Ken Follet created this World Without End characters map and it will help you become familiar with all of the characters and their relationship with one another. Also, below is a breakdown by the author for 5 particular characters you can expect to get to know in World Without End:
Caris is the feisty daughter of wool dealer Edmund Wooler. She is a direct descendant of Tom Builder, the hero of the first half of The Pillars of the Earth. As a child, she announces that she is going to be a doctor – but girls cannot study medicine in medieval Europe. However, she refuses to accept this prohibition. Her determination brings her into conflict with the church, and blights her relationship with the man she loves.
Merthin is descended from Jack Builder, the stepson of Tom and the architect of Kingsbridge Cathedral. He has inherited Jack’s genius. But for the conservative citizens who rule Kingsbridge he is too much of a rule-breaker, and like Jack he is forced to leave.
Ralph is Merthin’s brother, but a very different character – strong, aggressive, impatient of books, an accomplished rider and hunter. He will use his warlike skills to rise to the very top of medieval society.
Gwenda is the daughter of a dirt-poor laborer and one of five starving children. She is plain-looking, but determined to marry Wulfric – the handsomest, wealthiest boy in the village. Wulfric is engaged to the coquettish Annet, daughter of a prosperous peasant. But Gwenda refuses to believe she cannot win his heart.
Brother Godwyn, also a descendant of Tom Builder, is a cousin of Caris. He becomes a monk at a young age and is determined to become prior of Kingsbridge – and he is not particular about the means he will use to get there.
I would have to say that Pope Joan is a book you can't put down! I read it every free minute I could find. I loved it!
The author, Donna Woolfolk Cross, spent several years researching the story of Pope Joan. I would highly recommend that AFTER you read the book that you read the Author's note. She presents incredible detail about her research findings and makes substantial arguments for the existence of Pope Joan. I really feel that by reading the Author's note, you will have a far better appreciation for the story itself.
I'm not sure if many of you tend to skip the Prologue for most books. If you do, PLEASE don't skip the Prologue in this book. The Prologue will help set the tone for the first chapter and also will introduce you to characters that will be re-visited later throughout the book.
I was absorbed into the writing abilities of the author. She has a gift in being able to setup the scenes, characters and emotions of the story while providing enough detail to keep you captivated but not so much that you tire of listening. Even the smallest details that she introduced would be seamlessly woven into later chapters. No detail was left unanswered. And mostly I appreciated the lack of predictability in the story. The author will keep you guessing and hoping right to the end. The element of surprise will be gratifying in the end for you.
The ending was not the ending I had anticipated nor expected (you'll understand what I mean--no spoilers here). I thought the ending was phenomenal. For me it felt like the book had two endings. The first was with Joan and ended at the last chapter. The second ending being the Epilogue and leaving the legacy of Pope Joan. The Epilogue gives the reader closure with Pope Joan which I think becomes very necessary.
Without a doubt, the story of Pope Joan is enthralling and Donna Woolfolk Cross tells her story masterfully. I couldn't put the book down!
Don't forget to read the Author's note at the end of the book. It will be well worth your time!
In case you haven't heard or don't know already, Pope Joan has been made into a major motion picture and premiered in Berlin, Germany on October 19th! The movie was filmed in English and dubbed into German for the benefit of German and Austrian viewers. It is still unclear as to the date for the United States premiere. Donna Woolfolk Cross is currently working on obtaining permissions from the movie Producers for the English version of the movie trailer. (Note--the movie trailer below has English subtitles.)
Book Jacket Summary/Synopsis - "Pope Joan"
For a thousand years, her existence has been denied. She is the legend that will not die--Pope Joan, a controversial figure of historical record who, disguised as a man, rose to rule Christianity in the 9th century as the first and only woman to sit on the throne of St. Peter. In this riveting novel, Donna Woolfolk Cross paints a sweeping portrait of a heroine whose strength of vision led her to defy the social restrictions of her day.
Brilliant and talented, young Joan rebels against medieval laws forbidding women to learn. When her older brother is brutally killed during a Viking attack, Joan takes up his identity and enters the monastery of Fulda, where she is initiated into the brotherhood in his place. As Brother John Anglicus, Joan distinguishes herself as a great scholar and healer. Eventually she is drawn to Rome, where she becomes enmeshed in a dangerous web of love, passion, and politics. Triumphing over appalling odds, she finally attains the highest throne in Christendom, wielding a power greater than any woman before or since.
