Young adults often read biographies or fictional stories that emphasize outstanding individual achievement. The Gothic cathedrals stand as the supreme reminders that people accomplish great things not only individually, but collectively, cooperatively, and cumulatively through history.

The story's one "protagonist" is the building itself, a triumph of collective will and endeavor. The few other characters, such as the bishop and the three master builders, are mentioned only in the context of their contributions to the cathedral's construction. While the obstacles to completion of the cathedral are never large enough to introduce drama or suspense, the book tells a powerful story through the gradual and steady filling of that initially empty space in the illustrations.