Cathedral of the Sea

By: Ildefonso Falcones

Narrated by: Paul Michael

Length: 22 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

At last: The international best seller - which has already sold nearly 2 million copies worldwide - comes to America!

Cathedral of the Sea follows the fortunes of the Estanyol family, from their peasant roots to a son, Arnau, who flees the land only to realize spectacular wealth and devastating problems. During Arnau's lifetime Barcelona becomes a city of light and darkness, dominated by the construction of the city's great pride - the cathedral of Santa Maria del Mar - and by its shame, the deadly Inquisition. As a young man, Arnau joins the powerful guild of stone-workers and helps to build the church with his own hands, while his best friend and adopted brother Joan studies to become a priest. When Arnau, who secretly loves a forbidden Jewish woman named Mar, is betrayed and hauled before the Inquisitor, he finds himself faceto-face with his own brother. Will he lose his life just as his beloved Cathedral of the Sea is finally completed?

©2008 Ildefonso Falcones (P)2008 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“The passion and heartache, as well as the grit and grime, of medieval Spain come alive.... This epic novel...twists and turns through war, women and the Spanish Inquisition...[A] saga filled with colorful characters...[A] fantastic 14th-century fresco.” (USA Today)

“[It’s] soap opera on a grand scale, made believable and enthralling by the inclusion of the commonplace brutalities and small compassions of life in medieval Barcelona. Watching Arnau’s rise from literal rags to riches is frequently like watching a series of train wrecks; you’re horrified but can’t look away...[The] plot...is so beautifully structured that the last sixty pages detonate like a string of firecrackers...[The] prose is powerful...Falcones has an eye for the singular, telling detail, and…his characters are...believable...[A] riveting story.” (The Washington Post)

"[An] absorbing epic...Falcones’s rich portrait of medieval society is fascinating.” (Publishers Weekly)

Highly recommended

A story that goes through a few generations and one cathedral. Two whom ever enjoy history fiction.

Sad it's over

Wonderful story read by a great narrator. I couldn't have asked for more. Definitely worth a listen.

a rich tale

Not only a good story but a lot to learn of Spain, the Inquisition, and trade in the 14th century. The narrator is excellent.

Worth Reading

It has been awhile since I have thoroughly enjoyed a book the way I enjoyed this one.

The story follows the life of Arnau Estanyol who is brought to Barcelona as an infant by his father, a runaway serf. As a young boy, Arnau goes in search of the Virgin Mother and finds her at the Cathedral Santa Maria de la Mar. The Cathedral looms largely in the center of his life, first as a boy seeking solace, then as a labourer carrying huge blocks of stone on his back for her construction. As the course of events during the 14th century forged Arnau's path, the Cathedral was at the center.

The story is about love and betrayal. It's also about injustice and greed with power shifting back and forth as the plots are weaved into a tapestry.

This audiobook was narrated by Paul Michael who brought each character to life with his mastery of accents. He is rapidly becoming my favorite narrator.

OK, but Ken Follett is Better

This book is well read and an interesting tale for those who enjoy historical fiction. HOwever, it is a bit plodding and feels like a Pillars of the Earth wanna-be. If you really liked Follett's cathedral books, you will enjoy this, but don't expect this to equal Follett's creativity.

Amazing story with many surprises!

It is very well written and engaging story. I only regret that the recording has some issues which at times may be disturbing.

Best book I've ever read, gripping performance

The tale of two generations of Catalan peasants born into serfdom, but eventually able to rise to freedom and claim justice against their former masters. The title refers to "the people's church" of Barcelona, built with the labor and patronage of the citizens rather than the aristocracy, a unique testament to the coming age of urbanism in Europe which ultimately led to Western democracy.

Count of monte cristo meets gone with the wind

A coming of age story set in 14th century Barcelona. It was an immersive experience reading through Arnou’s life journey as he witnesses the history on Catalonia and the buildings of great land marks. Great story, interesting history, and very satisfying.

Can't Believe All the Positive Reviews

What disappointed you about Cathedral of the Sea?

The story is just very poorly written, and full of stock characters. Even that would be acceptable if the writer had something to say, but there's just nothing here. I gave up on the hard copy version when the first chapter included a completely ridiculous "First Night" scene. It doesn't get much better from there. The storytelling is sloppy throughout: one scene that sticks out features characters talking about where they had just been with each other. I understand awkward exposition like that in a play or a film with no budget, but here it's just an excuse to provide detailed information about Barcelona through stilted dialogue.

Has Cathedral of the Sea turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, I still enjoy the genre, and at least I laughed at some of the more absurd parts of this book.

What character would you cut from Cathedral of the Sea?

All of them.

Painful

Predictable, dry, very limited character development. There's a decent story buried in this book, but the narrative is so dull and the characters so underdeveloped that after 1/3 of the way through I simply can't bear to read another word. I'm moving on.