L'ultimo conclave

Le avventure di Cal Donovan #7

by Glenn Cooper

Quando, a soli due anni dall’elezione, papa Giovanni XXIV viene trovato morto nel suo letto, il Vaticano deve superare in fretta lo sconcerto e organizzare un nuovo conclave. Il giorno d’apertura, dopo la tradizionale processione dei cardinali elettori, viene sancito l’Extra omnes e si chiudono le porte. Nel pomeriggio i fedeli attendono l’esito della prima votazione, tuttavia le ore passano e dal comignolo su cui sono puntate migliaia di telecamere non esce nessuna fumata, né nera né bianca. Stretta fra gli obblighi del cerimoniale e un senso di inquietudine sempre più forte, la segretaria di Stato Elisabetta Celestino decide di compiere un atto senza precedenti: rompere il sigillo del conclave e aprire le porte. E la scena che si trova davanti è surreale. La Cappella Sistina è vuota. I cardinali elettori sono svaniti nel nulla.
Arrivato in Vaticano come collaboratore della CNN per commentare il conclave, Cal Donovan si unisce subito alle indagini su quella scomparsa apparentemente impossibile. E, mentre il mondo rimane col fiato sospeso in attesa di notizie, a poco a poco Cal si rende conto con orrore che quello è solo l’ultimo tassello di un piano ordito da un gruppo di persone potenti e determinate, persone che da otto secoli tramano nell’ombra per lavare nel sangue le colpe della Chiesa e ricostruirla dalle fondamenta…

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Historical Fiction, Religion, Crime

416 pages, Hardcover

Published June 11, 2024

About the author

Glenn Cooper is an internationally bestselling thriller writer.

Glenn was born in New York City and grew up in nearby White Plains. He attended White Plains High School before enrolling at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts where he graduated from Harvard with an honors degree in archaeology. He then attended Tufts University School of Medicine and did his post-doctoral training at the New England Deaconess and the Massachusetts General Hospitals becoming a board-certified specialist in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. After practicing medicine, Glenn began a research career in the pharmaceutical industry which culminated in an eighteen-year position as the Chairman and CEO of a biotechnology company in Massachusetts. Glenn began writing screenplays over twenty years ago and his interest in movies prompted him to attend the graduate program in film production at Boston University. He is currently the chairman of a media company, Lascaux Media, which has produced three independent feature-length films. In 2006 Glenn turned his hand to novel-writing. His debut novel, THE LIBRARY OF THE DEAD, the first in a trilogy, became an international bestseller and was translated into thirty languages. All of his seven published books have become top-ten international best-sellers.

Glenn currently lives in New Hampshire.

Reviews

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

DNF @ 50%

I zoned in on this one because of the book title and cover, with Pope Francis having recently died and his successor Pope Leo XIV newly elected. I was so interested in the topic that I recently watched the movie "Conclave" starring Ralph Fiennes about this ancient ritual (by the way- it was excellent). The premise of this book is that the Pope died and the Conclave will be assembling to choose the new Pope. An academic expert on such matters is recruited to comment on the proceedings for a major cable news network. He is also great friends with a nun who is the Secretary of State to the Pope at the Vatican- considered an unusual hiring choice per her sex. The academic expert and the nun have a simmering but unspoken attraction to each other. When way too much time passes and there is still no smoke signal showing a first vote, the nun is called to sanction opening the door to the Conclave. Something is terribly wrong...

At first I was riveted to learn the details regarding the Conclave process. However, the crisis that interrupted its operation branched off into such wild and occasionally violent scenarios that I became turned off. I thought it was best to DNF @ 50% as I no longer cared to be taken on this wild ride, and I do not enjoy mystery and thrillers anyway.

Thank you to the publisher Book Whisperer who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic in every way! Additionally, it could not be more current with the conclave of the Catholic Church being just a couple weeks ago.

The writing is very clear and very easy to understand. It is a fast read that is truly a one sitting experience. From the first chapter to the conclusion this book moves and lightning speech.

It has the body to draw emotions out of the reader. I remember feeling extremely sad for the fate of the Cardinals.

I highly recommend this excellent book in every single way!

I received a copy from Book Whisperer for evaluation without any requirements but to be honest.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Timely

The Last Conclave tackles the story of a Conclave gone wrong with somewhat outlandish events around the secretive and closrly guarded Conclave. It is a bit of a stretch of the imagination but it is also entertaining. Well worth your time.