But such power always comes at a price...
Pope Joan is a sweeping historical drama set against the turbulent events of the 9th century -- the Saracen sack of St. Peter's, the famous fire in the Borgo that destroyed over three-quarters of the Vatican, the Battle of Fontenoy, arguably the bloodiest and most terrible of medieval conflicts. This masterwork of suspense and passion brings the Dark Ages to life in all their brutal splendor and shares the dramatic story of an unforgettable woman who struggles against restrictions her soul cannot accept.
About the Author - Donna Woolfolk Cross
Donna Woolfolk Cross graduated cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Pennsylvania in 1969 with a B.A. in English. She moved to London, England, after graduation, and worked as an editorial assistant for a small publishing house on Fleet Street, W.H. Allen and Company. Upon her return to the United States, Cross worked at Young and Rubicam, a Madison Avenue advertising firm, before going on to graduate school at UCLA where she earned a master's degree in Literature and Writing in 1972.
In 1973, Cross moved with her husband to upstate New York where she began teaching writing in a college English Department. Now writing is her fulltime career.
She is the author of two books on language, Word Abuse: How the Words We Use Use Us and Mediaspeak: How Television Makes Up Your Mind. She is the coauthor of Speaking of Words and Daddy's Little Girl. The product of seven years of research and writing, Pope Joan is her first novel. She is now at work on a new novel set in 17th century France.
The Wandering Hill is the second book in Larry McMurtry's tetrology following Sin Killer (which was excellent).
The Wandering Hill picks up where Sin Killer left off, but it turned out to be very slow moving and was actually hard to finish. It does stay with the same good theme and the detailed and graphic type hardships that pioneers, travelers and explorers of the Old West endured. It is very realistic but just couldn't "get going".
I have not gone into the 3rd of his series because I decided to take a break and read another of Dean Koontz's science fictions for a change of pace.
Sin Killer was an excellent portrayal of our early American West and its trials and tribulations of what early travelers, pioneers and explorers experienced and endured. It is soberingly realistic and graphic which leads all the more to the authenticity of it all and its excitement. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
It is the first in a tetrology of the Old West circa early to mid 1800's.
Lisa See transports you back in time to a wonderfully haunting story of two women caught within the treacherous times of 19th century China.
You will learn that women during this time period in old China lived with so much hopelessness, desperation and seclusion that you may find it hard to breathe while reading.
The story begins with the main character Lily as an old woman telling us about her life as she remembers it. From the very beginning she admits to her faults and her regrets in life, mostly focused towards her best friend Snow Flower. She refers to Snow Flower as her Laotong, meaning “old same”. These relationships were often times more powerful and cohesive than even a marriage since more often than not, women could only rely on other women for love and support.
You come to learn that both Lily and Snow Flower suffer terrible loss and tragedies throughout their lives, but that each would find brief moments of happiness and solace within each other as Laotongs. Their friendship, solidified for life as they entered the tortuous process of foot binding at the tender age of seven. They grew inseparable as they sought out each through this delicate period in their lives where death was just a knock away. They would from then on look to no one else but themselves to carry them through the rest of their lives.
As it is with Lily and Snow Flower, women of this time only had their closest friends for support. To avoid punishment by their husband and husbands' family they would often communicate their true feelings by using a secret and ancient form of writing called Nushu. They would find creative and imaginative ways to pass messages to each other such as within the folds of a fan. Desperate to communicate with each other, Nushu managed to be kept secret from men for a thousand years.
What is so unique about this book is that even if you have no previous knowledge on any of the subject matter, the author gives you enough historical information for you learn and follow along in the story. The unknown details she leaves out are intriguing enough to inspire you to learn more about these elusive facts. When I first started reading I described the book to friends as a bit monotone. I know it is a strange way to describe a book especially when you are the one reading it. There was no joy or happiness to be found in the beginning and the story was so incredibly sad that it became a bit overwhelming to think that women actually lived in this way. The story really picked up tempo for me once Snow Flower became a constant character within the story. More joy and happiness abounded from their Laotong relationship that it lightened the mood some while I read.
The story is without a doubt beautifully told and will stay with you for a long time.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, especially to someone who appreciates historical fiction.
Book Synopsis and Sample Chapters - Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Book Synopsis: A language kept a secret for a thousand years forms the backdrop for an unforgettable novel of two Chinese women whose friendship and love sustains them through their lives.
