Ultimate Prizes

Starbridge #3

by Susan Howatch

The third in Susan Howatch's Church of England novels, ULTIMATE PRIZES begins in 1942 with the world at war, as narrator and archdeacon Nevill Aysgarth finds himself falling into a hopeless obsession over Dido Tallent, beautiful celebrity, and finds himself pursuing her through a swamp of guilt and the destruction of his valued moral compass....


From the Paperback edition.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Religion, British Literature, Christianity, Psychology, Novels

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Susan Howatch (b. 1940) is a British novelist who has penned bestselling mysteries, family sagas, and other novels. Howatch was born in Surrey, England. She began writing as a teen and published her first book when she moved to the United States in 1964. Howatch found global success first with her five sagas and then with her novels about the Church of England in the twentieth century. She has now returned to live in Surrey.

Reviews

[Veronica Hodge · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many profound truths in this book. Some of which, I needed to hear desperately at this particular moment in my life. Who needs healthcare when you can get therapy from Susan Howatch?

1. The title of the book, Ultimate Prizes, although ubiquitous in the book to the point of depreciation, is really an apt title. The primary problem Aysgarth deals with is one that is universal. Many of us chase prizes, such as positions, prestige, esteem. We want the people around us to believe we are a success. Usually we want very specific people around us to believe that we are a success. Those hard-won people. And ultimately, these prizes are not prizes at all, but represent the validation and love of those from whom we seek it. This way of life, chasing "prizes" is possibly the most inhibiting practice a Christian can indulge in. Because who else should we serve but God? And ultimately, do we not wish to hear "Well done, my good and faithful servant" from God one day? If we are so preoccupied with being affirmed and accepted by others, we blur the image of God in ourselves, because seeking acceptance from another is not a result of loving that person, but loving one's self, one's image. It's pride. These dopamine-hit-relationships are not genuine, God-ordained relationships. How many times have I had this same approach as Aysgarth with my own relationships, "That was when I realized...well, all that withheld love was such a prize, you see, such a prize, and I felt I could never rest in peace until it was won."

2. God loves us so much. No matter how often we mess up. Aysgarth is a pretty messed up guy, but who isn't? In the words of Jon Darrow, when "a genuine repentance is present, not even the most contaminated man on earth is unforgiveable!" Will God ever say to me "Go your way and never darken my door again"? Or will he kill the fatted calf? It seems like anytime I need this reminder, God provides me with one. Because God loves me. He really does.

3. I will begin this third profound truth with a quote from the book, "All roads honestly followed lead to God: of that I am very sure. I believe that if I go steadily on, trying to serve God by doing what I believe to be right and not looking too far ahead, then my road will eventually lead me where God intends me to go."

How often do I lose sleep because I think I can control my own life? How often do I labor fiercely, in vain, for the wrong person? How often do avoid my greatest calling, to love others well, in favor of achieving prizes so that I may be "loved well" by others?

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who needs a reminder of these truths.

[KOMET · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Ultimate Prizes" offers the reader a rich and fascinating view into the life of a Church of England archdeacon (Neville Aysgarth), who, at the story's outset, appears to have it all. A position of high authority with the prospect of future advancement, a loving, supportive wife and 5 children. But, during the course of a dinner party given by his Bishop, Dr. Ottershaw, in the late spring of 1942, Aysgarth makes the acquaintance of a vivacious young woman (Diana Dorothea Tallent, otherwise known as "Dido"), with whom he strikes up a witty, bubbly, wide-ranging conversation --- both at the dinner table, in a nearby room among guests, and later during a short walk the two took afterwards on the grounds of the Bishop's residence. (Aysgarth's wife, Grace, who was not overly comfortable with some of the societal expectations of being the wife of a high Church official, had begged off from attending the dinner that evening with him.)

All the while, Aysgarth asked himself: "... Who exactly was this fantastic creature? I had heard of her but my knowledge was sketchy because I never read gossip columns unless the sexton accidentally left his Daily Express behind on the churchyard bench; like all good clergymen I confined my excursions into the world of secular journalism to The Times. However with the aid of the sexton's Express and the glossy magazines which nervous tension drove me to read in the dentist's waiting-room, I had learnt that Miss Tallent moved in the best society despite the fact that her father was a self-made Scottish millionaire. I had of course long since dismissed her as a frivolous creature I would never meet, and yet here she was, in a bishop's drawing room --- in my Bishop's drawing-room --- giving me impudent looks and talking about balls. I could hardly have felt more confused if I had been confronted by one of Orson Welles's invaders from Mars."