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took me 13 days to read this short book, why? Because it sucked, I absolutely hated it. Hated the lesbian affair, the feminist push to get women ordained as priests in the Roman Catholic Church, the spotlighting of an 800 year old heretical sect that had ben violently put down by the church. I hated all of it. The only reason I pressed on and finished the book was that I had received a free publication version with the promise to write my honest opinion of the book. Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book, even if I highly disliked it.

[Chiara Albertini · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Intervista completa sul blog Sololibri.net)

• Estratto dall’articolo:

D. Interessante la scelta di immaginare una figura femminile che abbia potere decisionale, una certa influenza all’interno del Vaticano. Ci motivi questo suo particolare punto di vista legato alle donne.

R. Elisabetta Celestino è un personaggio che dovrebbe esistere nella vita reale ma, purtroppo, probabilmente non esisterà mai. Ho concepito una donna che saliva nella gerarchia del Vaticano per denunciare il terribile trattamento delle donne come cittadine di seconda-classe nella Chiesa.

• Estratto dal libro:

«Gli uomini che vedete alle nostre spalle, i cardinali di questa Chiesa che ieri si sono riuniti per scegliere l’ennesimo uomo come papa, sono i diretti responsabili della sottomissione delle donne cattoliche. [...] Se lei verrà eletta, il conclave si concluderà e i cardinali saranno subito rilasciati.»

[Mary Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story if rather implausible. 12th-14th century Catharism and its dualism is an interesting fact in religious/philosophical history and something I had studied in college; it doesn't travel well to the 21st century. Two of the leaders of the Cathar plot to derail the conclave are also the most bloodthirsty and are utterly unredeemable by any moral or ethical standard. I did like the character Cal Donovan, the Harvard professor of religion, and would be interested in other stories featuring him. I found the writing/editing somewhat uneven with numerous typos and grammar/punctuation errors. It could have been, at least in part, the translation process from print to e-book.

[Helen Gough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts off well but the ending lets it down badly

[Kaija · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. In fact, I would give it five full stars if the typos in the e-book version didn’t grate on me so hard.
I see that this is one of a series about Cal Donovan, but I had neither heard of them nor read any previously. I received an advance copy of the book in order to review it.
The title piqued my interest as I very much enjoyed the film “Conclave”, and I wanted more of that setting. This book did not disappoint!
I have only been to Rome and the Vatican one time, but the descriptions of the places in this book were very easy to picture. The characters felt very real, and the timing of *having an actual Conclave* happen while reading this book was an unexpected coincidence.
This book did not do anything I imagined it would prior to reading. It was constantly fresh with innovative plot turns AND some history taught at the same time.
I highly suggest this book for anyone who liked the film “Conclave” or for anybody who likes a fast-read mystery!

[Mozelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent light read

I enjoyed the storyline, characters, and history lesson. I had never heard of the French cult, but it turns out the book is based on history! The book explains how the Catholic Church was different during the 1200's.

[Mary MacMillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for access to the e-book!

Wow...this was a ride and a half. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The book felt really well researched and not like it was written in 2 days (which a lot of books that come out these days feel like). Catholics, if even half of the historical references in here are historically accurate, you guys have one hell of a history...
I must admit that there were a LOT of characters so a few times I did have moment of "who's that again?" but the story was so intriguing that all of the characters had purpose to them. I am also not the best at remembering details that are connected to each character and I sometimes have to page back but the characters were all distinct enough for me to tell everyone apart. I honestly believe this book would make a great limited series!
I'm not usually one for time line changes that come out of nowhere but every past reference that was brought up held significance. I especially loved Elisabetta and how part of the story showed how emotional men can really get in the way of resolving conflicts so much faster.

One thing that did bother me a bit was the consistent emphasis on how dark skinned Gaby was and the way it was described with really dark objects. I think it only really needed to be mentioned once and also he could've just said that she was dark-skinned instead of "coal-black" :/

besides that the book was really great and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a lot of suspense, thriller and a touch of history :))

They weren't lying when they said that the book is 'gripping'!

Ps. Love that the gays were unexpectedly featured

PPS. Cal and Elisabetta <3

[Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced thriller with good characters and perhaps an implausible but satisfying plot.

[Vi.per.a · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ho scelto questo libro senza sapere di cosa parlasse, nè che genere scrivesse l'autore, ed è stata una piacevole scoperta. Si tratta di un thriller-storico/religioso con uno stile molto chiaro, semplice e coinciso e una trama interessante, ma senza essere troppo arzigogolata. Per quanto riguarda i personaggi, si dice che siano fatti bene quando risultano grigi, quando non sai se amarli o odiarli, e mi sono sentita così per gran parte dei protagonisti di questo libro: per il papa, per i cardinali, per i catari. Unici personaggi che ho trovato meno interessanti erano proprio i principali, ovvero Cal, ma soprattutto Elisabetta, tuttavia, essendo una collana di libri, penso siano stati approfonditi si più nei primi volumi.

