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A review by hannagg
My Father's House by Joseph O'Connor
4.0
In his latest book "My Father's House," Joseph O'Connor creates a protagonist based on a real man, Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, a priest in the Vatican. It's 1943, and the Nazis control Rome, putting a circle around the Vatican, which announced its neutrality. However, one can't remain neutral in the face of evil, which Hugh O'Flaherty believed in, risking not only his potential Vatican career but also his life.
Hugh O'Flaherty was a colorful Irish character: born in Cork and brought up in Kerry, very educated and speaking a few languages. He loved the opera. His mode of transportation was a motorcycle - not a typical way of moving for a priest. He was a warm man, attuned to people's problems, and always ready to listen to those who needed him; for this reason, people were instinctively drawn to him. Eventually, those who became his trusted friends and acquaintances created a secret group that organized the Escape Line, saving the lives of over 6000 Jews and Allied prisoners of war. The "choir," as Monsignor called them, was a diverse and colorful bunch of characters. There was Countess Giovanna Landini, Sir Francis Darcy Osborne, Britain's ambassador to the Holy See, his servant John May and many others. We get a glimpse of their personalities listening to different narrators – and I think the format of an audiobook, read by various narrators, makes this novel even better.
I loved the story's atmosphere, moving through the dark city of Rome, where a false move could result in quick arrest, torture, and death. Exciting as a WWII thriller, this novel is also emotional and heartwarming. There were moments when I had tears in my eyes; other times, I smiled, for example, when a member of British high society coldly criticized the feared Nazi officer's pronunciation.
There are many ways of describing heroes or geniuses in a novel. Combining just enough poetic license with plenty of research based on facts is an art Joseph O'Connor mastered.
Hugh O'Flaherty was a colorful Irish character: born in Cork and brought up in Kerry, very educated and speaking a few languages. He loved the opera. His mode of transportation was a motorcycle - not a typical way of moving for a priest. He was a warm man, attuned to people's problems, and always ready to listen to those who needed him; for this reason, people were instinctively drawn to him. Eventually, those who became his trusted friends and acquaintances created a secret group that organized the Escape Line, saving the lives of over 6000 Jews and Allied prisoners of war. The "choir," as Monsignor called them, was a diverse and colorful bunch of characters. There was Countess Giovanna Landini, Sir Francis Darcy Osborne, Britain's ambassador to the Holy See, his servant John May and many others. We get a glimpse of their personalities listening to different narrators – and I think the format of an audiobook, read by various narrators, makes this novel even better.
I loved the story's atmosphere, moving through the dark city of Rome, where a false move could result in quick arrest, torture, and death. Exciting as a WWII thriller, this novel is also emotional and heartwarming. There were moments when I had tears in my eyes; other times, I smiled, for example, when a member of British high society coldly criticized the feared Nazi officer's pronunciation.
There are many ways of describing heroes or geniuses in a novel. Combining just enough poetic license with plenty of research based on facts is an art Joseph O'Connor mastered.