This absorbing novel takes place in 19th century China when girls had their feet bound, then spent the rest of their lives in seclusion with only a single window from which to see. Illiterate and isolated, they were not expected to think, be creative, or have emotions. But in one remote county, women developed their own secret code, nu shu – "women's writing" – the only gender-based written language to have been found in the world. Some girls were paired as "old-sames" in emotional matches that lasted throughout their lives. They painted letters on fans, embroidered messages on handkerchiefs, and composed stories, thereby reaching out of their windows to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments.
An old woman tells of her relationship with her "old-same," their arranged marriages, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood—until a terrible misunderstanding written on their secret fan threatens to tear them apart. With the detail and emotional resonance of Memoirs of a Geisha , Snow Flower and the Secret Fan delves into one of the most mysterious and treasured relationships of all time—female friendship.
About the Author - Lisa See
If you are interested in learning more about the author you can click on her website Lisa See.
Before writing Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Lisa See traveled to a remote area of China to research the secret Nushuwriting. This secret writing was invented, used, and kept a secret by women for over a thousand years. Other historical information that you will learn from this book are the ancient customs of foot binding and the special relationship women had with other women called LaoTong.
I found this informational video on YouTube that explains in great detail the process and aftermath of foot binding. It is incredibly descriptive and graphic and is not for the faint at heart! So please keep this in mind if you decide to watch this video. It is sickening to think that there were so many young girls (as young as 4 to age 7) who were forced to endure this torture, all in the name of beauty and status.
This books switches between present day England and a pirate ship on its way to Morocco in 1625. I found the book a delightful diversion from a cold New England winter.
Listen to "The Tenth Gift" on your iPhone or other device.
More about "The Tenth Gift"
Below you will find more details about the book, including,
I wanted to read this book before the movie comes out in May. I found it to be a real page turner. My husband and daughter liked it better than the DaVinci Code. I still like the DaVinci Code better but Angels and Demons is an excellent fast paced read.
Cane River by Lalita Tademy was commendable. Anyone who enjoys historical fiction will no doubt be pleased with this book.
I think it would be most beneficial for a reader to start with the author's note prior to beginning Part I. Within the author's note she gives some interesting background information about herself, her family, as well as her reason for writing the novel. She states that most of the information contained within the book is real since much of it is comprised of family facts, family lore and intense research. It does however contain some of her own educated and logical fabrication in order to complete some missing pieces to her family's story. As a reader, I didn't obsess about what was real and what was not. I am comfortable in accepting that most of the stories and people in Cane River existed in history.
Cane River is based on three women who are actual family members of the author. The author has broken the book into 3 parts to introduce each of these women separately. The first part is about Suzette and where the story really begins. Suzette's mother Elisabeth is also introduced in this section to give some important background information. Elisabeth is an important elder that will remain throughout the book and will have influence on all the women that you will be introduced to. The second part is about Philomene. She is the daughter of Suzette. I found Philomene to be the most interesting. She had a tenaciousness about her and she was incredibly intelligent even though she didn't have any kind of formal education. To have that kind of vigor during this period in history was no less than courageous. I would have loved to meet her and just listen to her tell her stories. Lastly, is the third part about Emily, the daughter of Philomene. Because of the hard work of her mother Philomene, Emily's life was a bit cushier as a child if you will in comparison to what her mother and grandmother had started with. But Emily suffered no less than any of them had for sure. She found profound strength and courage because of the devotion and love she had for her children. She was driven to give her children a life that they deserved.
I respected this book instantly because of the historical evidence woven into it. The life that unfolds for each of these women will bring you to your knees. You can't help but be thrust into their lives, their turmoil and their intense family bonds of love. As gut wrenching as the basis for this novel is, Lalita Tademy told the dramatic story about her family eloquently. It may not become your favorite, but I no doubt think you will respect it greatly and will never forget.
To view the author Lalita Tademy's web site click here.
Ken Follett did another amazing job. He wrote another extraordinary historical fiction. And as fabulous as World Without End is, I still think his first historical fiction Pillars of the Earth is better. Although World Without End would sit at the top of my top ten choices for books to read.
The only negative thing that I had with this book, if you can even claim it to be a negative, would have to be that the introduction of characters in the beginning was numerous and confusing at first. I was into several chapters before I had them all straight. I would suggest just for some clarity to write down the characters as you come across them and who they are related to. I think if I had done that in the beginning I would have breezed through all of the introductions sooner.
