gyascutus's review against another edition
Stopped at chapter 6. Im glad the author was inspired to write by nerding out but the writing is long and slow and im all for details but i really only enjoyed the few scenes where characters' paths crossed but there isn't single likeable character, I do not enjoy how any of them act or think or are written. Not for me no thank you. I might pick it up again and try to get through it but I think I'd like to read elsewhere.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual violence
bfraynt's review against another edition
3.0
It's a fun book and very engrossing, but the bad guys are a little too bad and the good guys are a little too good. And the repeated graphic descriptions of gang rapes are perhaps a little excessive... Also, there are so many plot twists that they become somewhat predictable and at times take away from character development. But good, fun, summer reading. Kind of like a medieval version of The Thorn Birds.
rogeregor's review against another edition
4.0
Molt llarg i extremadament sobrevalorat per els meus pares
exblackjetta's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. The writing was well done in my opinion and I grew attached to a few characters who held my interest throughout the story. Around the later midsection though I did feel it lost a bit of steam, but only in the respect that the characters I identified with surpassed me in age and I felt like I could no longer identify with them as well. But I'm glad I held out and finished as the ending was satisfactory.
Similar to George R. R. Martin, Ken Follett allows the just to suffer while the wicked prosper which can obviously be a turn off to some people. It kept me going however, as I impatiently waited for my least liked characters to get their comeuppance. I think Follett did a good job with not giving us complete Mary Sues for the "good guys", although the "bad guys" tended to be completely unsympathetic to me and lacked any redeemable qualities.
It's certainly not for everyone, but I would recommend checking it out and giving it a shot if you enjoy historical fiction and don't mind some dislikable characters getting their way for hundreds of pages!
Similar to George R. R. Martin, Ken Follett allows the just to suffer while the wicked prosper which can obviously be a turn off to some people. It kept me going however, as I impatiently waited for my least liked characters to get their comeuppance. I think Follett did a good job with not giving us complete Mary Sues for the "good guys", although the "bad guys" tended to be completely unsympathetic to me and lacked any redeemable qualities.
It's certainly not for everyone, but I would recommend checking it out and giving it a shot if you enjoy historical fiction and don't mind some dislikable characters getting their way for hundreds of pages!
marys_bookish_musings's review against another edition
5.0
I loved it. I just loved it. I started this book many years ago but only got a few chapters in and had to return it to the library. Ever since, the characters would sometimes pop into my mind and I would wonder about them. Then late into one of the many waves of COVID I felt that medieval England was exactly the escape I needed. I purchased an inexpensive copy of the book and hurrah - escapism at its best. I’ll admit I skimmed the descriptions of how the cathedral was built - my brain doesn’t work that way and would require too much effort to try to understand it fully without an illustration. I also skipped the various rape scenes - WHY he felt the need to include these depictions boggles the mind. It’s enough to tell the reader about it, not make them experience it. Overall, these bothersome parts were very short and easy for me to navigate around. Can’t wait for book 2.
TW: rape
TW: rape
kaitlyn_avecado's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
I skimmed through the last 300 pages or so. The conflict lulled eventually around there for me. All the issues felt repeated in slightly different ways. One character is an extremely violent misogynist - all his chapters were hard to get through because he is human garbage. The only redeeming quality I found in this book was the historical focus on building a cathedral with the tools available at the time and getting a view into life in the 1100s. Eventually, even the building details bored me. Maybe 1 character is likeable...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence and Sexual assault
kiwialexa's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
pieshypie's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the story. It evoked emotions (dislike, hatred, and I think I uttered “Will someone just kill him please?”) That actually makes me enjoy a book more. The reason I disliked the book slightly was because of the violent rape scenes. While they do play into the plot sometimes, I didn’t like reading it.
atheriaque's review against another edition
1.0
Tried so hard... just couldn't finish it. The violence just wasn't for me.