  A Quiet Classic, 2007-08-09
'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. 'The Spire' is an homage to man's quest for truth and knowledge and spiritual understanding. It is a novel which should rightly be considered a modern classic.
200 odd pages of confused dirge, 2005-12-14
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 cathedral. However, the writing is confused and poor, and the text is the most boring Ive ever read. Its about as gripping as an episode of the X Factor, and by the end I couldnt care whether it fell down or not (which I stil dont know to this day as the explanation was as clear as mud). Avoid this like the plague (which incidently, would have been a better subject)
A deep but enjoyable novel from a fantastic author, 2006-04-08
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.
Time to enter a different world., 2006-12-26
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.
I'll get there in the end, 2007-08-26
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. It's not that it's hard to read, I found it very easy to read, as it's no more than a simple account of one man's project to give a cathedral a great spire, and encounters all the usual problems. Of course it's a psychological journey as well, and this is the sort of stuff I like, Golding has a fantastic reputation, and I sort of built myself up for it. Of course that's often a silly thing to do, with books by authors you don't usually read - the only other Golding book I'd read was the Flies a long time ago at school. But this one they say is different from his others anyway.
I shall get back to it one day soon, but that's the real problem with this novel in my eyes - It just didn't inspire me to finish it. I do not have Jocelyn's obsessive drive to push me. You cannot blame Golding for this at all, as this story has to be written the way it is. If I'd wanted more action and more tension I of course would have chosen a more typical holiday read. My error really. I still want to get into it and I still have a feeling it's going to be rewarding, so I'll need a holiday at home perhaps, some dark place to help set the tone for it. It really isn't a beach read at all, this one, silly me.
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