A review by merisavale
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

dark emotional informative mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I loved this book. It reminded me of game of thrones a lot. It was filled with complex politics, old rivalries, and had a surprising amount of gore and violence for a book principally concerning the building of a cathedral. The only think keeping me from giving it a full 5/5 stars is the few times when I rolled my eyes at the way female characters were written. BUT on the whole the author did a spectacular job including a variety of interesting female characters who were powerful while still staying true to the realities of life in the 1000’s. You also learn so much about how cathedrals are built which I also loved. 
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