World Without End
by Ken Follett
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Book Summary Information
Author: Ken FollettNarrator: John Lee
Edition: Music CD
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2007-10-09
ISBN: N/A
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Book Reviews of World Without End
Book Review: Great Historical Fiction
Summary: 4 Stars
While not quite as breathtaking as Pillars of the Earth, World Without End is another great epic that takes place in proverbial Kingsbridge two centuries after Prior Phillip's time. The plot contains some familiar aspects: an elaborate building project (this time, a bridge), a declining fleece trade, and the conspiracies of the reigning monarch. There are also some characters that resemble their ancestors: Merthin, a descendant of Jack Builder who aspires to be the greatest builder in England, his brother Ralph, an ambitious yet cruel knight seeking glory, and Merthin's long time love Caris, a stubborn yet successful woman who is at odds with tradition.
However, there are some aspects of the book that were a bit tedious. This time around, the prior, first Godwyn, then his sycophant Philemon, is a scheming unsympathetic worm whose conflicts with the village are nothing but frustrating. Even Caris's pride is exasperating at times: she knows she loves Merthin and wants to be with him, but detests the convention of being a subservient wife. While Ralph wasn't quite as loathsome a villain as William Hamleigh, he lacked the depth that made me want to utterly despise him.
What did work well was the depiction of the plague that wiped out half of England's population during this period. Follett incorporates its affects on families, commerce, farming and faith effectively. The evolution of medical thinking at this time is another paramount feature, as religious superstition had to take a backseat to the practicalities of dealing with such a devastating illness. Like Pillars, the scope of this novel is vast, with so many characters who are believably fallible, and multiple plot lines that encompass the variety of the human condition. Spanning decades, it progresses smoothly and its historical accuracy is commendable. While I didn't think it was as engrossing as Pillars, it still delivered what I was looking for in a quality historical fiction novel.
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