PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:50:07 GMT

This is a great back in the day novel about the building of a Gothic Cathedral in England about the time of King Henry II. It has hero's and heroins & great villans. A cool love story too.

The quote teaser will be about one of the main characters: Ellen. She has been excessive and scandalous in her behaviors. Tom works for the monks in building the church and he is in love with Ellen. His thoughts about her goes as follows:

"Weather he would be able to square things with Prior Phillip was another matter. Ellen had insulted Phillip's religion rather decisively. It was hard to imagine anything more offensive to a prior than what she had done. Tom had not yet solved that problem."

Even years later Prior Phillip laments on his history with Ellen:

"Phillip spent that winter brooding over his troubles. He had been horrified by Ellen's heathen curse, (a recent event - not her original offensive behavior) uttered in the porch of a church during a service. There was no doubt in his mind now that she was a witch. He only regretted his foolishness in ever forgiving her for her insult to the Rule of Saint Benedict (This is the saint their order of monks follow and pray to daily), all those years ago. He should have known that a woman who could do that would never really repent."

So now that you have the teaser exactly what was Ellen's offense? She came to the town of Kingsbridge with Tom the builder and it was assumed they were married. When Prior Phillip finds out to the contrary he order's Tom & Ellen to live apart for a year as penance. Tom has to give that news to Ellen. This is what happens:

He tried to break the news gradually. First he said: "They know we're not married." ... He leaned across the table and spoke in a low voice. "They say you're a fornicator," he said hoping no one else would hear.

"A fornicator?" she said loudly. "What about you? Don't those monks know that it takes two to fornicate?"

The people sitting nearby started to laugh.

"Hush." Tom said "They say we have to get married."

She looked at him hard. "If that was all, you wouldn't be looking so hangdog, Tom Builder. Tell me the rest."

"They want you to confess your sin."

"Hypocritical perverts, " she said disgustidly. "They spend all night up one another's arseholes and then they have the nerve to call what we do a sin."

There was more laughter at that. People stopped their own converstions to listen to Ellen.

"Just talk quietly," Tom pleaded.... "We have to live apart for a year, and you have to remain chaste-"

"Piss on that!" Ellen shouted.

Now everyone was looking.

"Piss on you, Tom Builder!" she said. She realized she had an audience. "Piss on all of you too," she said. Most people grinned. It was hard to take offense, perhaps beause she looked so lovely with her face flushed red and her golden eyes wide. She stood up. "Piss on Kingsbridge Priory". She jumped up on the table, and there was a burst of applause. She walked along the board. The diners snatched their bowls of soup and mugs of ale out of her way and sat back laughing. "Piss on the Prior!" she said. "Piss on the sub-prior, and the sacrist, and the cantor and the treasurer, and all their deeds and charters, and their chests full of silver pennies!" She reached the end of the table. Beyond it was another, smaller table where someone would sit and read aloud during the monk's dinner. There was an open book on the table. Ellen jumped from the dining table to the reading table.

Suddenly Tom know what she was going to do. "Ellen!" he called. "Don't please-"

"Piss on the Rules of Saint Benedict!" she yelled at the top of her voice. Then she hitched up her skirt, bent her knees, and urinated on the open book.

The men roared with laughter, banged on the tables, hooted and whistled and cheered. Tom was not sure weather they shared Ellen's contempt for the Rule or they just enjoyed seeing a beautiful woman expose herself. There was something erotic about her shameless vulgarity, but it was also exciting to see someone openly abuse the book that the monks were so tediously solemn about. Whatever the reason they loved it.

She jumped off the table and amid a thunder of applause, ran out the door.

Everyone began to talk at the same time. No one had ever seen anything quite like that before. Tom was horrified and embarrassed: the consequences would be dire, he knew. Yet a part of him was thinking: What a woman!

This book has everything a good story should have. I give it an A+.

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PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett