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The novel, which is divided into six sections plus a prologue, explores themes of intrigue and conspiracy against historical events. It explores the development of medieval architecture, the civil war, secular/religious conflicts, and shifting political loyalties.
Prologue (1123)
A red-headed man is hanged for theft after being condemned by a priest, a knight, and a monk. His pregnant lover curses the men who condemned him, declaring that their children will be hanged, their enemies will prosper, and that they will live the rest of their lives with regret and sorrow.
Then the story jumps some year forward - A Monk, Outcast and A lady – Story covers 40- 50 years – when stuff happen to them – it resonates. It's Fun, extraordinary people trying to do something extraordinary – and other people trying to pull them down. Is about building a Cathedral in Medival England .
Begins with Tom, Phillip , Williams and yes Ellen.
Part One (1135–1136)
Circumstances leave mason Tom Builder and his family destitute and starving. After his pregnant wife Agnes dies in childbirth, Tom abandons his newborn by his wife's grave in the snowy woods, having no way to feed the infant. He later has a change of heart and returns, but finds the baby missing. After meeting up with an outlaw named Ellen and her son Jack, whom they had first met earlier, the group discovers that Tom's infant has been taken to a monastery cell belonging to the Kingsbridge Priory and is named Jonathan, Philip is, the leader of the cell. After several unsuccessful attempts to find work, Tom convinces Bartholomew, Earl of Shiring, to hire him to repair the walls of the Earl's castle.To ensure that Tom will have work, Jack burns down the old Romanesque cathedral, telling no one else of his actions. After some convincing, Philip hires Tom to build the new cathedral. Waleran orders Ellen to live apart from Tom. Outraged by Tom's willingness to accept this, Ellen returns to the forest with Jack.
Part Two (1136–1137)
The Hamleighs work with Waleran to try to have the cathedral moved to Shiring, thus depriving Philip of the properties tied to it, by claiming that Kingsbridge lacks the resources and manpower, Philip calls for volunteers, who turn up in large number and they decide to go ahead.
Part Three (1140–1142)
Tom befriends Prior Philip and, when Ellen returns, he persuades Philip to allow them to marry. After some time, Alfred proposes to Aliena who Williams wanted to marry, but she turns him down, she also strikes up a friendship with Jack, with whom she falls in love. William proves a hapless and merciless lord who mishandles the earldom financially and routinely rapes any peasant women he wishes. Attempting to restore his fortunes, William leads an attack that burns down Kingsbridge and kills many people including Tom Builder. In the chaos, Aliena's entire stock of wool, in which she had invested all her money, is destroyed in the fire. In the Mid of the book – anything could happen – and what happened was smart – The person we thought was the central character who would be there till the end of the journey 'Tom' die in middle. – William killed him
Part Four (1142–1145)
Ellen reveals that Jack's father had once been imprisoned there after he was framed for theft by three men. His mother later reveals that the three men who framed Jacques Cherbourg were Percy Hamleigh, Waleran Bigod, and Prior James. Ellen though love Jack, is bound to marry his step brother Alfred, though not a successful or willing marriage. Jack takes over Tom.
Part Five (1152-1155)
William turns out to be a poor leader, there is many years of famine, With the help of William's young wife, who loathes William, Aliena is able to allow Richard to capture the earldom's castle before Henry and Stephen's treaty can be made official and the King's Peace restored. William returns to the village of Hamleigh, and Waleran proposes to sell him the position of sheriff of Shiring so that he can oppose Richard and keep funding the cathedral. Remigius is abandoned by the two of them during this time, but Philip forgives him for his treachery and allows him to return to the priory. After Aliena calls him out for his ingratitude towards Philip, she is attacked and nearly raped by Alfred, who is out of work again after Shiring Cathedral is abandoned. Richard arrives and kills Alfred in the ensuing fight. Seeing a chance to regain the earldom, William obtains a warrant to arrest Richard for murder on the king's behalf; but does'nt work out. Aliena and Jack marry in the new Cathedral. They have a son named Tommy.
Part Six (1170-1174)
Waleran still seeks to ruin Philip, and accuses him of fornication by claiming that Jonathan, now a well liked and committed monk, is Philip's son. Jack and Jonathan attempt to figure out the identity of the latter's father. Waleran accuses Ellen of perjury, and she exposes his own perjury in the framing of Jacques Cherbourg, revealing that Waleran and the others had been bribed to dispose of him. Remigius confirms her testimony, having heard Prior James confess to his perjury shortly before the latter's death. He explains that James's misrule of the Priory had been the result of the guilt he felt for his part in the conspiracy, and admits that he had sought to become Prior to repair the damage, before admitting that Philip was better suited for the task. Waleran ultimately loses his position as bishop of Kingsbridge as a result of the revelations. We needed more confrontation with Williams – but he was hanged after William and Waleran become involved with the plot to assassinate Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury and King Henry refusing to defend Becket's killers.
At Kingsbridge, Jack meets Waleran, to learn why his father was framed. The former bishop explains that a group of barons had arranged the sinking of the White Ship in order to kill the king's son and heir, with the belief that they would be able to influence the succession and gain more independence from the crown as a result. After they learned that Jacques Cherbourg had survived the sinking, the barons had him imprisoned in England to prevent him from exposing their conspiracy. While initially content to leave him there, they eventually chose to have him killed after he learned English and started attracting unwanted attention, hiring Waleran, Percy, and James for this end. Finally understanding the truth behind his father's death, Jack is able to put it behind him. Elsewhere, the Pope forces King Henry's public repentance and symbolic subjugation of the crown to the church, in which Philip, now Bishop of Kingsbridge, participates.
The book covers entire life span – people get old, die, have babies. Am sure, any reader would be engaged emotionally as it is enchanting, charismatic. We will enjoy and turn pages off – with tears in eye, heart beating faster – people like drama.
It seems initially this book did not sell – but as years went by it became phenomena – by people saying it is the best book ever read – I too got it like that - Bindya said, this was the best book she had read. Biggest investment Book loving friends.
A good book need Premise, Writing, Humor,Characters, Journey, Editing - This has all thus making it an Overall Excellent book with 1076 pages.
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