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The Miracle
The Vatican Announces that the Virgin Mary will return to
Lourdes this year to Perform A Miracle Cure!
Will It Be A Miracle? Or Will It Be A Fraud?
Precious lives, loves, and happiness are at
Ken the young American who abandons medical treatment for the chance of miracle
Edith the Englishwoman whose miracle cure has made her famous against her will
Gisele Dupree, the French girl whose desperation to escape Lourdes will lead to violence
Liz the hard-bitten journalist who wants to "expose" Lourdes and its miracles
At the climax comes a surprise twist that only master storyteller Irving Wallace could pull off.
First published in 1984 The Miracle has everything we expect from Wallace at his rich, authentic detail, fast-paced plotting, suspense, and vivid characters.
Lourdes this year to Perform A Miracle Cure!
Will It Be A Miracle? Or Will It Be A Fraud?
Precious lives, loves, and happiness are at
Ken the young American who abandons medical treatment for the chance of miracle
Edith the Englishwoman whose miracle cure has made her famous against her will
Gisele Dupree, the French girl whose desperation to escape Lourdes will lead to violence
Liz the hard-bitten journalist who wants to "expose" Lourdes and its miracles
At the climax comes a surprise twist that only master storyteller Irving Wallace could pull off.
First published in 1984 The Miracle has everything we expect from Wallace at his rich, authentic detail, fast-paced plotting, suspense, and vivid characters.
464 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
43 people are currently reading
383 people want to read
About the author
Irving Wallace
180 books291 followersIrving Wallace was an American bestselling author and screenwriter. His extensively researched books included such page-turners as The Chapman Report (1960), about human sexuality; The Prize (1962), a fictional behind-the-scenes account of the Nobel Prizes; The Man, about a black man becoming president of the U.S. in the 1960s; and The Word (1972), about the discovery of a new gospel.
Wallace was born in Chicago, Illinois. Wallace grew up in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He was the father of Olympic historian David Wallechinsky and author Amy Wallace.
Wallace began selling stories to magazines when he was a teenager. In World War II Wallace served in the Frank Capra unit in Fort Fox along with Theodor Seuss Geisel - more popularly known as Dr Seuss - and continued to write for magazines. He also served in the First Motion Picture Unit of the Army Air Force. In the years immediately following World war II Wallace became a Hollywood screenwriter. He collaborated on such films as The West Point Story (1950), Split Second (1953),and Meet Me at the Fair (1953).
After several years in Hollywood, he devoted himself full-time to writing books. Wallace published 33 books during his lifetime.
Wallace was born in Chicago, Illinois. Wallace grew up in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He was the father of Olympic historian David Wallechinsky and author Amy Wallace.
Wallace began selling stories to magazines when he was a teenager. In World War II Wallace served in the Frank Capra unit in Fort Fox along with Theodor Seuss Geisel - more popularly known as Dr Seuss - and continued to write for magazines. He also served in the First Motion Picture Unit of the Army Air Force. In the years immediately following World war II Wallace became a Hollywood screenwriter. He collaborated on such films as The West Point Story (1950), Split Second (1953),and Meet Me at the Fair (1953).
After several years in Hollywood, he devoted himself full-time to writing books. Wallace published 33 books during his lifetime.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
October 27, 2017
I'm not exactly finished but I will be finishing this during my trip, so I'm taking care of the paperwork now. I'll try to remember to come edit this into a proper review when I get back at the end of November.
But for now there will be a miracle at Lourdes. The Virgin Mary will return and cure one person. Who will that be? The man from Chicago with bone cancer? The high-level Russian politico with muscular dystrophy? The blind Italian actress? Someone else I haven't met yet?
I read this book many years ago but I don't remember any of the details, and I'm only on page 55 but I do expect to get to Lourdes in the bus station this weekend. My four star rating at this point is for the intensity of the story, and my fond memories of all the other Irving Wallace titles I have read. (I have most of them up in Arizona. I will certainly pick a couple to bring back down on the return trip!)
But for now there will be a miracle at Lourdes. The Virgin Mary will return and cure one person. Who will that be? The man from Chicago with bone cancer? The high-level Russian politico with muscular dystrophy? The blind Italian actress? Someone else I haven't met yet?
I read this book many years ago but I don't remember any of the details, and I'm only on page 55 but I do expect to get to Lourdes in the bus station this weekend. My four star rating at this point is for the intensity of the story, and my fond memories of all the other Irving Wallace titles I have read. (I have most of them up in Arizona. I will certainly pick a couple to bring back down on the return trip!)
