I spent quite a while weighing the merits of this book and my own interest in the material against the gratuitous rape scenes and obscene misogynistic perspectives. 
I don’t shy away from challenging books, but there has to be a strong why when it comes to this degree of sexual violence. 
The most recent series  I read with content of this sort is the Poppy War trilogy, which deliberately covers a parallel to the rape of nanking. 
This book is not covering real historical events, and not all of the rape/attempted rape seems to be serving a purpose of any kind in the story. 
I was really excited to read about the building of a historical cathedral over the decades, but I think this book may be harmful without sufficient redeeming qualities for me to push through. DNF.