Welcome to Litsy!

I enjoyed Pillars of the Earth so much and was excited to read this prequel! I enjoyed the characters and plot lines, but for some reason this book didn‘t captivate me as much as Pillars did. Actually, I felt the same way about the two sequels as well. All in all, still a very enjoyable read!

The ending was perfect and made me super sentimental. But a lot of the book lacked the flair of the original series.

#MayMontage #bridge

I liked the Kingsbridge series by Ken Follett though I think I skipped World Without End accidentally so I may need to read that one. I heard there is a new one coming out. Yay.

I‘d never read any Ken Follett, so I got this one from the library, and wow! I see what all the fuss is about. Great characters, big emotions, life or death stakes. Great on audio. (Failed to screen-shot the book cover, so here‘s a photo from my camera roll that seemed to have an evening vibe.)

What a book. I‘m a huge fan of Ken Follett and this did not disappoint at all. Not much is truly known about the Dark Ages, but the way Follett spins them leaves me day dreaming yet grateful I live today and not them. I love Edgar, Ragna, and Aldred! Reading about their hardships made their fortunes much more enjoyable.
Book 18 in 2021

Reservation 4 and 5 of 7 that dropped in from the library:

Clear. ✅

Yes, I know it‘s a bit of cheating on Timon Krause because I simply let his book expire, but as I wrote earlier (https://litsy.com/p/S1BNUW52V0NC) I wasn‘t, and still am not in the mood for learning things by horde and running around trying his tips on people. So I‘m really okay with that.

I did. A typical Follet. Which also means you pretty much know how it will end, but you don‘t bother because you like the journey so much.
I had some minor issues with Edgar being too much of a jack-of-all-trades, but then I pushed this away to simply enjoy my read.
For my taste, last 100 pages didn‘t fit because things are just kept tight and you understand very much that it‘s only to create a neat end.

But it was great entertainment. 👏🏼

Challenge accepted. 🙂

I was just too tired 😴 to finish the last 30 pages yesterday. That tiny headache didn‘t make it easier, either.

What a surprise my email-account had for me this morning. 😍

Thank you. ☺️ This made me happy. 😃

@ju.ca.no I‘m glad my few lines reached you.

(Advent calendar little door) #Bingo‼️😂

Sorry, not sorry.

Proudly presenting where I stopped yesterday, also known as: very early this morning.

Usually I‘m not such a “reading-progress”-junkie. It‘s only because of this one being a chunkster plus having 2 more library books in stock – all with about the same lending period expiration shortly before, shortly after or during Christmas days.
Seems, I‘m in a #ReadingHurry. 😉

„I‘m sure you know the nature of the relic counts far less than what you make of it. You have to create the right circumstances for a miracle.“ (p. 456)

⬆️⬆️⬆️ 🤭 Yes, I think, one can put it that way. 🤭

Saints lived on in their relics, and they were especially present in the consecrated places where their bones were kept. They were happy that they were remembered and revered, but they also had to be treated with great respect and caution. Complicated rituals were needed every time they were moved. (p. 453)

⬆️⬆️⬆️ I wonder, if that‘s how it‘s done today still. Most surely not, but who knows❓

Being real close to completing a #bingo on my Advent calendar. 🙃

Oh, I already reached “Part Three – The Murderer”.

“Part Two – The Process” seemingly just flew by like nothing.

“At the east end, near the altar, there was a stone chair with a round back and a flat seat. A »Chair of Peace«. [... ] According to tradition, anyone sitting in this chair was safe from persecution, regardless of their crime, and all those who violated this rule and captured or even killed someone who had sought refuge in this way, threatened the death penalty themselves.” (p. 401)

⬆️⬆️⬆️ Never heard of that before.

“The Codex had been copied and illuminated in Aldred‘s scriptorium, a gift to the Priory of Combe. Aldred was hoping for a gift in reverse, a new book that would help to let grow the library in Shiring. Books were sometimes bought and sold, but more common was the exchange of gifts.” (p. 312)

⬆️⬆️⬆️ Book exchanges‼️❤️
Book gifts‼️❤️ Book swaps‼️❤️

Edgar saw his mother about once a week, but his brothers were with her every day. “Does she sleep well?”, he asked. “Is she eating properly?” They were not very good observers. Eadbald shrugged his shoulders, and Erman briefly answered: “Edgar, she is old, one day she dies, and God alone knows when that will be.” (p. 287)

⬆️⬆️⬆️ It‘s so true – but also so painful. 🥺 (Seems, that resonates with me because I myself have elderly parents.)