October 18, 2023
This is a story based on the visions of St. Bernadette of Lourdes in 1858, which involved her interactions with Mary, the lady of the immaculate conception and is a religious novel of sorts. Coming from the stable of Wallace who was known for his racy plots and his minute detailing of situations wherein the reader can actually make out the location, situation in vivid visual detail and the information peddled was impeccable and thoroughly researched.
All of which is also available in this book but having read many if not all of Wallace's books this one was not a compelling reading despite the fantastic background for the novel. The story has lots of characters but meanders and moves at an extremely slow pace with a huge lot of information crammed into the chapters. The prophesized reappearance of the Virgin followed by a promised miracle, one sure-shot cure to ailments. The announcement follows a frenzy as pilgrims and the ailing from all over converge on the area.
The best part of the book are the details of some of the people converging on the area including obviously a journalist wanting to expose a fraud out of desperation but including some strange fellows like the Russian staying undercover to get the cure, a patient on his deathbed needing an operation with his wife not able to convince him, the actress who has lost her sight and many other such people hoping they will receive the miracle. The twist at the end seals the deal.
While I had first read this over a quarter century ago and picked this up while brushing up my wardrobe, the story is a vision in itself but when compared with Wallace's own body of work, this feels like a letdown. At nearly 500 pages it is a big long novel and only the determined and the religious would be able to complete this comfortably. I had my first penance in 1997 and completed my 2nd earlier this month and can safely say that the fire of completing ponderous books burns ever brightly in me.
I had marked it at 1 star in 1997 but after this attempt, and considering the output of contemporary books that I am reading, I have raised it to 3 stars which is MY MIRACLE.
All of which is also available in this book but having read many if not all of Wallace's books this one was not a compelling reading despite the fantastic background for the novel. The story has lots of characters but meanders and moves at an extremely slow pace with a huge lot of information crammed into the chapters. The prophesized reappearance of the Virgin followed by a promised miracle, one sure-shot cure to ailments. The announcement follows a frenzy as pilgrims and the ailing from all over converge on the area.
The best part of the book are the details of some of the people converging on the area including obviously a journalist wanting to expose a fraud out of desperation but including some strange fellows like the Russian staying undercover to get the cure, a patient on his deathbed needing an operation with his wife not able to convince him, the actress who has lost her sight and many other such people hoping they will receive the miracle. The twist at the end seals the deal.
While I had first read this over a quarter century ago and picked this up while brushing up my wardrobe, the story is a vision in itself but when compared with Wallace's own body of work, this feels like a letdown. At nearly 500 pages it is a big long novel and only the determined and the religious would be able to complete this comfortably. I had my first penance in 1997 and completed my 2nd earlier this month and can safely say that the fire of completing ponderous books burns ever brightly in me.
I had marked it at 1 star in 1997 but after this attempt, and considering the output of contemporary books that I am reading, I have raised it to 3 stars which is MY MIRACLE.
August 28, 2008
The church announces the discovery of documents containing the secret prophecy of the Lady of Lourdes to St. Bernadette...that the Virgin will reappear during a specific 8 day period. Wallace takes us to Lourdes for these eight days and introduces us to a cast of characters drawn here for a variety of reasons. Set against a detailed description one of the world's most popular pilgrimage sites, this is an exploration of the meaning and role of faith and science in people's lives. Do miracles really occur? Or are there rational, scientific explanations? Does religion have any merit, or is it just so much superstitious nonsense? These are some of the questions raised by the stories of these various individuals. Each finds their own answers, but the reader is left to find their own answers in their own lives. Filled with unique and interesting characters and a vibrant setting, this book is well paced and entertaining. The author also does a good job of avoiding the predictable, and the ending includes a few surprises. Easy read.
September 15, 2017
As an Orthodox Christian, I perceive this book a completion of the Book of Acts in the Holy Bible. The book by no means advocates a point of view to believe or not to believe in miracles. Yet, owing to its beautiful thrilling style, it leaves you with no clue what to expect will happen next. The embodiment of the struggle of faith and science, religion and reason will never end. And in this book, this dilemma has been tackled by Irving Wallace beautifully, skillfully, and tactfully; he has managed to intertwine both of them; not favoring one over the other, neither supporting or encouraging one and undermining the other.