Dido expresses to Aysgarth a desire for religious instruction as a way of forging a firmer and greater sense of purpose with her life. This leads to a correspondence between them. (Dido is on active service with the Navy.) At the same time, the reader is given access to the relationship Aysgarth has with his wife and family, which is not as wholly harmonious as it appears at first sight. And as the story progresses, the reader is also made painfully aware that Aysgarth is driven to the point of collapse following a profound shift in his family life and from longstanding (hitherto suppressed) personal issues stemming from his past, which force themselves to the surface, threatening to undermine and destroy everything he has struggled to achieve for himself. Thus begins a long, painful, and hard journey for Aysgarth, which extends to 1946.

Simply put, "ULTIMATE PRIZES" is one of the most compelling novels examining the private life of a public figure that I've yet had the pleasure of reading, juxtaposing the sacred and the profane. What's more, it's gripping stuff and comes highly recommended.

[Beccalarge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not expect to like, let alone love this book. It sat on my shelf for more than a year, and although I picked it up several times, I could never get past the back cover. It did not feel like a book I wanted to read (an archdeacon struggling with adultery...no thanks), but I was wrong.

The book takes place in England during the 1940's, and from the very start I was drawn in by the history of the Church of England. I have aways been fascinated by the evolution of the Evangelical church over Catholicism in England, not to mention the the way the clergyman are ranked, rewarded, and essentially made into pillars of social standing. I found the history in the novel to be informative and very eye opening.

The novel is basically about a young archdeacon, Neville Aysgarth, and his struggle to gain every "ultimate prize" in life....the perfect wife, perfect family, and perfect future in the church. Just when he seems to have it all he finds himself struggling with temptation and sin, and in true human form, attempts to solve everything on his own, in his own "perfect" way. It is only when he is at the brink of ruining his career that he seeks help from another clergyman, who in turn sends him to a monk. It is here that Neville's true struggle begins. His faith believes that sin does not need to be confessed to any other than God, and the thought of having to open his heart to a monk is almost more than he can handle.

This is where the book truly had me hooked. The insights into sin, repentance, forgiveness and the atonement were remarkable. The monk finally gets Neville to open up his past, to bring forward every im-perfect moment. To repent instead of hide. And ultimately to forgive himself.

I found the entire book to be fascinating and insightful. There were passages I had to read and then read again for their simple truths and clear insights. I really enjoyed this book...which I believe is number three in a series of six (although they can be read independently of each other). I will definitely read another.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third book in the Starbridge, Ultimate Prizes is for me, the most moving and profound book in the entire series. It's the one that I think sort of lays out what Susan Howatch was trying to accomplish.

Narrated by Neville Aysgarth, an ambitious archdeacon it is the story of his lifetime quest for the "ultimate prizes." He is by far the most fascinating character of the series for me. Just when I think I have him all nicely figured out he throws me a huge curve ball. I love the way Howatch describes the different facets of his personality as individuals, i.e. Neville 1, Neville 2 and Neville 3.

The time is set at the beginning of WW II Neville's marriage to Grace, the perfect wife and mother, is cracking under the pressure of being worthy of her perfection. After Grace dies, Neville marries socialite Dido Tallent, but when their first child dies at birth, his faith in both God and his own motives is rocked. In crisis, Neville asks his colleague Jon Darrow (narrator of Glamorous Powers ) for spiritual first aid and, guided by a wise abbot friend of Jon's, is forced to an honest appraisal of himself and his ambition--which has its roots in his early life. He struggles back to spiritual health and eventually emerges a wiser man, more honest and loving toward his family and his flock.

[booklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ha! Finally they have the cover of the edition that I have!

I'm going to come back and write my review of this later but I just had to post this now.

[Stuart Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite in this loose (1st) trilogy. Susan Howatch again shows amazing insight into the psychology of relationships. This time exploring the mindset of a highly successful Archdeacon against the complete mess of his private life.
Despite being strongly agnostic myself, the religiosity and the Church of England backdrop continues to provide a strongly interesting backdrop.
Great book by a great author.

[Camp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how we lie to each other.

[Adam Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third Reading Summary: A working-class boy becomes a high-powered clergyman, but a tragedy brings about a crisis. 

There are three main reoccurring characters in the Starbridge series, Charles Ashworth (the conservative neo-orthodox), Jon Darrow (the mystical anglo-Catholic), and Stephen (Nevill) Aysgarth (the liberal modernist). Ultimate Prizes is the book where Neville, who is renamed in the book to Stephen) is the narrator.

