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Starbridge #2
Glamorous Powers
"Fascinating...convincing...believable."
NEWSDAY The time is 1940. Jonathan Darrow is an Anglican priest when he receives a shattering vision and knows he must leave the monastery that has been his home for seventeen years. As he plunges into the temptations of the real world, a crisis sends him into the labyrinth of his past to pluck out the buried truth beneath the deceptions he has been living through.
517 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
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682 people want to read
About the author
Susan Howatch
95 books563 followersSusan 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
August 5, 2021
Oy, I wish I hadn’t taken a six-month interlude in the middle of reading this book. But, you know, life.
As with Glittering Images, Glamorous Powers is several hundreds of pages of suffering through absolute spiritual disorder and chaos before bursting into (mercifully, at long blessed last) grace-filled healing. I have been told all of the Starbridge books are like this, a fact about which I feel rather ambivalent. We also get to benefit from Howatch’s patented Snappy Churchman Dialogue, which is honestly one of my main motivations for reading her prose. The woman knows her way around some snappy Anglican conflict.
That being said, trudging dutifully through the rage (I found writing marginalia yelling at Jon Darrow for his folly to be somewhat cathartic), you do get to healing. The brokenness of Howatch’s characters is so infuriating because it is so familiar; we are each of us this blind to our own sin at times (though please, God, not for four hundred pages). If anything, I am given hope to be reminded that all of us are confusingly, mercifully, blessedly able to be healed even in the depths of deep spiritual disease and disrepair. Even when, as Jon Darrow, we 100,000% know better.
Fun to see some of our friends (and enemies?) from the first Starbridge book again; a certain friendship struck up over chess brought me a surprised smile.
I’m retracting one star for the amount of times the words ‘glamorous’ and ‘powers’ appeared in this book in that order; this is Susan Howatch’s hamartia. I was Not Amused to see the title for the next book cropping up in the last chapter of this one.
As with Glittering Images, Glamorous Powers is several hundreds of pages of suffering through absolute spiritual disorder and chaos before bursting into (mercifully, at long blessed last) grace-filled healing. I have been told all of the Starbridge books are like this, a fact about which I feel rather ambivalent. We also get to benefit from Howatch’s patented Snappy Churchman Dialogue, which is honestly one of my main motivations for reading her prose. The woman knows her way around some snappy Anglican conflict.
That being said, trudging dutifully through the rage (I found writing marginalia yelling at Jon Darrow for his folly to be somewhat cathartic), you do get to healing. The brokenness of Howatch’s characters is so infuriating because it is so familiar; we are each of us this blind to our own sin at times (though please, God, not for four hundred pages). If anything, I am given hope to be reminded that all of us are confusingly, mercifully, blessedly able to be healed even in the depths of deep spiritual disease and disrepair. Even when, as Jon Darrow, we 100,000% know better.
Fun to see some of our friends (and enemies?) from the first Starbridge book again; a certain friendship struck up over chess brought me a surprised smile.
I’m retracting one star for the amount of times the words ‘glamorous’ and ‘powers’ appeared in this book in that order; this is Susan Howatch’s hamartia. I was Not Amused to see the title for the next book cropping up in the last chapter of this one.
January 19, 2013
Tonight I had the singular satisfaction of completing my reading of "GLAMOROUS POWERS." It has all the hallmarks of a well-crafted novel with a robust, engaging narrative and plot, and characters with whom the reader can easily relate.
In this novel, Jon Darrow, a 60-year Anglican priest with unique psychic powers (whom we last saw in "Glittering Images" where he helped a young Anglican clergyman overcome a personal spiritual crisis in 1937) has a vision which compels him to question his own commitment and place within the Fordite Order, of which he had been a part for 17 years. In the process, Darrow embarks upon a long and difficult journey which re-connects him with his past, his 2 children from a previous marriage (his wife had died many years earlier), and his role in the wider world.
This is a very well-written novel, with hardly a word wasted. I recommend it highly.