It is also a thriller masterpiece; the writing style, the sequence of events, the characterization, the detailed description have been all serve the main goal of keeping the reader engaged with the events even while not reading. During my working shifts, I keep thinking, speculating what will happen next or how will the novel end. if that means anything, it means that the author managed to make the reader enter a state of mind where "I'm seeing the world differently- not just for the hour or so in the day when I get to read. I'm actually walking around in a haze spellbound by the book and looking at everything through a different prism". I have really felt this visualization of the events, the characters, the places, the objects, and the ambiance in which all of these occur. The author has really managed in describing the characters and the setting without boring the readers with minute, unnecessary details. I will definitely recommend this book to any thriller books fans. You will enjoy it a lot!
It is also a thriller masterpiece; the writing style, the sequence of events, the characterization, the detailed description have been all serve the main goal of keeping the reader engaged with the events even while not reading. During my working shifts, I keep thinking, speculating what will happen next or how will the novel end. if that means anything, it means that the author managed to make the reader enter a state of mind where "I'm seeing the world differently- not just for the hour or so in the day when I get to read. I'm actually walking around in a haze spellbound by the book and looking at everything through a different prism". I have really felt this visualization of the events, the characters, the places, the objects, and the ambiance in which all of these occur. The author has really managed in describing the characters and the setting without boring the readers with minute, unnecessary details. I will definitely recommend this book to any thriller books fans. You will enjoy it a lot!
January 20, 2014
The book had been lying in and around bookshelves and cabinets in my house for very many years till the day i was thoroughly bored and having nothing better to read i finally took it up. Not a very attractive story-line, not a compelling read, not an unheard of tale either.
The miracle through its story and characters, describes the different relationships we as individuals share with God, our greatest fears and our deepest desires. Be it Hinduism or Christianity or any other religion, faith varies from person to person and drives us to different conclusions about life, love and importantly our relationship with ourselves. No matter how formidable the human race considers itself or how advanced in science and technology we believe ourselves to be, there is much that is not under our control, much that is inexplicable and wondrous.
We may grope for answers, find closures to some questions and may leave the rest of our doubts unresolved simply because that's the easier, more peaceful road or the effort requires more motivation than we could care for.
Irving Wallace offers variety in his stories that very few others do. Inspired by and set in very real world context, they set us on a path of inquiry into the darkness deep in human minds and the sometimes ugly, sometimes piteous face of a desperate and insecure heart.
The miracle through its story and characters, describes the different relationships we as individuals share with God, our greatest fears and our deepest desires. Be it Hinduism or Christianity or any other religion, faith varies from person to person and drives us to different conclusions about life, love and importantly our relationship with ourselves. No matter how formidable the human race considers itself or how advanced in science and technology we believe ourselves to be, there is much that is not under our control, much that is inexplicable and wondrous.
We may grope for answers, find closures to some questions and may leave the rest of our doubts unresolved simply because that's the easier, more peaceful road or the effort requires more motivation than we could care for.
Irving Wallace offers variety in his stories that very few others do. Inspired by and set in very real world context, they set us on a path of inquiry into the darkness deep in human minds and the sometimes ugly, sometimes piteous face of a desperate and insecure heart.
March 7, 2017
Great time
Read.this long ago. When I read Wallace I kn9w the characters are fictional but I still think they are real perfect blend of fiction and fact well researched but with wonderful story telling
Read.this long ago. When I read Wallace I kn9w the characters are fictional but I still think they are real perfect blend of fiction and fact well researched but with wonderful story telling
December 25, 2023
Recently, I finished reading The Miracle, a spiritual fiction written by American writer Irving Wallace whose work has been widely acclaimed read and translated in different languages, with more than 250 million copies sold. The book has been brought for the readers in India by Mastermind publications
It was way back in 1858, a young fourteen years old French girl, coming from a poor family, living at Lourdes, a small town in south-west France meets Mother Mary at a Grotto near the town of Lourdes. Mother Mary selects her to be an immaculate conception and gives her eighteen apparitions starting from 11 February 1858 at the grotto of Massabielle. The people in Lourdes believed in these apparitions and in subsequent years the girl became Saint Bernadetta. People who visited the grotto in the years to come and took bath in the spiritual water were cured of their terminal diseases by the blessings of Mother Mary. This magical cure was attributed to the blessings of the holy soul.
