 One of Walpole 's major novels of the early post @-@ war period was The Cathedral , which unlike much of his fiction was not dashed off but worked on across four years , beginning in 1918 . The story of an arrogant 19th @-@ century archdeacon in conflict with other clergy and laity was certain to bring comparisons with Trollope 's Barchester Towers ( The Manchester Guardian 's review was headed " Polchester Towers " ) , but unlike the earlier work , The Cathedral is wholly uncomic . The hubristic Archdeacon Brandon is driven to domestic despair , professional defeat and sudden death . The reviewer Ivor Brown commented that Walpole had earlier charmed many with his cheerful tales of Mayfair , but that in this novel he showed a greater side to his art : " This is a book with little happiness about it , but its stark strength is undeniable . The Cathedral is realism , profound in its philosophy and delicate in its thread . " The Illustrated London News said , " No former novelist has seized quite so powerfully upon the cathedral fabric and made it a living character in the drama , an obsessing individuality at once benign and forbidding . ... The Cathedral is a great book . " 
 One of Walpole <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>major novels of the early post @-@ war period was The Cathedral , which unlike much of his fiction was not dashed off but worked on across four years , beginning in 1918 . The story of an arrogant 19th @-@ century archdeacon in conflict with other clergy and laity was certain to bring comparisons with Trollope <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>Barchester Towers ( The Manchester Guardian <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>review was headed " Polchester Towers " ) , but unlike the earlier work , The Cathedral <a href='drop_aux' title='4'><mark>is</mark></a>wholly uncomic . The hubristic Archdeacon Brandon is driven to domestic despair , professional defeat and sudden death . The reviewer Ivor Brown commented that Walpole <a href='been_done' title='5'><mark>had</mark></a> earlier charmed many with his cheerful tales of Mayfair , but that in this novel he showed a greater side to his art : " This is a book with little happiness about it , but its stark strength <a href='drop_aux' title='6'><mark>is</mark></a>undeniable . The Cathedral <a href='drop_aux' title='7'><mark>is</mark></a>realism , profound in its philosophy and delicate in its thread . " The Illustrated London News said , " No former novelist <a href='been_done' title='8'><mark>has</mark></a> seized quite so powerfully upon the cathedral fabric and made it a living character in the drama , an obsessing individuality at once benign and forbidding . ... The Cathedral <a href='drop_aux' title='9'><mark>is</mark></a>a great book . " 
One of Walpole  major novels of da early post @-@ war period was The Cathedral , which unlike much of his fiction was not dashed off but worked on across four years , beginning in 1918 . Tdastory of an arrogant 19th @-@ century archdeacon in conflict with other clergy and laity was certain to bring comparisons with Trollope  Barchester Towers ( The Manchester Guardian  review was headed " Polchester Towers " ) , but unlike thdaarlier wrk , Thedathedral wholly uncomic . The daristic Archdeacon Brandon is driven to domestic despair , professional defeat and sudden death . The reviewer Ivor Brown commented dat Walpole done earlier charmed many wid his cheerful tales of Mayfair , but that in dis novel he showed a greater side to his art : " This is a book wwittlittle happiness about it , but its stark strength undeniable . The Cathedral realism , profound in its philosophy and delicate in its thread . " The Illustrated London News said , " No former novelist done seized quite soo powerfully upon the cathedral fabric and made it a living character in the drama , an obsessing individuality at once benign and forbidding . ... The Cdaedral a great book . "