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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Love! So many twists and turns, I never knew what was coming next. The big question (Who will be the next Pope?) always looming. Examining everyone’s actions, everyone’s motivations.
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I didn't want to finish reading.
Some parts did seem slower to me than the film (having watched that first) but an absolute gem of a novel nonetheless.
Some parts did seem slower to me than the film (having watched that first) but an absolute gem of a novel nonetheless.
i think the movie did a better job of wrapping up the ending but otherwise i really enjoyed it!! catholicism is so weird
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Updated review 11/23/24:
Reread this one after seeing the fantastic movie adaptation and enjoying all the memes. I really enjoyed this book the first time obviously but it’s only grown on me over time, especially its message after a rather harsh summer and fall.
Still can’t believe such an incredible adaptation was made the same year I read this. I probably wouldn’t have if I hadn’t been doing this reading challenge. Something something the Holy Spirit moves in mysterious ways.
*
Popsugar reading challenge: A book from a genre you typically avoid
That genre being … well I’m not sure what to call it. Airport thrillers I guess? It’s not even that I dislike the genre per se… just that I went through a Dan Brown phase in my teens and despite now seeing how silly his books are, few reading experiences have matched the fun I had reading the Da Vinci code during a summer break and stopping every so often to google the historical references on the family computer. Ever since then the genre has suffered for the comparison!
Conclave actually isn’t quite that genre. Although it kind of is? But isn’t? Maybe???
Either way I had a lot of fun with this one. It’s got a lot of the historical references (which I was googling) but it’s all pinned on a main character I honestly found really compelling. He’s an unreliable narrator in the sense that he generally means what he thinks and says but you can sense an undercurrent of ambition and sorrow that he’s not fully examining. So sometimes he genuinely broke my heart.
I also really enjoyed the claustrophobic atmosphere of this book. This book was great at taking the natural tension of the situation and using it to bring out the strengths and flaws of the major characters. Sometimes at the same time!
I just had a great time overall trying to guess things along with the novel and also enjoyed gradually learning more about the characters.
It’s not quite “that page turner you read at 15” levels of love but nothing ever will be again. This book still reminded me why reading can be so damn fun and for that I’m grateful!
Reread this one after seeing the fantastic movie adaptation and enjoying all the memes. I really enjoyed this book the first time obviously but it’s only grown on me over time, especially its message after a rather harsh summer and fall.
Still can’t believe such an incredible adaptation was made the same year I read this. I probably wouldn’t have if I hadn’t been doing this reading challenge. Something something the Holy Spirit moves in mysterious ways.
*
Popsugar reading challenge: A book from a genre you typically avoid
That genre being … well I’m not sure what to call it. Airport thrillers I guess? It’s not even that I dislike the genre per se… just that I went through a Dan Brown phase in my teens and despite now seeing how silly his books are, few reading experiences have matched the fun I had reading the Da Vinci code during a summer break and stopping every so often to google the historical references on the family computer. Ever since then the genre has suffered for the comparison!
Conclave actually isn’t quite that genre. Although it kind of is? But isn’t? Maybe???
Either way I had a lot of fun with this one. It’s got a lot of the historical references (which I was googling) but it’s all pinned on a main character I honestly found really compelling. He’s an unreliable narrator in the sense that he generally means what he thinks and says but you can sense an undercurrent of ambition and sorrow that he’s not fully examining. So sometimes he genuinely broke my heart.
Spoiler
I also think the book pretty strongly implies that the nuns were conspiring to set up a domino effect that that would get the ultimate winner chosen as pope. Not the bombing but a lot of other things. If that is the case then I appreciate it wasn’t spelled out because Lomelli is an inquisitive person in many ways but also deeply traditional and I think lacks the capacity to imagine something like that. This choice shows faith in the vividness of the main character but also in the reader!I also really enjoyed the claustrophobic atmosphere of this book. This book was great at taking the natural tension of the situation and using it to bring out the strengths and flaws of the major characters. Sometimes at the same time!
I just had a great time overall trying to guess things along with the novel and also enjoyed gradually learning more about the characters.
It’s not quite “that page turner you read at 15” levels of love but nothing ever will be again. This book still reminded me why reading can be so damn fun and for that I’m grateful!
informative
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes