In 1989 Ken Follett surprised his fans by publishing a nine hundred page novel set in medieval times revolving around the construction of a cathedral. Until then he was known only as a thriller writer. That book, Pillars of the Earth became a bestseller. He published sequels in 2007 and 2017 and now, in 2020, a prequel.
I’m Betty Martin with "Martin’s Must Reads" and I am excited to tell you about that prequel, The Evening and the Morning. The novel spans ten years beginning at 997 and takes place in two villages in England.
The main characters are Edgar, a young boatbuilder, Ragna, a Norman noblewoman who marries into a ruthless English nobleman’s family and Alfred, a monk with dreams of building a center of learning.
As the jacket says, “Their lives become intertwined as they come in conflict with a ruthless bishop who will do anything to increase his wealth and power." Follett paints such a vivid picture of medieval life. Besides the villagers struggling to feed their families, there are vicious Viking attacks, and illicit activities by some of the local clergy including money forgery, murders and kidnapping. But there are also strong elements of perseverance, kindness and love.
Follett became interested in medieval life after reading about how cathedrals were constructed with no modern tools. His character, the boatbuilder Edgar, has a gift for inventing. He builds a floating bridge and a canal and eventually begins work on a cathedral. Follett’s writing style makes it so easy to immerse yourself in the story. He is a great storyteller.
If you’re looking for a thoroughly engrossing story of life in the Middle Ages, then you must read The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett.
