Winter of the World

Winter of the World is the second book in Welsh author Ken Follett’s The Century Trilogy, a collection of three epic works of historical fiction. Published in 2012 by Dutton Penguin, following the critically acclaimed first book Fall of Giants, Winter of the World debuted number one on The New York Times hardcover fiction bestseller list. The third and final book of the trilogy, Edge of Eternity, came out in 2014. The book follows the transnational adventures of five families through the twentieth century, beginning where Fall of Giants left off with National Socialism rising after the chaos of World War I in Europe. This second book covers the major historic events of World War II, the Spanish Civil War, and the development of nuclear weapons.

Winter of the World is shorter in length than the first book and critics lauded Follett’s ability to include so many historical events in his plot while still keeping track of the extensive cast of characters, most of whom are the children or descendants of the characters of the first book. Follett uses an omniscient third-person narrator that unites the different points of views of the characters and keeps the reader situated in the correct time and place. Altogether, the point of views of nine characters are followed.

The novel begins in 1933 during a time of peace when Hitler first rises to power. In Berlin, the brutality of his regime becomes apparent quickly to Carla von Ulrich, whose mother works for a socialist newspaper. Hitler’s Brownshirts attack the paper’s office and Carla saves everyone by distracting them with the fire alarm. After the scare, Carla and her mother run into old friends of the family which include Lloyd Williams.



Lloyd’s family is upset that in their home country, England, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain is bowing down to Franco, and then to Hitler, as he avoids war. Later that day, there is a fire in the Reichstag building and Lloyd goes inside and hears from Hitler himself the leader’s plans to expel non-Nazis from the country. These events set the stage for both Lloyd and Carla’s future anti-fascist activities.

Volodya Peshkov of Russia starts a Berlin-based espionage ring that reaches to Los Alamos in the United States, as a way to learn about the first atomic bomb. His role plays a significant part in the outcome of the war. Meanwhile, his cousin Daisy Peshkov, a socialite without political cares, focuses on her popularity until the effects of the war overcome her as well.

In the mid-1930s, Lloyd goes with other international volunteers to fight the Spanish fascists and, upon his return, falls in love with Daisy who has by this time married his half-brother. When World War II breaks out, Lloyd’s half-brother is killed, allowing him to marry Daisy. Volodya meets and falls in love with Zoya, a female physicist, and they eventually marry.



Suspense builds in December 1941, when an entire American family goes to Hawaii and witnesses the Pearl Harbor attacks first hand. Many other interpersonal events ensue as America enters the war.

When Hitler commits suicide on April 30, 1945, World War II ends. Volodya has lost his passion for Communism. Daisy fears Lloyd is dead. The Gestapo kills Carla’s father and she is raped by Russian soldiers. Afterwards, she marries her best friend’s brother.

Volodya and Zoya are attacked by Volodya’s brother-in-law Ilya in their apartment. He arrests Zoya because of his distress that America developed an atomic bomb before the Soviets. Zoya gets beaten and is taken away naked.



Volodya remains anti-communist in the following year, but the winter between 1946 and 1947 is especially harsh and many miserable people, including Volodya, consider turning to the Soviets and their Communism to be relieved from their misery.

By August 1949, Volodya and Zoya are reunited when the Russians test their first nuclear bomb. The book ends around the time that Truman is re-elected and is flexing his muscles as leader of the free world. The stage is set for the plot to continue into Edge of Eternity, which follows the novel’s characters through the Cold War and grapples with the effects of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Watergate, and the Civil Rights Movement.

One major theme of the Winter of the World is religion and the way that it can be used as a positive force, as when Christian moral philosophy brought together those who wanted to resist the Nazis. It is also displayed as a negative force that indoctrinates people as Hitler did with his Catholic Centre Party.



This trilogy has received some criticism for Follett’s selective use of historical events to recreate World War II. The Holocaust is only slightly touched upon in passing references, but the Pearl Harbor attack is described vividly.

Most book reviewers list Follett as one of the world’s best thriller and suspense writers.