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Cathedral of the Sea
Cathedral of the Sea | Ildefonso Falcones de Sierra
A masterful epic of love, war, treason, plague, famine, witchcraft, anti-Semitism and the Inquisition 14th-century Spain, the medieval city of Barcelona is enjoying a golden age of prosperity. Its humblest inhabitants are building, stone by stone, a magnificent church to overlook their harbour. This is the Cathedral of the Sea: a church to be built for the people by the people. In its shadow, Arnau, a young serf on the run from his feudal lord, struggles to earn his freedom. After famine, plague and thwarted love, Arnau's fortunes begin to turn when King Pedro makes him a baron as a reward for his courage in battle. But he is also forced to marry Eleonor, a ward of the King whom he does not love. His newfound status excites jealousy from his friends who plot his downfall with devastating consequences. Arnau's journey from slave to nobleman is the story of a struggle between good and evil that will turn Church against State and brother against brother ...
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Bookworm54
Cathedral of the Sea: A Novel | Ildefonso Falcones
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Pickpick

This was my #FoodAndLit pick for #Spain and took me a little while as it was 750 pages 😱

I had a brief pause just before the 50% mark as I did get a bit annoyed with some of the choices the MC was making and couldn‘t be bothered watching it blow up! But I am glad I persevered as I did enjoy the story overall!

It follows Arnau from childhood through to adulthood in 14th century Barcelona, a period including the plague and the inquisition.

Catsandbooks That's a chonky one! 🇪🇸 6mo
36 likes1 comment
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Cuilin
Cathedral of the Sea: A Novel | Ildefonso Falcones
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Pickpick

Yes it was an epic masterpiece but it was also just a bit too much. There is only so much cruelty I can take with the racism, classism, feudal systems of oppression, religious oppression, treatment of women, and the brutality of the Inquisition. It‘s an amazing read but I was racing just to get it over with.
How is your read?

#BookedInTime #SpanishInquisition

dabbe I'm way behind and am still with the Celts in Ireland! 😜 8mo
See All 11 Comments
Cuilin @dabbe I‘d stick with the celts if I were you, Denise. I don‘t think I‘m likely to pick the Inquisition for #BookedInTime ever again Lol 8mo
julieclair I haven‘t started mine yet, but I was thinking I really wanted to read it. Now I‘m not so sure. Maybe I‘ll start, and if it‘s too violent & depressing, I‘ll give myself permission to DNF it. My book is 8mo
ChaoticMissAdventures Oh that is too bad. There really needs to be balance in these books to make them bearable. 8mo
Cuilin @ChaoticMissAdventures I just got a lupus diagnosis and I‘ve been pretty sick so I think this made me more sensitive to the darker aspects of the novel because there‘s no denying it is a good book. 8mo
Cuilin @julieclair what a dark time in history, whoa. No judgment if you DNF. 8mo
ChaoticMissAdventures @Cuilin so sorry to hear! Lupus is a beast, hoping you can get on a plan that helps you feel better soon, and that next month's book is happier! 8mo
Aimeesue Sorry to hear about the diagnosis. Autoimmune stuff is so hard. Hope you find a med that works well for you quickly! 8mo
Cuilin @ChaoticMissAdventures @Aimeesue thank you both. It‘s certainly a learning curve. 8mo
52 likes11 comments
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EadieB
Cathedral of the Sea | Ildefonso Falcones de Sierra
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#Chunksters

Here are some of my chunksters waiting to be read!

Tove_Reads Yes!!!! 2y
Andrew65 Child of the Phoenix and Kingdom of Shadows are two of my favourite all-time books, along with Lady of Hay (not pictured). I would be more than happy to read them again and still have my copies. Love Barbara Erskine. Think I have a copy of Green Darkness and Hiding From the light too.

