Cathedral
Cathedral by Ben Hopkins, published by Europa Editions in 2021, is a historical fiction novel that spans 622 pages. This immersive narrative explores themes of obsession, mysticism, art, and earthly desire, all set against the backdrop of the Cathedral’s design and construction in the 13th and 14th centuries in the Rhineland town of Hagenburg. The story intricately weaves together the lives of various characters, from the bishop and his treasurer to local merchants and stonecutters, highlighting how their fortunes are intertwined with the shifting political and economic landscape.
Readers will find a rich tapestry of adventure and intrigue as the novel delves into the complexities of mercantilism, politics, and religion. The Cathedral serves as a central symbol around which the characters’ lives revolve, reflecting the societal dynamics of the time. Ben Hopkins’s writing captures the vividness of the era, offering a detailed exploration of the human experience during this historical period. This edition is presented in English and is designed for those interested in sagas and literary works that delve into the Gothic and medieval themes.
Official synopsis Publisher
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. It deftly combines historical fiction and a tale of adventure and intrigue.
At the center of this story is the Cathedral. Its design and construction in the 13th and 14th centuries in the Rhineland 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. From the bishop to his treasurer to local merchants and lowly stonecutters, everyone, even the town’s Jewish denizens, is implicated and affected by the slow rise of Hagenburg’s Cathedral, which in no way enforces morality or charity. Around this narrative center, Ben Hopkins has constructed his own monumental edifice, a novel that is rich with the vicissitudes of mercantilism, politics, religion, and human enterprise.
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.
“Cathedral is a brilliantly organised mess of great, great characters. It is fascinating, fun, and gripping to the very end.”–Roddy Doyle, Booker Prize-winning author of Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha
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