I never really liked Stephen. His pugnacious personality, which Howatch tries to make a positive feature, annoys me. And while I am not an Anglo-Catholic nor a Neo-Orthodox leaning Christian, Aysgarth's style of liberalism turns me off even more. Part of the problem is that as much as Aysgarth is shown to have real faith and pastoral skills, and no one in the series is portrayed as perfect, Aysgarth responds the least to spiritual direction and his crises.

In the first two books, Charles and Jon are far from perfect, but the changes they make due to their problems make them better at fulfilling their calling. While Stephen seems to get patched up enough to keep going, but just a few years later has another crisis, and then another, and another. In the last book of the series, which I am reading now, Charles, who eventually becomes a bishop, grapples with whether or not he should have worked to end Stephen's career in the church because he keeps having problems. That last book is, in part, about the role of grace in the Christian life. But I think the series as a whole makes the case that there are reasons that clergy should be defrocked.

I am not going to give away the details, but in Ultimate Prizes, what is a significant crisis in his life moves toward a later, even more significant crisis in part because Stephen continues to drink heavily and take "Scanalous Risks" because his personality is oriented toward working for "Ultimate Prizes."

More than any other book, Ultimate Prizes is part one of a story arc that includes Scandalous Risks. Reading through this series again has reminded me that Howatch has relied on a couple of storytelling methods too strongly. Again, Stephen's wife dies (for the first time this happens in the book), just like Charles and Jon's wives died early in the two previous books. And again, the desire for sex plays a big role in seeking a new wife. And again, parent issues play a developmental role that is part of how sin plays out in Aysgarth's life.

Theology, personality, parents, and class all work together positively and negatively in orienting a person to sin and gifting. And like Richard Rohr's basic approach in Why Be Catholic, strengths are almost always weaknesses from another facet.

As I have tried to express earlier, I am sentimental about the series because it has so impacted me in turning me to spiritual direction as a concept. There are real issues with the series, but as I am in the midst of reading the last book as I am writing this, I am reminded of how the imperfections of the series are at least somewhat planned because human life is imperfect. God can redeem brokenness to become more beautiful than we can imagine.


_________
Book Review: Ultimate Prizes by Susan Howatch (Church of England #3) - This whole series is well worth reading. But is not traditional Christian Fiction. It is more about the way sin seperates us from God and how often we stray from what God wants for us. But how God can work through us anyway. Ultimate Prizes is about an Arch Deacon that gets the Ultimate Prize he is looking for, but finds it wasn't want he really wanted.

The full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/ultimate-prizes/

Eventually, I will write up a second review. With each of these books on a second reading, I like them even more.

[Ruthiella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a re-read for me. It is the third book in the six book Starbridge series of addictive Anglican potboilers by Susan Howatch. Readers last saw Neville Aysgarth very briefly as a disapproving figure vis-à-vis Jon Darrow in Glamorous Powers. In Ultimate Prizes, Aysgarth is the focus of the novel and my personal hero Jon Darrow is also back in action to help integrate Asygarth’s fractured psyche.

Set during WWII, Neville Aysgarth is the Archdeacon to the kind but perhaps ineffectual Bishop Ottershaw. He is a “self-made man” who grew up the child of middle-class Methodists in Yorkshire but felt called to a career in the Church of England when on scholarship at Oxford. Aysgarth later came under the mentorship of Alex Jardine, former Bishop of Starbridge and anyone who’s read the first book, Glittering Images knows that that spells trouble. Interestingly, while Neville Aysgarth has to be one of the more unpleasant characters in this series, I found his story of reintegration and redemption incredibly moving, much more so then the climaxes of the previous two books.

[Janna Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another strong entry in the Starbridge series. I love seeing characters from other books from someone else’s perspective and that happens a lot in this book. I especially enjoyed watching Neville and Jon’s relationship develop into something almost resembling a friendship. I’m not sure how I feel about jumping 20 years into the future with the second half of this series, but Susan Howatch hasn’t let me down yet so I’m trying to stay optimistic.

Side note: I need to reread Glittering Images in light of the revelation that Lyle is Alex Jardine’s daughter. She DID have his baby, right? So are we talking incest here? Or was it not really his? I’m so confused.

UPDATE after re-read: Having read Book 6 since my initial read of this one, I now understand the conundrum mentioned in my "side note."

