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Cathedral
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
16 posts | 6 read | 15 to read
A sweeping story about obsession, mysticism, art, and earthly desire. At the centre of this story, is the Cathedral. 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. From the bishop to his treasurer to local merchants and lowly stonecutters, everyone, even the towns Jewish denizens, is implicated and affected by the slow rise of Hagenburgs Cathedral, which in no way enforces morality or charity. Around this narrative core, Ben Hopkins has constructed his own monumental edifice, a choral novel that is rich with the vicissitudes of mercantilism, politics, religion, and human enterprise. Ambitious, immersive, a remarkable feat of imagination, Cathedral deftly combines historical fiction, the literary novel of ideas, and a tale of adventure and intrigue. Fans of authors like Umberto Eco, Elif Shafak, Hilary Mantel, Ken Follett and Jose Saramago will delight at the atmosphere, the beautiful prose, and the vivid characters of Ben Hopkinss Cathedral.
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review
PhilipE
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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Mehso-so

It was ok. This might be terrible to say but I liked Pillars of the Earth better.

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Cuilin
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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1- Technically Enid Blyton, but as an adult for contemporary fiction (according to Goodreads), Sebastian Faulks, Colm Toibin, and Pat Barker are in joint leads. Jane Austen and Shakespeare lead for classical.
2- Bed or couch
3- Sometimes
Thanks for the tag @Eggs

Eggs You‘re welcome and thanks for joining in 🥰 2y
33 likes1 comment
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Mitch
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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Pickpick

Really loved this - it was a bit left field for me, but I enjoyed the immersive nature of it. Based around the building of a cathedral in thirteenth century Germany it was chaotic, ripe with a cacophony of noises and smells, with politics and family feuds, with power struggles and love triangles. It was huge and sprawling, messy and layered - historical fiction that really does take you to the real, non sanitised version of life!

intothehallofbooks I‘m glad to see you say this because this one is very high on my to-read list!! I hope I can get to it soon! 2y
Cuilin Love the review. I ordered this on thrift books last week and was a little doubtful. Feeling better about it now. 2y
Amiable It sounds a lot like “PIllars of the Earth.“ Is it similar in any way? Because I really enjoyed that one, (edited) 2y
See All 8 Comments
Amiable OK, I just saw that this book is $2.99 on Kindle right now. How can I resist that? Purchased, downloaded and stacked! 2y
AmyG I have this in my ebooks. Good to know it‘s worth reading. 2y
Mitch @AmyG it‘s rambling and you have to be prepared to just be inside it all ! It was a good experience! 2y
AmyG Well, I like the time period so….. 🤞🏻 2y
Mitch @Amiable I‘ve not read that - but they do sound similar. 2y
70 likes2 stack adds8 comments
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Mitch
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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Settled into the porch of Ely Cathedral to finish the tagged book! Seemed fitting! #chunksterchallenge

Amiable How wonderful! 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful 😍 2y
SamAnne Gorgeous. 2y
75 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Mitch
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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The very last thing I did before lockdown was take my book to Hampton Court and immerse myself in the Tudor world. I love #readingonlocation. Today I rekindled that passion and took my book to Ely cathedral!

DivineDiana How wonderful! 2y
charl08 Hope it's warmer than I remember it being! 2y
Mitch @charl08 it was -7 this morning! A bit nippy ! 🤣 2y
SamAnne So beautiful! 2y
77 likes4 comments
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Mitch
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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Trying to make progress with my #chunksterchallenge. But the pup isn‘t impressed and would much rather we were running around the fields, chasing random scents and searching out sweet grass!

Amiable That bookmark is still moving, though! 😀 2y
MicrobeMom Awe… Woodford! ♥️♥️ 2y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag That disappointment is really coming through 😅 2y
See All 16 Comments
CBee I would very much like to boop his cute nose 😍 2y
Soubhiville Hi Woodford! 💙 2y
JamieArc My pup could commiserate! 2y
Mitch @Amiable slowly! 2y
Mitch @thegirlwiththelibrarybag I gave in - the pressure was too much! 2y
Mitch @CBee it‘s very boopable! 2y
Mitch @Soubhiville hi Auntie Soubhi - I love my toy. I take it to bed every night I call it Splat! 2y
Soubhiville 🤣 that‘s a great name for it! Just don‘t keep Mum and Dad awake squeaking it all night. 💙 2y
wanderinglynn Such a cute face! How can your resist? ❤️🐶 2y
AmyG That face!!! 2y
Mitch @AmyG he knows how to put his point across convincingly ! 2y
dabbe What a sweet boy! C'mon, let's go play! The book can wait 'til another day! 🤣 BTW, your bookmark is a lot farther than my chunkster! 😀 (edited) 2y
kspenmoll Those imploring eyes! Irresistible! 2y
103 likes16 comments
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Mitch
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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Bookmark choice to match my current read! #chunkster

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Mitch
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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Making good progress of my first #chunksterchallenge of 2023!

Amiable 👍🏼👍🏼 2y
AmyG Whoa. 2y
Meshell1313 Get. 👏🏻 It. 👏🏻🙌 2y
dabbe Okay. That's WAY bigger than War and Peace, isn't it? 😳 Wow! 😊 2y
75 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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perfectlywinged
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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Simply having a Medieval Christmas time. So far this is definitely reminding me of Pillars of the Earth but less plot heavy?

15 likes2 stack adds
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Lynnsoprano
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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Pickpick

Maybe the best historical novel I‘ve read in a long time. A saga that plays out against the the background of the building of a cathedral, but don‘t expect another Pillars of the Earth. Political intrigue, persecution of Jews and heretics, family dynamics, it‘s all fascinating and well written. A definite #chunkster but worth the effort.

60 likes1 stack add
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Lynnsoprano
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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I have been reading but not posting this week, as we relax on our beach vacation. We‘ve been spending mornings on the beach, walking, swimming, and collecting plenty of shells. Afternoons have mostly been lazing around in the condo, reading and enjoying the view. We hit the jackpot: we‘re right next to a nature preserve. I don‘t want to leave!

AllDebooks Beautiful photo, sounds amazing x 2y
58 likes1 comment
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Lynnsoprano
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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Hubby and I stopped at B&N to get books for our vacation next week, since I wanted a physical book for our beach vacation. The tagged book is mine, the other is hubby‘s, although I really want to read it, too.

Mitch Great choice! Happy holidays! 2y
49 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Purpleness
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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Purpleness
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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SamAnne 😂😂 2y
38 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Purpleness
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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#firstlinefridays It‘s a story he likes to tell, how he first came to Hagenburg, how he bought his freedom, how he started as a stonecutter‘s apprentice, working at the Cathedral.

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Twocougs
Cathedral | Ben Hopkins
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Pickpick

Interesting Middle Ages story oh Hagenburg and it‘s cathedral. Intrigue not that unlike modern times. Dragged a little overall a great read.