Select language, opens an overlay

Comment

Jun 20, 2018richmole rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
This is a really bad book. It's shocking, actually, when you consider that the author--much earlier in his career--had so many very good books: Man From St. Petersburg, Lie Down with Lions, Eye of the Needle, Key to Rebecca. Decades later, I still remember these. More recently, Follett began to write big, sweeping historical sagas. The Century Trilogy was passably good; the first two entries of the Kingsbridge trilogy--Pillars of the Earth, World without end, even better. Now, after a lapse of 10 years, Follett's given us (burdened us, more like it) this book, the third in the Kingsbridge trilogy, although, set hundreds of years later, there is nothing that connects this work with the previous two except the setting. Believe me, it's not enough. Also different: the quality of the writing. This is dreck. Overwritten--at close to a thousand pages-- (and I suspect, under-edited) this novel is often unintentionally, side-splitting funny. Sorry fans, I can't help it. One and two-dimensional characters--and far too many of them--and a basic plot that is merely mildly interesting instead of "gripping", the word you can use justifiably for many of his most recent works. I mean, the religious idiocy of the late Middle Ages is just not in the same league. It's a slog. Also a shame.