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. This book covers the years of Cathar heresy, and the brutal response from the Church in Rome. . ] Marcial Gala is a novelist, poet, and architect from Cuba. commentary on the ironies of history.”—The New York Times Book Review, “Cathedral [includes] humor, a huge cast of narrators (15), and a clear fascination with the widest range of human behavior.”—Jane Ciabattari, Literary Hub, “Comparisons are inevitable to Ken Follett’s bestselling book about the building of a cathedral, The Pillars of the Earth. A thoroughly immersive read and a remarkable feat of imagination, Cathedral tells a sweeping story about obsession, mysticism, art, and earthly desire in gripping prose. The world of Hagenberg in the medieval era was really well realised, with its different social strata and political pressures. The Cathedral Book Store. bookstore@christchurchcathedral.org Currently open for web and phone orders. I definitely enjoyed Book One as it built up the story. To see what your friends thought of this book. It's nuanced, it's got lots of action, lots of introspection, and a healthy dose of medieval detail. Ransom. My family is a fan of "The Pillars of the Earth" tetralogy and also "La Catedral del Mar" so it was natural for me to read this book about a Cathedral construction on a german town. A thoroughly immersive read and a remarkable feat of imagination, Cathedral tells a sweeping story about obsession, mysticism, art, and earthly desire in gripping prose. I had never read about this part of the world during this time frame. However, I found myself lost and somewhat uninterested due to the volume of characters and history that was being told. The research done by the author is evident and aids in the description of a time 1000 years in the past. Cathedral By Raymond Carver (1981) This blind man, an old friend of my wife’s, he was on his way to spend the night. His first collection of stories, Will You Please Be Quiet, Please (a National Book Award nominee in 1977), was followed by What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, Cathedral (nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 1984), and Where I'm Calling From in 1988, when he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Ambitious, immersive, a remarkable feat of imagination, Cathedral deftly combines historical fiction, the literary novel of ideas, and a tale of adventure and intrigue. A Ken Follett novel meets the Game Of Thrones series. When we reopen: September-May Monday - Friday 10am - 2pm Sunday 8:45 am - 12:30 pm and 4:45 pm - 6:30 pm Open Sundays in the summer. Ken Follett in his book, "The pillars of the Earth" brought his readers into England of the 12th century with that novel centered on the construction of a mighty Gothic cathedral. I definitely enjoyed Book One as it built up the story. A big, honking, long book covering over a century in the middle ages and yet so poorly developed! It deftly combines historical fiction and a tale of adventure and intrigue. . ] There are other anachronistic oddities, but only a historical clothing nerd like myself would notice or care. This sweeping work is as impressive as the cathedral at its center.”—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review), ★ “Ben Hopkins’s epic historical novel is the riveting story of the lives and motivations of cathedral builders [ . The writing is vivid, precise and beautiful. More suggestion than outright sex, not much gratuitous foul language, more just as part of dialogue to make it ring true. In addition, the characters are fleshed out. It begins when brothers Rettich and Emmerich come to Hagenburg after the death of their father and Rettich becomes an apprentice at the cathedral. To me the story telling was uneven. Fans of Umberto Eco, Hilary Mantel, and Ken Follett will delight at the atmosphere, the beautiful prose, and the vivid characters of Ben Hopkins’s Cathedral. Set in the 12th century, the novel covers the time between the sinking of the White Ship and the murder of Thomas Becket, but focuses primarily on the Anarchy. Please try again. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 19, 2021, This begins well but if drags on and on, is very repetitive - and I lost concern for the characters. The length might be off putting for some, which is fair, but it's never dull. An immersive, old-fashioned read that rattles along at a cracking pace.”—Richard Beard, author of Lazarus is Dead and The Day That Went Missing, “The design and construction of a lofty Medieval cathedral over the course of a century brings together a vast array of characters in a tale of ambition, obsession, desire, vanity and power.”—USA Today, “Hopkins surrounds us with people who share our irresistible attraction to physical beauty and the charisma of power, the often prickly comforts of faith, and greed, lust, hunger, illusion, personal love: all that makes us human, regardless of place and time.”