In this novel, Jon Darrow, a 60-year Anglican priest with unique psychic powers (whom we last saw in "Glittering Images" where he helped a young Anglican clergyman overcome a personal spiritual crisis in 1937) has a vision which compels him to question his own commitment and place within the Fordite Order, of which he had been a part for 17 years. In the process, Darrow embarks upon a long and difficult journey which re-connects him with his past, his 2 children from a previous marriage (his wife had died many years earlier), and his role in the wider world.
This is a very well-written novel, with hardly a word wasted. I recommend it highly.
May 25, 2021
"Mysticism is the raw material of religion. Without raw materials building is impossible, and without structure designed by architects raw materials remain raw materials."
I can see why some might think this book is more Platonist than Christian. More than a couple themes in this book were very relevant to my life at this moment and brought me a lot of comfort. It seems like Howatch believes in the importance of mysticim to the Church as an organized religion, and is discovering the implications of the severance of mysticism from a religious context through the character of Jon Darrow. Not my favorite character, btw. I found him very unlikable, lacking self awareness to an extent that was not in line with his age, profession, status, etc.
I loved the first bit and the last bit. The middle part didn't keep my attention easily.
I can see why some might think this book is more Platonist than Christian. More than a couple themes in this book were very relevant to my life at this moment and brought me a lot of comfort. It seems like Howatch believes in the importance of mysticim to the Church as an organized religion, and is discovering the implications of the severance of mysticism from a religious context through the character of Jon Darrow. Not my favorite character, btw. I found him very unlikable, lacking self awareness to an extent that was not in line with his age, profession, status, etc.
I loved the first bit and the last bit. The middle part didn't keep my attention easily.
November 9, 2020
This was a re-read for me of Glamorous Powers, the second book in Howatch’s six book Starbridge series. I loved it all over again, though it is hard to see Father Jon Darrow, so masterful in Glittering Images, knocked from his pedestal; a fallible human, like anyone else. Like in the preceding novel, the reader accompanies the narrator on a difficult and sometimes harrowing psychological and spiritual journey. Following a powerful vision, Father Darrow wishes to leave the Anglican order of the Fordite monks, but first he must confront his former rival and current superior, Francis Ingram, heal his relationship with his adult children and reconcile himself to secular life and marriage.
July 25, 2014
I was eagerly anticipating my delve into this book because I really liked Jon Darrow in the previous book. In fact, the scenes in Glittering Images where Charles is working out his issues with Darrow were the best of that novel. So when I started this book, it was with much enthusiasm and the beginning did not disappoint. The book begins with Darrow having a vision that leads him to conclude that God is calling him away from his life as a monk and into a new life back out in the world. The whole first third of the book is Darrow discussing this possibility with his superior, the Abbott-General. The interesting thing about this discussion is that the Abbott-General was someone that Darrow had known from adolescence when they were at Oxford together and their relationship became somewhat strained at that point. When Darrow has to reveal personal dramas from his life, he balks at having to reveal this information to someone whom he had a hard time trusting. This led to a fascinating back and forth as the reader learned more about Darrow and as the reader grappled with whether or not the Abbott-General was trustworthy (I have to say, I pretty much admired Francis Ingram from the moment he entered the novel).
Then Darrow takes off into the real world and this is where the reading got hard for me. As the novel continued to progress, I liked Darrow less and less. There were many times where I thought a good slap administered to the back of his head might not have gone amiss. Many of his decisions seemed questionable to anyone with good sense (which is what I thought Darrow had in spades as he was so great at directing others) and his reactions to some of the consequences of his decisions seemed also out of line with what I had to come to expect of Darrow from the last novel and the first third of this one. Eventually, I was just wishing that the novel would start to wrap itself up because I was so tired of disliking Darrow and I was tired of coming up to yet another situation that he would just hopelessly bungle. The presence of the secondary characters in this novel ended up saving it, for me. I loved Anne from the moment she stepped onto the page and I felt that her behavior, at least, reflected some kind of normalcy even if her decisions weren't so great. And Father Ingram...bless that man. He was witty and humorous.
The writing itself is excellent, just as it was in the first novel in this series. Howatch has an amazing ability to explore all kinds of areas of a person's brain and how they think. She explores motivations and connects them with past feelings quite beautifully. I love the way she works through her characters neuroses through witty dialogue. I wasn't happy with what Darrow became in this novel and I feel it wasn't as successful as the first, but I will go on to read the next because I love how this author works with her characters.
Then Darrow takes off into the real world and this is where the reading got hard for me. As the novel continued to progress, I liked Darrow less and less. There were many times where I thought a good slap administered to the back of his head might not have gone amiss. Many of his decisions seemed questionable to anyone with good sense (which is what I thought Darrow had in spades as he was so great at directing others) and his reactions to some of the consequences of his decisions seemed also out of line with what I had to come to expect of Darrow from the last novel and the first third of this one. Eventually, I was just wishing that the novel would start to wrap itself up because I was so tired of disliking Darrow and I was tired of coming up to yet another situation that he would just hopelessly bungle. The presence of the secondary characters in this novel ended up saving it, for me. I loved Anne from the moment she stepped onto the page and I felt that her behavior, at least, reflected some kind of normalcy even if her decisions weren't so great. And Father Ingram...bless that man. He was witty and humorous.
The writing itself is excellent, just as it was in the first novel in this series. Howatch has an amazing ability to explore all kinds of areas of a person's brain and how they think. She explores motivations and connects them with past feelings quite beautifully. I love the way she works through her characters neuroses through witty dialogue. I wasn't happy with what Darrow became in this novel and I feel it wasn't as successful as the first, but I will go on to read the next because I love how this author works with her characters.
September 29, 2015
This is book two of the Starbridge series. I didn't enjoy it as much as Glittering Images / I got slightly muddled in the middle of this one, but upon finishing it, I went to the library and checked out the third book.
This book is narrated by Jon Darrow, the man who was Charles Ashworth's spiritual director in the first book. This more intimate portrait of Darrow reveals a man who is conflicted, proud, dishonest and concealing and self deluded. I think this is one of the reasons I found the middle of this book difficult. In Glittering Images Darrow was wise and insightful and always incisive in his analysis of others. A bit like Gandalf. This book his feet are more clay and his inner life is a mess.
However it is an interesting plot. Darrow turns sixty, has a vision, petitions to leave the monastery (which leads to a discernment process with his Abbot General which occupies the first third of the book. In the second part of the book, he acclimates to the outside world, falls in love, gets married, becomes a parish priest, starts on a career as a healer and an exorcist, has a spiritual breakdown where he thinks he's possessed. The conclusion involves him working through relational issues with his kids, and his wife and his past. He even has an interaction with the chief antagonist from the first book (and that sets the stage for book 3).
As an ecclesial fiction this is still pretty good. Darrow's mysticism is of a Neo Platonic variety (styled by Howatch after William Inge). In this novel the counterpoint of his Abbot-General's rationalism provides a nice balance. There thus for has been no intelligent low-church voice in Starbridge.
This book is narrated by Jon Darrow, the man who was Charles Ashworth's spiritual director in the first book. This more intimate portrait of Darrow reveals a man who is conflicted, proud, dishonest and concealing and self deluded. I think this is one of the reasons I found the middle of this book difficult. In Glittering Images Darrow was wise and insightful and always incisive in his analysis of others. A bit like Gandalf. This book his feet are more clay and his inner life is a mess.
However it is an interesting plot. Darrow turns sixty, has a vision, petitions to leave the monastery (which leads to a discernment process with his Abbot General which occupies the first third of the book. In the second part of the book, he acclimates to the outside world, falls in love, gets married, becomes a parish priest, starts on a career as a healer and an exorcist, has a spiritual breakdown where he thinks he's possessed. The conclusion involves him working through relational issues with his kids, and his wife and his past. He even has an interaction with the chief antagonist from the first book (and that sets the stage for book 3).
As an ecclesial fiction this is still pretty good. Darrow's mysticism is of a Neo Platonic variety (styled by Howatch after William Inge). In this novel the counterpoint of his Abbot-General's rationalism provides a nice balance. There thus for has been no intelligent low-church voice in Starbridge.
June 19, 2010
The second in the Starbridge series. In Howatch's other books, she gives you the perspective within each book. In this series, you have to read multiple books to see things from the point of view of another character.
