Europa lands Ben Hopkins debut

Europa Editions will publish Cathedral by screenwriter and debut author Ben Hopkins next year. 

Michael Reynolds at Europa Editions US and Daniela Petracco and Europa Editions UK bought world rights from Lucy Luck of C&W. 

"A gothic masterpiece set in 13th-century Germany, Cathedral follows the fortunes of a cast of characters drawn from many walks of life," reads the synopsis. "As the burgeoning town of Hagenburg grows in trade and wealth, these characters’ fates are caught up in shifting political conflicts as different factions vie for supremacy in the region. With its broad sweep at over 600 pages, Cathedral is a story of ambition, political and institutional intrigue, and provides a portrait of early modern mercantile capitalism.

Hopkins is a screenwriter, film-maker and novelist. Born in Hong Kong, grown in North London, educated at Oxford and the Royal College of Art. He has lived in London and Istanbul and now lives in Berlin and speaks English, German, Italian, Turkish and French. His films include features and shorts, fiction and documentary, and have won awards at festivals such as Berlin, Locarno, Antalya and Toronto Hot Docs. Cathedral is his first novel and will be published by Europa in August 2020. 

Petracco said: “This is an enthralling novel I simply could not put down.  Ambitious in scope, masterfully structured, minutely researched, and populated with vivid characters, I am sure Cathedral will inspire and grip its readers in equal measure.”