A review by cynicalraven
Conclave by Robert Harris

mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Is this a perfect book? No, but damn if I didn't enjoy it. 

There are some parts that I believe the movie handled better, namely:
Benítez speech and him being intersex
but there are also scenes that I would've loved to see in the movie.

Despite not being a believer, I've always been fascinated by religion and the Vatican. And the book gave me the opportunity to indulge in it. 

I read the book fully expecting to find a book praising the "traditional" values. Basically I expected it to be something Tedesco would've written, and yet I found the exact opposite, something I immensely enjoyed, very modern and intriguing, especially the ending, that some may consider, as you say these days... Woke. Lol. And that's why I loved the book. 

An observation about the movie, if I may: I love
how Benítez character and the whole movie have become one of the few beacon that have intersex rep.
and the fact that it's in a work about the Church? And that some cardinals and the current Pope, Leo, have watched it? Amazing. I hope it gives them something to think about. 
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