Although we begin to 'see' Charles, Lyle, Jon and the other characters more in this second book, I didn't care for it as much as the first book. Perhaps it's because I didn't care for the character of Jon as much. He's arrogant, cold and supercilious. His eventual comeuppance should have compensated for it, but it didn't. Still, it furthers the plot and it's very readable. The entire series has been the perfect unwinding read every time I've read it ... all four times now, so take the three stars for what they are worth.
I learned a considerable amount about the C of E. Prejudice abounds against Rome, but as it's almost tongue in cheek, take it for it's worth. Sorry but I just can't get offended when characters start getting apoplectic and turn purple at the sight of a crucifix, wanting to shout, "Popery!" ☺
Although we begin to 'see' Charles, Lyle, Jon and the other characters more in this second book, I didn't care for it as much as the first book. Perhaps it's because I didn't care for the character of Jon as much. He's arrogant, cold and supercilious. His eventual comeuppance should have compensated for it, but it didn't. Still, it furthers the plot and it's very readable. The entire series has been the perfect unwinding read every time I've read it ... all four times now, so take the three stars for what they are worth.
I learned a considerable amount about the C of E. Prejudice abounds against Rome, but as it's almost tongue in cheek, take it for it's worth. Sorry but I just can't get offended when characters start getting apoplectic and turn purple at the sight of a crucifix, wanting to shout, "Popery!" ☺
April 20, 2019
After reading the first book "Glittering Images" two years ago, I was so sure that the next story couldn't meet my high expectations built through the story of Charles Ashworth. But how wrong I was! The ''Glorious Powers'' and the story of John Darrow is as amusing, as unpredictable, as deep as the story of Charles in Starbridge #1. And I am in awe of Susan Howatch's ability to bring to light deep secrets of the human soul that we all face in different stages of our life. She is an exceptional writer and I am falling in love more and more with English language she uses in her writings. Enough to say (in order to prove my point) that even though I was starting the book few times and leaving it, and coming back to it sporadically in this past year and a half, the deep questions that the book sparked, the complexity of it's characters, their turmoils, challenges and quests for peace and truth, stayed engraved in my memory. The bar of expectations for Starbridge #3 is now even higher, but I am looking forward for Susan to prove me wrong once again.
July 14, 2024
Another intriguing and insightful exploration of one man's psychological and spiritual journey. This focuses on the character of Jon Darrow who was cast in book one as an unimpeachable spiritual counsellor. It turns out that everyone has their own inward demons.
Plenty of mysticism, romance and Church of England history to keep the interest from beginning to end.
Plenty of mysticism, romance and Church of England history to keep the interest from beginning to end.
February 4, 2015
Mystical revelation is brought to the fore as ‘Glamorous Powers’ centres on Fr Jon(athan) Darrow’s; exploration of his faith and relationships, displaying a characterisation that practically forces the reader to return to the first book, ‘Glittering Images’; to review and analyse how the character in the first person compares to the character as previously met in the second person by Charles Ashworth.
Overall another great read; though I remember this book being slightly baffling simply because action and reaction are analysed in a manner which I only occasionally indulge in in real life. However, just when it seems to get a bit heavy, the author lightens up with the most wonderful tongue-in-cheek humour; such as that of the reordering of church: dusting down the organist and shaking up the choirboys (p.360).
Overall another great read; though I remember this book being slightly baffling simply because action and reaction are analysed in a manner which I only occasionally indulge in in real life. However, just when it seems to get a bit heavy, the author lightens up with the most wonderful tongue-in-cheek humour; such as that of the reordering of church: dusting down the organist and shaking up the choirboys (p.360).
June 15, 2017
After reading Glittering Images, I eagerly anticipated learning more about Jon Darrow, the hero of the book who impressed me with his insightful and powerful spiritual direction. As the author undoubtedly intended, many readers like myself became disillusioned when Darrow turned out to have many weaknesses, regrets and wounds. As in Glittering Images, the narrator goes through a journey of self discovery via . It's like watching a runaway train - you know that it's going to be bad but you can't look away. And, following the formula, the ending is .