Perfetto se si cerca una lettura non troppo impegnata ma neanche leggerissima, penso che recupererò altri libri della serie :))

[Gianluca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ogni libro di Glenn Cooper è sempre un bel libro.
Cal Donovan è un personaggio ormai rodato e a cui i suoi lettori sono molto affezionati.
Tutti i libri di questa saga contengono il giusto mix tra cenni storici e una trama molto coinvolgente.

Se avete letto gli altri episodi della saga non potete non leggere questo.
Se, invece, non ne avete letto neanche uno, vi consiglio di iniziare da questo e, a poco a poco, recuperare tutti gli episodi di questa saga molto intrigante.

[incipit mania]

Incipit
Il papa rimane solo molto di rado.
Continua su IncipitMania

[DoraAndTheGirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5.
Ho imparato molte cose, mi è piaciuto molto.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

fomeke.

[vanessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

[Fabiano Parmesan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gran bel libro. Il risveglio dell' eredità catara.
Cooper e bravo a scrivere una trama avvincente credibile ricca di emozioni e accurata storicamente.

[Toni Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gripping Vatican conspiracy

After the death of Pope John XXIV, the world braces for a new conclave but once the cardinals are sealed inside the Sistine Chapel, something inconceivable happens…..The Cardinals have vanished without a trace.

A vanished conclave, an empty Sistine Chapel and a secret buried for eight centuries.

What a thrilling read from the opening page till the very last, it was definitely a hard story to put aside. This mystery is of kidnapping and Catharism, a movement that thrived in Southern Europe in the 12th to the 14th centuries and was denounced as heretical leading to violent suppressions, Crusade and inquisitions by the Catholic Church. Mr. Cooper talks a lot about this in his book, quite interesting and informative.

The plot couldn’t be any faster and very suspenseful when CNN religious expert Carl Donovan on site to cover the conclave finds himself dragged into a global investigation and more so, when he uncovers the trail leading back to a centuries-old order…..one waiting in the shadows to strike…..As a result, the ancient secrets could and will shake the foundations of faith…The blend of the lost world of the Cathars with the present day crisis in the Catholic Church was seamless done and perfectly woven.

This story has taking me on a colourful journey to the most holy of place and has opened my eyes on part of history I had no knowledge of.

This religious thriller is worth every page…

Nicely said and nicely-done

I received a copy of this book via the publisher Book Whisperer for my thoughts: this is the way I see it.

[Kaija · Rating 4 out of 5]

N.B. I read the ebook version of this novel in English

I really enjoyed reading this book. In fact, I would give it five full stars if the typos in the e-book version didn’t grate on me so hard.
I see that this is one of a series about Cal Donovan, but I had neither heard of them nor read any previously. I received an advance copy of the book in order to review it.
The title piqued my interest as I very much enjoyed the film “Conclave”, and I wanted more of that setting. This book did not disappoint!
I have only been to Rome and the Vatican one time, but the descriptions of the places in this book were very easy to picture. The characters felt very real, and the timing of *having an actual Conclave* happen while reading this book was an unexpected coincidence.
This book did not do anything I imagined it would prior to reading. It was constantly fresh with innovative plot turns AND some history taught at the same time.
I highly suggest this book for anyone who liked the film “Conclave” or for anybody who likes a fast-read mystery!

[Firetruckmama · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, for which I thank them.

“The Last Conclave” is a mystery/history book by Glenn Cooper. I have rather mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, the timing of this book was excellent - people are very interested in Conclave due to Pope Francis’s death and Pope Leo XIV’s election. It doesn’t hurt any that Pope Leo XIV is an American - like the Pope at the beginning of this book. This book has been well researched, but at times it became a bit dry for my taste - especially in the chapters that went back in time (and I’ll admit to just skipping those chapters). A lot happens in this book - sometimes a bit out of the blue. In some ways I kept getting flashes of “The da Vinci Code” with our hero giving lectures and zipping off to meet people. This book needs an editor. I found this an interesting book.

[Jen Pears · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thrilling read from start to finish, a masterful journey through the history of The Conclave and plenty of twists and turns.

The Last Conclave was read off the back of the sad passing of our own Pope Francis and the Conclave to elect his successor Pope Leo XIV the first American pope.

