Power and the people that use it in medieval times

Ken Follet’s 1989 epic novel The Pillars of the Earth is set in medieval England and takes place during a time of political upheaval. Over the course of the main characters’ lifetime, the shifting balance of power in the political realm is mirrored in the personal, individual struggles of Prior Philip to reinvigorate a priory, Tom Builder to provide for his family, and William Hamleigh to dominate those less rich than he. 

Every character in the book finds themselves opposite another on the balance of power

Almost every character in the book finds themselves opposite another on the balance of power. Within the church hierarchy, Prior Philip selflessly labors to obtain and retain resources to build a cathedral in Kingsbridge, while Bishop Waleran exercises unsavory cunning to manipulate Philip and others to his own ends. Tom Builder’s son and stepson play out a classic rivalry between brains and brawn that grows, along with the two boys, in complexity and cruelty. Aliena dedicates her life to thwarting William Hamleigh, usurper to her father’s earldom, with hard work and compassion and drive, hoping against hope that her righteous mission will triumph over William’s brutal efforts to shore up his tenuous grasp on the earldom inherited from his father. These power dynamics that range from childhood rivalries to gambits for the royal throne ebb and flow throughout the book, and thanks to the careful development of the characters and generous access to their inner thoughts, the reader feels deeply both the highs and lows that the characters experience. 

These power dynamics that range from childhood rivalries to gambits for the royal throne ebb and flow throughout the book

The world that Follett builds in the book matches the depth and breadth of the characters he places in it. The characters visit a wide variety of towns, cities, villages, and wildernesses across a wide swath of Europe, meeting people of many persuasions and vocations. The reader sees how conditions and tastes and attitudes differ by class and culture. The expansive and detailed world makes the perfect setting for the ambitious narrative, filled with ambitious characters, to make its way to the satisfying conclusion that awaits the reader at the end.