JoAnn Nadra's Reviews > The Pillars of the Earth

The first time I read this book was as a freshman in high school - it was recommended to me by my Honors English teacher - I loved it then and I love it now! I've reread it many times over the years at different ages and each time I found different parts of the story calling out to me, and I was never disappointed.

This book is simply un-putdownable! The writing is beautiful and it really takes you to another place and time! There is mystery, intrigue, politics, love, loss, evil and cruelty, and triumph!

The lives of several characters intersect around the building of a great cathedral, and their lives intertwine in ways they never dreamed of.

Aliena faces one difficulty after the next, but is strong enough to always rise above - even when her own brother could sometimes be something of a prat! Alfred is odious to behold, Philip is flawed but sweet, William could possibly be called evil - and yet petulantly so - and there are so many more characters to love and hate!

A miniseries was made based on the book... and though I did enjoy it, in many ways (as may be expected) it could never measure up to the words on the page!