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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What fantastic and intriguing characters! won't you read it? I'd love to discuss.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read a review online that says that this novel "takes faith at face value" and I just don't agree with that at all. I don't think Graham Greene or most Catholic novelists/novelists that write about Catholic themes are all that interested in presenting an uncomplicated view of faith, nor have much desire to evangelize. At least the serious writers. That would, quite frankly, make for really bad literature, and Graham Greene is too good of a writer for that. The "whiskey priest" at the center of this novel has failed at being a good priest in almost every conceivable way. He's an alcoholic, has fathered a child, is cowardly, pathetic, feels little when praying or saying mass, places his own safety above everyone else's. Yet there is a stubbornness and a persistence in him that just won't go away. Although it is hinted at and stated outright that this has as much to do with the priest's own ego as it does with any deep held convictions. To unpack and examine all of what Greene is trying to get at here would take a long time. At times he is highly critical of the church and of the clergy. On the other hand, there is no doubt he is vehemently opposed to the persecution the clergy and the church faced during the 1930s in Mexico. Of course. But he's not interested in portraying the clergy as saints. Again, it would be bad, uninteresting literature. And the priest's faith here seems to be more of a default, more of a habit, and certainly one that has many cracks in it because of the pressure that has been applied. And yes, at the end of the novel I'm pretty sure we are supposed to see his decision as an expression of faith and of duty, a decision made with full awareness of the consequences. But you cannot really expect Greene not to preach just the tiniest bit. The Church was made for sinners, I'm sure Greene would say. Also, this is a well paced, well-plotted thriller. A lot of memorable scenes, the most memorable for me being the night the priest spends in a crowded jail cell. I think that chapter really demonstrates what Greene is getting at here.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"We wouldn't recognize that love. . . It would be enough to scare us - God's love. It set fire to a bush in the desert, didn't it, and smashed open graves an set the dead walking in the dark".
This book was so profound, so haunting. I need a little while to think on it, put my thoughts into place, but I know it was incredible.
This book was so profound, so haunting. I need a little while to think on it, put my thoughts into place, but I know it was incredible.
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’ve heard about this book a number of times over the years. When I began reading, I quickly realized my assumptions about the plot were quite different than what’s actually written. I was uncertain how much I’d enjoy it, but given that the book has been considered the greatest Catholic novel of all time, I wanted to see it through.
Set in a time in Southern Mexico where religion — Christianity in particular - has been outlawed by the ‘Red Shirts’, one surviving priest is on the run. He’s been coined a ‘whiskey priest’ given his downfalls and deviations from Catholic practices. He finds many helpers along the way who help keep him hidden.
It took me a while to get into the story. I latched onto the introspection of the priest, but my attention waned when it skirted off to the side characters. Though the paragraphs with lengthy and my focus wasn’t great at the time of reading, there were many quotes that resonated with me. I loved the raw, even ugly imagery of the struggles that humans face and don’t always like to admit to. It was especially powerful watching it through the eyes of a priest. While, yes, they are figureheads of the church, that doesn’t mean they are free of the temptations to make poor or even terrible decisions. In this case, watching the redemption that comes after such falls through a deep faith was inspiring.
Even though I wasn’t completely captivated by every page, I can see why The Power and the Glory is a renowned work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Gun violence
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes