Cathedral of the Sea
“Cathedral of the Sea is a historical novel by Spanish author Ildefonso Falcones. Set in 14th-century Barcelona, it follows the journey of a young man who rises from hardship to become part of the influential guild of stoneworkers. Against the backdrop of the construction of the cathedral Santa Maria del Mar, the novel explores themes of friendship, revenge, plague, hope, love, war, and the Inquisition. “ - Rikke
Arnau Estanyol arrives in Barcelona to find a city 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 stoneworkers and helps to build the church with his own hands, while his best friend and adopted brother Joanet studies to become a priest.
With time, Arnau prospers and falls secretly in love with a forbidden woman. But when he is betrayed and hauled before the Inquisitor, he finds himself face-to-face with Joanet. Will he lose his life just as his beloved Cathedral of the Sea is finally completed, or will his brother save him?
