Status
Disponível
Series
Collection
Publication
Barcelona Debolsillo 2017
Description
Set in 14th century Barcelona, the 80-year construction of the Church of Santa Maria affects the lives of the citizens, those who devoted their lives to building it, and those who were sheltered there.
User reviews
LibraryThing member SilversReviews
SOME SPOILERS.
Proud Spanish families, medieval times, the feudal system, lords, serfs, peasants, submission, the plague, and, of course, beautiful Barcelona....all of this and more are the makeup of Cathedral of the Sea.
Beautiful Barcelona was the salvation and dream of all peasants and
Luckily Bernat's sister lived in Barcelona and was married to a wealthy potter. His sister allowed him to live in their complex....Bernat worked for his brother-in-law but had to live with the peasants and slaves. Arnau was educated along with his cousins and was allowed to live in the mansion.
Bernat and Arnau achieved their year and one day in Barcelona with hardships and heartaches happening in that time frame and then Arnau was forced out of the house because of an incident, became sad because of the incident, and was no longer allowed to live in the mansion and be educated along with his cousins. Arnau has nothing to do during the day but watch his cousins play. One day he meets a tattered young boy with nothing to do either, and they become friends. During their daily searches and playtime, they find the Santa Maria church under construction. They are fascinated with the way the HUGE stones are pulled to the top and put into place. They spend their days at the site providing water to the workers and enjoying their company.
As much fun as they were having and despite the friendships they were making, Arnau's father was still despised by his brother-in-law's NEW wife and so was Arnau. She tried to get them in trouble and forced her serfs to do things that would make Bernat and Arnau look like the guilty party. Misfortune continued to plague Arnau and his father as everyone in Barcelona except the rich and noble were starving because there was no wheat to feed anyone or it was at an unreachable price.
Arnau gets into some trouble of his own, and the heartache continues in beautiful Barcelona....serfs were never respected and blamed for things they didn't even commit. One piece of good fortune does come to Arnau through his friendships with the bastaixos, the workers who carry the giant boulders for the building of the great cathedral, and Father Albert's kindness and feelings for young Arnau.
Arnau becomes favored among his fellow bastaixos and his adopted brother, Joan, studies for the priesthood. Arnau becomes enamored by a girl whose father won't let him marry her and then marries another since his brother said he won't go into the priesthood until Arnau is married and has someone to take care of him. Arnau can't refuse his brother or let him not become a priest so he marries someone he really doesn't love. His wife, Maria, was so kind, affectionate, loving, and trusting and Arnau was not being faithful. He got tired of being unfaithful to his wife since she was such a good person and decided the only way to get away from his mistress was to join the army. His wife was accepting, but his mistress was not.
Adventures continue for Arnau...good and bad adventures that include his mistress.
When the war was over, Arnau came back home to his wife but happiness still avoided him...the plague had arrived in Barcelona. The Jewish people were blamed for the plague...the citizens of Barcelona were killing the Jewish children and adults...Arnau came between three small children and a citizen who was going to kill them. Arnau was hurt while defending the children, but it turned out to be the best thing that happened to him. The Jewish family nursed Arnau back to health and became very fond of Arnau. To repay Arnau for saving his children, the children's father helped Arnau become a money changer.
Another Jewish child had no parents and Arnau was asked to adopt her. Mar lived with Arnau and was educated and very happy. Mar was devastated when the King demanded that Arnau marry his ward, Eleanor, for repayment of saving Barcelona from another invasion. He didn't want to get married, but couldn't refuse the King so he married. As you can imagine, it wasn't a happy union...in fact, they rarely talked to each other or slept together. Eleanor got tired of waiting to consummate their marriage not because she loved Arnau, but because she was worried what would happen to Arnau's fortune if he died. She didn't want Mar to receive all the riches, and that could be done because under the law at that time, if a marriage was not consummated, then the wife had no right to anything. Because of this concern, Joan and Eleanor devised an unthinkable plan for Mar.
Everything went downhill for Arnau after the incident with Mar...friends betrayed him, the de Belleras came back for revenge along with others, and his business was in jeopardy, but his beloved church was progressing and his Virgin of the Sea was still there for him.
The book was a little slow at first, but the history of Barcelona, the building of the church, and the way people lived and were ruled was fascinating. It also makes one glad to not be living during that era.
It is a long book, but it gets better so don't give up. I enjoyed the history lesson and, of course, the descriptions of ancient Barcelona...what a beautiful, historical city then and now. 5/5
Proud Spanish families, medieval times, the feudal system, lords, serfs, peasants, submission, the plague, and, of course, beautiful Barcelona....all of this and more are the makeup of Cathedral of the Sea.
