Mister Hobgoblin Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty finds himself in the Vatican during the Nazi occupation of Italy in 1943. As an Irishman, his own nation is supposedly neutral in the war, and the Vatican City State treads a careful line between professing neutrality and not incurring the wrath of an army that could conquer the state in twenty minutes. Yet O'Flaherty has hitched himself with the local resistance and their mission to rescue, protect and repatriate Allied airmen. His politically sensitive superiors in the Vatican become increasingly distressed by his conduct while never fully appreciating the depth of his involvement; and the Germans try t0 contain the Vatican personnel within their walls. O'Connor narrates the novel from multiple viewpoints including SS Colonel Paul Hauptmann and his wife; the British ambassador to the Vatican; and various members of the resistance. Slightly irritatingly, at least in the galley version I received (thanks Netgalley), the viewpoints were not named so the reader had to spend the first paragraph or more trying to decide who was narrating. But I suppose it is to O'Connor's credit that the viewpoint - with so many to choose from - was generally possible to discern quite quickly. Like many of O'Connor's previous novels, the plot itself is not complicated, the complexity comes from the range of perspectives , each showing different motives and aspirations. This is an accomplished story that is layered with narrative showing everyday life within this secretive community at a particularly unusual time. Bravo! ***** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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