December 29, 2020
My bedside book, and a fine one at that. I really like Howatch. I’ll likely read the whole series, given her ability to write a compelling plot while maintaining a sort of didacticism that isn’t offensive.
This book, like Glittering Images, centers around the redemption of the true self from the ashes of the false self. Darrow looses his shine in this book — and in true Howatch fashion, he isn’t glimmering by the end, but he is more true & refined, which glows warm.
There is still sex, healings, exorcisms, and fractured relationships — so if Glittering Images hooked you with those themes, you should enjoy Glamorous Powers. It isn’t as chaotic or exhausting as Glittering Images, which is refreshing. 3 1/2 - 4 stars feels appropriate :)
This book, like Glittering Images, centers around the redemption of the true self from the ashes of the false self. Darrow looses his shine in this book — and in true Howatch fashion, he isn’t glimmering by the end, but he is more true & refined, which glows warm.
There is still sex, healings, exorcisms, and fractured relationships — so if Glittering Images hooked you with those themes, you should enjoy Glamorous Powers. It isn’t as chaotic or exhausting as Glittering Images, which is refreshing. 3 1/2 - 4 stars feels appropriate :)
May 9, 2020
A very good sequel to Glittering Images, taking one character from the previous book who seemed so wise and showing his own struggles and weaknesses. Somewhere in the middle it gets a bit slow - you know a crisis is coming and wish it would hurry up and come so Darrow stops being so foolish. But on the whole a good exploration of an aspect of Christian belief that is unfamiliar to many people, as well as an illustration of the ways we hurt others and ourselves when we withhold honesty, even if we think it's better to avoid conflict.
April 1, 2022
I enjoyed this book even more than the first one in the series, probably because I found the character and his struggles more appealing, and there was less creepiness than the first book. (vagueness due to spoilers; sorry!).
This book is about a man who has left his monastic community and is finding his place in the real world, a journey complicated by a preceding vision. I appreciated the guidance and exhortation provided to him by other Christians as well as the discipline required and demonstrated in his spiritual exercises. This inspired me to be more mindful about my own practices, which though they occur daily, can become too routine.
This book is about a man who has left his monastic community and is finding his place in the real world, a journey complicated by a preceding vision. I appreciated the guidance and exhortation provided to him by other Christians as well as the discipline required and demonstrated in his spiritual exercises. This inspired me to be more mindful about my own practices, which though they occur daily, can become too routine.
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January 2, 2025I've read Susan Howatch's Starbridge series over and over because it centers on topics of special interest to me: religion and emotional/spiritual healing. The characters, though devoted to God and responsible for leadership within their religious system, are flawed humans worthy of compassion and empathy.
March 17, 2021
Lost its magic at the end
October 24, 2019
A provocative writer!
December 30, 2009
I enjoyed this book much more than, Glittering Images, the first book in the series. Jon Darrow was introduced in that book and I found his character very interesting, so I had to read Glamorous Powers, which focuses on Darrow. I was a little put off by the long psycho-spiritual analysis of Darrow by his superior, Francis, at the beginning of the book but I found the rest of the story of Darrow's struggles in spiritual formation to be quite good. I can identify with Darrow in a some significant ways. I really like the W. R. Inge quotes that introduce each chapter.
I'm not sure I want to continue with this series. I didn't find these first two books to be all that gripping. There isn't much action in these books. They are primarily interior psychological/spiritual studies which didn't hold my interest as well as some other novels I've read.
I'm not sure I want to continue with this series. I didn't find these first two books to be all that gripping. There isn't much action in these books. They are primarily interior psychological/spiritual studies which didn't hold my interest as well as some other novels I've read.
February 7, 2016
In the first book of the Starbridge series, Jonathan Darrow appeared as a wise, compassionate spiritual advisor to a troubled cleric. Here we learn his own story. “My life was one long struggle to achieve the correct balance between the psychic and the spiritual so I could develop properly as a priest. But it was a struggle I failed to win.” At the time the story begins, he is 60 and has been an Anglican monk for 17 years, when he has what he believes is a genuine vision, that calls him to leave the order. Outside the cloister, France has just fallen to the Nazis. Darrow’s struggle to find his true path makes for a fascinating story and interesting exploration of Christian mysticism.
