Reviews - The Power and the Glory

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The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene

475 reviews for:

This is my second Greene book (the Heart of the Matter), and I've really liked both of them, even though the Catholic beliefs that make these novels what they are seem outdated and unrelatable at times. The last priest in Mexico is on the run, escaping death while taking refuge in various villages along the desert countryside, a great setting for this novel about escaping Hell. Everyone has either died or given themselves up, like Padre Jose, to the new Communist regime, adjusting to the new Godless lifestyle. This priest, known only as a whiskey priest, is struggling with his pending damnation; he has given himself to pride, drink, and lust; the only thing he is holding onto is bringing God to these poor villagers. Power and Glory, to him, are vessels of himself, not God, and that is the most damning of all. the whiskey priest is afraid to die, struggles to survive, and senses his impending doom at every turn. Still, he eventually accepts it, and in the end, the story becomes a pretty good novel about courage, faith, and sense of duty.

themauvereader's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark reflective 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

katrinalenhernandez's review against another edition

4.0

dark reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The language in this is beautiful. But the best part is how the priest does not become successful until his final decision, the same decision that brings the tale full circle and saves precisely one soul. Yet, that one soul is his salvation.

marc129's review against another edition

3.0

A typical Greene, I guess. This one is situated in the outback of southern Mexico, where a militia is hunting priests. Greene has chosen the last priest (on the run) as his protagonist. He's a real antihero: he's lonely and desperate, an alcoholic, at odds with the church, in short, no martyr at all, but just because of that truly human, fit for divine grace. Greene seems to make a reckoning with the church, yet at the same time -through the padre - he accentuates the mystery of faith, illustrating the ambiguous relation he himself had with the church. It's an interesting read, but I must say it feels a bit outdated; it's difficult in the 21st century to relate to the rather heavy themes of Greene (I can relate more to [b:The Quiet American|3698|The Quiet American|Graham Greene|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388187216l/3698._SY75_.jpg|1469913] and [b:The Human Factor|62851|The Human Factor|Graham Greene|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347396573l/62851._SY75_.jpg|733804]). Stylistically the first part at times is a very slow read, picking up pace in the other parts through the dialogues. (2.5 stars)

jonathancrites's review against another edition

5.0

I’ve started collecting these old Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics and this is the first one I’ve read since high school.

First ever Graham Greene for me; beautiful prose and a heartbreaking story. But not without hope. He captures something here about faith and human nature that is really hard to quantify but left me kind of soaring. Also, nice introduction by John Updike. Highly recommended.

augustfae's review against another edition

5.0

I really liked this book. I got it from the library but had to make so many notes in a google doc that I just need to buy a copy to write in. A lot to think about.

emoloneybaloney's review against another edition

5.0

One drunk priest runs from the law in Mexico after Catholicism is outlawed. Both a profound exploration of faith and a deep dive into abandonment. My first Graham Greene novel, and it will not be my last. Once again a better choice than Hemingway if you're looking for novels for young boys. Not sure how he captured the complexities of faith running parallel to a action movie lol.

What does it mean to abandon your faith, yourself, and your community? To be abandoned by them?

I never give out 5s but I will be yapping about this book for years.