After 90 years, the Vatican announces that Virgin Mary is going to give a re- appearance at the grotto for a single instant during the eight days of pilgrimage, starting from 14th August. Believers and non-believers start flocking the city. All hotels and homestay are filled to brink. A leading actress Nataly Rinaldi, who has suddenly become blind, Ken Clyton suffering an advanced stage of sarcoma in the femur reaches Lourdes saying no to surgery. Amanda, his wife, and a non-believer accompany him for the sake of his belief. Mr Tikhonov Russia’s foreign minister to America and the most suited prime ministerial candidate of USSR is also one of the pilgrims to visit Lourdes during the believed period of apparition by Virgin Mary. Liz Finch, a not very attractive correspondent, a non-believer, is assigned the job of covering the occasion by her newspaper. She and Amanda strike acquaintance with each other and get down to serious digging of facts at Lourdes. Edith Moore, a claimant of spiritual cure has come to Lourdes to appear before the medical council. Her husband quite eager to extract business from his wife’s condition has opened a restaurant in Lourdes. When things begin to worsen for Edith i.e. her disease reappears and aggravates, her health deteriorates then Dr Kleinberg and Dr Duvell come to her rescue with a new developing scientific technique of gene replacement. Edith is cured and the secret of spiritual cure remains upheld.
Patients are cured and some remain uncured for the reasons best known to them. Believers are believers with closed eyes and non-believers are always in search of facts opposing the apparitions. The book covers the minutest details to hold the story till the end. Happy reading.
It was way back in 1858, a young fourteen years old French girl, coming from a poor family, living at Lourdes, a small town in south-west France meets Mother Mary at a Grotto near the town of Lourdes. Mother Mary selects her to be an immaculate conception and gives her eighteen apparitions starting from 11 February 1858 at the grotto of Massabielle. The people in Lourdes believed in these apparitions and in subsequent years the girl became Saint Bernadetta. People who visited the grotto in the years to come and took bath in the spiritual water were cured of their terminal diseases by the blessings of Mother Mary. This magical cure was attributed to the blessings of the holy soul.
After 90 years, the Vatican announces that Virgin Mary is going to give a re- appearance at the grotto for a single instant during the eight days of pilgrimage, starting from 14th August. Believers and non-believers start flocking the city. All hotels and homestay are filled to brink. A leading actress Nataly Rinaldi, who has suddenly become blind, Ken Clyton suffering an advanced stage of sarcoma in the femur reaches Lourdes saying no to surgery. Amanda, his wife, and a non-believer accompany him for the sake of his belief. Mr Tikhonov Russia’s foreign minister to America and the most suited prime ministerial candidate of USSR is also one of the pilgrims to visit Lourdes during the believed period of apparition by Virgin Mary. Liz Finch, a not very attractive correspondent, a non-believer, is assigned the job of covering the occasion by her newspaper. She and Amanda strike acquaintance with each other and get down to serious digging of facts at Lourdes. Edith Moore, a claimant of spiritual cure has come to Lourdes to appear before the medical council. Her husband quite eager to extract business from his wife’s condition has opened a restaurant in Lourdes. When things begin to worsen for Edith i.e. her disease reappears and aggravates, her health deteriorates then Dr Kleinberg and Dr Duvell come to her rescue with a new developing scientific technique of gene replacement. Edith is cured and the secret of spiritual cure remains upheld.
Patients are cured and some remain uncured for the reasons best known to them. Believers are believers with closed eyes and non-believers are always in search of facts opposing the apparitions. The book covers the minutest details to hold the story till the end. Happy reading.
Read
April 5, 2025É uma história interessante, criada a partir de fatos históricos reais que apresentarei abaixo. Eis pequeno trecho do livro: “... O que o homem insignificante classificava como milagres podia ser a intervenção lógica de um indefinível Poder Superior... Tudo se resumia realmente a uma convicção na eficácia da fé ilimitada e não nas restrições da razão. Era uma nova terra em que os sentimentos de um ser conheciam uma sabedoria superior da mente. Pascal expressara da melhor forma: ‘É no coração que se percebe Deus e não na razão’...”
*
Adiantando o assunto, descobri que Bétharram é um local de peregrinação muito antigo (Século XIV). Do mesmo modo fiquei sabendo que Massabielle, embora chamada de gruta, na verdade é constituída de uma acentuada concavidade numa rocha. A água do canal que movimenta os moinhos, banhar-lhe o lado esquerdo e segue em direção ao Gave. Lourdes, no sul da França, cresceu em torno da gruta onde Nossa Senhora apareceu para uma menina chamada Bernadette Soubirous.
O livro conta exatamente sobre uma trama proveniente da aparição da Imaculada Conceição (virgem Maria) para Bernadette em 1858.
Através da internet, obtive a informação de que a cidade de Lourdes continua vivendo do turismo e da peregrinação dos mais de seis milhões de fiéis que visitam o santuário durante todo o ano.
