Do You like book The Clowns Of God (2003)?
Everyone remembers Morris West for his book " The Shoes of the Fisherman," a wonderfully written book about a new pope who revitalizes the Catholic Church and rfeinstates "humility" to the Church. It is very much more interesting in light of the new Pope Francis. It was also made into a riveting, lush, and pertinent motion picture starring Anthony Quinn at his best. However "The Clowns of God" which is grouped into what they now call West's "Vatican Trilogy" with "Shoes," this book and "Fisherman" While "Fisherman" is his best known, "The Clowns of God," in my opinion is his best book. His writing, plot development and morality tale are expertly woven into an engrossing tale that keeps you reading impatiently all the way through. In this case Pope Gregory receives a message directly from God and being ridiculed and doubted, he abdicates the high office and retires to the country of Italy to administer to a flock of poor, ill and lost souls. I can't tell you what happens from that point without spoiling it for you, but I know you will find it fascinating and worth the read.
—Jerry Wendt
I really liked this book UP UNTIL the end. (I would give the first 4/5 of the book five stars but the last 1/5... not even one!) The characters were very intricately written and the relationships and/or encounters between them so real and full of meaning. There were powerful struggles with faith and doubt in terms of human to human relationships, individual to institution relationships and human to divine. Each character represented a diverse and interesting reaction to the inevitability of the end of the world that had me really questioning what I would do in their shoes. (How DO you plan for the end of the world!?) BUT... the end of the book was so weak and disappointing. I wouldn't even say it was predictable because I never would have guessed that West would do something so uninteresting! If only I could go back and unread that ending...
—Kari
I read this book as a child in Venezuela in Spanish. I praise Morris West, the writer of this book. Being kind of a triller in a religious setting, I found it througly interesting. Based on his novels many movies have been made, such as the Fisherman's Sandals ( Las Sandalias del Pescador) with Anthony Queen, or the Devil's Advocate with Al Pacino. This writer loved writing trilogies, and also as you can see, he xeroed on writing novels that dwelded in Religion and spirituality. This one in particular, touched on the subject of a pope possible abdication, and a nun that renounced to her vows. Without us being religious entities, we can relate to the situation of being in a position where we no longer feel adequate, and where we feel target to extreme pressure out of our control. So, without further ado, I highly recommend it.
—Andreina Troconis
