Christine Sunderland of CatholicFiction.net reviews The Death of a Pope by Piers Paul Read:
This thoughtful literary thriller addresses weighty and timely
themes: not only challenges to belief in an unbelieving world, but the
devastation of AIDS and sexual license, the disparity between first and
third worlds, rich and poor, and the role of a Church guided by
tradition. Secular versus religious, Muslim versus Christian, new
versus old: who are the real combatants today? Our world is complex.
The author has chosen his characters wisely. An idealistic London reporter becomes enthralled with a charismatic relief worker, getting more than she bargained for. Her uncle, a conservative priest, watches over her, praying, guiding. A young British agent from Scotland Yard is pulled into the plot, as he seeks to thwart a terrorist threat. The stories intertwine in a fast-paced plot in which the smuggling of nerve gas is set against the death of John Paul II and the papal election. We move from London to Rome to Uganda to Cairo and back to Rome. With its careful syntax and spare structure, the story progresses to a profound and unforgettable conclusion. ...
The Death of a Pope, although fast paced and possibly too short at 215 pages, gives the reader much to contemplate. Then again, its tight structure may add to its potency and poetry, creating a thoughtful thriller, a rare gift in today’s literary world.
The author has chosen his characters wisely. An idealistic London reporter becomes enthralled with a charismatic relief worker, getting more than she bargained for. Her uncle, a conservative priest, watches over her, praying, guiding. A young British agent from Scotland Yard is pulled into the plot, as he seeks to thwart a terrorist threat. The stories intertwine in a fast-paced plot in which the smuggling of nerve gas is set against the death of John Paul II and the papal election. We move from London to Rome to Uganda to Cairo and back to Rome. With its careful syntax and spare structure, the story progresses to a profound and unforgettable conclusion. ...
The Death of a Pope, although fast paced and possibly too short at 215 pages, gives the reader much to contemplate. Then again, its tight structure may add to its potency and poetry, creating a thoughtful thriller, a rare gift in today’s literary world.
For links to more reviews and further information about the novel, visit DeathOfAPope.com.
I bought the book for my Mom's birthday, which was the next day. I started reading the first few pages, planning on stopping there. But I couldn't! I ended up awake until 4 a.m. and finished the whole thing. Agreed that it could have been longer, more fully developed. But as it is it's a real page-turner, and a welcome antidote to Dan Brown's drivel.
Posted by: Jackson | Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at 05:58 PM