A group of pilgrims set out from England for Rome at the end of the 13th century. Each chapter has a different pilgrim tell their own story and recount thee current leg of the journey. They also make very pointed comments about their fellow pilgrims.

The book is wonderful to read, historically accurate, and full of a delightful cast of characters. The book is highly recommended for anyone that enjoys books about the middle ages or historical fiction in general. ( )

In the late 13th century, a rag-tag bunch of pilgrims—each with their own goals and fears—sets out on the long journey from England to Rome. Matthew Kneale writes with verve and humour, and actually manages the feat of writing characters whose foibles and flaws come from their humanity rather than from the fact that they're stupid medieval people—sadly an approach all too rare in historical fiction. Whether Pilgrims works for you will likely depend on your sense of what's funny—if it doesn't click for you in the first few chapters, I wouldn't recommend continuing on because that's the main thing that keeps the book a somewhat propulsive read in spite of the fairly meandering plot—and your tolerance for people making poor decisions. But if you're in the mood for something gently Chaucerian, I think this might hit the spot. While I don't think any of the characters will remain with me for a long time, I did have fun while reading this. ( )

a lightweight story of a pilgrimage told from several points of view. slow paced but engaging. ( )

I think this is supposed to be literature and not 'just' fiction.

I made it about a third of the way through before realizing that It just wasn't holding my attention. Several pilgrims are introduced, one after the other. None of them really appealed to me. ( )