Hair raising and unnerving.  Follett is known for compelling writing and epic novels, and in his newest I found myself riveted by this unsettling premise.

 

Most of us don’t like imagining end of world scenarios.  The goal is to learn from history in order that it not repeat.  But if one of the worst wars on record happened even though absolutely no world leader wanted or sought it, is it possible for that to happen again?  What would that look like in a world with nuclear weapons?

 

Told in three distinct narratives, the 800+ pages flowed quickly and never seemed daunting.  Each storyline felt plausible, and the compounding decisions made by world leaders created alarming strain as the world stage grew more and more tense.  

 

As the pressure built in the political scene, the characters’ lives progressed as though all was normal…falling in love, fighting against societal norms, having dinner with parents.  Follet paints this opposing dynamic between the tension on the world stage versus the daily doldrums adeptly.  And maybe more than anything else, that lead me to ponder just how accurate his imagination could be in the future.

 

While I enjoyed the novel overall, the ending made me want to throw my (very large) book.  To put in the 800+ page effort only for the novel to end as it did frustrated me.  I see why he did such.  I just didn’t like it.  

 

Thank you Ken Follett and Viking for this #gifted finished copy.