—Jean Huets, The Historical Novel Society, “Superbly crafted, visually and emotionally vibrant, filled with strong, relatable characters, and so engaging that, even at over six hundred pages, I was sorry when it came to an end.”—Kristine Morris, ForeWord Reviews, “Hopkins admits to having enjoyed writing Cathedral immensely, and this is evident in the compassion, humour, pathos and sheer vivacity of a novel which signals the arrival of a bright new talent on the historical fiction stage.”—Sarah Bower, The Historical Novel Society, “I haven’t been able to put it down! He would come by train, a five-hour trip, and my wife would meet him at the station. Some were merchants, some artisans, some members of the church, some shepherds, some merchants and knigh. From a historical standpoint, the book was both interesting and informative. I loved the first line of this novel, which not only fills you in on who is building this cathedral in 1229 Germany, but how they did it. Its design and construction in the 12th and 13th centuries in the fictional town of Hagenburg unites a vast array of unforgettable characters whose fortunes are inseparable from the shifting political factions and economic interests vying for supremacy. I so enjoyed getting to know Rettich and Emmerich and was really moved by the twists and turns that their lives took through the years. A thoroughly immersive read and a remarkable feat of imagination, Cathedral tells a sweeping story about obsession, mysticism, art, and earthly desire in gripping prose. Politics and religion, the birth of an artistic sensibility, the rise of global trade, sassy women, fascinating and original characters.”—Alison Finch, BBC Radio 4, “To a dedicated historical fiction reader, [Cathedral is] heaven [ . Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published Atlanta, GA 30305. Before I started this book I read a review that compared to it a mating of Pillars of the Earth and Game of Thrones so I obviously went into this with high expectations, but also really nervous because those are some heavy hitters. An amazing cast of interesting characters. We also see how the Jewish population suffers and survives through oppressive treatment by town and church officials. When I saw the comparison to Pillars of the Earth, one of my favorite books, I had to read it. . ] It is fascinating, fun, and gripping to the very end.”—Roddy Doyle, Booker Prize-winning author of Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha. This book truly is beautifully written, and perfect for fans of Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth series. Try again. Rich, moving, and unforgettable, it exposes the vanity inherent in trying to make a mark on history and exalts the power of love, creativity, and truth to leave a meaningful trace on this ephemeral world.”—ForeWord Reviews (Starred Review), ★ “An expansive fictional epic addressing themes of art, religion and power in the mode of Ken Follett or Umberto Eco [ . 4.5 stars rounded up. Is there any explicit romance or language? Beautifully written with powerful visual imagery and interesting characters. These result in quite a bit of violence. Cathedral by Raymond Carver My rating: 5 of 5 stars “Cathedral” was Raymond Carver’s third collection of stories. Ambitious, immersive, a remarkable feat of imagination, Cathedral deftly combines historical fiction, the literary novel of ideas, and a tale of adventure and intrigue. Sure, stuff happened but that's kinda where this book ends. We’d love your help. Cathedral covers half a century in the fictional Hagenburg, Germany, and revolves around the building of a cathedral (and of a middle class, a mercantile system), beginning in 1229 and continuing after Hopkins’s narrative ends. First Steps: How Upright Walking Made Us Human, The Age of Decadence: A History of Britain: 1880-1914, The Bookseller of Florence: The Story of the Manuscripts That Illuminated the Renaissance, The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War. It resembles Game of Thrones in how the chapters are written from differe. I was so interested in the different life circumstances of all the characters, too. Cathedral is his first novel. You can tell a lot of research went into this book. Ben Hopkins ably turns his readers onto the German states of the middle 12th and early 13th centuries. Fiction & Poetry. Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2021. T. I thoroughly enjoyed my immersion into the medieval society of Hagenberg and the machinations of some of its residents: merchants, moneylenders, master builders, apprentices, and the ever looming and powerful church. At the center of this story is the Cathedral. It is definitely. This sets the framework for a tale of religion, family, territorial spats and rivalries. Colourful, rich and historically accurate, I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, loves cathedrals, or simply appreciates a well researched and written story. How I needed a fat, immersive historical novel to reset my reading biome. . And the fate of the city changed too. At the centre of this story, is the Cathedral. You can tell a lot of research went into this book. At the center of this story is the Cathedral. The last two got quite long and dragged more than it should. It's one of those books that leaves you wishing that you could just take a day off once you've finished it to gradually ease yourself out of that world, arranging vignettes from it in different patterns, thinking about the ways its components fit together and inform one another. Jump in, it’s as good as the other reviews say! This was a very good read in that the reader is transported to the early times of Europe and becomes engrossed in the religious and political aspects of life. I don't ordinarily write reviews--I'm old and would rather spend my remaining time reading books than writing about them--but it would be a shame if this book did not find a broad readership. A thoroughly immersive read and a remarkable feat of imagination, Cathedral tells a sweeping story about obsession, mysticism, art, and earthly desire in gripping prose. . ] Allen & Unwin is Australia's leading independent book publisher and has been voted "Publisher of the Year" thirteen times including the inaugural award in 1992 and eleven times since 2000. In Cathedral we are introduced to a young shepherd named Rettich who becomes a stone-cutter under the tutelage of Giselbert who has a soft spot for the young apprentice; a nobleman’s son who is widely despised and is serving as the Bishop’s Treasurer; and the plans for a “Cathedral of breathtaking beauty... it will have a roof of gold, three towers that pierce the heavens, twelve portals, one for every disciple and one for every tribe of Israel, nine altars, and will be one of the great wonders. He has lived in London and Istanbul and now lives in Berlin. All with their own agenda, wants and feelings. However, this story is about so much more than the building of a cathedral, mixing politics, religion, mercantilism, greed and the search for meaning into a tale that draws you in completely. He says he can’t describe a cathedral because cathedrals are meaningless for him. A Deeply-Engaging, Vividly-Imagined Historical Novel, Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2021. It's divided into three books. Ambitious, immersive, a remarkable feat of imagination, Cathedral tells a sweeping story about obsession, mysticism, art, and earthly desire. “Cathedral” was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. I found this a really interesting read. In 1229, when their peasant father dies, three orphaned siblings venture out on their own, placing themselves at the mercy of the nearest German city, Hapsburg. There’s such attention to detail, humour, sensitivity; and a multitude of brilliantly developed characters scheming and clashing across medieval Europe. I would absolutely recommend this to readers who like medieval European history, and stories about cathedrals with very relatable, flawed and compelling characters. I'd agree that was an apt description insofar that the book revolves around the building of a Cathedral and how it ultimately shapes the town and the people who live there. How I needed a fat, immersive historical novel to reset my reading biome. Ben Hopkins' Cathedral is a wonderful, long read—wonderful in that it keeps going, letting readers linger in the world it creates and among the characters populating it. Things get surprisingly grisly and grim in parts, so if that's not your thing, be warned. … It was first published in 1983. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights. I had this billed to me as a sweeping epic of human lives akin to Ken Follett, but I found it instead to be lacking the required depth of human emotion to really engage me. At the center of this story is the Cathedral. The resulting epic is both sweeping and human.”