La catedral del mar. (The Cathedral of the Sea)

By staff -- Críticas, 11/15/2006

Lawyer-turned-writer Falcones’s debut takes place in 14th century Barcelona during the construction of the Santa María del Mar (“Saint Mary of the Sea”) Cathedral. Born a servant, Arnau Estanyol becomes a bastaix—one of the slaves who carried the stones brought by sea to the site of the cathedral—and struggles with the humiliation of being poor. After establishing an important business venture, he acquires wealth, fame, and the king’s approval to marry his protégée Elianor. But what initially seems to be a passage into nobility turns out to be a huge betrayal. The novel’s historical background is superb and the descriptions are precise. Unfortunately, the historical elements outweigh character and plot development. Nonetheless, this is a well-written and complex work. Recommended to libraries with interests in historical novels, as well as new-Spanish writing.—Camilo Hoyos, Barcelona