The Evening and the Morning

The Evening and the Morning is a 2020 novel by Ken Follett. It is a prequel to Follett’s acclaimed book, The Pillars of the Earth, and the fourth installment of the author’s Kingsbridge series. Beginning at the end of the Early Middle Ages, it spans the years 997 CE to 1007 CE. The Evening and the Morning tells the story of Edgar, a youthful boat builder whose life changes forever when Vikings attack his village. On the night of the attack, Edgar plans to leave the village with Sungifu, the woman he loves. During the raid, a Viking kills her and Edgar’s father. Edgar kills the man and leaves the village with his family. The remainder of the novel explores themes of justice, mercy, and the difficulties of leadership, as Edgar becomes entangled in increasingly dangerous webs of political intrigue.

Plot Summary

Edgar and his family go to Dreng’s Ferry, where they take over a farm run by Dreng. He is a cruel man who mistreats his tenants, his two wives, and his enslaved people. Edgar builds him a boat that he can use to improve his ferry business’s efficiency.

Elsewhere, a Norman woman named Ragna marries an English ealdorman named Wilwulf, or Wilf. Wilf is good to her at first, but she dislikes his brothers, the cruel, greedy pair of Wynstan and Wigelm. They and their mother, Gytha, dislike Ragna from the beginning and plot against her.

Ragna and Edgar’s fates intertwine with that of Aldred, a young, ambitious monk who values scholarship and devotion to God above all. Aldred is friends with both of them, helping them during the book’s major conflicts.

Aldred, Edgar, and Den, the sheriff, learn that Wynstan is gambling with counterfeit coins that he mints, with the help of an intimidated monk named Cuthbert. They accuse Wynstan in open court, but Wynstan manages to blame Cuthbert for everything, resulting in Cuthbert’s castration and blinding.

After Ragna marries Wilf, he grows more distant. She learns that his ex-wife and son live in the village, and that Wilf refuses to quit sleeping with other women. In Part 3, Wilf is wounded in a battle, leading to serious mental incapacitation. His death would benefit his brothers, who eventually murder him as he recovers. Afterwards, Ragna is forced to marry the cruel Wigelm, who rapes her. She gives birth to a new son, Alain, whose father is either Edgar or Wigelm. Wynstan and Wigelm kidnap Ragna and her children, trapping them in an old hunting lodge.

As Ragna suffers, Edgar continues to build. He makes a canal and a bridge, which make trade and travel easier. When he learns that Ragna is being held hostage, he and Aldred help free her. The novel ends with the wedding of Ragna and Edgar. They are finally free to love each other and pursue the lives they want.