Conclave: A novel

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Well-written, strong, completely engaging, and well researched. It is completely engrossed in the traditions of the church in regards to the election of a Pope. Highly recommended.

I looked forward to reading about the secrecy in the Conclave which selects the pope. The book does a good job of laying out the various factions in the church as represented by certain of the Cardinals and contains a bit of intrigue. The ending had a twist which was foreshadowed earlier in the book which undid an otherwise enjoyable read. No need to go SJW.

This was all about character development within the framework of the traditional versus progressive Catholic Church. Characters from all sides were well developed allowing for an excellent discussion of themes. Also, a surprising but plausible plot twist at the end, although there were clues through the story if the reader is looking for them.

A fast-paced, absolutely cannot put down novel about the Papacy. The author is not too well known in the US, but greatly admired in the UK and should be here. The novel is replete with fascinating characters, some good, some evil. A must-read.

Conclave takes us through the papal election process, the thoughts of a fictive cardinal and the competition for the most powerfull title in the world of religion. It may not sound like the most riveting plot for a novel. But as always with Robert Harris you get to know the antagonit well as a person and there are dramas and surprises in the story.

Robert Harris has obviously done his homework on the way a new Pope is chosen and brought in an interesting narrative full of intrigue which keeps you guessing until the end as to who the new Pope actually is!

A slow start which turns into an enthralling read. The book gives a believable picture of the machinations of any large institution when succession is up for grabs. Being the election of a pope makes it all the more fascinating.

The research is impressive in terms of Catholicism and the history of Pope selections. Learnt a great deal - I liked the way Robert slipped in historical facts. Other readers might find this annoying.

Harris' tale is richly detailed and meticulously grounded in background research. For the most part, it was believable and gripping. I found the ending preposterous, but other than that, it was a really engrossing read.

I was intrigued by the machinations involved in the selection of the Pope Mr. Harris does a fine job in bringing the fictional election of a new Pope to an interesting and somewhat mystical conclusion. It is an easy and a fast read.

As a former seminarian and someone who lived in Rome and visited the Vatican many times in the 1960s the book was very accurate. As a supporter of gender equality in all things the story of how the new Pope discovered himself and how he was discovered by Lomeli is a bit of a stetch.

I’ve read ten earlier books by Robert Harris, most of them historical fiction. This novel is set in what I would call the “near future” and begins when the pope is found dead. According to the rules of the Catholic Church, all of the Cardinals under the age of eighty must be summoned to Rome for a conclave in which they will vote on which of their own will be elected as the pope’s successor.
The story is told in the first person by Cardinal Lomeli, Dean of the College of Cardinals. Harris sets the stage for the conclave as the cardinals arrive from countries all over the world, prompting a brief biographical sketch on several of the prelates who are the most likely candidates. But there is a surprise when the Archbishop of Iraq shows up, a Fillipino named Benitez, and claims his right to entry as an “in pectore” (in the heart) choice of the late pope. When this is verified, Benitez takes his place as one of the 118 cardinals now quarantined in the conclave until the new pope is elected.
Harris details the ritualized voting procedures invoked within the conclave as the cardinals deliberate and pray for guidance on who should be chosen to lead the church. There are several surprises and plot twists as each cycle of voting rearranges the standing of contenders. But he saves his biggest bombshell for the bizarre ending that will give you plenty to think about.
As a lifelong Catholic, I felt that Harris stretched the fictional parts about the church a bit too far in some instances, thus causing me to give this book three stars instead of four.

A work of fiction that gives you a fascinating glimpse into the workings of the Vatican and the politics of choosing a new Pope. Robert Harris is a writer who keeps you turning pages as he weaves his story.

Robert Harris is a fantastic writer - his Cicero trilogy are works of pure excellence. So, it was with excitement that I picked up Conclave, hoping lightning would strike yet again. I was, sadly, disappointed.

First, the good. Harris spins a yarn of papal politics and intrigue, and is, for the most part, quite respectful of the Church. It's quite easy to pile on the Church these days, and many authors do so without hesitation. But, Harris's portrayal was, for the most part, of men who love God and love the Church, and yet are guilty of their own foibles and sins. I found it both a refreshing and honest approach. The writing is fast-paced, yet reflective, if that makes sense. The depictions of Church ritual and law are compelling and with one notable exception, quite accurate. It's clear that Harris did his homework. It's an engaging book and a well-designed plot.

