Okay....first off......I want to say that I'm not a "follower" of Oprah's book club.  I was.  Years ago.  But after purchasing 7 or 8, I realized there was only one, maybe two, that I truly enjoyed.  Her taste in reading and mine differs.  But when I heard about The Pillars of the Earth, I decided to go to Amazon and check it out on my own.  It sounded like something I'd enjoy.  And am I ever enjoying it!

Not a quick read, at 973 pages!  But it's an easy and thoroughly enjoyable read.  It's the type of book that reminds me it's not the "destination" but rather, the "journey."  I read for about an hour or two each evening and I'm a little over 300 pages now.

This is my first Follett book.  He normally writes thriller and that's not my favorite genre.  Also, this book was actually written in 1989 and who knows what I was reading then.  It's an epic historical fiction and has really kept me turning the pages.  To quote the book jacket:

Pillars of the Earth tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known ...of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect--a man divided in his soul ...of the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame ...and of a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state and brother against brother.

 

I'm totally mesmerized with this book.  Just recently, after reading this and that, I said, "Gosh, it's been ages since I read a really, really, good book."  Well, folks, I found it!  Everything about it is great.  The characters, the time period, the plot. 

Years ago I used to read a lot of Regency or Victorian novels......many took place in England and I did always enjoy the time period.  The Pillars of the Earth takes place in twelfth-century England and I'm captivated.  Maybe I need to read more historical novels?  Got any ideas? 

In the meantime, I'm truly enjoying this one, and I'm glad I went and checked it out on Amazon.  If you're looking for a superb read, I can highly recommend this one.

See you here next time.............