A review by katherinechase
The Black Cathedral by Marcial Gala

2.0

The vibrancy and fluidity of the writing does not make the novel worth two stars, rather, the lack of purpose among the characters garners the low rating. I found when I finished the book—which, coincidentally, contains addicting prose—I felt unable to tell others what the book was about. Not the plot or the storyline, but the purpose and meaning and broader trope of the novel itself. Does anyone learn their lesson, so to speak? What does the cathedral represent? Perhaps the translation makes the work less impactful, but I found the importance of the cathedral lacking and the characters bland and identical.