“...O Santuário é gigantesco e compreende várias capelas, igrejas e locais de recolhimento e oração. A Capela-mor da Basílica foi construída, a pedido de Nossa Senhora, exatamente em cima da Gruta Massabielle onde Ela apareceu 18 vezes para a pequena Bernadette... A menina tinha 14 anos quando Nossa Senhora apareceu pela primeira vez a ela. Bernadette viveu em Lourdes até os 22 anos quando se mudou para o convento Saint Gildard em Nevers. Um ano depois fez votos de enfermeira e trabalhou durante seis anos ajudando os doentes. Em 1873, Bernadette adoeceu e cinco anos mais tarde, aos 35 anos de idade, morreu de infecção generalizada causada por uma tuberculose óssea e pulmonar. Em 8 de dezembro de 1933 ela foi canonizada pelo Papa Pio XI...”
O livro faz um apanhado de uma realidade e cria sobre ela uma historia fictícia baseada no terceiro segredo revelado à jovem e descoberto através do diário dela cerca de cento e trinta anos depois. O mistério da reaparição da Virgem e seus milagres são envoltos por uma narração de crimes misteriosos, intriga internacional, dilema entre a fé e a ciência, enfim, temas que gostei de ler. Mais um cadinho de conhecimento histórico e cultural adquirido...
*
Adiantando o assunto, descobri que Bétharram é um local de peregrinação muito antigo (Século XIV). Do mesmo modo fiquei sabendo que Massabielle, embora chamada de gruta, na verdade é constituída de uma acentuada concavidade numa rocha. A água do canal que movimenta os moinhos, banhar-lhe o lado esquerdo e segue em direção ao Gave. Lourdes, no sul da França, cresceu em torno da gruta onde Nossa Senhora apareceu para uma menina chamada Bernadette Soubirous.
O livro conta exatamente sobre uma trama proveniente da aparição da Imaculada Conceição (virgem Maria) para Bernadette em 1858.
Através da internet, obtive a informação de que a cidade de Lourdes continua vivendo do turismo e da peregrinação dos mais de seis milhões de fiéis que visitam o santuário durante todo o ano.
“...O Santuário é gigantesco e compreende várias capelas, igrejas e locais de recolhimento e oração. A Capela-mor da Basílica foi construída, a pedido de Nossa Senhora, exatamente em cima da Gruta Massabielle onde Ela apareceu 18 vezes para a pequena Bernadette... A menina tinha 14 anos quando Nossa Senhora apareceu pela primeira vez a ela. Bernadette viveu em Lourdes até os 22 anos quando se mudou para o convento Saint Gildard em Nevers. Um ano depois fez votos de enfermeira e trabalhou durante seis anos ajudando os doentes. Em 1873, Bernadette adoeceu e cinco anos mais tarde, aos 35 anos de idade, morreu de infecção generalizada causada por uma tuberculose óssea e pulmonar. Em 8 de dezembro de 1933 ela foi canonizada pelo Papa Pio XI...”
O livro faz um apanhado de uma realidade e cria sobre ela uma historia fictícia baseada no terceiro segredo revelado à jovem e descoberto através do diário dela cerca de cento e trinta anos depois. O mistério da reaparição da Virgem e seus milagres são envoltos por uma narração de crimes misteriosos, intriga internacional, dilema entre a fé e a ciência, enfim, temas que gostei de ler. Mais um cadinho de conhecimento histórico e cultural adquirido...
April 28, 2023
The story begins with the announcement of a supposed reappearance of the Immaculata, which will take place in a certain week, on an uncertain day. One thing is guaranteed: she will perform a miracle and heal one of the pilgrims who go to the grotto to pray.
When this is published in the newspapers, thousands of pilgrims decide to head for Lourdes, to see if they get the miracle.
- a journalist determined to expose what she considers to be a fraud
- an actress who suffered an illness that blinded her
- a guy with a very serious sarcoma who refuses the operation because he believes he will be miraculously cured
- the wife of the guy with the sarcoma, who tries to convince him that refusing the operation is like signing a death warrant
- a guy connected to the Russian government who goes there looking for a cure, but goes undercover so as not to be discovered
- a woman about to be considered as "miraculous" after, in the past, her cancer disappeared after a bath in the grotto of the apparitions
The stories of the different characters intersect, and at times even share objectives. The reader is always in limbo, not knowing what to believe: is there really a miracle? When everything seems to say that we are facing a farce, some detail appears to show that miracles do exist, only to then prove again that it is all a big lie.
