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Ildefonso Falcones
- Julianne Douglas
- Avid Reader
- Posts: 429
- Joined: August 2008
- Location: Northern California
Ildefonso Falcones
Has anyone read Falcones's Cathedral of the Sea, translated from the Spanish last spring? It's set in 14th century Barcelona. My agent brought it up and I was wondering if any of you had read it and what you thought.
- diamondlil
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 2642
- Joined: August 2008
I haven't read this myself, but I know some people who have read it and loved it! I am hoping that my library will get it in, but it hasn't happened yet.
My Blog - Reading Adventures
All things Historical Fiction - Historical Tapestry
There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
Edith Wharton
All things Historical Fiction - Historical Tapestry
There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
Edith Wharton
- Vanessa
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 4237
- Joined: August 2008
- Currently reading: The Farm at the Edge of the World by Sarah Vaughan
- Interest in HF: The first historical novel I read was Katherine by Anya Seton and this sparked off my interest in this genre.
- Favourite HF book: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell!
- Preferred HF: Any
- Location: North Yorkshire, UK
It's on my TBR pile. I know a couple of people who have read and enjoyed it.
currently reading: My Books on Goodreads
Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind
Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind
- Margaret
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 2440
- Joined: August 2008
- Interest in HF: I can't answer this in 100 characters. Sorry.
- Favourite HF book: Checkmate, the final novel in the Lymond series
- Preferred HF: Literary novels. Late medieval and Renaissance.
- Location: Catskill, New York, USA
- Contact:
I haven't read it, but I've heard very good things about it. It's on my mental TBR list somewhere - so many books, so little time!
Browse over 5000 historical novel listings (probably well over 5000 by now, but I haven't re-counted lately) and over 700 reviews at www.HistoricalNovels.info
Also on my TBR, and may Spain become the next hot HF area.

Bodo the Apostate, a novel set during the reign of Louis the Pious and end of the Carolingian Empire.
http://www.donaldmichaelplatt.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXZthhY6 ... annel_page
- Julianne Douglas
- Avid Reader
- Posts: 429
- Joined: August 2008
- Location: Northern California
It's hard not to compare this to Pillars of the Earth. But they are also quite different even when they have a similarity. Less than POTE, it still tends to veer a bit towards the soap opera in a historical setting as opposed to outright historical fiction at weird times. But the advantage this has is being based on an actual place and people and circumstances. So it stays more firmly in the historical fiction arena. Much more firmly.
I liked the book but then again when I first read POTE, I liked that as well. But in a "in spite of its serious flaws" way of it simpyl being a fast paced entertaining book that was cheesy as all get out but tolerable in the way that some summer movies that go BOOM can satisify.
COTS is rather more serious in terms of historical fact, the author delving into particular records as opposed to willy-nilly slap and dab of general historical fact and neverminding whether such fits in that particular spot.
I liked the book but then again when I first read POTE, I liked that as well. But in a "in spite of its serious flaws" way of it simpyl being a fast paced entertaining book that was cheesy as all get out but tolerable in the way that some summer movies that go BOOM can satisify.
COTS is rather more serious in terms of historical fact, the author delving into particular records as opposed to willy-nilly slap and dab of general historical fact and neverminding whether such fits in that particular spot.
- Julianne Douglas
- Avid Reader
- Posts: 429
- Joined: August 2008
- Location: Northern California
Thanks, gyrehead, I've read POTE too, and, like you, liked it as a story despite its historical flaws. I'm hoping COTS will be as enjoyable but meatier. I've read the excerpt on Amazon, and the verdict is still out. Have to wait for my interlibrary loan request to come in. [tapping fingers impatiently]
- JaneConsumer
- Reader
- Posts: 125
- Joined: August 2008
- Location: U.S.
- Contact:
I just finished Cathedral of the Sea. I quite enjoyed it. I find it more comparable to The Religion by Tim Willocks, which I also liked.
It centers around the Catalan Inquisition. But you really don't get to that point until about 250-300 pages in. The author gives you a real introduction to serfdom first in a compelling way.
I also like the fact that he ends with an essay on the inquisition, which includes facts about some of the real historical figures in the novel.
It centers around the Catalan Inquisition. But you really don't get to that point until about 250-300 pages in. The author gives you a real introduction to serfdom first in a compelling way.
I also like the fact that he ends with an essay on the inquisition, which includes facts about some of the real historical figures in the novel.
- boswellbaxter
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 3066
- Joined: August 2008
- Location: North Carolina
- Contact:
[quote=""JaneConsumer""]I just finished Cathedral of the Sea. I quite enjoyed it. I find it more comparable to The Religion by Tim Willocks, which I also liked.
It centers around the Catalan Inquisition. But you really don't get to that point until about 250-300 pages in. The author gives you a real introduction to serfdom first in a compelling way.
I also like the fact that he ends with an essay on the inquisition, which includes facts about some of the real historical figures in the novel.[/quote]
Hi, Jane! Glad to have you back!
It centers around the Catalan Inquisition. But you really don't get to that point until about 250-300 pages in. The author gives you a real introduction to serfdom first in a compelling way.
I also like the fact that he ends with an essay on the inquisition, which includes facts about some of the real historical figures in the novel.[/quote]
Hi, Jane! Glad to have you back!
Susan Higginbotham
Coming in October: The Woodvilles
http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/
http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/
Coming in October: The Woodvilles
http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/
http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/