The Clowns of God

The Vatican #2

by Morris L. West

What would happen, if the members of the Roman Curia discovered that the Pope was about to state publicly that he had received a private revelation that the world was about to end? Pope Gregory XVII claims to have received a private revelation of the end of the world - an apocalypse coming not in some distant future but at any moment. Is he a madman, as his cardinals suspect, a mystic, or a fanatic grasping for an unholy power?

Genres: Fiction, Religion, Historical Fiction, Thriller, Catholic, Novels, Australia

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Morris Langlo West was born in St Kilda, Melbourne in 1916. At the age of fourteen, he entered the Christian Brothers seminary ‘as a kind of refuge’ from a difficult childhood. He attended the University of Melbourne and worked as a teacher. In 1941 he left the Christian Brothers without taking final vows. In World War II he worked as a code-breaker, and for a time he was private secretary to former prime minister Billy Hughes.

After the war, West became a successful writer and producer of radio serials. In 1955 he left Australia to build an international career as a writer. With his family, he lived in Austria, Italy, England and the USA, including a stint as the Vatican correspondent for the British newspaper, the Daily Mail. He returned to Australia in 1982.

Morris West wrote 30 books and many plays, and several of his novels were adapted for film. His books were published in 28 languages and sold more than 60 million copies worldwide. Each new book he wrote after he became an established writer sold more than one million copies.

West received many awards and accolades over his long writing career, including the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the W.H. Heinemann Award of the Royal Society of Literature for The Devil's Advocate. In 1978 he was elected a fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1985, and was made an Officer of the Order (AO) in 1997.

Morris West died at his desk in 1999.

Reviews

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping story, fast moving and suspenseful.

Final chapter caused a few eye rolls for this reader, but it did suit the circumstances.

Oh, and the title did not mean what I expected it to mean.

Looking forward to what West has planned for his next Pope. But I will have a Mary Poppins interlude first.

[Anne Hawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great book by Morris West. Jesus has come as Redeemer in the modern age. One of the things that I will always remember is the incident that gives the book it's name. The "clowns of God" are children who are mentally or physically handicapped. The French have given them that name and feel that these children are especially close to God's heart. Jesus pulls one of the children towards him and tells his followers that he knows that they want a sign that he is really the Messiah and they want him to miraculously heal the small group of children in the nun's care.

He tells his followers that they need these children to complete their humanity. I won't spoil the rest by telling what he said, but it has stayed with me all these years.

[Jerry Wendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone remembers Morris West for his book " The Shoes of the Fisherman," a wonderfully written book about a new pope who revitalizes the Catholic Church and rfeinstates "humility" to the Church. It is very much more interesting in light of the new Pope Francis. It was also made into a riveting, lush, and pertinent motion picture starring Anthony Quinn at his best.

However "The Clowns of God" which is grouped into what they now call West's "Vatican Trilogy" with "Shoes," this book and "Fisherman" While "Fisherman" is his best known, "The Clowns of God," in my opinion is his best book. His writing, plot development and morality tale are expertly woven into an engrossing tale that keeps you reading impatiently all the way through.

In this case Pope Gregory receives a message directly from God and being ridiculed and doubted, he abdicates the high office and retires to the country of Italy to administer to a flock of poor, ill and lost souls. I can't tell you what happens from that point without spoiling it for you, but I know you will find it fascinating and worth the read.

[John Paxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The moral dilemma of an apocalypse tortures the pope and his cardinals to a decision.

[Mary Coz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this because it's allluded to in I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak. I was stunned by the thematic similarities and the message.

[Jeanette Grant-Thomson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four and a quarter stars. Published in 1981.
This is one of Morris West's pope novels. It is a good read, an interesting story, with likeable and believable characters.

The pope has had a vision of end times. This presents a dilemma for his fellow priests, as it is not acceptable for a pope to be also a prophet with a hotline to God. Rather than be forced from office, the pope resigns.
The novel traces the journey of this pope and his friends in a world where terrorist acts are common and people whisper about the end of the world.

The story had my attention all the way.
The prose style at times annoyed me - in his pope books, West uses a formal, deliberate style. At times it is poetic. But often it is solemn and even ponderous.
The very last part left me feeling it was a bit too good to be true (is that cynical?) and even borderline corny.
Despite those flaws (in my sight), it is an enjoyable read and has something to say beyond good entertainment.

