Historical Fiction· International
Parzival - The Quest of the Grail Knight
by Katherine PatersonAggregate Editorial Score30/100
#20,311of 99,626 books
Library Journal
Published 1998English
Buy on Amazon → About This Book
Katherine Paterson's Parzival - The Quest of the Grail Knight (1998) stands as one of the most significant works of historical fiction of its era. A masterwork of historical fiction, Parzival - The Quest of the Grail Knight by Katherine Paterson (1998) recreates the past with extraordinary detail and emotional depth.
Book Details
About the Category
🗺️ Historical Fiction
Novels set in the past, blending real events with fictional narratives.
Explore all Historical Fiction books →Editorial Assessment
First published in 1998, Katherine Paterson's Parzival - The Quest of the Grail Knight is a work of historical fiction that has drawn sustained interest from critics and prize committees alike. Its engagement with the human condition gives the book a depth that extends well beyond its genre.
Critics and institutions have consistently placed Parzival - The Quest of the Grail Knight among the notable works of its period. Our aggregate score of 30/100 is compiled from 1 editorial sources that range from Nobel and Booker committees to leading literary journals.
What distinguishes Parzival - The Quest of the Grail Knight is how it handles its central concerns — the human condition — without reducing them to neat conclusions. The book invites close reading and holds up well to it.
Parzival - The Quest of the Grail Knight reflects Katherine Paterson's place in a wider literary tradition. The book's concerns resonate with International's broader cultural preoccupations, even as they reach beyond any single national context.
About this assessment: Editorial scores are aggregated from 1 independent sources including major literary prizes, critical surveys, and leading publications. Our editorial team reviews and contextualises this data. Rankings reflect critical consensus, not personal opinion or popularity metrics. Learn about our methodology.
Awards & Recognition
Library Journal
notable · national
199830
Katherine Paterson is a celebrated author from United States known for influential works of young adult.
What to Read Next
literary-fiction
Midnight's Children
Salman Rushdie· 1981
★Nobel Prize in Literature★Booker Prize
Editorial Score100/100
literary-fiction
The God of Small Things
Arundhati Roy· 1997
★Nobel Prize in Literature★Booker Prize
Editorial Score100/100
historical-fiction
Wolf Hall
Hilary Mantel· 2009
★Booker Prize★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score100/100
literary-fiction
The Tin Drum
Günter Grass· 1999
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score98/100
literary-fiction
Celestial Bodies
Jokha Alharthi· 2010
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score93/100
literary-fiction
A Brief History of Seven Killings
Marlon James· 2015
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score89/100
Frequently Asked Questions
Popular on 50 Best Books
Best Science Fiction Books of All TimeScience FictionBooker Prize Winners — Complete List & GuideLiterary PrizesNobel Prize in Literature — Every Winner Since 1901Literary PrizesClassic Literature Reading List — 50 Essential BooksReading GuidesBest Books for Beginners — 20 Easy Reads for New BookloversReading Guides








