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Content snapshot
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Violence
Very heavy
Includes a detailed Battle of Waterloo sequence and other war violence, described by one reviewer as having 'a generous sprinkling of gratuitous violence and gory deaths
Language
Some
Some period-appropriate coarse language
Sexual Content
A lot
A major female character is raped off-screen, referenced afterward; other content warnings include sexual abuse and sexual content, though reviewers note Follett uses it more sparingly here than in some earlier books
Substance Use
Barely any
Minor references to drinking
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Themes include physical abuse, death by suicide, and anti-gay bias woven through the historical drama
What this book is about
The fifth Kingsbridge novel follows the fictional English town through the turn of the 19th century, as the Industrial Revolution upends traditional life and war with Napoleon's France looms. Follett tracks multiple families across class lines through unrest, love, and the Battle of Waterloo.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Off-screen rape of a major character
Graphic war violence (Battle of Waterloo)
Suicide and anti-gay bias themes
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