[Chad D · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first geopolitical memories are of the Western world under nuclear threat in the 1980s. But, oh my (*sign of the cross and knock on wood*), is it hard to feel my way back into that omnipresent existential urgency on which this plot depends.

The book is a fictional account of a mystical experience that is very clear. It costs the visionary a very great deal, it is susceptible to doubt by everyone in the book including the visionary, it has a series of external confirmations and checks that put it if not beyond reasonable doubt at least within the range of reasonable faith, and it hangs onto the people in the story more effectively than they hang onto it. As such, even if you don't expect to be blown to smithereens anytime soon, this novel is a nice fictional scenario for thinking about how mystical experience works. The final plot twist is a little too far for me, though, but who knows whether it is too far for God.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book UP UNTIL the end. (I would give the first 4/5 of the book five stars but the last 1/5... not even one!) The characters were very intricately written and the relationships and/or encounters between them so real and full of meaning. There were powerful struggles with faith and doubt in terms of human to human relationships, individual to institution relationships and human to divine. Each character represented a diverse and interesting reaction to the inevitability of the end of the world that had me really questioning what I would do in their shoes. (How DO you plan for the end of the world!?) BUT... the end of the book was so weak and disappointing. I wouldn't even say it was predictable because I never would have guessed that West would do something so uninteresting! If only I could go back and unread that ending...

[booklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd heard this was better than Morris' first in the trilogy, The Shoes of the Fisherman. Perhaps because I stopped and started it so often, it failed to capture me the way his first one did. Once I got back into it, however, then I was hooked. I especially liked when it switched vantage points and I loved the ending. Someday I'm going to try reading it over again from start to finish without all the breaks and see if I don't get more out of it.

[Gary Bonn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear West must have written this book with me in mind. It switched a light on in my head that will never go off again. Thank you, Morris.
Not only is it a terrific story with well-crafted protagonists, it's also a profound look into human nature.

Be prepared for a stunning paradigm shift in the closing sequence.

[Paz Piña · Rating 4 out of 5]

La verdad me sorprendió que me gustara un libra tan católico, pero desde el principio fue muy interesante, si bien creo que en algunas cuestiones este libro no envejecido del todo bien, si creo que se pueden ignorar esos detalles.


Pero desde el principio es muy el hecho de que al papá emerito tuviera una visión de la segunda venida de Cristo y por eso ya no está en su puesto y rogando ayuda a su mejor amigo para poder dar el mensaje le confían esta situación, hay tantos profetas falsos, locos todos los días y auutoproclamdas reencarnaciones del hijo de Dios ¿le creerías a tu amigo?

Me encantó la primer parte del libro con Mendelius, me pareció un gran protagonista y el cambio de narrador a Jan Marié me pareció al principio difícil, luego bastante interesante y lo que me aburrió mucho fueron sus cartas de Juanito el payaso, pensé que a partir de ese punto me iba a aburrir mucho el libro, la realidad es que me conmovió mucho la parte de su recuperación después de su infarto cerebral y ver lo frágil del ser humano ( lo cual me sorprendió), y bueno el final tampoco fue de mi total agrado, ya que no tiene conclusión.

Y bueno si alguien lee esto y acaba de leer el libro, tengo una pregunta ¿es posible que en su juventud Jan Marié estuviese enamorado de Carl Mendelius? Lo que pasa es que Anelisse le confiesa a Jan Marié que ella está enomaraza de Carl aunque sabe que el nunca la va a ver como un I teresa romántico, después de eso sale el libro dedicado a difamar a Jan Marié en donde relata que probablemente tenía una relación homosexual en su juventud con el (lo cual es una mentira lo de la relación), pero cuando lote lo invita a pasar navidad con ellos, habla de que Anelisse estará ahí también y que ha aprendido a no tener celos de ella, así como aprendió a no tener celos de él, me queda esa duda.

Al final me parece que Jan Marié es un personaje muy complejo y que a través de los años es como realmente se ha dedicado a Dios.