I don‘t own them but like the look of the other two.
2y
EadieB @Andrew65 ok I‘ll read them together with you just let me know when. @Tove_Reads (edited) 2y
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Tove_Reads I just checked and I have access to Green Darkness and Hiding from the Light, so I vote for those. Sounds good? @andrew65 @EadieB (edited) 2y
EadieB @Tove_Reads ok sounds good. When and which one will we discuss? @Andrew65 2y
Andrew65 I‘m happy to go with the books @Tove-Reads can get hold of. 2y
EadieB @Andrew65 sounds good. Check out @Tove_Reads books to see what ones you can get a hold of. 2y
Andrew65 @EadieB Have done that I can get hold of any of them. 2y
43 likes9 comments
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IsaRA150
La catedral del mar | Ildefonso Falcones
Pickpick

It has everything you could ever hope in a book. I laughed, cried and felt in love with the characters.

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TorieStorieS
Cathedral of the Sea: A Novel | Ildefonso Falcones
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Mehso-so

This month‘s #ReadAroundTheWorldChallenge country is #Spain- so I dug this rather hefty novel out of my TBR stacks after it being unread for at least a decade! It‘s an epic piece of historical fiction with a lot of 14th century packed in from the economics of the feudal system to the plague and the Inquisition. Arnau‘s life includes a lot of different careers and relationships. I wish the characters were a bit more fully developed though!

Crazeedi It sound good, but not as good as Follett?? 4y
TorieStorieS @Crazeedi Funny you mention that! The author is hailed as the “Spanish Ken Follett” in the blurbs! But, yes- I think it‘s in the same vein but not as strong with the characters! 4y
Crazeedi @TorieStorieS it kinda sounded like him! 4y
44 likes3 comments
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bouktique
Cathedral of the Sea: A Novel | Ildefonso Falcones
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Pickpick

622 pages. Cruel and impressive, realistic story in the medieval Catalonia.
#cathedralofthesea #falcones #medieval #feodalism #barcelona

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Sace
La catedral del mar | Ildefonso Falcones
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I hadn't planned on participating in the #tometopple readathon but three of my #currentreads fit the requirement so I guess I'm participating. 🤣

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Sace
La catedral del mar | Ildefonso Falcones
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If I can stay focused and read, I could actually use the tagged book for #ReadingEurope2020 #Spain

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Paus0312
La catedral del mar | Ildefonso Falcones
Pickpick

Excelente

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Tove_Reads
Cathedral of the Sea: A Novel | Ildefonso Falcones
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@Andrew65 Pretty sure this is right up our alley! Building a church, medieval Barcelona... 751 pages.

Andrew65 I saw this recent,y, not even sure whether it was on one of your posts and agree should fit the bill very nicely. 😊 How many Pages has this one got? 7y
Tove_Reads @Andrew65 Yes, my post. 751 🙃 (edited) 7y
Andrew65 @Tove_Reads Only 751 Pages, after Rutherfurd that seems nothing 😂 Good News is there is one copy in our library system that I can order in. 7y
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Tove_Reads @Andrew65 It‘s basically an epilogue🤪 A fast read, methinks. I will start reading it soon. Will go to Barcelona in four weeks, so that‘s why. A highly recommended book as well! Plus, I already miss reading about building churches 🤣 7y
Andrew65 @Tove_Reads Yes this was what was missing from A Column Of Fire, there was no building in it. Passed near Salisbury Cathedral last weekend (Kingsbridge Cathedral is based on Wells and Salisbury Cathedral) which is so massive and impressive, have to admire their skills to build such cathedrals! 7y
Tove_Reads @andrew65 Passed by Salisbury Cathedral on my way to Wales from Brighton a few years ago. I wonder how many slaves have died around the world building churches... 7y
Andrew65 @Tove_Reads Possibly hundreds of thousands! If not higher, especially if you include Pyramids and such like. 7y
Tove_Reads @Andrew65 You will definitely enjoy this one! I‘m 112 pages in, and it definitely has the feel of ”Pillars in Barcelona”, including building a church, and good peeps vs evil arses. 7y
33 likes1 stack add8 comments
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tikenida
La catedral del mar | Ildefonso Falcones
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Reading on the road. #Ildefonsofalcones #bus

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Soscha
Cathedral of the Sea: A Novel | Ildefonso Falcones
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The best part of the end of the year is planning next year's reading intentions.

Notafraidofwords This is awesome. 8y
11 likes1 comment