—The New Yorker, “Ben Hopkins’s novel has the look of an old-fashioned doorstop of a saga. The book weaves multiple stories together across a variety of viewpoint characters who interact throughout the years. Cathedral Centre Books stocks a wide variety of Catholic books. I loved how the story continually moves forward, yet always brings you back to central themes and each individual's search for meaning in life. I thought it worked wonderfully here to get so many interesting perspectives throughout the span of the book and the author did a great job of inserting Roman Numerals after the character's name to indicate how many times you've read a chapter about them. This is really a great book for anyone who enjoyed the Pillars of the Earth series, but unlike the Ken Follett books this one just seems a bit too long.. Rettich becomes a mason working on the city’s new cathedral. As this strange summer of staying put winds down, one thing remains truer than ever: Books offer us endless adventure and new horizons to... A thoroughly immersive read and a remarkable feat of imagination, Cathedral tells a sweeping story about obsession, mysticism, art, and earthly desire in gripping prose. There was a problem loading your book clubs. The world of Hagenberg in the medieval era was really well realised, with its different social strata and political pressures. I really enjoyed sinking into the world of this book and seeing what happened to everyone and how, over the course of the book the plans for the cathedral changed. https://www.europaeditions.com/book/9781609456115/cathedral. The last two got quite long and dragged more than it should. ★ “A thoroughly engrossing, beautifully told look at human frailty.”—Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review), ★ “Ambitious and satisfying [ . I wish this had ended with Book Two and tied up a few more loose ends. Sweeping, colorful, lively historical fiction set in a 13th-century Germany diocese and spanning decades of conflict and change among the clerical, noble, rising commercial, downtrodden peasant, and outcast, oft-persecuted, Jewish classes. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2021. Please try again. It's engrossing and compelling, especially during the first two thirds of the novel. Goodreads Members Suggest: 32 ‘Vacation’ Reads. There are so many layers from small, intimate moments to larger issues of religious discrimination, the rise of the merchant class and man's relationship with God. Sure, stuff happened but that's kinda where this book ends. While starting as a simple story of brothers searching for their freedom and a path forward in life , it ends up weaving a tale of success, grief, betrayal, faith and longing over a 100 year period, all with the cathedral like the sun around which the characters orbit. Winner of the Singapore Literature Prize Commendation Award, Glass Cathedral’s sensitive depiction of homosexuality in conservative Singapore is a landmark in local literature. This very good medieval tale is a slice of the real world, not just knights slaying dragons and marrying, but builders of a cathedral, Jews, counters in the counting house, men who sleep with prostitutes, wicked cousins, and greedy merchants. It centers on the town of Hagenburg in the Rhineland located in the Germanic states of that time. I think some serious editing would have improved the final product. But when you immerse yourself in the shifting perspectives of Cathedral, what you also discover is a clever (even postmodern?) Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Ben Hopkin's Cathedral dives into the lives of builders, masonries, architects, merchants, the Church, and more, in Germany during the 1200s. . It read as though the author, a screenwriter himself, was writing a treatment for a new "Game of Thrones" on HBO, but without the depth of character or the commitment to the characters that George RR Martin pulled off. I did find it a dark and troubling read (this is not an 'easy' period of history) but it is a memorable one. I had mixed feelings about this book. This was a brutal time, and survival of self and family often required either moral gymnastics or plain abandonment of such codes. It deftly combines historical fiction and a tale of adventure and intrigue. Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2021, Very good book. It didn't feel overlong to me. One complaint: the author did not do his research on clothing well enough. If you like bad language, gruesome situations, bashing of religious people and sheer boring and blistering misery, this is the book for you. The book traces the development of Gothic architecture out of the preceding Romanesque architecture, and the fortunes of the Kingsbridge prioryand village against the backdrop of historical eve… His wife had died. Grand in scope across settings, plots, and characters, among the latter an artisan sculptor engaged in the construction of a new cathedral for the diocesan town; his scheming brother and sister who are leaders in the town’s nonspiritual, mercantile development; a wise and, from experience dealing with papal Rome and local lords, cynical bishop; a Jew banned by law from commerce who silently partners in “Christian” enterprises; and various nobles controlling lands and armies and vying for power in their particular corner of the Holy Roman Empire (and in some cases perhaps beyond). 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