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“Ben Hopkins’s novel has the look of an old-fashioned doorstop of a saga. But when you immerse yourself in the shifting perspectives of Cathedral, what you also discover is a clever (even postmodern?) commentary on the ironies of history.”

— The New York Times Book Review, Apr 20 2021

“As the edifice rises and decades pass, Hopkins weaves together a multitude of voices to examine the relationship between medieval worship and the era’s politics and economics. The resulting epic is both sweeping and human.”

— The New Yorker, Mar 1 2021

“Hopkins admits to having enjoyed writing Cathedral immensely, and this is evident in the compassion, humour, pathos and sheer vivacity of a novel which signals the arrival of a bright new talent on the historical fiction stage.”

— The Historical Novel Society, Jan 29 2021

★ “An expansive fictional epic addressing themes of art, religion and power in the mode of Ken Follett or Umberto Eco [ . . . ] Hopkins’s compelling and descriptive tale will leave readers eager for more.”

— Shelf Awareness (Starred Review), Jan 27 2021

“The design and construction of a lofty Medieval cathedral over the course of a century brings together a vast array of characters in a tale of ambition, obsession, desire, vanity and power.”

— USA Today, Jan 23 2021

“Superbly crafted, visually and emotionally vibrant, filled with strong, relatable characters, and so engaging that, even at over six hundred pages, I was sorry when it came to an end.”

— ForeWord Reviews, Jan 21 2021

“Cathedral is an ambitious epic [ . . . ] A rich, occasionally bewildering array of characters peoples its pages [ . . . ] Their stories interweave to create a memorable tapestry of politics, religion and conflicting human desires.”

— The Sunday Times, Jan 15 2021

“Hopkins’s debut is the superior [to Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth]. Beautifully written and profoundly insightful about its very human characters and their yearning for both God and Mammon.”

— The Times (UK), Best Books of the Month, Jan 13 2021

★ “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), Jan 8 2021

★ “Ambitious and satisfying [ . . . ] This sweeping work is as impressive as the cathedral at its center.”

— Publishers Weekly (Starred Review), Nov 23 2020

“To a dedicated historical fiction reader, [Cathedral is] heaven [ . . . ] It is a rich tapestry with a satisfying substance full of historical detail, personal insight, individual tragedy and triumph.”

— Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association, Nov 2 2020

“This first novel by screenwriter Hopkins imagines a paean to the glory of God arising from the unholy muck of the Middle Ages.”

— Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review), May 18 2020