También rescato una parte que yo no había nunca pensado en cuanto a fe, el hecho del porque los hombres somos tan destructivos y alguien contesta qué somo hechos a imagen y semejanza de Dios, entonces tenemos el mismo potencial creador y destructor, me pareció muy interesante ese punto de vista

[Amberlee Bixler · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a sister to a challenged individual, I found this book insulting. As a Protestant/Christian, the story was ok, but not something that would have kept my attention if I didn't have to read it for my book club.
This book reminds me of overly greasy pizza the morning after: it'll get you through if you have to have something - but it's not something you really want to have on an ongoing basis.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just reread this wonderful 30 year old book. It certainly applies to life in today's world. The current governments of the world,the Church,and people who have attained power have not changed or improved from those described when the book was written,which is truly a disappointment but not a surprise.

[Jo Kneale · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was written nearly 40 years ago, and yet the same issues and troubles still beset the world.
It's a peculiar mix of faith and world espionage that manages to have the thumping pace of Dan Brown with a heart of love for the small, the ordinary.
The plot is simple: The Pope has a vision and has to resign because the Vatican committees can't accept it. The World is on the brink of war and only the small and ordinary people hold the key to future survival: small groups, built through love and trust.
I found it extraordinary. It certainly had me hooked. I thought I'd read it back in the day, but apparently not. You want more details? Tough. If you're tired of the world as it is, this is a small glimpse of what faith can achieve. A good choice to read while the politics of country and religion rumble on.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be one of my favorite novels of all time. The story line of The End of Days is fascinating, and the writing is beautiful. It took me longer than usual to read the 400 pages because I often had to pause to think. The reference to the Dutch Uncle really "rang-true" with me as I was forced to struggle with the truth of signs and preparation of The End of Days and the importance of Clowns.

I'm not sure why this shows the novel at 240 pages as my copy has 402 pages.

[Saski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I could pinpoint what about Morris West’s writing draws me in as far as it does. I can see what I consider flaws in his writing, the flatness of his characters, for example, his lecturing mode, and how he represents his female characters – not with disrespect exactly, more like they are children that have surprised him with their talents (granted, some of this is due to the time in which he wrote, in some ways he could even be considered enlightened). It drives me crazy, annoys the hell out of me, and yet the days I can read from a book of his I count myself lucky.
I have studied religion, although only certain elements of certain ones much more than others, and yet I am closer to atheist than agnostic. I enjoy learning more about what others hold dear even as it doesn’t move me. He has put much of that here, and once again I have learned a lot.
Sadly the last five pages (discounting the epilog) were terribly disappointing, though I suppose with West’s background it couldn’t have ended any other way. Oh well, I liked the other 420 pages.

Quotes that caught my eye
A panic of devotees was the last thing we needed. (23)

The prophet was another kind of creature altogether. He claimed a direct communication with the Almighty. Therefore, his commission could not be withdrawn by any human agent. He could challenge the most scared past with the classic phrase, used by Jesus himself: ’It is written thus … but I tell thus and thus.’ So the prophet was always the alien, the herald of change, the challenger of existing order. (28)

God draws; but he draws the willing ones. (43)

I have worked as a missionary in Muslim countries and I have learned to say ‘Inshallah’. What4ever is the will of the Lord will be done, however we humans read his intentions. (82)

Because violence can only flourish when men are afraid to speak and act against it. (89)

“This used to be a nice quiet town; but if you could see some of the stuff that crosses my desk, it would make you hair stand up.”
“What’s the answer?”
“Christ knows! Maybe we need a good war to kill off some of the bastards and let us start clean again!” (185)

“We are threatened with war. How do we protect our possessions?”
“So far as commercial paper is concerned, …we all have the most modern storage and retrieval systems, triplicated and sometimes quadruplicated in strategically protected areas. We’ve hammered out a common code of inter-bank practice that enables us to protect our clients against document loss. Gold, of course, is a strongroom operation. Rural land is perennial. Urban developments will be reduced to rubble, but, again, war-risk insurance favours the big operators. Art-works and antiques, like gold, are a storage job. It might interest you to know that for years now we’ve been buying up disused mine-workings and converting them for safe deposits.”
“I am comforted…. I wonder why it has not been possible to invest similar money and similar ingenuity for the protection of citizens against fallout and poison gas. I wonder why we are so much concerned with the retrieval of commercial paper and so little with the proposed mass murder of the infirm and the incompetent.” (281)

…he was reminded of the words which the twenty-five-year-old Catherine had written to Gregory XI at Avignon: ‘It is no longer time to sleep, because Time never sleeps, but passes like the wind… In order to reconstruct the whole, it is necessary to destroy the old, right down to the foundations…’ (298)