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in the Starbridge series. So far each book has been narrated by a clergyman who goes off the rails and has to be nursed back to spiritual health by someone outside his ecclesiastical comfort zone. In Glittering Images the Neo-Orthodox scholar is under the care of the mystic. In Glamorous Powers the Mystic is restored by the modernist. In Ultimate Prizes a broadchurchman is put back together by Anglo-Catholics. No plot spoilers here. Like the other novels, the protagonist has issues stemming from their past that casts a shadow over their ministry when they reach a crisis point. Jon Darrow is still an interesting character. As is ths novel's protagonist Neville (AKA Stephen) Aysgarth.

I am on to the next in the series.

[Renada Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm beginning to think that once you've read one Starbridge book you've read them all. That's not to say they aren't compelling, but I've yet to find one that deviated from the pattern of a clergyman's marital/sexual crisis leading to personal breakdown, following by an encounter with a powerful spiritual mentor, who leads said clergyman to uncover painful truths about the past. Newly reconciled to the truth about himself, the clergyman sets out on a new life of personal sacrifice and service to God.

[JennanneJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always unsure how to rate these Starbridge/Church of England series books. I find them a fascinating look at theology, psychology, self-delusions, interpersonal relationships -- but I often very much dislike the main characters. So far, they have all been arrogant, self-righteous, sexist men -- who do, usually, improve slightly by the end. These books are just so fascinating.

[Danielle Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.7 Stars - that's the number that feels right in my head. Neville is infuriating, Darrow is back where he belongs as spiritual director, and Howatch's study of personality still gripped my attention throughout. Might be taking a break from her books from the intensity of Neville's psyche and an unsatisfying ending in my opinion, but it was still worth reading in small ways.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tour de force.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in the "Church of England" series. Another real look at real problems real people face. Honestly, Howatch's characters are so believable, I forget it's fiction I'm reading. I personally love the theme of this book--only true repentance leads to forgiveness and freedom, and getting there involves calling sin sin, not just "ringing down the curtain" on it!!

Again, there are many memorable characters in the book, including:

Neville Aysgarth

"Crisis?" I said. "What crisis? The crisis is over--ring down the curtain! I've no doubt at all that we'll eventually succeed in living happily ever after!"
Dido Tallent

" . . . and in fact I wouldn't mind not marrying at all, but of course a woman has to be married if she wants to be a success in life, and I burn to be a success. So what am I to do? I'm twenty-seven years old. I've got to take action soon or I'll wind up a spinster, and one can't be a successful spinster, it's a contradiction in terms. I did think of being a successful nun, but they keep such peculiar hours, and I'm sure I'd hate being deprived of my silk underwear--"
Jonathan Darrow

"Very commendable," said Darrow, "but the trouble with those sort of curtains--the ones that hide the past--is that they tend to develop such an unfortunate habit of going up at the wrong moments."
Aidan Lucas

"No, it's much too painful, isn't it? It's a torment. It's a nightmare. But Neville, in the end you've got to screw up all your courage and face this pain. The road to repentance doesn't lie, you see, in ringing down the curtain on the sin you can't bear to face.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will convince: preachers are people too. Archdeacon Neville Aysgarth is very human in terms of ambition, desires, wraths, temperment, fears/insecurities, selfishness, searchings, questionings. Setting is England, during WWII and immediately afterward. The world is changing, not breaking from the past, but rather evolving. Metamorphosis would be a good word to describe the novel's hero Aysgarth's evolution as well.
This book is a fairly long read. Susan Howatch does a masterful writing, plumbing the characters that surround the archdeacon's life. The character personalities are so clearly depicted it's as if you, the reader, are pondering some of your own relationships across life: family, co-workers, neighbors, lovers, and even some of your own stupid learning mistakes made along your own timeline of life. It shows that with faith and belief in the power of redemption, wrongs can be adjusted and in the very British expression, carry on. This is not high action, thrill read; indeed it kind of drags along in spots. It is, however, a redemptive tale that all can be well.

[Debra Pawlak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in Susan Howatch's Stabridge Series. This book centers around Neville Aysgarth, a clergyman who has a wandering eye. He has a wife--whom he claims is perfect--and five children. When he meets Dido Tallent, a much younger socialite, suddenly his perfect wife is not so perfect anymore. As the story unravels, some of the characters from the first two books make appearances, which makes it fun to read. However, if you didn't read them beforehand, the hidden nuances will not be understood. I thought this book was the best of the lot so far. Neville had an interesting perspective on life and a sarcastic voice that made his snarky comments enjoyable. He was always trying to 'ring down the curtain' on things he didn't like. When Dido turned out to be one of them, he found she was not so easily dismissed. Looking forward to Book 4!

