July 31, 2023
The fourth entry in Follett’s Kingsbridge series (after A Column of Fire) is another vibrant survey of British history from the perspective of ordinary people, this time spanning from 1792 to 1824. That scope allows Follett to cover the impact of new technology—the spinning jenny, which worked eight times as fast as the traditional spinning wheel—as well as nascent efforts by the English working class to speak up for their rights. Those developments are made accessible through characters such as Sal Clitheroe, whose husband, Harry, is fatally injured while harvesting the squire of Badford’s turnip crop. His death is caused by the negligence and callousness of the squire’s son, Will Riddick, who was overseeing the harvest, and instigates a cascade of hardships for Sal and her six-year-old son, Kit. When Sal’s request for financial assistance from the area’s Poor Relief Fund is refused, Kit is forced into service in the very home of the man responsible for his father’s death. The Clitheroe family’s thread is deftly interwoven with other storylines, including those of Elsie Latimer, the bishop’s daughter, who seeks to provide free education for the underprivileged, and clothier Amos Barrowfield, who wants to restore the family business to profitability. Follett is equally adept at portraying the horrors of war and his characters’ quiet moments of despair. The result is an impressive and immersive epic.
June 10, 2024
The cultured, versatile voice of British actor, narrator, and playwright John Lee enlivens Follett's latest installment in the "Kingsbridge" series (following 2017's A Column of Fire). Follett takes listeners to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, as the English village of Kingsbridge and its inhabitants contend with societal change and political tumult. Lee dramatically voices the novel's many characters, skillfully depicting a dangerous era when a child could be hanged for stealing a spool of thread or a printer could be flogged for possessing a pamphlet that criticizes the government. Lee conveys the growing tension within the industrial sector as technological advancements such as the spinning jenny threatened jobs and ushered in trade unions and the fractious Luddite movement. Follett's striking characters and arresting storyline make for a riveting narrative. Though part of a series, the novel is easily accessible as a stand-alone. VERDICT A hefty but entirely satisfying listen for Follett's many fans and for those interested in the dynamics of early capitalism and the juxtaposition of compassion and greed during the Industrial Revolution in Britain. This is a solid addition to any collection of historical fiction, especially for libraries that own the other novels in the series.--David Faucheux
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