Conclave

Rating:
Summary: The moquito funeral might have been more interesting...
Review: Conclave covers a very interesting topic that is very high in the media coverage world right now with the current Catholic church scandal. However, this scandal that Mulrennan, the main character, is charged with is overly exaggerated. Greg Tobin, the author, tells you in advance everything that the Cardinal is guilty of and that no vows of chastity are broken but then continues to focus on the scandal like it is something huge and revelevant to mankind. The book was also very predictable, as he was not elected pope in the first Conclave it still sent the message that he would have this victory soon into the future. The other main problem that I had with this book was that the talk among these Cardinals seemed quite unrealistic. One minute they are preaching and stated that God will lead them but the next they are cussing at each other. The book, to me, was all over the place and struggled to keep you reading except for the excitement of the corrupt Evangelium Christi group. Overall, I would not recommend unless you really enjoy this topic and want to read every possible outlet regarding corruption of the church and Conclave sessions.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: I just couldn't wait until I started reading this book. I am counting down as to when the sequel will be published. Once I started to read the book - I couldn't put it down. Greg Tobin is a great writer who gives the reader an "inside" view of what happens when the Cardinals of the Catholic Church gets together to elect a new Pope. This a very timely book. It shows that Cardinals are just like normal people that have their own personal problems that they have to deal with. I have been a Catholic all my life and from this book I learned things that I didn't know about the Church. I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to learn more about the Catholic Church. There were parts of the book that while I am reading made my cry.

Rating:
Summary: Conclave
Review: Once I picked up the book, I could not put it down. I cannot wait for the sequel. I have been trying to come up with the just the right things to say about this book, but it has been hard to put into words all the emotions I experienced while reading it. By page 33 I had cried twice. I guess that growing up in the same enviornment as characters of the book and experiencing many of the same things in life, I identified so much with their joys, pain and sorrows. Mr. Tobin has given us a wonderful and soulfull trip into both the past and the present life within the higherarchy of the Catholic Church. The timeing of the release of this book is right on the money. I am one who questions many things and prays that the future of our church will respond to all people of the world. The selection of our next Pope will be the single most important decission of the new millenium. Having read this book I feel that I will have a greater knowledge and feeling of participation in the process. I will pray for those in the Conclave.