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slow going getting into this book, but like the first two, it definitely grabbed me and then I was eager to see how things went. These books always surprise me. The way sex is dealt with is rather amusing....it's as if we all must Clear the Air by a Robust Discussion of Our Physical Urges. And the untangling of personalities and accompanying problems seems so psychological. If I end up on someone's couch, spilling my guts, Howatch is to blame. :)

But seriously, I did love yet another look at how spiritual guides can help one deal with difficulties, even if the person in a mess is fighting against help with all their might. And it was fascinating to see the conflict between liberal and conservative theology in action. "Bibliolatrous"—whaattt? It is hard to fathom that anyone could think it appropriate to pick and choose what parts of the Bible are true.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first part of this book is a bit hard to get through, mostly because the main character is so unlikable, so obviously refusing to acknowledge how things really are, insisting on saying everything is fine when is it clearly far from it, obsessed with the idea of "chasing prizes" while he ruins relationships with other people. Then somehow, as he goes through the painful process of seeing himself and his life and the other people in his life more clearly, he becomes surprisingly likable. I don't agree with his theological liberalism, but he turns out to have been doing some things right even as he did others so wrong, and he comes to a greater knowledge of the reality of sin (as much as he dislikes the word), repentance, and grace.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thought-provoking story about a Church of England archdeacon who must deal with the psychological conflicts created when reaching for the "ultimate prizes," in life. He engages in attention getting behavior from a distant Mother figure and an Uncle who raised him after his father died. There are some great passages in this book as Neville Aysgarth comes to terms with the past in the context of his religious faith. One question: can he save his marriage to one ultimate prize, a vivacious London socialite, be saved and even bloom into real love. Like others in this series, the story is told in a first-person narrative from Neville's point of view.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with the previous books in this series, I enjoyed Howatch's skill in crafting complex characters and weaving together psychology and spirituality to explore human relationships. I appreciated seeing characters who were central in previous novels playing supportive roles in this one, passing along the learning and insights they've attained earlier. It's also been fascinating to see how she depicts the Church of England evolving through the course of history, as a result of both internal changes as well as external events, like World War II in this novel.

[Terry Southard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, I may never have wanted to smack a narrator as much as I wanted to smack Neville Aysgarth for the first half of this book. Then when push comes to shove I actually cared enough for him to root for him thoroughly, though I don't envy him his future.

I like that Howatch doesn't sum up his live an tie up the bows into a happy every after ending. Because Neville's life will be hard. But I hope it will be fulfilling.

[Wendy Huang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoying this series about clergymen in the Anglican church. The main character in each book suffers a spiritual and emotional breakdown, usually related to his childhood and past hurts. The path to new life means facing the pain, becoming honest, and accepting responsibility. I find these books to be deeply touching and encouraging in my spiritual journey.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liberal Theology’s Incarnation

19th Century theological liberalism is all about one simple principle: Theological optimism. Neville Aysgarth is the epitome of that principle, even though he walks a brutal and stormy path. This novel shows what happens when theology collided with real life. It is there that Aysgarth (and we, the readers) discover that, “it is all one.”

[Mad Leon · Rating 1 out of 5]

The main character is a shallow narcissist who plods along though life collecting "prizes". The entire book consists of gnashing of teeth and whining and I was grateful to finally finish. Evidently this is one in a series of three but I found nothing meaningful or fascinating about the life of a minister in 1940s England. Just rubbish.

[AJW · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Goodreads app crashed yet again as I was writing a review!! Frustrating!!!

I’m really enjoying re-reading the Starbridge series. It’s so long since I first read them, that I cannot remember what happens so I get caught up in the twists and turns of the story as a first time reader would. What’s interesting about this third book, is how it interacts with characters from the first two books.

[David Bisset · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ecclesiastical pursuits

The book has a twisting somewhat melodramatic plot. It is of course, gripping. The context of the life of the Church of England in the forties. But there is sin repentance and redemption - and complex family histories. Realistic? Perhaps, but gripping!

[Amy Kannel]

If the mark of a good book is the desperate desire to discuss it with someone...then this is a great book.

I have such ambivalence about being hooked on this series. There is so much I find brilliant and provocative and insightful...and so much I find troubling. But I am definitely hooked.

[scarlett pierson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love these books. I cannot describe them. It’s spiritual psychology in a novel. A historic look at the Church of England. Religious thinking and evolution of spiritual ideas. But all in a NOVEL.
Amazing.