The Evening and the Morning: The Prequel to The Pillars of the Earth, A Kingsbridge Novel

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There stories are intertwined with the development of the town, the governance of the regions and how these three main characters act and interact to the evils and disappointments that come into their lives. Murder, sex and unholy ambition…[A] richly told, complex story…Follett is a powerful storyteller…[whose] fans will enjoy this jaunt through the days before England was merry.

If you *have* read 'Pillars of the Earth', however, 'The Evening and the Morning' stands as an excellent prequel. He strikes on many historical realities at odds with our general view of medieval Europe, influenced largely by later centuries. I read this book on my Kindle and found it an easier read than his other novels in the series, I think this is because I could control the font size and brightness of the screen, and the Kindle is so much easier to carry about than then the actual book. There is something to be said for this, while also penning massive tomes to get as much information shared as possible.The story blends many characters both sinister and well intentioned into the village that would one day be Knightsbridge. This book is the prequel to The Pillars of the Earth (which happens to be in my top 10 favorite books of all time). According to Follett, the majority of slaves in England during this era were Britons, people pressed into bondage “from the wild western fringes of civilization, Wales and Cornwall and Ireland. after reading all 3 previous books in the Kingsbridge series, was there any chance I'd miss the newest one, the prequel, entitled The Evening and the Morning?

After Wynstan escapes punishment, Aldred is sent away from Shiring to run the minster at Dreng's Ferry. My review of the second book, World Without End , included this summary: “in terms of archetypes, there’s a fair bit of overlap with the first book—the leads include a clever builder, a brutish fighter, and an enterprising woman who chafes against conventional wisdom. I agree with the reviews that say this has a closer feel to the first two books than A Column of Fire. From the start, she stands strong and makes inroads into the family dynamics that are less than pleasing to the brothers and their mother, Wilwulf’s step-mother, Gytha. I felt like CofF spun off in an entirely new direction, focusing on the wider political and religious struggles of the world and often forgetting Kingsbridge and its citizens.Follett captivates as he reshapes the narrative throughout, spinning three stories and trying to bring them together under one proverbial roof.

While there is a great deal of backstory, the essence of the story brings out some masterful character development, first as independent characters, but slowly inching each together until the final chapter, as fans of Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth can see a recognisable location.

The characters, many who are filled with greed and ambition, were so well-developed I felt I knew them.