Book Review- Fall of Giants

After reading (and loving) Dan Brown's Inferno and then following it up with the disappointing Proof of Heaven  I was looking to read another totally absorbing book and didn't even mind turning to a trashy beach read as long as it was entertaining and I got my literary fix! A friend of mine, whom I actually met through exchanging notes about my blog, sent me this recommendation and promised it would be in equal parts absorbing and educational. At 1000 pages the book was definitely not going to be a quick read but I figured I'd give it a shot, and I'm so glad I did!
Trashy beach read this is not, but then again those who have read Ken Follett before would know that. I hadn't, so I didn't, and if my friend hadn't pointed out the educational aspects of this novel, I'd be in for quite a shock. Along with characters that span from Russia to America, German to British, Welsh, Austrian, Scottish and a few others thrown in, we also get to meet Winston Churchill, Lloyd George, Lenin, Trotsky, Woodrow Wilson and a few other historical figures. Yes they appear occasionally as characters in the book and the book is that well researched that statements they make or views expressed either historically actually did happen or as the author explains at the end of the book, could have happened. The novel follows the characters through the First World War explaining the why's, the how's and also the behind the scene actions and make you feel like you were really there. History buffs will LOVE this book and non history buffs who are clueless about sequence of events may have to turn to Wikipedia or even better, pull up a few videos about the First World War on Khan Academy like I did, and maybe get a side explanation on what happened and how. Follett takes basic knowledge of history as a given and unfortunately I found myself a bit lost at a few parts. However a little bit of reading will bring you up to speed and absorbed in the happenings. There were a few parts however that I found to slightly drag on, but as I said my knowledge of history is limited and so is my interest level on the same. The novel ends setting the stage for the Second World War which is what the story of the second book revolves around. Sorry I didn't mention earlier that this novel is Book 1 of a trilogy, the next book being Winter of the World which is out already and the third due for release at the end of 2014.
There are too many story lines in this novel for me to tell you what it's all about but as I said World War I is the most important plot, along with women's rights and the class system coming up as side issues weaved into the story. If you're not interested in history at all I'd probably tell you to give this one a miss. However if you're interested in learning about history in an interesting and absorbing way in the form of fiction, Fall of Giants does just that. It may make you ignore friends and family for a few days or weeks (I finished it in a week) but you'll emerge happier and wiser for it. How many books can promise you that?
-