Winter of the Worlds

By Ken Follett

In the second book of the Trilogy, Ken Follett details the lives of the offspring from the first novel.  The book is set in the time of the Second World War, which includes details leading up to and through the conclusion of the war.  He artfully sets events in motion, and details history by giving a face to the problem.  The spread of Fascism is much more tangible and relatable when we are scared what will happen to Maud and her children.  Once again, Follett does a wonderful job of teaching history to the reader.  He not only provides an interesting story with very relatable characters, but also one that makes the events of the world at this point in time easy to grasp.

One of the first events in the book demonstrates the progressive takeover of the Nazi regime.  Ethel and her son Lloyd are visiting Maud and her family in Germany.  During this visit, the Nazis raid and shut down the local paper where Maud works, and persecute Robert Von Ulrich and his partner Jörg.  The Nazi regime continues to gain ground and political power, with Adolph Hitler ultimately leading the country as Dictator.  Through the eyes’ of Maud’s family; we witness Jewish persecution, family schism due to nationalism, the economic effect of war on the German people, and many other tough situations.  It was very real and understandable why the characters behaved the way they did because of Follett’s wonderful writing.  In a point I have beaten to death with my previous review of Fall of Giants, Follett does a terrific job with character development which fosters the readers’ empathy.

On the English side, the three families are the Leckwiths, Williams’ and Fitzherberts.  The Fitzherberts still languish in luxury, and Boy Fitzherbert is being groomed as heir to the estate.  He is being educated at the best schools, and is very active politically.  This garners the attention of American Daisy Peshkov, Lev Peshkovs daughter, who is very attracted to the wealth and power of upper class life.  Lloyd Williams is also pursuing his education in Europe, and later becomes involved in the Spanish Civil War with his cousin Dave Williams.  The accounts from the Spanish Civil War are some of the most memorable parts of this book.  Without revealing any surprises, these events had me shocked at the injustice and on the edge of my seat in suspense.

I felt that the American families in this book took a larger role this time around.  Gus Dewar, and more notably his son Woody are major characters.  Woody gravitates towards politics like his father, while younger brother Chuck ultimately joins the Navy.  Follett focuses his attention on The Great Depression, socioeconomical unrest, and events leading to American involvement in World War II.  It was interesting to relearn all the events that almost resulted in America entering the war effort, and how much we tried to avoid it. 

As I write this review, I realize how complex and intertwined the characters of this book are.  It would be impossible to describe each family, each member of the family, their love interests, etc. without consistently referencing back to previous parts of my review.  I don’t consider myself someone who can easily follow a multitude of characters, as well as their motives.  To this note, it is probably the reason I don’t often gravitate towards this style of writing.  In this case, I found that it worked well, even if I truthfully did not always know who the author was talking about for several pages.  As with Fall of Giants, this book was a refreshing and not heavy handed history lesson featuring relatable and well developed characters.  I would highly recommend this book for those of you who are interested in historical fiction, or anyone who (like myself) felt as though they had forgotten much of their American history. 

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 Bunsen Burners

Up Next: The Given Day by Dennis Lehane

Fall of Giants

By Ken Follett

            Over the past few years I have expanded my scope of preferred authors.  My wife is thrilled that when we go to a book store or book sale, my first comment is no longer “where’s the Stephen King section?”  My sister took a gamble this last Christmas and purchased this book by Ken Follett for me.  Aside from Matterhorn, I haven’t read much historical fiction, so I was not sure how this would turn out.  I must say that she certainly hit the mark and really grabbed a terrific novel. 

            Fall of Giants is a novel based upon the time period before and through the First World War.  The story is told from the perspective of families from four of the major countries involved in World War I (America, Germany, England, and Russia).  By interweaving personal drama with national peril, the author creates sympathy for the characters and also teaches the reader history.  I had forgotten much of middle school history, but I can say that this was a pleasant and entertaining way to get a refresher on world history.

            In the mining town of Aberowen, England we follow the Williams family.  The Williams family is a coal mining family which includes David (head of the coal miners’ union), Cara (Mom), Billy (aka Billy Twice), and Ethel.  When we meet the family, Billy is getting ready for his first day in the mines.  Billy meets a great deal of hazing and harsh treatment.  His inner fortitude shines through as he sticks to his guns, and stands up to his bullies.  Ethel Williams is a maid at Ty Gwyn, which is owned by the Earl (Teddy) Fitzherbert or “Fitz.”  Fitz is the ninth richest man in England, partly due to his ownership of the Aberowen coal mines.  Ethel begins an affair with Fitz, which ultimately changes her life.  Ethel learns to fend for herself, and ultimately becomes one of two main voices in support of women’s rights.