The only way to stave off disorder at home is to march against the enemy abroad. (306)

He had always admired the British, though he had never wholly understood them. The subtleties of their humour often escaped him. Their snobberies always irritated him. Their dilatory habits in commerce never failed to amaze him. Yet they were tenacious of friendships and fealties. They had a sense of history and a tolerant eye for fools and eccentrics. They could be land-greedy and money-mean and capable of extraordinary social cruelties; yet they supported great charities; they were humane to fugitives; and they counted privacy a right and not a privilege. Give them a cause3 they understood, put liberties they valued at risk, and they would take to the streets by thousands or walk in solitary dignity to the headman’s block. (333)

I am truly happy when anyone is granted the kind of insight that gives new meaning to his profession of faith. I was simply warning you, out of my own experience, that the comfort you now feel may not last. Faith is not a matter of logic; and the moment of intuition does not always repeat itself. One has to expect long periods of darkness and, often, a destructive confusion! (339)

I set out to make myself a thinking reed, pliant to the wind of the Spirit; but a reed is also a hollow tube through which other men may pipe a music alien to me. (342)

What we have is not power but authority – which is a horse of a different colour. Power implies that we can accomplish what we plan. Authority signifies only that we may order it to be accomplished. (366)

It was the longest speech Jean Marie had ever heard her make, and the finest affirmation of all she had learned as a woman.
“Bravo, Lotte! You should be proud of this girl, Carl!” (415-16) [Argh!!!]



Things I couldn’t find
The word ’hinge-men’ comes of a few times. Is it the same as ‘henchmen’?

[Deb Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a Catholic and I don't feel strongly about end times theology, literature but this book, I will read it many more times.
I think it's because of the tenderness with which Mr West treats every character particularly the characters referenced by the title.

[Domenico · Rating 3 out of 5]

Propheticus est liber: saecularem nomen ac aetatem Leoni XIV papae praedixit!
Mediocris est lenguam, sed melior tramam.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this many years (decades) ago and remember being spellbound. Rinse and repeat. Not disappointed.

———————

“It was for this reason that the Sacred College decided to silence Jean Marie Barette and suppress the account of his vision. They knew that the backlash of a millennial proclamation could be enormous. Yet it was for exactly the same reason that Jean Marie proposed in his encyclical a preparation of the spirit against an inevitable period of social insanity. He wanted physicians and places of asylum already established before the epidemic took hold. And, in principle, at least, I believe he was right.
Even in ancient times asylum was a mystic word. It connoted a sacred place, a temple, a shrine, a forest grove where a criminal or a runaway slave would find sanctuary from his pursuers and sleep safe under the numen of the resident god. It was not merely the ingathering which was important. It was the outgoing as well; the outgoing of the power, the hope, the life-thrust, which sustained the panting fugitive for the last mile as the hounds bayed closer and closer at his heels.”

————————-

“What do you really want?"
"Enough light to see a Divine sense in this mad world.
Enough faith to follow the light. That's the core of it all, isn't it? Faith to move mountains, to say to the cripple: 'Arise and walk!' "
"We also need some love to make the darkness tolerable."

———————-

"Evil is the ultimate absurdity," said Jean Marie Barett
"It is the last sad buffoonery: man sitting in the ruins of hi world, daubing himself with his own excrement."

—————-

Each man will be judged by the light he is given.

————————

“So, in the evil times which are now upon us, you are chosen to keep the small flame of love alight, to nurture the seeds of goodness in this small place, until the day when the Spirit sends you out to light other candles in a dark land and plant new seeds in a blackened earth.
"I am with you now; but tomorrow I shall be gone. You will be alone and afraid. But I leave my peace with you and my love. And you will love one another as I have loved you.
"Please!" He urged them to cheerfulness. "You must not be sad! The gift of the Holy Spirit is gladness of heart."

————————-

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Clowns of God" is Morris West’s 1981 book revolving around the Catholic Church and its Seat in the Vatican. This book is considered the second volume of what's been dubbed his "Vatican Trilogy." In this tale, the reigning Pope (Jean Marie Barette) is forced to abdicate, after he reveals he has had a private revelation of the Last Days and the Second Coming. The Pope has even gone to the extent of drafting an encyclical laying out his thoughts on these two subjects. With the College of Cardinals thinking they may have a madman on their hands, they offer a Hobson’s Choice: abdicate and retire peacefully, or the College will have you declared insane and anything you say will be demeaned and disbelieved. All makes for an interesting and engaging tale.