I personally loved the plot and the way the stories and motivations of the different characters were explored, at the same time that, almost in the background, we have the investigation about the authenticity of the miracles.
You can find more reviews on my blog!
UmBlogueSobreLivros
When this is published in the newspapers, thousands of pilgrims decide to head for Lourdes, to see if they get the miracle.
- a journalist determined to expose what she considers to be a fraud
- an actress who suffered an illness that blinded her
- a guy with a very serious sarcoma who refuses the operation because he believes he will be miraculously cured
- the wife of the guy with the sarcoma, who tries to convince him that refusing the operation is like signing a death warrant
- a guy connected to the Russian government who goes there looking for a cure, but goes undercover so as not to be discovered
- a woman about to be considered as "miraculous" after, in the past, her cancer disappeared after a bath in the grotto of the apparitions
The stories of the different characters intersect, and at times even share objectives. The reader is always in limbo, not knowing what to believe: is there really a miracle? When everything seems to say that we are facing a farce, some detail appears to show that miracles do exist, only to then prove again that it is all a big lie.
I personally loved the plot and the way the stories and motivations of the different characters were explored, at the same time that, almost in the background, we have the investigation about the authenticity of the miracles.
You can find more reviews on my blog!
UmBlogueSobreLivros
March 2, 2017
As Irving Wallace revealed in his novel “The Miracle” heavenly (or earthly) intervention can come in many forms.
As the faithful flock to Lourdes in hope of a visitation of the Virgin Mary or a cure from an ‘incurable’ disease, others have their sights set on more down to earth matters.
The diverse group of characters in this book range from a desperate journalist looking for a big scoop to guarantee the advancement of her career, to an already cured woman and her greedy husband awaiting final confirmation of their ‘miracle’ cure.
In the background is the figure of the sickly young girl who first saw visions and received messages from the heavenly visitor to the grotto at Lourdes.
Bernadette’s story provides inspiration for some, and temptation for others. Perhaps the way to guarantee one’s own success is to destroy all credibility for Bernadette’s story.
A young Basque man sees a completely different opportunity offered by the gathering of the faithful at Lourdes - an opportunity to advance the fight for autonomy for his own people.
Wallace compacts the different strands of the story of these pilgrims into a compelling narrative that draws the reader breathlessly onwards. Who is going to be successful in their quest - and at what cost?
You don’t need to be a believer in the miracles at Lourdes to enjoy this novel, nor do you need to be a cynic. It’s just a darn good story expertly woven by a master storyteller of the past.
Review by Kerry Hennigan
March 2017
As the faithful flock to Lourdes in hope of a visitation of the Virgin Mary or a cure from an ‘incurable’ disease, others have their sights set on more down to earth matters.
The diverse group of characters in this book range from a desperate journalist looking for a big scoop to guarantee the advancement of her career, to an already cured woman and her greedy husband awaiting final confirmation of their ‘miracle’ cure.
In the background is the figure of the sickly young girl who first saw visions and received messages from the heavenly visitor to the grotto at Lourdes.
Bernadette’s story provides inspiration for some, and temptation for others. Perhaps the way to guarantee one’s own success is to destroy all credibility for Bernadette’s story.
A young Basque man sees a completely different opportunity offered by the gathering of the faithful at Lourdes - an opportunity to advance the fight for autonomy for his own people.
Wallace compacts the different strands of the story of these pilgrims into a compelling narrative that draws the reader breathlessly onwards. Who is going to be successful in their quest - and at what cost?
You don’t need to be a believer in the miracles at Lourdes to enjoy this novel, nor do you need to be a cynic. It’s just a darn good story expertly woven by a master storyteller of the past.
Review by Kerry Hennigan
March 2017
October 26, 2025
Sitting up in bed, turning on the lamp, he found that the horror of the nightmare had blurred slightly, and in the light he sought reason. What had brought on the scare? General Kosoff and the KGB weren't chasing him. They were, in reality, honoring him. He was their star, soon to be the most shining star in the Soviet Union. But he had tried to hide from them in the nightmare - and immediately he understood that aspect of the nightmare and tried to interpret it.
Between three and four stars. Wallace is able to weave the plots in this together quite nice and his prose, while not really artistic, does work quite well for this. At times, the dialogue can feel like a biography of St. Bernadette but I don't think I'd find out most of this stuff without this so I can't really get mad. Interested in reading another one of Wallace's novels.
