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The Spire (Paperback)

by William Golding (Author) "He was laughing, chin up, and shaking his head ..." (more)
4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
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Product details

  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Faber and Faber; New edition edition (7 April 2005)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0571225462
  • ISBN-13: 978-0571225460
  • Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.6 x 2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 65,105 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #8 in  Books > Fiction > 20th Century Classics > Golding, William

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Product Description

Product Description
Dean Jocelin has a vision: that God has chosen him to erect a great spire on his cathedral. His mason anxiously advises against it, for the old cathedral was built without foundations. Nevertheless, the spire rises octagon upon octagon, pinnacle by pinnacle, until the stone pillars shriek and the ground beneath it swims. Its shadow falls ever darker on the world below, and on Dean Jocelin in particular.
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He was laughing, chin up, and shaking his head. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews
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4 star:
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3 star:
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2 star:
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Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars This is truly the most outstanding book I have ever read., 16 Mar 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: The Spire (Paperback)
Golding achieves something masterful with The Spire. That a book of such incredible complexity can be made so simple is testament to his skill.
It tells the tale of Jocelin, a Mediaeval priest who believes God has asked him to add a spire to the cathedral of which he is dean. This is the only plot line, but as the narrative progresses we see how such a simple beginnings can have such terrible and far-reaching consequences. Golding uses narrative techniques in an incredibly unique way, creating drama and tension, and promoting in the reader a whole range of emotional responses. Please read this book.
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18 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A deep but enjoyable novel from a fantastic author, 8 April 2006
By Philip Murray (Consett, County Durham United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I must first point out by saying that I am currently studying this text as part of my A-level in English literature, therefore I have read into this text in a much greater level of detail than a recreational reader may be inclined to do so. That said, the ambiguous nature of this novel is not for fans of lighter literature and I would expect that the vast majority of those who are purchasing this book read to a standard which equals, even surpassing, the level at which A-level students read to.

On one level, The Spire is about the building of a spire upon a cathedral, widely believed to be Salisbury Cathedral, the foundations of which are lacking. The text explores the resilience of weak foundations; holding a spire which scientifically it is judged impossible for them to do.

The novel is used to explore a prominent issue in Golding's life; faith versus fact. We as a reader are never told whether or not the spire does eventually fall, allowing us to reach our on conclusion on which of the above two are the most trustworthy.

It may also be possible that Golding uses this novel to explore the lack of faith in the Catholic Church. Jocelin, the dean of the cathedral in which The Spire is set, seems to be a very hypocritical man with vast contrasts between his actions and the dogma of the Christian faith. He is arrogant and deluded and is driven by an almost orgasm-chasing force towards the building of the spire. Eventually, due to the neglecting of his faith, he is driven both physically and mentally ill and eventually dies.

The novel explores many other themes; feminism, sexuality, fertility, paganism and delusion to name a few. Beautifully written, the complicated co-ordination of syntax and the overuse of poetic ambiguities may be a shock to readers of Golding's other works, primarily Lord of The Flies, thus rendering it quite inaccessible to more leisurely readers.

The exploration of relevant social themes and the amazing literary construction of this book make it a joy to read. The choice in reaching one's own decisions about the significance of the text is seldom granted in literature, but by allowing us this choice, Golding permits the novel to be thought provoking yet incredibly enjoyable.

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8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Time to enter a different world., 26 Dec 2006
This review is from: York Notes on "The Spire" (York Notes Advanced) (Paperback)
I have taught this novel many times at 'A' level and this is the first time I have found a study guide that is really accessible to students. For an adult there are a number of established critical texts to use - all deep and complex, referring to other Golding novels students don't yet know or may not have time to read.

This guide is different. It explains clearly many of the main symbols used by Golding, identifies many of the key themes and serves as a solid starting off point for 'A' level students. On its own it won't get you to an A grade, but it will certainly point you firmly in the right direction.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Crazed and paranoid.
I absolutely loved this book. I read Pincher martin which while not so great was stylistically interesting; the spire is wonderful! Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mr. Oliver Hickman

3.0 out of 5 stars I'll get there in the end
I bought this book for my summer holiday last year, and might even have to take it on this year's holiday, if I have one, because I no where near finished it. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Lou Knee

4.0 out of 5 stars A Quiet Classic
'The Spire' is far from famous, and is far from being Golding's greatest novel. But being perhaps the least accomplished novel of a genius is hardly a bad position to be in. Read more
Published 23 months ago by A. Kingston-Splatt

2.0 out of 5 stars 200 odd pages of confused dirge
The other reviews on here make about as much sense as the book itself. On the surface, its a really good idea for a novel - medieval priest with glorified visions for his... Read more
Published on 14 Dec 2005 by Mr. D. A. Cure

5.0 out of 5 stars Writing in pictures
This book has, in my opinion, a surreal quality. I can't speak about it in the artistic terms used by some of your other reviewers. Read more
Published on 3 Dec 2004 by Colin Wright

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful resolution of fundamental paradoxes
William Golding's achievement in this book is stunning: the resolution (or acceptance) of two paradoxical problems which have been at the heart of literature for millenia. Read more
Published on 31 May 2003 by Christopher Kassam

4.0 out of 5 stars Golding at his near best.
The Spire is another classic from William Golding, loosely in the "Lord of the Flies" mould. Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2001

3.0 out of 5 stars consumed by a vision the grip of a religious mania
Dean Jocelin of the Cathedral Church of the Virgin Mary has set himself and Roger Mason's building crew an impossible task : to add a 400 foot stone spire to the Cathedral,... Read more
Published on 8 Dec 2000 by Orrin C. Judd

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