First introduced to most Americans by being selected for Oprah’s Book Club in 2007, Ken Follett’s best-selling novel, The Pillars of the Earth has sold about 100,000 copies a year in the United States alone. The novel has only recently received worldwide recognition and has topped the charts in Italy, England and Germany for six years in a row even though the book was first published in 1989.

It took Follett almost 10 years to finish creating his captivating work of art, and I would agree that his hard work paid off. Set in the middle of 12th century England, the whole story revolves around one basic theme: the power and corruption of the Church and state. The central plot of The Pillars of the Earth is the construction of a new Gothic cathedral in the fictional English town of Kingsbridge. However, the story is really about the problems between the people building the cathedral and those who want to demolish it.

Tom Builder, a man who recently lost his job and his wife while she was giving birth, was forced to abandon his newborn son on his wife’s grave since he would not be able to provide for him. He later learns that a man named Prior Philip had found the baby and taken him back to the monastery for care. Relieved by the knowledge that his child is safe, Tom and his other two children, shy Martha and cruel Alfred, set out to Kingsbridge to find work where they meet Ellen and her son Jack in the forest. They soon learn that Ellen is an outlaw, having being accused of witchcraft 11 years ago. Eventually, Tom marries Ellen, entwining the two families into one.

Follett begins a hiatus in the story of their life to begin telling the story of Prior Phillip and the life of Earl Bartholomew and his children Aliena and her younger brother Richard. Later on Aliena and Richard meet Tom and Ellen’s children as they come to visit the Earl’s palace in Shiring. As a civil war breaks out in Europe, Earl Bartholomew is imprisoned for treason by Aliena’s ex-fiancé William Hamleigh and his royal family. Aliena and Richard are forced to leave the palace and eventually set out for Kingsbridge.

In the midst of all the treason, murder, war and destruction (not to mention the deadly Black plague that wiped out a third of the European population), Aliena and Jack fall in love and from then on, a big portion of the novel focuses on the struggles they face to be together. Alfred, who has always been extremely jealous of his step-brother Jack, tries to ruin the relationship between the two lovers and finally forces Aliena to marry him so that she will be able to finance her brother’s crusades.

Knowing this, Jack leaves England and heads to Spain to learn more about architecture. Meanwhile, Aliena gives birth to her first child and to everyone’s surprise, the baby looks just like Jack rather than Alfred. In his fury, Alfred kicks Aliena out and she finally decides it is time to go seek out her true love. She spends six months traveling across Europe to find Jack and show him his new son.

The novel is divided into six parts with a drawing of the cathedral in its current state for the start of each part. The drawings give the reader a clear perspective of the setting along with Follett’s in-depth analysis of the characters. Although it is a historical fiction type novel, the narration is told in present tense. I think this put the reader in the middle of all the action as if it were happening today.

I am astounded that most students at AHS have not read this book, much less even know about it. It may be a lengthy story (going on for almost a thousand pages), but it is worth the time. Follett also wrote a sequel to Pillars of the Earth called World Without End which is equally as enchanting. I would definitely recommend this novel to all audiences above the age of 13.