July 24, 2020
Oh, Jon. Such a stupid man in many ways but I relate to him so much. I’m starting to think maybe I’ve missed my calling and I should have been an Anglican monk.
Once again, Susan Howatch has created a character I care about and sympathize with, albeit in a completely different way than I did Charles Ashworth in Glittering Images. I found myself getting so frustrated with Jon as he refuses to be honest with the people he loves, but I know where he’s coming from; I’ve been there myself. And the payoff at the end when he finally lets go of his pride and his need to impress is well worth the constant “Seriously, Jon?!?” moments throughout the book.
I’m really curious to read the next book in the series and see if it connects with me as much as these first two have.
Once again, Susan Howatch has created a character I care about and sympathize with, albeit in a completely different way than I did Charles Ashworth in Glittering Images. I found myself getting so frustrated with Jon as he refuses to be honest with the people he loves, but I know where he’s coming from; I’ve been there myself. And the payoff at the end when he finally lets go of his pride and his need to impress is well worth the constant “Seriously, Jon?!?” moments throughout the book.
I’m really curious to read the next book in the series and see if it connects with me as much as these first two have.
February 12, 2025
Always the most difficult of the six books, this deals with mysticism, charism, visions and healing. I can’t pretend to get my head around this. Fortunately there is a human story to balance the divine mystery! Father Jon Darrow has been a monk for 17 years when he has a vision. He believes it is God calling him to leave the order and re-enter civilian life in 1940. Jon has been counselling troubled men of faith for years, but has a very blinkered view of his early years and the family life he led until his wife’s early death.
I always find I have to stick with this book in the series as they all build a slightly different picture of the central characters.
I always find I have to stick with this book in the series as they all build a slightly different picture of the central characters.
December 12, 2019
I didn't dislike it, although there was a lot of soul-searching and psychological mumbo-jumbo involved in the story-line. The characterisation was strong and I think that's what saved the book from being tedious.
It's not a book I would recommend unless you're particularly interested in religious mysticism or monastic procedure.
It's not a book I would recommend unless you're particularly interested in religious mysticism or monastic procedure.
February 8, 2022
I'm thrilled to have discovered this author and this series. Very few works of fiction go into so much detail about the spiritual struggles of an experienced priest, and this book delivered in every respect. I look forward to many hours of happy reading now that I have found this source of intellectually and spiritually satisfying content.
September 8, 2008
This series is built around an English cathedral community. Each book focuses on one of the major players. All of the players are present in all of the books, so the reader sees the same events from differing perspectives. Engrossing. IOM, this is Howatch's best work.
July 22, 2017
Susan Howatch is simply amazing.
May 26, 2024
Exceptional
December 29, 2017
The second book in the "Church of England" series . . . another insightful look at raw humanity. The author uses terminology that may be offensive to some, but if you can work your way through that, it's well worth reading (e.g. "psychic" is used not as an occult reference, but in its dictionary meaning "of or relating to the psyche [mind]"). I have been profoundly affected by the realizations that came to me when I read this book. Mainly I have a greater desire to be held in strict accountability in the realm of dreams and visions. Bland as this may sound, it moved me deeply!
Again, the author did a superb job at characterization:
Jonathan Darrow
"Without suffering, in fact, there would be no life as we know it; we'd all be wooden images, utterly static, in a world where nothing ever happened and where God's love would fall on barren soil."
I had a sudden awareness of God's generosity, and the next moment I was overwhelmed by the boundless and indescribable nature of the divine love. I opened my eyes--my physical eyes--and for a split second the psychic and material visions collided so that my oak cross on the altar vibrated with light. I saw Christ crucified, Christ redeemed--and at that moment it was imprinted on my mind that I was finally liberated from all my past guilt. The tide of forgiveness was too strong; no anguish and self-hatred could face it and survive."
Francis Ingram
"How typical!" said Francis in disgust. "You think you can do anything, don't you--even read your subconscious mind! It never occurs to you in your arrogance that your subconscious mind may be beyond the reach not only of your intellectual powers but of your tiresome psychic powers as well!"