            On the American front, we meet the Dewar family.  Gus Dewar is from a wealthy family and is a close adviser to Woodrow Wilson.  Gus’ personal relationships along with his political encounters drive the American plotline.  We learn about America’s reluctance to enter the war, and their plans for worldwide reformation based on “The Fourteen Points” directly from Woodrow Wilson

            In Germany, we learn about cousins Walter and Robert von Ulrich.  Walter becomes involved with Earl Fitzherbert’s sister, Maud.  As the relationship between the two begins to flourish, the developing conflict between England and Germany becomes a major hurdle.  Will their love be able to survive such a widespread skirmish?

            Russian brothers Grigori and Lev Peshkov, detail the struggles of daily Russian life.  Grigori is the responsible brother, always taking care of his younger brother Lev.  So when Lev gets into some trouble, Grigori gives up his ticket to America to save his brother’s life.  In America, Lev winds up falling back into his old ways and gets himself into trouble following his libido.  Lev ends up working for a very powerful and corrupt family in Buffalo.  Grigori’s side of the story is especially interesting as it details the struggles of the Russian people in the early 1900’s.  He fights corruption, starvation, and for equality for all citizens of Russia.  Ultimately Grigori becomes a soldier in the Russian army and becomes intimately involved in the Communist revolution.

Follett must be praised not only for creating interesting characters with relatable conflicts, but also for his attention to detail in regards to historical events.  Important events in each country are easily understood because the reader experiences them through the eyes of his characters.  Along with the political developments (the league of nations, assassination, and war), there is also a wealth of information sprinkled in about the women’s rights movement told from strong female characters developed by Follett.  Follett does an amazing job of teaching you about the period without making you feel like it’s a history lesson.  Like most people, I have forgotten the majority of the history lessons I was taught in my formative years.  It was so refreshing to read about the 14 points, the League of Nations, Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination and many of the semi-familiar events surrounding World War I.  I had no difficulty following the story arc of

each character, even as the author jumped from story line to story line.  It’s so easy to forget how ubiquitous the impact of The Great War was for the citizens of each country involved.  Follett’s writing makes this impact accessible and relatable to the reader, and he tells a terrific story at the same time.  I would highly recommend this book for the ample historical information along with the entertaining plot.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Bunsen Burners

Up Next: Winter of the Worlds by Ken Follett

The Da Vinci Code

by Dan Brown

      In the late hours of the night a ghastly murder has taken place in the famous Louvre Museum in Paris, France.  The victim is the Louvre's chief curator whose body was found in an odd pose by the famous Mona Lisa painting.  Robert Langdon is called to the scene by police as a person of interest because he was scheduled to meet with the curator the night he was murdered.  Langdon is a Harvard symbologist and works together with the curator's granddaughter, Sophie, who is also a French cryptographer in order to try to solve this murder.  The two follow clues left by the curator that lead them to a trail of secrets that date back to the time of Leonardo Da Vinci.  It turns out the curator was a member of the secret society, The Priory of Sion.  In fact, the curator died trying to protect the most sacred of the Priory's religious artifacts: the Holy Grail.  Sophie and Robert find help in one of Langdon's old friends who happens to be a member of Opus Dei - a Catholic group determined to snatch the Priory's secret.  As they search for clues that will lead to the identity of the murderer and the answers the secret the curator was supposed to protect, they are challenged physically and mentally to uncover the truth so that the secret is not lost forever.

      This adventure takes readers through the streets of France and England which I absolutely loved having been to both of these places in my own travels.  If you have not seen these beautiful cities, this book describes them wonderfully.  This book is rich with art history, religious history, and intricate puzzles.  If you can get your hands on the special illustrated edition, it allows you to see the pieces of art discussed and some inside to the puzzles he is describing.  The plot is complex and full of new terms and historical information that require an attentive reader.

      The main character is definitely not your average knight in shining armor meets modern day action superhero.  He is the exact opposite, which in a sense is a refreshing change.  I love his intelligence, ability to decipher puzzles, and his quick thinking.  I even enjoy the fact that he is an unassuming hero majority of the time.  Brown has an ability to take otherwise monotonous facts in history and weave them into a deliciously fabulous tale.  Another great read for me, and a fantastic recommendation for you!  This book is part of a series.  Brown just released the 4th book with Robert Langdon as the main character.  Needless to say I will be picking that up soon.    

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Up Next: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown