Search - The Pillars of the Earth

My husband reads a lot of Follett (he's a mystery/thriller kind of guy) and I picked "Pillars" up from his pile of TBR stuff when my own ran dry. Wow!

This book is meticulously researched and is one of those can't-put-it-down, what-happens-next page-turners that you only come across once every few years.

The characters are earthy and so well developed, you never want the story to end. It is about the building of a cathedral, but overall about the village where the cathedral is located and the people who live there. The plot spans many years (25 or so) and takes you (the reader) from the saddest scenes you can imagine (a newborn baby lying on top of its dead mother's body) to moments of great triumph and happiness.

There is a sequal - World Without End - but I liked "Pillars" far better. Read them in order to get the most out of this epic saga.

Ugh, this book was overly long and complicated for what the story was about. I enjoyed the characters, and I very much enjoyed the architectural component since I have an art historical background, but it just took too much time to get into the characters and plot.

Don't let the size discourage you from reading this book. A lot of architectural description but done in a way everyone can appreciate.

A very good read. I find myself always drawn back to the book to get it finished.

I only picked up this book because our book club elected it as our summer reading book (due to its length)but boy, was it worth it. There are times when you do think certain characters have 'lived' too long but otherwise it is a very compelling story. I got invested in the characters and what happened to each of them...it did take a good 75-100 pages to really see the interconnectedness of all of them but once it hits you, then you really get going. The architectural information is fascinating too, especially if you love architecture or just looking at historical buildings! I highly recommend this book!

This is one of my favorite works of historical fiction. As an art major and someone who is interested in the evolution of religion, as well as any and all historical fiction, I cannot put this book down. I've read it several times, and this is the third copy I've owned because I keep loaning it out, but no one wants to return it.