Pillars of the Earth

I've never read anything by Ken Follett before, but this book was recommended to me (by someone I don't know well). I tried to like it, I tried for about 100 pages, but I just couldn't get into it. The story is set during the 12th century in England, right around the time William the Conqueror dies. It focuses on a few different people - Tom the builder, Ellen (who might be a seeress), Monk Phillip, and some others. Everyone seems to be hungry and miserable, and there are a lot of mean people who want to hurt and/or kill other people. I wanted to like it, but it's just depressing. I'm usually a big fan of historical fiction, but I think this was just too... real for my tastes. Oh well, someone else out there might like it.