Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Jan 2021
624 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication Information
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 12th and 13th 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.
"[A]mbitious and satisfying...this deeply human take on a medieval city and its commerce and aspirations, its violent battles and small intimacies, never feels that way. This sweeping work is as impressive as the cathedral at its center." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"This first novel by screenwriter Hopkins imagines a paean to the glory of God arising from the unholy muck of the Middle Ages...A thoroughly engrossing, beautifully told look at human frailty." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Ben Hopkins's epic historical novel is the riveting story of the lives and motivations of cathedral builders...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)
"I haven't been able to put it down! It's such a great read and contains so much! 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
"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
This information about Cathedral was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Ben Hopkins is a screenwriter, film-maker and novelist. He has lived in London and Istanbul and now lives in Berlin. His films include features and shorts, fiction and documentary, and have won awards at festivals such as Berlin, Locarno, Antalya and Toronto Hot Docs. Cathedral is his first novel.
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