - because of the VERY cliche depiction of nobility: conservative nobles where without exception evil, progressive ones without exception good.

 

I wouldn't recommend Pillars of the Earth to anyone under 18, not to people without some objective knowledge of the medieval Church.

 

Oh, and I have to add that the book contains some unchaste passages.

Edited February 10, 2015 by Catlick

[truthfinder]

I watched a good part of the series, and started reading the book, but just finishing a graduate course in medieval studies, I sometimes yelled at the book.  It's not bad if you don't have a particular necessity for exactitude in historical fiction and barring the caveat that catlick has already written about unchaste passages (or scenes in the series).

[Basilisa Marie]

I read World Without End first, because my boyfriend thought I'd like it for Christmas the year we started dating.  I was in college and loved it - but yes, not for kids, and not for people who would be pretty impressionable about it being an accurate portrayal of medieval Church history. Pillars of the Earth was also good, but I think I like WWE better because I read it first (and loved the idea of that epic love story between Merthin and Caris). They're basically the exact same formula - follow some people over the course of their lives, they're all related to each other. 

 

One thing I liked about Pillars more was Prior Phillip, the more positive and sympathetic monk. There weren't as many "good" characters that were religious in WWE, and those who were had a lot of contempt for Catholicism. 

 

The most interesting thing about it was getting to follow some characters through pretty much their whole lives, in relatively the same place. 

 

Edited February 10, 2015 by Basilisa Marie

[dUSt]

I was told that it is good for the cathedral building stuff, but not so much for any redemptive qualities. I'm into historical fiction, so figured I'd watch the miniseries. Maybe the book too.

 

The reviews I read said that World Without End was anti-Catholic, but Pillars was not as much. Ken Follett is apparently an atheist, so I'm not expecting it to be spiritually uplifting.

[Anomaly]

I read the whole series a number of years ago. Overall a great tale and fine read. Follett tends to have his characters a little cliche, but they do move the story along and keep it interesting.

Its very good at a historical novel and spins a seemingly realistic tale of various societal realities of the trials and circumstances of the time for the lower class in feudal Europe.

[Catlick]

I was told that it is good for the cathedral building stuff, but not so much for any redemptive qualities.

 

The cathedral stuff is certainly good, it breathes admiration for medieval architecture.
 

[Basilisa Marie]

I was told that it is good for the cathedral building stuff, but not so much for any redemptive qualities. I'm into historical fiction, so figured I'd watch the miniseries. Maybe the book too.

 

The reviews I read said that World Without End was anti-Catholic, but Pillars was not as much. Ken Follett is apparently an atheist, so I'm not expecting it to be spiritually uplifting.

 

It's not anti-Catholic like how His Dark Materials is anti-Catholic, but more that there are Catholic characters who are villains or unsympathetic, only maybe one faithful Catholic character who is only a minor character, and the "heroes" aren't really believers in religion. I took it as less "look how evil the Church is" and more "look how evil these people are who act in the name of the Church."   :idontknow:

 

Pillars has Phillip, the monk who tries to be a faithful Catholic and is a sympathetic hero character. I really appreciated that. I do remember being a bit disappointed there wasn't a character like Phillip in World Without End.