Between three and four stars. Wallace is able to weave the plots in this together quite nice and his prose, while not really artistic, does work quite well for this. At times, the dialogue can feel like a biography of St. Bernadette but I don't think I'd find out most of this stuff without this so I can't really get mad. Interested in reading another one of Wallace's novels.
March 2, 2023
I struggled through this one. It just started so slow to me. So, the Pope announces that the Virgin Mary will reappear for the first time since the mid 1800's due to a page from a diary. A peasant girl name Bernadette says the Virgin Mary appeared to her more than a dozen times and told her secrets. One of those secrets was when she would reappear. Of course, with this news, pilgrims worldwide are descending on the small French town hoping for cures, miracles, or to debunk. Many different story lines intertwine for a decently told story.
August 13, 2019
Many travel to Lourdes praying for a miracle. But is there any hope? This book is much different from my usual reads, but it kept my attention with fast-paced plotting through numerous characters, and scene-setting that is second to none. Though there are some religious elements, belief is absolutely not a criteria for enjoyment. I'd recommend it to those who like international dramas and psychological suspense.
December 14, 2019
Based on Saint Bernadette's visions of Mary in 1858, Wallace weaves a fascinating story surrounding Bernadette's third secret which is revealed as being the Immaculate Conception's reappearance in Lourdes sometime during a week in August. Presenting arguments on both sides, Wallace brings together characters who are wholehearted believers, skeptics, outright unbelievers, and those with nefarious purposes.
May 14, 2015
The book starts out with a reasonable premise. Lourdes visionary Bernadette Soubirous actually did say she'd heard her "beautiful lady" tell her three secrets which she never revealed. And as a nun, she actually would have kept a journal of some sort. In this story, Wallace postulates that Bernadette put her entire life story including the secrets in the journal and shipped the whole thing off to the Lagues family in nearby Bartres who (actually) had cared for her as an infant and later employed her as a shepherd.
In the novel, the first two secrets were personal things for her, but the third was that the Lady would reappear at Lourdes during a specific week. She plans to appear to at least one person and perform one or more miraculous healings. Now the time has come, and when the Church publicizes the message, there's a huge rush to Lourdes. The sick hope to be healed, the curious want to know what's up, the skeptics, well, they're just along for the ride.
Someone compared the cast of this novel to the movie Grand Hotel, and that's a pretty good description. There's the crack journalist Liz Finch, who doesn't believe a word of it but needs a kick-ass story to impress her newspaper. There's the perfect have-it-all couple Ken and Amanda Clayton; he's mortally ill and she's trying to talk him out of Lourdes and have risky surgery instead. (For some reason, my mind immediately cast news anchor Tamron Hall as Amanda and Blair Underwood as Ken, even though a later passage reveals that Amanda is white.)
Amanda and Liz as I see them.
There's elderly Edith Moore, who had a miraculous cure and a pleasant enough husband with a slightly hucksterish plan -- he wants to start a restaurant and charge a bit extra for people to sit down with Edith and hear her story. There's the gorgeous actress Natale, who's gone blind and believes Mary will help her. There's Hurtado, a Basque terrorist planning to blow up the shrine in spite of his group's leaders' express command to refrain from violence while important negotiations are on the table. And there's even a highly placed Soviet official with muscular dystrophy who is just desperate enough to try anything.
Wallace has done his homework pretty thoroughly. He even tells you, through Amanda (who is a clinical psychologist), what books he read, including Abbe Francois Trochu's Saint Bernadette Soubirous and Emile Zola's sordid novel Lourdes that exposes the steaming pile of dog crap that was built by religious authorities and business interests around a young woman's simple, beautiful experience.
It's a good story, and Wallace tells it well. Liz and Amanda team up to find anything they can use to debunk Lourdes. Ken is quietly determined that nothing will shake his faith. Edith gets some bad news but doesn't dare tell her husband because he's sunk their entire nest egg into a business scheme to profit from her story. Natale is warm, loving and full of hope, and as Hurtado falls in love with her he sees that he must lay aside his hatred. The Russian doesn't know what the heck he's doing there; and there's a vivid description of the Lourdes baths -- if I ever go there, I want to stay far away from them.
The story jells all right and comes to satisfying resolutions. The problem I had was that it didn't really take me anywhere, in spite of the meticulous descriptions and the bizarre revelations about Bernadette herself.
So it's a good book, but not great. In fact, it's not a patch on The Third Secret, written twenty-four years later.