I really enjoyed the stories of all the characters. There was romance, ingenuity, friendships, deception, and some violence. The violence was not easy to read but it seemed to have some necessity to understand the day to day turmoil that the characters suffered with. It grabs your attention and baits you to read more and more. As Pillars of the Earth centered around the building of their grand Cathedral, World Without End seemed to center around the building of the towns' Hospital. This book also focused a lot on the construction of its' town and made for a great story and progressed with the times.
As a reader, I really enjoy the way that Ken Follett tells a story. Pillars of the Earth was his first historical fiction as he had focused his career mainly on mysteries. He certainly stepped out of the box and succeeded with Pillars of the Earth and World Without End. His stories flow so easily and doesn't jump around all over the place. I have read many other books and never quite appreciated dialogue in a story before. I admire the way he writes his characters' thoughts as well as their dialogue amongst each other. I really think he is a brilliant writer.
I know that some reviewers though felt that his books were not exact to history. From my perspective as a reader, it wasn't ever suppose to be an exact historical book. His point was more about the characters' personalities and lives that he created during the history that he imagined. Again, note that both Pillars of the Earth and World Without End are categorized as a historical fiction. I hope this helps the die hard history buffs so that you aren't disappointed with any historical inaccuracies.
I would highly recommend reading World Without End. But if you had to choose between reading World Without End or Pillars of the Earth, I would recommend reading Pillars of the Earth first. Although not a necessity, I think there is some important historical information that gives you as a reader a better appreciation for the stories that happen within World Without End. I hope that you enjoy this story as much as I did!
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini was as spectacular as his first novel the Kite Runner. In this book the author tells the story from a female's perspective and did an outstanding job. Quite believable. Although this book is categorized as fiction there is an overwhelming feeling as a reader that there could be some small possibility that somehow these people are real or at least that there is someone in Afghanistan whom has gone through some of the same experiences as the characters in the book. It doesn't seem far fetched due to the news broadcasts and war news that we have been bombarded with in the media.
There are two women in particular whom are the main characters in A Thousand Splendid Suns but there are a plethora of other characters that make this book engrossing and believable. The character of Mariam was my favorite. You grew with her from the beginning and felt her hardships and disappointments intensely. She had a very rough life to say the least and still managed to find the love of a family even though it was not her own. What I admired from her character the most was how she could maintain her sense of integrity despite her life. She was beaten down so much but still remained intact as the loving and dedicated person she was. As a reader I really think you will appreciate the journey of Mariam from beginning to end. It brought tears to my eyes and I'm not one to cry easily.
From this book I think you learn some perspective of the hardships that women in particular face in Afghanistan. There are limited rights only when there is a decent man involved in the home. If not, a woman is basically a servant to the husband's beck and call. This is no way for either a man or woman to live. It seems that Afghani men do not understand that as a supportive and loving unit a husband and wife could be unstoppable in their progress and achievements together. This is just my take from the book. I would be really interested to hear someone elses' perspective about this.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is a great and easy read. It was definitely a book that I did not want to put down. However it was tough to remain unaffected by it because of some of the particular events and actions taking place in the book. I tend to read most just before bedtime and there were times that I was up for a while thinking about what I had just read in the book and the people (women and children in particular) in Afghanistan. But it was so worth the few sleepless nights that I had that's for sure.
Book Synopsis - A Thousand Splendid Suns
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan’s last thirty years—from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to the post-Taliban rebuilding—that puts the violence, fear, hope, and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives—the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness—are inextricable from the history playing out around them.
Propelled by the same storytelling instinct that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once a remarkable chronicle of three decades of Afghan history and a deeply moving account of family and friendship. It is a striking, heart-wrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love—a stunning accomplishment.
About the author - Khaled Hosseini
If you are interested in learning more about the author Khaled Hosseini, you can visit his website at http://www.khaledhosseini.com/.
I found this great interview session with Khaled Hosseini. During his interview, he explains where he found his inspiration to write A Thousand Splendid Suns and what he hopes his readers will get from this book. His greatest hope is that his readers will understand the hardships that the Afghany people have suffered, particularly Afghany women, and will hopefully develop an empathy toward the Afghany people and the tragic past they have endured.
