Adrienne's Reviews > World Without End

A truly delightful read. I really enjoyed the background of the story; the characters (mostly) and how Follett used the story (1300's) to show emerging attitudes ie to the church and medicine.
The setting is 1300s in the reign of Edward 11. We see the changing of people's attitudes. This is shown mostly in treatment of the sick, attitude to land usage and the power of the church and state.
The emergence of sick people treatment from bleeding and dung mixture wound treatments: to treatment with clean washing and bandages. Particularly noticeable was plague victims being tended with nuns wearing masks, washing their hands in vinegar and being separated from other people.
Land usage was initially tightly governed by Lord of the manor rules. (All tied to getting the king his taxes - which did not alter). At the end of the period there was more flexibility for the peasant and labourer. Prompted by the thinking of land worers resulting from the plague - ie less people to work the land.
We see the emergence of entrepreneurs; driven by desire for profits. In this they slowly reduce the power of the church controlling their every day operations. But the king still gets his taxes.
Follett craftily used his characters to show all these changes. And he does it brilliantly. Using a powerful story with wonderful characters.
Unputdownable