Beautiful Barcelona was the salvation and dream of all peasants and
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serfs...it promised freedom if you lived there for one year and a day. Bernat Estanyols and his infant son Arnau fled to Barcelona to obtain their freedom after they lost everything to the Llorence de Bellera, lord of Navarcles. Llorence was a brutal, greedy man. Luckily Bernat's sister lived in Barcelona and was married to a wealthy potter. His sister allowed him to live in their complex....Bernat worked for his brother-in-law but had to live with the peasants and slaves. Arnau was educated along with his cousins and was allowed to live in the mansion.
Bernat and Arnau achieved their year and one day in Barcelona with hardships and heartaches happening in that time frame and then Arnau was forced out of the house because of an incident, became sad because of the incident, and was no longer allowed to live in the mansion and be educated along with his cousins. Arnau has nothing to do during the day but watch his cousins play. One day he meets a tattered young boy with nothing to do either, and they become friends. During their daily searches and playtime, they find the Santa Maria church under construction. They are fascinated with the way the HUGE stones are pulled to the top and put into place. They spend their days at the site providing water to the workers and enjoying their company.
As much fun as they were having and despite the friendships they were making, Arnau's father was still despised by his brother-in-law's NEW wife and so was Arnau. She tried to get them in trouble and forced her serfs to do things that would make Bernat and Arnau look like the guilty party. Misfortune continued to plague Arnau and his father as everyone in Barcelona except the rich and noble were starving because there was no wheat to feed anyone or it was at an unreachable price.
Arnau gets into some trouble of his own, and the heartache continues in beautiful Barcelona....serfs were never respected and blamed for things they didn't even commit. One piece of good fortune does come to Arnau through his friendships with the bastaixos, the workers who carry the giant boulders for the building of the great cathedral, and Father Albert's kindness and feelings for young Arnau.
Arnau becomes favored among his fellow bastaixos and his adopted brother, Joan, studies for the priesthood. Arnau becomes enamored by a girl whose father won't let him marry her and then marries another since his brother said he won't go into the priesthood until Arnau is married and has someone to take care of him. Arnau can't refuse his brother or let him not become a priest so he marries someone he really doesn't love. His wife, Maria, was so kind, affectionate, loving, and trusting and Arnau was not being faithful. He got tired of being unfaithful to his wife since she was such a good person and decided the only way to get away from his mistress was to join the army. His wife was accepting, but his mistress was not.
Adventures continue for Arnau...good and bad adventures that include his mistress.
When the war was over, Arnau came back home to his wife but happiness still avoided him...the plague had arrived in Barcelona. The Jewish people were blamed for the plague...the citizens of Barcelona were killing the Jewish children and adults...Arnau came between three small children and a citizen who was going to kill them. Arnau was hurt while defending the children, but it turned out to be the best thing that happened to him. The Jewish family nursed Arnau back to health and became very fond of Arnau. To repay Arnau for saving his children, the children's father helped Arnau become a money changer.
Another Jewish child had no parents and Arnau was asked to adopt her. Mar lived with Arnau and was educated and very happy. Mar was devastated when the King demanded that Arnau marry his ward, Eleanor, for repayment of saving Barcelona from another invasion. He didn't want to get married, but couldn't refuse the King so he married. As you can imagine, it wasn't a happy union...in fact, they rarely talked to each other or slept together. Eleanor got tired of waiting to consummate their marriage not because she loved Arnau, but because she was worried what would happen to Arnau's fortune if he died. She didn't want Mar to receive all the riches, and that could be done because under the law at that time, if a marriage was not consummated, then the wife had no right to anything. Because of this concern, Joan and Eleanor devised an unthinkable plan for Mar.
Everything went downhill for Arnau after the incident with Mar...friends betrayed him, the de Belleras came back for revenge along with others, and his business was in jeopardy, but his beloved church was progressing and his Virgin of the Sea was still there for him.
The book was a little slow at first, but the history of Barcelona, the building of the church, and the way people lived and were ruled was fascinating. It also makes one glad to not be living during that era.
It is a long book, but it gets better so don't give up. I enjoyed the history lesson and, of course, the descriptions of ancient Barcelona...what a beautiful, historical city then and now. 5/5
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LibraryThing member YossarianXeno
Set in Barcelona during the 14th Century, this book traces the life of Arnau Estanyol, born a serf in a rural village. His father flees to Barcelona to avoid a murder charge, taking his young son with him. The book then proceeds to chart Arnau's rise to wealth, his fall and his resurgence. It is a
Comparisons to Pillars of the Earth are inevitable, and so some extent justified, particularly given the Cathedral in this novel's title. However, the construction of the Cathedral in this book really is no more that a backdrop, unlike Ken Follet's work. Just occasionally, I found the writing style a little simplistic; but that may be more to do with the translation than the author's original prose. It is also a very minor fault; if you are interested in medieval history, this is well worth reading.
