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Original poster

Convince me to carry on with Ken Follett's Pillars Of The Earth.

62 replies

Showy · 19/01/2014 22:39

So many people rave about it and I started it with gleeful anticipation. It is so badly written. Does the story distract from the clunky prose at any point? I'm about 100 pages in. 800 or so to go.

OP posts:
Original poster
Showy · 20/01/2014 21:04

I've never read 'chick lit' in my life either Grin. I have three degrees, all in literature and linguistics. I read vociferously and never before have I given up but my goodness, it's turgid isn't it?

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Starballbunny · 20/01/2014 20:59

Chit lit drives me nuts too

Starballbunny · 20/01/2014 20:59

It's a very long time since I read it, but I enjoyed all the architectural stuff. It's just too long.

If you want long and gripping try Shogun

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 20/01/2014 20:59

I'm a 'man's book' sort of person overall too, I think. Chick lit makes me want to drown the writer, and then myself.

Methe · 20/01/2014 20:56

I really enjoyed it :)

Interesting to see that it's classed as a mans book. I've always liked more masculine stories - I used to read a lot of Wilbur Smith for example. I couldn't real one of the chic lit type books for more than a page without my eyes glazing over.

I guess it depends what type of book you like.

Oubliette0292 · 20/01/2014 20:50

I didn't manage to finish it - I took it with me on a business trip and ended up reading work stuff instead!

AGoodPirate · 20/01/2014 20:49

Oh no I had people rave about it too so bought it for myself at christmas! Where were all you naysayers then? :(

Original poster
Showy · 20/01/2014 20:47

I wasn't expecting such lukewarm sentiments. Everybody I ask in RL raves about it but it is so poorly written, I can't find myself interested in the characters.

I'm giving it another 50 pages this evening and if it doesn't get ridiculously interesting and quickly, I might abandon a book for the first time ever.

OP posts:
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 20/01/2014 20:20

I know lots of men who really enjoyed it!

I thought that the writing was poor but that the story was, on the whole, interesting enough to keep me going. The follow up was worse, imho.

gracegrape · 19/01/2014 22:47

Hmmm, I read this recently and it wasn't as good as I had anticipated. Certainly not very well written and from a very male point of view, I felt. I did get to the end though as I thought the subject matter was interesting.

Starballbunny · 19/01/2014 22:45

Stick to his earlier books which are proper, don't take themselves to seriously thrillers and way more fun.

SinisterSal · 19/01/2014 22:40

I won't - clunky, sluggish, iffy gender politics... Pity, it could have been great.