This narrative will interest those who enjoy stories of the Vatican, the Catholic Church, and the pomp and circumstance of the religion. If you liked any of the Dan Brown books "Angels & Demons," "The Da Vinci Code," “The Lost Symbol,” and “Inferno”—three of which were made into movies with a Tom Hanks/Ron Howard collaboration—you will enjoy “The Clowns of God.” While the book has a sweep much larger than just the Vatican, therein lies its anchor. Recommended.

(Note: Since West has added another volume to this series, it technically is now a tetralogy.)

[Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

La narración se centra en el papa Gregorio XVII, apartado del cargo tras comunicar su visión apocalíptica. Desde su confinamiento, despliega una lucha entre la fe personal y la autoridad institucional, mientras figuras dentro y fuera del Vaticano debaten sobre el destino de la Iglesia. Esta lucha interior, que en otros autores podría haber sido fuente de verdadero drama existencial, se vuelve aquí tediosa y reiterativa. El ritmo de la novela se resiente gravemente por una estructura demasiado discursiva, con largos pasajes epistolares, monólogos y digresiones que rompen la tensión narrativa.

Una de las secciones más lastradas del texto es la dedicada a “Juanito el payaso”, una suerte de figura simbólica que interviene a través de cartas que buscan transmitir sabiduría inocente o lirismo profético. Lamentablemente, estos textos, lejos de aportar agilidad o profundidad, ralentizan la lectura y se vuelven repetitivos, al borde de lo ininteligible. La decisión de intercalar cartas y reflexiones con tono místico o metafórico resulta contraproducente: el lector se ve empujado a desconectarse de la trama, y no es difícil comprender que muchos, sencillamente, opten por saltárselas (cómo yo mismo he hecho).

Aun así, tiene momentos rescatables. El final concentra una intensidad que el resto del libro no logra sostener. El drama de una Iglesia que calla una posible palabra de Dios por temor a la pérdida del control institucional es una idea provocadora y digna de exploración, pero la novela la ahoga entre densidad y solemnidad mal dosificada.

En resumen, es una novela con ambición espiritual y teológica, pero desequilibrada en su ejecución. A pesar de un final que recompone algo la lectura, gran parte del libro se ve lastrado por una prosa farragosa, pasajes simbólicos excesivamente alargados y una estructura poco ágil. Una obra que podría haber sido inquietante y poderosa, pero que termina siendo, en muchos tramos, más plomo que profecía.

[Gbolahan · Rating 3 out of 5]

So.

This is what I spent the last 20 years looking for.

I started this book as a teenager, I'm not sure any longer why I couldn't finish it then, probably lost or got torn or something. I just remember I was hooked and had to finish it. When I eventually got a Kobo account some 2 years ago, it was one of the first books I looked for on kobostore. It was there for 10 dollars, so I kept it on my to-read shelf, until Kobo took it off their shelf last year or so, so I couldn't buy it from them eventually.

Spent months looking for it again, until I remembered I had an account with openlibrary.org...Ha! They even had multiple copies of the book. I borrowed it from them and spent about 21 days reading it (had to borrow it twice, you must return each book after 14 days).

And finally, it is over. After 20 years.

What was West trying to achieve with this book? It started so well, an abdication, a vision (true or false or hallucination?), a former priest who was now married, a bomb, face and hand blown off, goodness!

Then it just seemed to start meandering. There was this coming war they kept on beating us the head over with...we never even got to know just who the heck wanted to fight a war and WHY (!!)...something about...grain???
West also wasn't very clear about what the end of world was to be, a real end from God or war, or were people going to rise from the ashes of war to continue living, if so, where was the end in that? Was Jesus coming back? Or he had been around all that while? Was Atha delusional?

Just have faith.

Someone had a stroke. Eh.

Then it seemed God changed his mind at the end. Or did he? He just...postponed...?

I really liked the early parts of this book I read as a child. Finishing it now, not so much.

