Kim Fielding - The Pillar

During his youth, orphaned thief Faris was flogged at the pillar in the town square and left to die. But a kind old man saved him, gave him a home, and taught him a profession. Now Faris is the herbalist for the town of Zidar, taking care of the injured and ill. He remains lonely, haunted by his past, and insecure about how his community views him. One night, despite his reluctance, he saves a dying slave from the pillar.
A former soldier, Boro has spent the last decade as a brutalized slave. Herbs and ointment can heal his physical wounds, but both men carry scars that run deep. Bound by the constraints of law and social class in 15th century Bosnia, Faris and Boro must overcome powerful enemies to protect the fragile happiness they’ve found.

Comment: I got this book after reading somewhere that it would feature a shy character and that the relationship would be sweet and slow paced. I don't remember anymore exactly how I decided it would be a good read but I was in the mood for epic and that is why I added this to my reading list.

This is the story of Faris, a former thief who was taken by the town's herbalist and taught a profession, how to help others and cared in a way he didn't think possible. His master helped him and now, years after his master's death, he took his place in the small town and is respected and has a worthy life.

One day he helps someone from the pillar, a place where he was himself years ago, flogged for thievery. The man he saves is a slave, who used to be a soldier, and now is in a very vulnerable position. There is a certain attraction between them but Faris doesn't want to  start something that can expose him to the people he takes care of and who might hate him. But when trouble comes, Faris will have to be brave and trust others...

This book was good enough, entertaining enough. It's more of the novella size than a full length book, but I enjoyed the most part of it. I don't think it's the best I've read because in my opinion some things develop at a pace I, sincerely, think wasn't the best choice, but the story itself had potential. I especially liked Faris and his take on life.

Faris is a lonely person but I understand him..he has a poor life, he was  thief by necessity but convicted as much as someone who did it for selfish reasons and then someone helped him. He could see how it was to be taken care of, to be grateful to someone who helped him and then, to honor that person's gesture, memory and teaching, he took that person's place with dignity. This was what I loved the most about the book and Faris, how, in the beginning, we get to see his life, how quiet but demanding it is and how he is rewarded with some kind of kindness by those he helps too.

The first chapters, showing us Faris life, his daily tasks, his thoughts were actually very interesting. Even when he first started taking care of Boro, the man he saves, things were looking good and when they started to look at one another, giving hints about their lives...all that was still good but then things changed between them and the story no longer was that interesting.

From such a well paced beginning to disaster was a quick step and I didn't appreciate that much how fast things changed between Faris and Boro from the moment things were admitted. Where is the sexual tension, the slow tell of how their feelings were really changing, of how their personal experiences didn't stop them from being in love? I felt all this was rushed, maybe because of page limits, but it just didn't feel the same when compared to the beginning.

The plot goes to a certain direction I understand but think wasn't that interesting...maybe the focus on the couple's relationship would have been preferable. But even that lacked consistency and I think too much drama and situations without much explanations ruined part of the story.

Then the end was a let down. I'm glad the couple found a way to be together but the way that worked out was almost unbelievable. After everything that has happened, despite the notion reality could be - and is - cruel and not always something to our liking, that was the best excuse they could have to be possible for them to be together? It was slightly disappointing.

Anyway, this book works out mostly for the beginning, so amazingly promising, but then the rest was just something not as well executed as I would have liked. It would have been interesting to see Faris and Boro discuss their feelings more, struggle a bit more to accept each other and the story could as engaging until the end. Oh well, it still has good positive points but it didn't end as I hoped. It is a very weak seven grade...

Grade: 7/10