Brilliant writer and have read everything that he has written. Enjoyed the book and really appreciate the early read. Thanks so much and good luck with the book.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

Set around 2500 BCE, Circle of Days is Ken Follett’s ambitious reimagining of how Stonehenge might have come to be. Told through the intersecting lives of herders, farmers, and woodlanders, the novel paints a vivid picture of prehistoric life and the monumental effort it would take to unite divided tribes in the pursuit of something greater than themselves.

At the center is Seft, a flint miner born into a brutal home but blessed with talent and quiet resolve. His chance encounter with Neen, a kind-hearted herder, opens his eyes to a different kind of life, one built on love rather than dominance. Then there's Joia, Neen’s younger sister, whose fascination with the priestesses and their ancient knowledge sparks a vision of a grand stone monument, one that will define a civilization.

As drought ravages the land and tensions rise between the communities, the fragile peace begins to unravel. Conflict simmers, forbidden love blossoms, and hope flickers in the form of Joia’s dream: a sacred stone circle to bring unity through awe and purpose.

One of the most compelling elements of Circle of Days is the detailed, almost hypnotic account of how the massive stones are sourced, transported, and eventually raised. Follett's meticulous research shines through, making this imagined origin story feel eerily plausible and grounded in real historical possibility.

That said, this novel reads quite differently than Follett's other works. The prose is more restrained, and the characters felt emotionally distant. I struggled to connect deeply with any single protagonist, despite appreciating their perspectives. The pacing also leans slow, with the monument-building not beginning until the final quarter of the book.

Still, Circle of Days is a unique addition to Follett's body of work. It’s a slow but absorbing burn, perfect for readers drawn to ancient history, human resilience, and the enduring mystery of Stonehenge. Just don’t come expecting Pillars of the Earth. This is a quieter, simpler, but still powerful tale.

I have read all of Ken Follett’s books so I was not surprised Circle of Days would be another great book. It was long, but I enjoyed every bit of the book. I knew nothing about Stonehenge, but now the book made me curious about the history of this monument. I loved the stories of the herders, farmers, and people of the Woodlands. I was really just fascinated by every part of this book! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read Circle of Days.

This is a tale of loss, grief, survival and resilience set amongst a most interesting time period. The day to day living of these ancient people was wonderfully portrayed, although their modern dialogue kept me from feeling completely immersed in their world. The characters themselves were varied in their professions which often gave them quite biased outlooks, sometimes not able to see past their own needs for survival. While quite a chunky book I never felt the story slowed down and was kept quite interested throughout.

Circle of Days by Ken Follett is an immersive journey into the Neolithic era, capturing the monumental endeavor of constructing Stonehenge. Follett masterfully intertwines the lives of Seft, a gifted flint miner seeking love and purpose, and Joia, a visionary priestess driven to unite warring tribes through the creation of a grand stone circle. Set against a backdrop of drought, tribal conflicts, and societal upheaval, the narrative delves deep into themes of ambition, resilience, and unity. Follett's meticulous research and vivid storytelling breathe life into this ancient world, making Circle of Days a compelling read that resonates with contemporary reflections on community and perseverance. It did feel a little "simple" or juvenile at times, especially at the beginning when the characters are a lot younger. Almost YA-ish,

Circle of Days is an entertaining work of historical fiction in which Ken Follett proposes how and why Stonehenge was created. Follett paints a picture of the people of the time….woodlanders, farmers, herders, flint miners, and priestesses, all struggling to survive and often in conflict with one another. At the heart of the story is Joia, a priestess who dreams of honoring the sun god through a seemingly insurmountable task — to build an impressive monument with enormous stones that must be moved from miles away. Throughout the story I felt a sense of awe at how these ancient people could create such a colossal monument without the assistance of modern equipment. While I did enjoy the novel, it was not as compelling as Follett’s other books. The pace was a little too slow and started to drag a bit. If you are expecting an epic adventure or fast paced thriller, this is not the book for you. However, if you are a history buff and don’t mind slower pacing, you should give this one a try. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The opinions given are my own.

Not my favorite book by this author. He tends to over explain things quite a bit, so this book felt about 100 pages too long. I will say he definitely knows how to write a great villain.

I had never given Stonehenge more than a cursary thought until now. Follett brought to life the construction as well as the time period. I can't speak to how historically accurate the novel is, but I was enthralled regardless. Pillars of the Earth has been my favorite book for many years and this novel measures up. I was less invested in the individual characters BUT I was fascinated by the customs, politics, and engineering - which are not typical interests for me. This is such an unusual topic for a novel and it is worth reading every page.

Fantastic book! Ken Follett has a great way of telling stories about communities. I love this book and the stories about the farming community, herders, and priestess. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction.

Ken Follett the master of historical novels creates another masterpiece about Stonehenge and weaves romance and family into this in depth book. It took awhile to read but was worth every page. Thanks for the ARC!

Circle of Days by Ken Follett follows Seft, a young flint miner who longs for freedom from his cruel father and the hard life he was born into. His father is a horrible man who was left to be a single father of Seft and his two brothers after his woman died. Seft meets Neen and finds love and a new future with her, but their happiness is threatened by family violence, drought, and growing conflict between communities.

Joia, Neen’s sister, is bold and curious, ultimately dedicating herself to the priestesses who guard ancient knowledge and the sacred Monument. As years pass, Seft becomes a respected leader, and Joia fights to rebuild the Monument in stone to reunite a fractured people. The story explores community, love, and the cost of vengeance. Tragedies, including murder and war, test Seft, Joia and the various community beliefs and reshape their future. Despite all, they remain driven by hope and help guide the communities toward healing and purpose.

