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margaret21's review
5.0
An immersive story, taking as its starting point the fact that while Rome was under German occupation in 1942 and there was an Irish priest, Hugh O'Flaherty, based at the Vatican and involved in running an escape line for Jews, escaped POWs and resistance fighters during WWII.
The plan is to evacuate scores of refugees and resistance fighters, all separately hidden, out of Rome on Christmas Eve, when perhaps guard is lowered. Plans take place at the rehearsals of a specially convened Chamber Choir: singing drowns out the mutter of whispered instructions to each singer in turn. Each player in the plot has a role, No one knows what any other individual is required to do. Gestapo leader Paul Hauptmann has his suspicions that a plan is afoot, and O'Flaherty is in his sights.
This is a work of fiction, even though heavily indebted to known facts. The present tense narration of Hugh O'Flaherty's part in the drama is interspersed with fictional BBC interviews for a programme made in the 1960s. Each voice is distinctive, authentic, even funny: Irish, English, Italian, aristocrats and shopkeepers.
As in choral music, all involved have a part to play: the whole is more than the sum of the parts. The multiple narrators all bring their own interpretation to the story. The question of morality - whether a churchman should be involved in politics, in possible violence is a constant underlying theme. O'Flaherty's conscience is ever-present, to the very last page.
An often thrilling, always thought-provoking and absorbing story.
The plan is to evacuate scores of refugees and resistance fighters, all separately hidden, out of Rome on Christmas Eve, when perhaps guard is lowered. Plans take place at the rehearsals of a specially convened Chamber Choir: singing drowns out the mutter of whispered instructions to each singer in turn. Each player in the plot has a role, No one knows what any other individual is required to do. Gestapo leader Paul Hauptmann has his suspicions that a plan is afoot, and O'Flaherty is in his sights.
This is a work of fiction, even though heavily indebted to known facts. The present tense narration of Hugh O'Flaherty's part in the drama is interspersed with fictional BBC interviews for a programme made in the 1960s. Each voice is distinctive, authentic, even funny: Irish, English, Italian, aristocrats and shopkeepers.
As in choral music, all involved have a part to play: the whole is more than the sum of the parts. The multiple narrators all bring their own interpretation to the story. The question of morality - whether a churchman should be involved in politics, in possible violence is a constant underlying theme. O'Flaherty's conscience is ever-present, to the very last page.
An often thrilling, always thought-provoking and absorbing story.
turner1277's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
ddejong's review
5.0
Bravissimo! One of the best books I’ve read this year. The writing, story structure, descriptions of Rome, character development, historical backdrop— it all delighted me and captivated me. An exemplar of transcending the “genre literature” of historical fiction. Can’t wait to read more by O’Connor.
smithnaomi's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
My Father’s House is a wonderful mix of literary thriller and historical fiction. It’s based on real-life events - an escape line run by a group of conspirators led by Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, meeting under the guise of choir practice and taking advantage of Vatican City’s independence and neutrality, to help escaped Allied PoWs and Jews escape Nazi occupied Rome. This is a really interesting story, told well. What more could a reader ask for?
O’Connor has a real way with words and uses plenty of sublime and unique phrases which make this book a pleasure to read. The structure, such as the slow countdown to the Rendimento (code name for the 1943 Christmas Eve mission at the heart of this novel) and the inclusion of sections from the perspective of the Gestapo leader determined to stop it, is very effective at ramping up the tension. Many of the chapters are told in the close third-person from O’Flaherty’s perspective. This ensures the reader really connects to him and makes the tension during the Rendimento itself, when it seems certain he will be captured, almost unbearable. I also loved the transcripts of fake interviews with other members of the escape line twenty years later. They add a broader lens to the story and help emphasise that the escape line was a team effort. The transcripts clearly play to that part of me which tends to love epistolary novels, but the way they were interspersed with the 1943 chapters did slow the narrative flow, especially at the beginning, and meant it took a little time for me to settle into the novel. Still that’s a minor quibble about an otherwise excellent book.
O’Connor has a real way with words and uses plenty of sublime and unique phrases which make this book a pleasure to read. The structure, such as the slow countdown to the Rendimento (code name for the 1943 Christmas Eve mission at the heart of this novel) and the inclusion of sections from the perspective of the Gestapo leader determined to stop it, is very effective at ramping up the tension. Many of the chapters are told in the close third-person from O’Flaherty’s perspective. This ensures the reader really connects to him and makes the tension during the Rendimento itself, when it seems certain he will be captured, almost unbearable. I also loved the transcripts of fake interviews with other members of the escape line twenty years later. They add a broader lens to the story and help emphasise that the escape line was a team effort. The transcripts clearly play to that part of me which tends to love epistolary novels, but the way they were interspersed with the 1943 chapters did slow the narrative flow, especially at the beginning, and meant it took a little time for me to settle into the novel. Still that’s a minor quibble about an otherwise excellent book.
michedea_books_'s review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My Father House by Joseph O’Connor is set in Rome 1943. The story is based on the true story of Irish Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty a Vatican Priest based at the Vatican who with some other Patriots run the escape line in Nazi occupied Rome who saved over 6,500 soldiers by housing and hiding soldiers, escaped prisoners of war and jews that the Nazi regime took against.
I must admit I have never heard of this heroism before. But I was fascinated of this story that the author has brought to life. But, only at times, the different excerpts of the interviews that was written through out did confuse me a little bit of what the connection was. But as I delved further into the story, I came to realise it made sense. This is a great read for any historical fiction fans out there, 4 stars from me.
eoinmeen's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I read this book over too long a time with too many breaks
alifeofherown's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
liedora's review
3.0
I have to admit that DNF this book; not because it was a badly written story, but because the movie 'The Scarlet and the Black' kept intruding into my reading. They both use the same true events as their basis but, at some point the too became overlapped in my reading, so I had to lay this book aside.
If you haven't seen the movie, and you enjoy this genre, I'm sure you'll be turning the pages until the end.
If you haven't seen the movie, and you enjoy this genre, I'm sure you'll be turning the pages until the end.