MArch 2014 -Follett- Winter of the world.

Winter of the World is the sequel to Fall of Giants coincidentally also by Ken Follett. It's a historical novel based around the events preceding and during World War II. It follows these events from the point of view of various people and families based in Germany, Russia, Britain and the US; it also takes in the Spanish Civil War. Coincidence is in fact rather the name of the game because these characters have to interact with each other so they meet up in various theatres of war and at most important historical events under slightly contrived circumstances. They are also rather all-knowing about everything going on around them. 

However to quote our very own sage 'knowing what was likely to come next and a surfeit of coincidences did not prevent (one) from being carried along with the rapid stream of the story, which did not give time to pause and think about its credibility. I would say the individual episodes, coincidences apart are fairly realistic, and that the book does give a real sense of the way in which situations were continually changing and affecting not only people's personal lives but how the world would be in the future'.

This book affected different members of the group in different ways; one member found it rather
disappointing after enjoying the previous book and admitted to being somewhat bored by it.
Another member was so drawn into the story that they felt personally bereaved when the German, Walter, was killed. It was generally felt though that there was a good range of characters.

One of our group commented on how the side story of the detective work and bravery shown
surrounding the prevention of the continuing murder of the handicapped and Jews from hospitals made for an exciting subplot, maybe because this was one historical event of which we did not already know the outcome.

One or two people felt a slight anti-British bias which prevented them from wholly enjoying the
book.


Marks ranged from 4 to 7 giving an average of 6 1/2

It was commented that it reminded one very much of “The Winds of War” by Herman Wouk (author of “The Caine Mutiny).