The ambitious Warsaw Public Library Book Club met on Tuesday, Feb. 3, to discuss “The Evening and the Morning” by Ken Follett, with most readers rating it positively – a 4-5. Readers noted that Follett builds his historical fiction account of surviving in medieval times from the perspectives of three strong characters.
The thought-provoking, insightful review began with an assessment of characters to determine which one was the most resilient. A list of the most prominent characters was provided, with readers uniformly noting that keeping track of all of them and their medieval names proved challenging. They unanimously approved of Follett’s decision to use modern prose in writing a medieval story.
Rosemary McNeil’s intriguing questions prompted a thorough analysis of the characters’ personalities and behaviors. The book’s “surprising twists” kept readers engaged and provided them with “some moments of hilarity,” she said. Follett’s attention to detail impressed readers, generally, with Otis Thompson reporting that he “could envision what was going on.”
The book club’s very complete review included addressing how power is depicted; manipulative power, ruling power, power struggles, and, what McNeil called a “hierarchy of evil” were noted. Readers were asked how well the characters navigated a brutal, corrupt, legal system, and they responded that the characters accepted it without much resistance. Abuse of power by the Catholic Church was discussed. The book correctly conveyed the many ways in which medieval society limited and undervalued women.
The book club members uniformly agreed that Follett did not balance his characters in the storyline, he did not develop them evenly, but they also noted that this inequality was acceptable.
The Warsaw Public Library Book Club invites other bibliophiles to join them for stimulating discussion and fellowship on the first Tuesdays of the month at 6 p.m. in the Warsaw Public Library conference room.
The members will discuss “The Women” by Kristin Hannah during the meeting on March 3. “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid will be the focus for the meeting on April 7, and “So Brave, Young, and Handsome” by Leif Enger will be reviewed on May 5.