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compelling story, littered with well-researched detail about life, politics, class, religion and trade in the 14th century. The changes in Arnau's fortunes may sometimes seems a little unrealistic; but that argument can be reasonably counterbalanced with the fact that history has many examples of people from humble origins achieving prominence. Comparisons to Pillars of the Earth are inevitable, and so some extent justified, particularly given the Cathedral in this novel's title. However, the construction of the Cathedral in this book really is no more that a backdrop, unlike Ken Follet's work. Just occasionally, I found the writing style a little simplistic; but that may be more to do with the translation than the author's original prose. It is also a very minor fault; if you are interested in medieval history, this is well worth reading.
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LibraryThing member chrisleeclark
Hard to put down. It reminded me of the early Spanish picaresque tradition where low life characters struggle to make it in a society dominated by the inflexible code of honour, the bullying power of the Inquisition, vicious anti-Semitism and an unjust feudal system under threat from emerging
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industry, finance and trade, which in turn are shown to have their own idiosyncratic rules, codes and uncertainties. Women suffer terribly in this story though they exert a powerful influence (as do the slave characters) on events and there is even a suggestion that in and around Barcelona in the late Middle Ages some attempt at a more equitable deal for both sexes was being considered. There's also a thwarted invasion, an outbreak of the plague, a famine and a gem of a church to build. Show Less
LibraryThing member hennis
Great and sometimes brutal story, and interesting historical facts. On the other hand, the writing sometimes was pretty commonplace and puerile.
LibraryThing member KarenHerndon
I was disappointed in this story - it had been written up as " another Follett" and unless something very large was lost in the translation , this author is no Follett in my opinion. Never the less, although I found myself bored during te first part of the book, it seemed to pick up later on and
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keep my interest whereas earlier I was thinking about not finishing it. So, what does that say? Show Less
LibraryThing member thejohnsmith
This was an easy to read historical novel set in 14th Century Barcelona and telling the life story of Arnau Estanyol. I enjoyed the characters and the twists and turns of the plot. It reminded me of the style of Rameses (Christian Jaques) - not literary fiction but a good read nevertheless.
LibraryThing member gregandlarry
Story of a family living in Barcelona during the building of thee church Santa Maria del Mar in medieval times.
Gives an idea of what life might have been like back then. The horrors of war, plague and the Inquisition. Life of pesants, serfs, free citizens of Barcelona and the lords. Covers a lot of
Well written and engaging.
Gives an idea of what life might have been like back then. The horrors of war, plague and the Inquisition. Life of pesants, serfs, free citizens of Barcelona and the lords. Covers a lot of
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historical events.Well written and engaging.
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LibraryThing member shawnd
This deservedly award-winning book is an epic life story of one Arnau Estanyol, born a serf in 14th-century Spain. Right from the start, the story has twists and turns of poverty, romance, intrigue, deceit, comraderie, politics--all set in the culturally unique setting of Middle Ages Spain. While
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the book is educational, it is not overly didactic, and only bogs down occasionally in explaining the architecture and construction of the cathedral--the physical linchpin that the story revolves around. The writing is charged and draws the reader into having reactions to the feudal laws, religious authorities and realities, and is solid while not inspired--the story is the strong point here. Show Less
LibraryThing member slatta
I started listening to this book because it was phenomenally successful in Europe and it has been compared with Kent Follett's Pillars of the Earth, which I loved. Maybe it was just the English translation, but I found the writing style so awful I just couldn't finish it. A pity; the subject matter
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seemed really interesting. Show Less
LibraryThing member maunder
If you liked Pillars of the Earth, you will like Cathedral of the Sea. It describes the vicissitudes of a peasant/freeman/tradesman in 12th century Barcelona. The book (like Pillars of the Earth) is fairly long however it is not a hard read. I must confess that I finished it, enjoyed it, but
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thought it was 12th century soap opera. Show Less
LibraryThing member kakadoo202
it was so much fun to dive into the old Spain with their laws and traditions. It was like diving intoa different world. interesting characters, pageturner. very easy to read for a historical fiction.
LibraryThing member flydodofly
With all the elements that make a gripping historical novel: larger-than-life characters, emotions and the times. The book is well-researched and based on true events, and although it does not belong to finer examples of fiction, it was great to dive into and learn about the 14th century Barcelona.