[Linda Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good friend who shares reading tastes loaned me this book. She said it made an impression when she read it in the 80s. The novel still makes quite an impact. It begins: "In the seventh year of his reign, two days before his sixty-fifth birthday, in the presence of a full consistory of Cardinals, Jean Marie Barette, Pope Gregory XVII, signed an instrument of abdication, took off the Fisherman's ring, handed his seal to the Cardinal Camerlengo and made a curt speech of farewell." The short good-bye wished the Curia bon chance finding a new Pope because "God knows you will need him!" World governments are tipping toward global annihilation. What causes Pope Gregory XVII's leaving is a vision of what the future will hold. Conditions on earth are similar to what we have now. But, since humans have been in charge, hasn't it always been this way? Conflict, poverty, techy egos on purple thrones in positions of power, fingers on triggers. This is a novel of faith with wonderful intellectual discussions about what that means to whom. Beautiful read. Grace is a word- and condition- that enters all faith and belief discussions, not always with a satisfying conclusion. This novel gives the word full measure. There's a star gone missing because I can't figure out why humor is spelled "homor" throughout, but that's on the publisher, not West. Written in 1981, West and his publisher should have been aware that "mongols" was neither accurate, nor current usage for Down's syndrome. That will not stop an eager reader from enjoying this journey.

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am loving this book by Morris West. He wrote it years ago but it's basic premise is timeless. He writes of a Pope who understands that people who have Downs Syndrome are gifted and are bringing a special gift to the world for those who are open to learn from people with this giftedness. Further review, when I'm finished reading this, so far, wonderful read.

I'm not Roman Catholic, however it is interesting to get a bit of an insider view (just a tad) of some of the goings on in the Vaticanl. With this present Pope, Pope Francis we humans finally seem to have a great spiritual leader who seems to truly be a genuinely, great man of God. Pope Francis seems to truly understand the Love of God as did his namesake, Francis of Assissi. Francis of Assissi was so in tune with Love and with all of creation: animals, birds, plants, The Divine and with the human heart. So this present Pope also seems to truly be in tune with Spirit moving and doing a new thing; and it is good to be reading this older novel, about a Pope at a time when a similar such man stands, as the Roman Catholics believe, "in the shoes of the fisherman". Finally a major spiritual leader who does live out and demonstrate the inclusive love of The Good Shephard.

I enjoy that Morris West envisioned a character, a Pope, who could be such a good person, decades before a similar real Pope, was finally elected into the top Roman Catholic religious position of leadership.

[Paul Gaya Ochieng Simeon Juma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very disappointed after reading this book. I expected a lot of religious philosophy but instead it turned out to be a debate as to whether between the concept of Consummation and Continuity. It was one's man search to find out the truth in the pope's prophecy of the end times. If one is not careful and is weak in faith then the book can easily shake the ground on which he or she stands. Maybe the first one is better if only I could find it.

[Mariella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a wonderful book. I never tire of re-reading it.

[Damian North · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morris West’s The Clowns of God is a masterful and deeply reflective novel that artfully blends theological musings, human emotion, and suspenseful drama into a gripping narrative. Known for his ability to weave profound themes with accessible storytelling, West delivers an unforgettable exploration of faith, power, and the human condition.

The story begins with an explosive premise: the Pope, Gregory XVII, claims to have received a divine revelation about the end of the world. His bold declaration rocks the foundations of the Vatican and global institutions, leading to his deposition. From this moment, the novel thrusts readers into a spiritual and philosophical journey as Gregory embarks on a quest to warn humanity and reconcile his faith with his responsibilities.

West excels at creating complex, multifaceted characters. Gregory XVII is portrayed not as a saintly figure but as a deeply human individual grappling with doubt, fear, and purpose. His interactions with a richly drawn cast of supporting characters—ranging from skeptics to believers—bring depth and nuance to the narrative. The relationships in the story feel authentic and moving, with each character serving as a mirror to Gregory's internal struggles and triumphs.

The novel’s pacing is excellent, balancing introspective moments with suspenseful action and political intrigue. West’s prose is elegant yet accessible, allowing readers to grapple with profound theological and existential questions without feeling overwhelmed. Themes of redemption, the nature of belief, and humanity’s response to divine intervention are handled with sensitivity and intellectual rigor.

One of the novel’s most compelling aspects is its ability to resonate beyond religious boundaries. While steeped in Catholicism, its exploration of faith and doubt feels universal. Readers of any spiritual or philosophical inclination will find themselves reflecting on the meaning of their own lives and the broader human experience.