So so happy that I could “conquer” my sofa (my current happy place for reading) early on this Friday. 🖤

I‘m thoroughly enjoying the “Pillars-of-the-Earth”-prequel and am a bit proud that I made it from 5 % on the last weekend to the roughly 30 % I am starting off from today. Wouldn‘t have expected that.

Still got 13 days of lending period left for about 500 pages. First time since Monday that finishing this in time seems realistic.

“And he mustered the wood that his bothers had stacked before the barn, and imagined the plough which he would build out of it. Even city dwellers knew what that looked like.” (p. 154)

⬆️⬆️⬆️ Uhmm. No. They don‘t. They research on Wikipedia and take a screenshot from there to see how a plough looks. (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pflug?wprov=sfti1)

“Customs must be imposed, it is my right.”

”But it should be the same every time. And there should be no delays or bribes.”

“That would create difficulties.” (p. 87)

⬆️⬆️⬆️ Funny mediaeval England. 🤣

I‘m reading Littens, I‘m reading‼️

First time since Saturday, I guess.
Made 47 more pages so far. 🥳

Treating myself with my Seasonal plate and mug, of course, plus Dominoes, which is Lebkuchen cookies filled with marzipan, apricot jelly, covered with icing of dark chocolate, and Zimtstern, that are star-shaped cinnamon biscuit cookies. 😋

Fascinating how Ken Follett does that. Less than 2 pages of the first chapter and I was already completely sucked in by the short sketch of Edgar. Meanwhile I‘ve finished the first chapter and still am hooked. Yes, it‘s brutal, but it‘s also so very interesting because I believe every word Follet writes. For me he is so close to the every day life of his fictional protagonists.

All of a sudden their life is in pieces and I suffer with them.

But this painting is cute, isn‘t it – even though I also needed to narrow my eyes a bit to be able to read “Part 1 – The Wedding 979 Anno Domini” the bottom right corner on the banner.

Must be I‘m really getting old. I think my eyes get weaker. Especially, when the writing is small and tiny.

Yes, shame on me. I haven‘t started yet. Instead, I researched for the last hour on possible presents for one of my best friends. *sigh*

Living very far apart can be at the scourge for mankind. If anybody has an idea, please let me know, everything is welcome.

As for the book, I just wanted to start and spotted the map above. Usually, I really love maps in books, but on this one I can‘t read anything. 😞

See above my plan for until Christmas days. 1.968 pages.

Starting with the new Ken Follett, obviously being the prologue of “Pillars of Earth”: 1.018 pages, then moving on to “Maybe you should talk to somebody” – and last but not least the new Poznanski. An Austrian author, and of her new book I know nothing but that she is a must-read-author for me.

Anybody gifting me a reading time❓ Been good and nice all year, so pleeeaaaase.

This was an extremely exciting run to Target today. I ❤️❤️❤️ Pillars of the Earth and Picard is O Captain, My Captain! Completely impulse buys but oh so perfect!!

A great read, well researched and well written... Little wonder that Ken Follett takes two years to complete his books, and they're worth the wait!
Please read my detailed review here https://www.aniblogshere.com/evening-and-the-morning-book-review/ and let me know your thoughts...

#kenfollettauthor

My audible wrap up for October. I actually sent Bone Music back to audible. First time I have ever sent a book back.

https://reecaspieces.com/2020/10/31/audible-reads-for-october-wrapup-audiobooks-...

Early birthday gifts!

Even though I work at a library, I do sometimes buy myself a book that I know I‘ll really love. This just arrived today. Yay! #fivestarprediction

From my walk earlier today. This book is delicious!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND

I have not been this excited in ages. Not only did I get Ken Follett's new book, but it is a signed copy and a branded bag as well. Best day ever!!
Photo: Ken Follett's The Evening and the Morning

Up early...reading ❤️📚☕️