I found this book to be an interesting tangle of webs each community wove and something I genuinely wanted to finish. It was quite interesting to learn about this story as a possibility for how Stonehenge was created. It’s an epic journey and I admit that only once I passed the 60% mark, did I get to the point of no return couldn’t put it down - I had faith that Ken Follett would pull it off. If you're looking for an adventurous novel, full of twists and turns, Circle of Days takes its time but gets better with age—like fine wine.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Circle of Days is yet another Ken Follet masterpiece. Set in 2500BC when Stonehenge was just a wood henge, the saga weaves together the story of the farmers, herders, and forest clans of the Salisbury plain and how each group has its own specialized technology and cultural mores in a time before wheels and widespread knowledge of numeracy. Follet's spare prose, with nary an adjective or adverb in sight, pairs perfectly with the simplistic vibe of the time period.

You'll enjoy the love stories, the marvels of construction, and the culture clashes. I know I did!

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I’ve read and enjoyed several other books by Ken Follett, but the writing in this one felt more elementary and didn’t develop the characters nearly as well as I’d expect for a book of this length. The setting/time period is interesting but the flow isn’t quite right; time moves so fast it just feels like the story is jumping around chapter to chapter without being cohesive. The ending was satisfying, but the book definitely could have achieved the same result if it had been a few hundred pages shorter.

I haven’t read Follett before. I had a very hard time following all the character names (dozens!) with no descriptors. I couldn’t finish this but I liked the concept of the story of those who build Stonehenge.

If you're a fan of Ken Follett's cathedral building novels, I think this new one about the building of Stonehenge will be right up your alley. I feel like all of the Ken Follett builder novels have a distinct "humble craftsman achieves great feat of engineering through grit, intelligence and support from his beautiful + intelligent love interest." This novel features our usual humble craftsman, but I really like how in this novel, Ken Follett elevated a woman's POV more by having a Priestess character work right alongside our humble craftsman to mastermind the construction of Stonehenge. They were equals, and she wasn't a love interest. The story is also more modern in that it features some LGBTQIA+ characters, and in the current political climate, I think seeing this sort of representation is more important than ever. All in all, a great historical fiction beach read!

Ken Follett does it again!

A sweeping saga that follows a family over generations, CIRCLE OF DAYS tells the story of how Stonehedge was built. We follow several different protagonists, from farmers to herders to priestesses to woodlanders, learning about the ins and outs of how society functioned at that time. I loved how all of the characters interacted with each other, the good and the bad.

I'm not sure how historically accurate it was, but I enjoyed all of the background as to how the monument might have been constructed. The stories of the characters tugged at my heart, and I found myself rooting for Seft, Pia, and their family and friends.

If you're a fan of Follett's other books, CIRCLE OF DAYS should go on your TBR list!

I find the book very slow and uninteresting. The characters seem to be juxtaposed from the world as we know it today. The author seems to be pushing an agenda instead of telling a story, which is sad because Ken Follett is one of my favorite authors.

Ken Follett has another gripping and epic tale on his hands with Circle of Days! He wrote one of my favorite books, The Pillars of the Earth which left me amazed by his wonderful storytelling. I have been a fan ever since. In Circle of Days he takes on Stonehenge, one of the world's great mysteries. In doing so he introduces readers to a vast array of characters living around 2500 BCE. Many will stand out such as Seft, a talented flint miner and Joia, a born leader and priestess who has a vision of a monument. A monument which will be made using the biggest stones in the world.

At 704 pages, this is not a fast read, but it is a captivating and gripping one! I was so immersed in the plot that I lost track of the page count and never felt this book's length. That is a testament on Follett's talented and gifted a storytelling. This work of historical fiction looks at the various groups of people living during that time in history. The vivid descriptions transported me to the hills, the mountains and the plains. I observed the Midsummer ceremonies, the hardships, the love, the violence, the births, the deaths, and the rising of a monument.

Wonderfully written, Circle of Days is Ken Follett's vision of how Stonehenge was built. Once again, Follett has this reader intrigued and invested in a group of people building something that will stand the test of time. Another thing that will stand the test of time is Follett's brilliant storytelling.


Beautifully written, riveting, and imaginative.

No one makes me want to read 700 pages in one sitting quite like Ken Follett. When I found out this book was about Stonehenge I was even MORE excited.

I have always loved imagining the lives of people throughout history and the challenges they likely faced. With Follett’s rich cast of characters and vivid historical setting we can find comfort in knowing that while technology may have changed, the tenacity and indomitability of the human spirit likely has not.

I laughed, I cried, I celebrated with these characters. And while they are fictional, I feel the author has captured the truth in the strength of character that has echoed through time, and is evidenced in Stonehenge itself.

As always, thank you Ken Follett for writing this book, and thank you Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this ARC. It was a treat to be able to read this early.

A reader just can't go wrong with the works of Ken Follett. A master of historical novels, he has the ability to make you feel like you are totally immersed in the book's world. There are only a few author's that I have found that can do that, repeatedly.
This time Follett writes about the construction of Stonehenge. How it was done, why it was done, what it represents, and the problems in constructing it. He uses his standard method of introducing characters and filling them out so well that you can definitely see them in your own imagination.
I loved the different groups he used, the farmer, the herders, the woodlanders, and the miners. The best, and most interesting group (to me) were the priestesses. I can believe their methods of tracking time, it makes very good sense.
If you enjoy reading Follett, then you will really like this book. I know that I did.