The Clowns of God is more than just a novel; it is a profound meditation on the enduring questions of human existence. Morris West's deft storytelling and philosophical depth make this book an unforgettable journey, one that challenges and inspires readers in equal measure. For anyone seeking a compelling read that stimulates both the heart and the mind, this is a book not to be missed.

This novel was a great inspiration behind my own trilogy - Pontifex Maximus

Damian North

[Angus Mcfarlane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a recommended follow up to Shoes of the Fisherman (somewhere) and even more enjoyable for a variety of reasons. It took me back to some of the bomb threat of the 1980s, although for me it was more about the potential outcome of nuclear weapons. With Israel invading Gaza while I read this, the chain reactions of political cause and effect that West alludes to in this story as the prelude to a potential conflagration now seem so much more significant. I’ve been able to leave these ideas behind for some time, but perhaps my comfort is not justified. Another element was the clever twist on catholic orthodoxy and orthopraxy in relation to the last days and the recourse to protestant ideas, perhaps because it would have been unrealistic from a conventional catholic character. But the main point of enjoyment was the way empathy and grace were portrayed as the former pope comes to grips with the task he feels compelled to fulfill. This was best at the point in the story that the title’s subjects are revealed – not what I was expecting, and all the more impacting as a result.
I am not sure if it is a direct follow up – but I don’t think it matters too much. I also doubt that the balance of secular and religious discourse would go down well for a general audience, particularly the final scenes, even though it was done with a wink. And some of the caricatures of different worldviews felt a bit manufactured to me, but each was treated compassionately if a little simply. So it didn’t quite get to 5 stars, but read well for an aged book which is perhaps not as aged as it seems.

[Jose Luis Meza Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vaya! Qué libro más difícil de sintetizar! Es que pasan tantas cosas en sus más de 500 páginas que uno se queda pensando en muchas cosas. Sobretodo viendo lo real y factible que sea el libro. Definitivamente Morris West tiene un privilegio al momento de contar historias respecto a la religión, pero el libro no es sólo para los creyentes de alguna religión particular, es para todos y es que es lo suficientemente abierto y explicativo para ello.

En el libro, el Papa Gregorio XVII menciona haber tenido una visión del fin del mundo y tiene toda la intención de comunicarla. Los cardenales y obispos temiendo el pánico lo hacen abdicar al Papado e ir a un monasterio, no sin antes él haber enviado éste manuscrito a su mejor amigo Carl Mendelius, un profesor alemán que hacía años había dejado la vida religiosa. Éste junto a un reconocido editor publican el libro con la visión del Ex-Papa. Con esto empieza una historia donde se ven realidades de diferentes países que al borde una tercera guerra mundial toman esta noticia de forma muy diferente.

Lo que me deja un signo de interrogación es el final, no es que sea malo, es lógico y hasta entendible, pero hubiera preferido que fuese diferente. De todas formas es lo que él autor quiso plasmar y eso se aplaude ya que hay que tener mucho valor literario para hacer lo que él hizo.

Si les ha gustado algún libro de Morris West lean éste. Encontrarán más que un momento de reflexión en las turbulencias del libro.

[Juan de Dios Reyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

No voy a descubrir ahora que Morris West sabe escribir, pero igual es grato el leer algo que pudiendo ser complejo - y me refiero a muchas disquisiciones medio teológicas - en un lenguaje tan simple y directo.
Sin duda corrió un gran riesgo al escribir sobre un mundo en plena guerra fría y al borde del colapso que finalmente no se produce. Tengo la edad para haber vivido esa época y aunque es muy posible que dada la lejanía de mi país no tuviéramos esas vivencias, no recuerdo haber vivido el (casi) pánico a que hace referencia y que da sustento a la historia. Fuera de eso, me pareció en muchos sentidos fascinante y, escrito por un escritor católico, de una apertura que me gustaría ver en la jerarquía de la iglesia (aunque por lo mismo que se discute en el libro, eso es muy poco probable que suceda).
Morris West adivinó/profetizó la llegada de un Papa de detrás de la entonces cortina de hierro; en este caso se trata de la abdicación de un Papa... Me hace pensar de cuáles habrán sido las verdaderas razones de la abdicación de Benedicto XV...