Perspective

The non-fiction book is written from the perspective of some decades or even centuries after the events described. It is presented in a typical journalistic third-person point of view, and the entire book is notably devoid of fictive elements such as characterization or plot—a few individuals are noted by name, though they are not supplied with much biographical data; there is no plotting beyond the construction of the cathedral and the events surrounding it. Instead, the book is tightly and successfully focused on the construction of a single fictional cathedral that is representative of a class of buildings constructed during a given historic period. The book presents the processes and techniques used during the construction in an accurate and understandable way. The book presents a strong mix of text and illustrations that are easy to interpret—both text and pictures focus on similar topics on...