Follett's Long-Awaited Sequel

World Without End by Ken Follett

Don't expect to finish this in an afternoon as it is a tome of 1000 pages and too heavy to carry to the beach. It is, however, a novel that will engross you. This is, finally, the sequel to Follett's successful Pillars of the Earth which outlined the tribulations of Jack the Builder in his quest to design and erect Knightsbridge Priory in medieval England. Obviously extensively researched, both books offer fascinating facts about medieval life, of knights and serfs, tavern owners and market sellers, royalty, religion and guilds. World details the love story of Merithin, the poor boy who becomes a wealthy architect, and his childhood friend Caris, the wool merchant's daughter who becomes the prioress of Knightsbridge. Rich with intrigue and diabolical characters, touching on Edward III's never-ending war with France and the Great Plague as well as details of everyday life, it will keep you on edge until the very end. And, you won't want it to.
Reviewed by Barbara