Circle of Days

Follett (The Kingsbridge series) offers an engrossing tale of the neolithic British Isles and the construction of the Stonehenge monument. The narrative is grounded in the parallel stories of Seft, a flint miner and craftsman; and Joia, the sister of the woman he loves, who aspires to become a priestess. Seft is the youngest son of a physically abusive widower, who treats him like a slave, prompting him to flee home and take a position with Wun, another miner, who’s impressed by Seft’s work ethic and creative approach to repairing a damaged lintel. His life continues to look up after he falls for Neen, a young woman he met at the Spring Rite. They become a couple and eventually start a family. Meanwhile, Joia is enraptured by the songs and dances at the Monument, a wooden structure surrounding a sacred circle. As farmers and herders clash over the use of common land, the Monument is destroyed. In the aftermath, Seft devotes himself to the task of rebuilding the site, which will become Stonehenge. Follett builds tension as Seft grapples with the engineering challenge of transporting such large stones to the site, and keeps the reader invested in the story with well-developed characters. The author’s fans will be pleased. (Sept.)