Historical Fiction · EpicA widow and a mill owner as the Industrial Revolution reaches Kingsbridge
The Armor of Light
by Ken Follett
A widow forced out of her village starts again in a mill town at the start of the industrial age
In 1792, Sal Clitheroe loses her husband in an accident caused by a reckless order, and after striking the squire's son she is banished from her village. She moves to Kingsbridge, where a Methodist mill owner named Amos Barrowfield gives her work. The story follows them, and Sal's son Kit, through years of industrial change and war.
More about this book
Who
Sal Clitheroe, a widow who is forced out of her village; her son Kit; and Amos Barrowfield, a Methodist mill owner who hires her. Will Riddick, the squire's son, is their enemy.
World
Kingsbridge and the village of Badford, then Brussels and Spain, from 1792 to 1824. The story includes the Napoleonic wars and ends near Waterloo.
What makes it different
It is the last book in the series so far and a sequel to A Column of Fire. Its setting is a textile mill, not a cathedral, which marks a move into the industrial age.
Feel
A long, steady historical novel about work, class and family. The title is spelled Armour in the UK and Armor in the US.
Page count and cover shown for: Selected edition
Further reading
- The Armor of LightWikipedia
- Ken Follett's Kingsbridge books in orderPan Macmillan