The book bought to mind the writing of both Dan Brown and Robert Harris. This book bought its own mystery and story of intrigue and history alongside plenty of late nights gripped by the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and BookWhisper for an opportunity to read an ARC. This is my personal review.

[Lonny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was eager to read this book after the election of the new Pope and after having seen the movie, Conclave, and I was not disappointed! Lots of action, interesting history, amazing twists and turns, and even a bit of romance made this book almost impossible to put down. I'd highly recommend it to fans of Dan Brown and Robert Harris and those who enjoy a fast paced read without a lot of violence and gore.

Thank you to NetGalley and Book Whisperer for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

[Luigi Falbo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Voto 3,5 ⭐️

Romanzo molto carino che si divora facilmente, la storia è intrigante soprattutto se si evidenzia che la base su cui poggia è basata su fatti storici reali su cui ognuno di noi può trarre le proprie conclusioni.
L’unica pecca del libro a mio avviso è il finale, sembra quasi che l’autore l’abbia scritto di fretta e contro voglia, la base su cui poggia è troppo consistente rispetto alla frenesia di chiudere la storia.

Libro che comunque mi sento di consigliare per una lettura leggera e per conoscere un po di più sul nostro turbolente passato.

[Chiara Gnutti · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stelle. Primo libro che leggo dell’autore. Inizio lento ma il resto scorrevole. Interessanti i capitoli e le digressioni sulla religione e storia dei catari, che fanno emergere delle riflessioni. Finale un po’ deludente e affrettato.

[Simone Cicali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Non so se era l'intento di Cooper, ma mi ha dato ogni motivo per tifare per i "cattivi".

[Chiara Caffi · Rating 2 out of 5]

È il primo libro dell'autrice che leggo, onestamente la trama è molto interessante e scorre velocemente la lettura con qualche piccolo colpo di scena (niente di non prevedibile). Tuttavia ho trovato la conclusione decisamente troppo rapida e veloce, la parte storia inserita nell'ultima parte del libro poteva essere anche uno spunto narrativo interessante ma l'ho trovato poi poco coerente con il resto e poco articolato nella storia di Sabine. Una lettura piacevole, ma a mio parere abbastanza mediocre.

[Giorgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
Glenn Cooper non delude mai

[Manuel Andreotti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anche questo romanzo con Cal Donovan protagonista conferma le qualità di Cooper, soprattutto il tenerti incollato al plot.

[Katia Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dunque, eccoci di fronte al mio primo approccio con Glenn Cooper che con la sua scrittura semplice e scorrevole, è capace di portarti per mano senza farti inciampare in inutili tecnicismi. Ho apprezzato molto l'articolazione delle varie fasi della narrazione. C’è un’ottima alternanza tra i diversi contesti e momenti della storia, una gestione dei tempi che non lascia spazio alla noia.
Ma il vero punto di forza, secondo me, è l’atmosfera. Si avverte chiaramente il rigore della vita in Vaticano; Cooper è bravissimo a farti sentire addosso la maestosità e la sacralità di quegli ambienti. Ti sembra quasi di camminare sotto quelle alte volte, tra il profumo d'incenso e il peso di tradizioni millenarie che gravano sulle spalle dei protagonisti, anche se la trama, beh... diciamo che è un tantino inverosimile, ma non per questo meno affascinante. È uno di quei casi in cui accetti volentieri il compromesso con la realtà per goderti il gusto dell'intrigo.
A differenza di altri libri dove ho lamentato la mancanza di spessore dei personaggi, qui non ne ho sentito la mancanza. Il focus è tutto sulla trama appunto. Ho trovato molto azzeccata la gestione del ritmo: parte in modo meticoloso, quasi lento, per permetterci di studiare il contesto e conoscere i protagonisti, ma poi accelera. Nella seconda metà il libro "punta al sodo", tralasciando i fronzoli per dare al lettore quello che vuole: i fatti, con i quali si giunge ad un finale coerente con l‘escalation della storia.
Ma attenzione: dietro questa parvenza di lettura "leggera" da thriller, si nasconde in realtà un aspetto importantissimo: il romanzo tocca infatti un tasto profondo e decisamente attuale: la parità dei sessi. L'autore ci porta a riflettere seriamente sul ruolo della donna nell'ambito lavorativo e, per estensione estrema, in quello ecclesiastico. È un tema forte, sentito, che dà al libro uno spessore etico inaspettato, trasformando la narrazione in un'occasione per interrogarci su barriere e pregiudizi ancora duri a morire.
Insomma, una lettura che consiglio a chi cerca un mistero avvincente, ma anche uno spunto di riflessione su temi sociali che vanno ben oltre le mura del Vaticano.