Now the not-so-good. The winner of this conclave was not a surprise to me; indeed, from the moment of his introduction, I figured he'd be the winner; there was very little suspense on that score. But, related to that, the central plot point of this book is faulty, and that throws the entire work off. (SPOILER ALERT!) A cardinal in-pectore (literally, "in the breast", but used to mean "in secret") has no rights under current Church law. If a Pope appoints Archbishop X as a cardinal in-pectore (which happens, but rarely), and dies before he cannot announce that cardinal's name in a consistory (a meeting of the cardinals), then Archbishop X is not a cardinal. (This actually occurred in 2005 - when Pope John Paul II died, there were actually 2 cardinals in-pectore, no one knew who they were for sure, and they most certainly did not show up at the Conclave, nor did they have a right to do so). The error in this premise undermines the entire novel. In addition to this, a series of convenient plot twists virtually guarantees that the winning cardinal will emerge victorious. Finally, the much heralded "twist" ending is a genuine surprise, something I certainly did not see coming, yet it also seems a bit unnecessary and as if Harris is trying to make a point,

On the whole, the first 3/4 of the book was quite good, if one overlooked the point I made above; but the last 1/4 really disappointed. 2 stars would have been too low, 3 is really a bit high; 2.5 would have been more appropriate, I think.

Robert Harris is a fantastic writer - his Cicero trilogy are works of pure excellence. So, it was with excitement that I picked up Conclave, hoping lightning would strike yet again. I was, sadly, disappointed.

First, the good. Harris spins a yarn of papal politics and intrigue, and is, for the most part, quite respectful of the Church. It's quite easy to pile on the Church these days, and many authors do so without hesitation. But, Harris's portrayal was, for the most part, of men who love God and love the Church, and yet are guilty of their own foibles and sins. I found it both a refreshing and honest approach. The writing is fast-paced, yet reflective, if that makes sense. The depictions of Church ritual and law are compelling and with one notable exception, quite accurate. It's clear that Harris did his homework. It's an engaging book and a well-designed plot.

Now the not-so-good. The winner of this conclave was not a surprise to me; indeed, from the moment of his introduction, I figured he'd be the winner; there was very little suspense on that score. But, related to that, the central plot point of this book is faulty, and that throws the entire work off. (SPOILER ALERT!) A cardinal in-pectore (literally, "in the breast", but used to mean "in secret") has no rights under current Church law. If a Pope appoints Archbishop X as a cardinal in-pectore (which happens, but rarely), and dies before he cannot announce that cardinal's name in a consistory (a meeting of the cardinals), then Archbishop X is not a cardinal. (This actually occurred in 2005 - when Pope John Paul II died, there were actually 2 cardinals in-pectore, no one knew who they were for sure, and they most certainly did not show up at the Conclave, nor did they have a right to do so). The error in this premise undermines the entire novel. In addition to this, a series of convenient plot twists virtually guarantees that the winning cardinal will emerge victorious. Finally, the much heralded "twist" ending is a genuine surprise, something I certainly did not see coming, yet it also seems a bit unnecessary and as if Harris is trying to make a point,

On the whole, the first 3/4 of the book was quite good, if one overlooked the point I made above; but the last 1/4 really disappointed. 2 stars would have been too low, 3 is really a bit high; 2.5 would have been more appropriate, I think.

This is book is much lighter than Harris's immensely readable Cicero series, but none less compelling. An intriguing insight behind the scenes of a fictional Pope transition. Entertaining and enlightening for the Atheist and Catholic alike.

Difficult to put down, and interesting as far as proceedings etc Vatican are concerned. But main characters are made of cardboard, including the lead character Cardinal Lomeli. And the plot twists and "surprises" are a little too much, and the end is highly improbable. Still: fun to read.

"Conclave" is an entertaining and interesting book. It sheds light on a millennium old process. Robert Harris' tale is good and keeps you engaged but the ending was probably a bit much. Worth a read though.

Without question this is a very thought-provoking novel. It asks us to differentiate between those who truly worship God and those who worship the church and the power it affords. More importantly, it finishes ask what the church's place is in a tumultuous world.

For most readers the end will come as no surprise. The author certainly drops several unmistakable hints in the final 25% of the book. However, if the reader is Roman Catholic and more conservative they may bristle at the ending.

You will walk away from this book asking a lot of questions and examining a lot of issues.

Robert Harris' style of writing makes you feel like you are right there with the College of Cardinals and are inside this most secretive of rituals.

Highly recommended!

Harris has written one of my favorite, wittiest, most sardonic thrillers of all time: The Ghost. That book has a brilliant plot and voice and I've read it several times to savor every aspect. He's also written other thrillers I rate very highly for style and plot like Enigma, Fatherland, and The Fear Index. This book isn't remotely in their league so far (I'm past 50 pages). It feels research-heavy, character-crowded, thin, and there's just not enough driving the story yet. I don't know why the storyline is so lackadaisical and why it all feels so dry....