The concept of this book intrigued me. I mean, why would people who were destitute and routinely struggling for survival commit so many resources and so much personal labor to the building of these massive cathedrals? Most people during this time period (1100s) were poor in a way we now only see in third-world countries and still they aspired to build incredible monuments to their faith. Many of these building stood the test of time and are still standing today, which is a testament to their workmanship. I doubt my house would last a fifth of that time. When you also consider the amount of time put into building these cathedrals (sometimes 50-100 years) it is a miracle they are even completed, if you consider that these must have been built through famine, the changing of those in power, wars and various other problems. These were ideas I never really considered until I read the preface of this book. I found Follett's interest and life-long love of cathedrals very captivating and I couldn't wait to get into the rest of the book.
Now, 973 pages later... I can't say that I recommend this book beyond its preface. Do I think it was a masterful work? Yes, but it left me feeling unsettled and disgusted. I think there is enough in the world to bring you down that you don't need a book to do it for you too. To be honest, the only reason I kept reading is because I wanted the villain of the book to die so badly that I kept going. Follett's villain rapes, kills and destroys all around him, the descriptions of which are not likely to leave me soon. That alone makes it not worth it. Trust me, unless you enjoy being depressed and angry for 973 pages, read the preface in the bookstore and leave it on the shelf.
0 comments:
Post a Comment