In the novel, the first two secrets were personal things for her, but the third was that the Lady would reappear at Lourdes during a specific week. She plans to appear to at least one person and perform one or more miraculous healings. Now the time has come, and when the Church publicizes the message, there's a huge rush to Lourdes. The sick hope to be healed, the curious want to know what's up, the skeptics, well, they're just along for the ride.
Someone compared the cast of this novel to the movie Grand Hotel, and that's a pretty good description. There's the crack journalist Liz Finch, who doesn't believe a word of it but needs a kick-ass story to impress her newspaper. There's the perfect have-it-all couple Ken and Amanda Clayton; he's mortally ill and she's trying to talk him out of Lourdes and have risky surgery instead. (For some reason, my mind immediately cast news anchor Tamron Hall as Amanda and Blair Underwood as Ken, even though a later passage reveals that Amanda is white.)
Amanda and Liz as I see them.
There's elderly Edith Moore, who had a miraculous cure and a pleasant enough husband with a slightly hucksterish plan -- he wants to start a restaurant and charge a bit extra for people to sit down with Edith and hear her story. There's the gorgeous actress Natale, who's gone blind and believes Mary will help her. There's Hurtado, a Basque terrorist planning to blow up the shrine in spite of his group's leaders' express command to refrain from violence while important negotiations are on the table. And there's even a highly placed Soviet official with muscular dystrophy who is just desperate enough to try anything.
Wallace has done his homework pretty thoroughly. He even tells you, through Amanda (who is a clinical psychologist), what books he read, including Abbe Francois Trochu's Saint Bernadette Soubirous and Emile Zola's sordid novel Lourdes that exposes the steaming pile of dog crap that was built by religious authorities and business interests around a young woman's simple, beautiful experience.
It's a good story, and Wallace tells it well. Liz and Amanda team up to find anything they can use to debunk Lourdes. Ken is quietly determined that nothing will shake his faith. Edith gets some bad news but doesn't dare tell her husband because he's sunk their entire nest egg into a business scheme to profit from her story. Natale is warm, loving and full of hope, and as Hurtado falls in love with her he sees that he must lay aside his hatred. The Russian doesn't know what the heck he's doing there; and there's a vivid description of the Lourdes baths -- if I ever go there, I want to stay far away from them.
The story jells all right and comes to satisfying resolutions. The problem I had was that it didn't really take me anywhere, in spite of the meticulous descriptions and the bizarre revelations about Bernadette herself.
So it's a good book, but not great. In fact, it's not a patch on The Third Secret, written twenty-four years later.
October 11, 2018
I read the whole thing...but it was a bit laborious and parts of it seemed like they were tied up quickly. It’s not my usual style of book I read, but it was entertaining although the mention of Michigan Boulevard (Avenue) and “the elevated” (L) in Chicago made me cringe and find the story less credible.
August 16, 2022
Aunque hacia el final ha empezado a desconcertarme mezclando lo racional con lo sobrenatural (no entendia que dirección iba a llevar en los últimos compases) me parece que se ha resuelto muy bien la novela. Guay.
February 11, 2024
Me sorprendió para bien este libro, enfoca la fe pero no muy religiosamente, la verdad hasta asesinato hay y me gusta que el mensaje lo deja abierto a lo que tú quieras interpretar, lo que tú de te diga!
November 10, 2017
Wallace tries his best to satisfy both theist and atheist!
February 22, 2020
A page-turner! Hard to put down.
March 25, 2020
Irving Wallace es garantía de emoción, cambios inesperados y sorpresas. Esta novela entrelaza varias historias, se complementan, se complican. Ideal para cuarentena del coronavirus.
May 6, 2020
A beautiful novel about the power of faith, belief and love. Very glad I found it. God bless, everyone :)
May 7, 2020
A long difficult narrative about Lourdes and the Virgin Mother.. Russian aristocratic, an English mother and a Chicago doctor all try to find miraculous healing in Lourdes. An ok story .. too long
September 29, 2020
Read in 1986. Investigates a new miracle at Lourdes.
February 5, 2021
Upon a second reading of this book, I have upped my rating by one star. I have my quibbles about it, but I won’t bore anyone with them. It is a good read.
December 23, 2021
This was a great page turner. I wish I read it before visiting Lourdes.
May 31, 2022
Um livro antigo que não tinha lido, com uma boa narrativa, embora um pouco previsível. A ler.
Read
January 13, 2023Good story.
March 30, 2024
A solid, original entertaining story whether you are a believer or not.
August 18, 2024
Another Wallace gem. Couldn’t put it down when I read it back in the 80s.
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