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Even though they are known as the times of prosperity (for some), those were very hard times, and the terrible laws and habits people had, the beliefs they accepted or protected, especially in regard to women, ar woven into almost realistic stories that serve as terrible examples. The stories from this true pageturner are sure to reemerge when I go to visit the city, which I am planning to do soon. Being familiar with some of its past will surely help me see things better, or at least differently. Show Less
LibraryThing member Shahge
Simple, but good read. Not very illuminating or stimulating.
LibraryThing member nicole_a_davis
An interesting story and a good immersion into life in medieval Barcelona, but I didn't come away feeling like I had gotten much out of it. It was such a long story but the whole thing was just a simple straightforward narrative with not a lot of deeper thought.
LibraryThing member Maikall
UK
One of the most, eventually the most unexpected book I ever read. The history of a intense life, an amazing storyline, which gives you a good perception about the medieval Barcelona.
Really, really good..., in my humble opinion... you should not miss this history.
PT
Um dos livros, senão o livro
One of the most, eventually the most unexpected book I ever read. The history of a intense life, an amazing storyline, which gives you a good perception about the medieval Barcelona.
Really, really good..., in my humble opinion... you should not miss this history.
PT
Um dos livros, senão o livro
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mais inesperado, completo que já li. A história de uma vida intensa, bem escrito, enredo impressionante, dá uma percepção do que foi a Barcelona da época medieval. Show Less
LibraryThing member MargaretdeBuhr
Historical Fiction based on the bulding of a Barcalona Cathedral - the men that built it but mainly one man's life. I enjoyed the entire 600 page story - couldn't putit down. Wish I could have visited the cathedral as I read it because it truly made you appreciate the labor and that it was complete
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in 50 years. Show Less
LibraryThing member kwkslvr
Fascinating, if horrifying, story. All those nice people doing re-enactments and faires might want to reconsider what the world back then was really like... if interested, this would be an enlightening read.
LibraryThing member otterley
I think this is really a Catalan Ken Follett. Very readable, very black and white, interesting historical detail.
LibraryThing member jpe9
This is taking me a while. It reminds me a lot of Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth. A medieval potboiler that draws an entertaining picture of Barcelona in the the 14th century.
LibraryThing member Anaveliz3
First novel of Ildefonso Falcones, it tells the story and adventures of a servant during the Medium Age. His life will involve a lot of turning points during the story.
LibraryThing member Pmaurer
Engrossing tale of two childhood friends, during the time of the inquisition. One, outrunning his hidden family history, grows from being a dockworker to one of the richest men in town. The other, an orphan, becomes an adopted brother, eventually becoming a priest. The two lives are intertwined,
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along with the building of the cathedral. The book covers a long period of time, but held my interest throughout. Show Less
LibraryThing member Lschwarzman
Fabulous story! I couldn't put it down.
LibraryThing member DinadansFriend
A considerable work, about the rise of a late Medieval commercial adventurer based in Barcelona. It is quite a compelling read, and well researched.
LibraryThing member FremdeB
excellent!
LibraryThing member catzkc
This is so lame. droit du seigneur (the lord's right) starting right off the bat on page 11 - really?! While I'm certainly not a historian, the most basic research will tell you there is no evidence in Europe that this was really practiced as it is portrayed here (if you have a source that says
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otherwise, please let me know). Thank you Ildefonso, from saving me from wading thru 600 pages. Show Less
Language
Original publication date
2006
Media reviews
¿Ildefonso Falcones o Ken Follett?
Falcones intentó una hazaña colosal con su primer libro, en el que empleó más de dos años, dar forma a un libro épico, pero todavía no estaba preparado para hacerlo. Follett dedicó más de una década a construir el suyo, tal vez por eso Ken formó “los
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pilares de la tierra”, un libro que nos sobrevivirá a todos e Ildefonso ideó la basílica de Santa María del Mar, un edificio tosco, repleto de ilusión y fe, pero con poca gracia y hermosura. El libro de Follett traspasó los conceptos localistas y creo una historia universal, donde lo de menos es el telón de fondo, pero Falcones construyó un mundo imaginado, una Barcelona que nunca ideal, el paraíso de pecheros y campesinos apaleados que se refugiaron en sus murallas para respirar la fresca brisa del mar Mediterráneo, pero se olvidó que aquella isla de luz y color nunca existió, que el burgo de Barcelona era uno más en el Reino de Aragón y sus hijos parte de un condado perdido en la periferia de la Cristiandad. Show Less