4.0
Conclave
ByPublisher Description
THE INSPIRATION FOR THE ACADEMY AWARD®-WINNING FILM STARRING RALPH FIENNES, STANLEY TUCCI, JOHN LITHGOW, AND ISABELLA ROSSELLINI
The page-turning thriller that “might be the ultimate locked-room mystery” (The Seattle Times), set in the Vatican’s secretive halls of power by the New York Times bestselling author of An Officer and a Spy and Munich
“Pulsates with intrigue. . . . Ambition, sex scandals, financial corruption and terrorism all rear their ugly heads. And Harris saves one whopper of a surprise for the final pages.” —USA Today
The pope is dead. Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, one hundred and eighteen cardinals from all over the globe will gather to cast their votes in the world’s most secretive election. They are holy men. But they are not immune to the human temptations of power and glory. And they are not above the tribalism and factionalism that consumes humanity. When all is said and done, one of them will become the most powerful spiritual figure on Earth.
In their cloistered debate they will uncover abuse and corruption at the very heart of the Church. It’s a scandal that could destroy all they hold dear, and they must act decisively to ensure that the next pope is worthy of the post.
The page-turning thriller that “might be the ultimate locked-room mystery” (The Seattle Times), set in the Vatican’s secretive halls of power by the New York Times bestselling author of An Officer and a Spy and Munich
“Pulsates with intrigue. . . . Ambition, sex scandals, financial corruption and terrorism all rear their ugly heads. And Harris saves one whopper of a surprise for the final pages.” —USA Today
The pope is dead. Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, one hundred and eighteen cardinals from all over the globe will gather to cast their votes in the world’s most secretive election. They are holy men. But they are not immune to the human temptations of power and glory. And they are not above the tribalism and factionalism that consumes humanity. When all is said and done, one of them will become the most powerful spiritual figure on Earth.
In their cloistered debate they will uncover abuse and corruption at the very heart of the Church. It’s a scandal that could destroy all they hold dear, and they must act decisively to ensure that the next pope is worthy of the post.
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesConclave Reviews
4.0
“Такая ебала хорошо что оно короткое. Написано нормально но скучнейший сеттинг скучнейший сюжет и абсолютно бесящие персонажи. Плоские, неинтересные, одинаковые и противные. Роберт Харрис больше не пиши”
“Just finished Robert Harris's Conclave, and honestly, I didn't expect a book about a bunch of old men voting in locked rooms to be this addictive.
The setup is straightforward: the Pope dies, and over a hundred cardinals lock themselves inside the Sistine Chapel to pick a successor. You would think it’s a sacred, deeply spiritual process, but Harris treats it like a cutthroat corporate takeover or a high-stakes political campaign.
What makes it work so well is Cardinal Lomeli, the guy running the election. He's suffering from a massive crisis of faith, totally exhausted, and just wants a quiet life. Instead, he has to act like a detective while managing giant egos. The character work is top-tier because every frontrunner represents a different ideological trap.
You’ve got the overly ambitious liberal Bellini, the ultraconservative Tedesco, and Tremblay, who looks perfect on paper until Lomeli uncovers his backroom bribery. Watching Lomeli methodically dismantle these candidates as their secrets spill out is pure satisfaction.
Then there's Vincent Benítez, a quiet Archbishop from the Philippines who served in Baghdad whom the late Pope made a cardinal in secret. He barely speaks, but when he finally does about the realities of war and humility, he wins over the entire enclave.
And then comes that ending.
Just after Benítez is chosen, Lomeli discovers a medical report explaining why Benítez was secretly visiting a clinic in Geneva. It’s a massive plot twist, but Harris lays down the clues so carefully throughout the book that it doesn't feel cheap. It lands like a total mic drop on the Church's strict views .
If you like tight political thrillers with incredible character drama and an ending that leaves you staring at the wall, definitely pick this one up.”
About Robert Harris
Robert Harris is the New York Times bestselling author of sixteen novels, including Fatherland, Enigma, Archangel, Pompeii, Imperium, The Ghost Writer, Conspirata, The Fear Index, An Officer and a Spy, Dictator, Conclave, Munich, and The Second Sleep. Several of his books have been adapted to film, most recently An Officer and a Spy. His work has been translated into forty languages. He lives in the village of Kintbury, England, with his wife, Gill Hornby.
Other books by Robert Harris
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