Anne
"I know you're not [complaining] and sometimes I worry about that too. I don't think it's good for you to bottle everything up and pretend that everything in the garden's lovely . . ."
Again, the author did a superb job at characterization:
Jonathan Darrow
"Without suffering, in fact, there would be no life as we know it; we'd all be wooden images, utterly static, in a world where nothing ever happened and where God's love would fall on barren soil."
I had a sudden awareness of God's generosity, and the next moment I was overwhelmed by the boundless and indescribable nature of the divine love. I opened my eyes--my physical eyes--and for a split second the psychic and material visions collided so that my oak cross on the altar vibrated with light. I saw Christ crucified, Christ redeemed--and at that moment it was imprinted on my mind that I was finally liberated from all my past guilt. The tide of forgiveness was too strong; no anguish and self-hatred could face it and survive."
Francis Ingram
"How typical!" said Francis in disgust. "You think you can do anything, don't you--even read your subconscious mind! It never occurs to you in your arrogance that your subconscious mind may be beyond the reach not only of your intellectual powers but of your tiresome psychic powers as well!"
Anne
"I know you're not [complaining] and sometimes I worry about that too. I don't think it's good for you to bottle everything up and pretend that everything in the garden's lovely . . ."
January 18, 2023
Third Reading Summary: Jon Darrow, Spiritual Director and mystic, feels called to leave his role as an Anglican monk and return to the world.
I am revisiting the Starbridge series ten years after I first read it. I have some notes about the series in the review of Glittering Images (the first book) that are relevant to Glamorous Powers. However, I am trying to avoid too much of the story as I revisit the series so that anyone that has not read the series can read these posts without significant spoilers.
Jon Darrow is present throughout the series, but it is Glamorous Powers, where he is the narrator and focus of the story. Darrow is the oldest reoccurring character in the series. He was born in 1880. He married fairly young as a Navy chaplain, but as happens throughout the series, his wife dies young. His mother-in-law helps raise the two children, and after WWI, Darrow becomes a prison chaplain, mostly on death row (he is opposed to the death penalty) until his children are raised. Once the children are out of the house, he becomes an Anglican Monk (there are celibate Anglican monks and nuns, many of Darrow's age were inspired by the Oxford movement's return to Anglo-Catholicism). Eventually, Darrow rose to become Abbot of the Granchester Abbey, which primarily offers spiritual direction and retreats for clergy and theology students from Cambridge.
From his role as abbot, Darrow has a vision, which he believes is calling him to leave the cloister and return to the world. This book breaks the pattern of crisis and then spiritual direction and instead starts early with spiritual direction. Part of what I appreciate about the series is that there are a variety of spiritual directors. In this case, the spiritual director is the Abbot General of the order, Francis Ingram. He is, in many ways, the opposite of Darrow. Darrow is mystical, aesthetic, and from a lower-class background. Ingram is upper-class, very rational, and enjoys the finer things in life. Ingram helps Darrow explore the vision and whether it is a call from God. It is not ever discussed in these terms, but this is a spiritual direction of discernment.
Darrow does leave the order, and following the path of the series, he gets himself into a mess because of his pride, his background and the false sense of trying to bring about God's will in the way that Darrow wants it to happen. God redeems his sin and graciously works all things together for good. But Darrow is broken, which allows him to confront his past, upbringing, early marriage, and children in ways he has been unable to do previously.
Each book in the series uses quotes from real theology books as epigraphs for the chapters as it explores a different theological topic. Glamorous Powers explores mysticism. Darrow is roughly based on a real person, just as Alex Jardine in the previous book was based on a real Bishop. While I am interested in the discussion of mysticism in Glamorous Powers, there is some unhelpful mixing of mysticism and miracles. It wasn't until I was into the fifth book of the series, about Jon Darrow's son Nicholas that I realized that the psychic gifting that both Darrows have in the book is a type of Continuationism. There are different senses of continuationism and cessationism, and terms need to be defined before I want to discuss them with people in real life. But at least some cessationists do not argue that all miracles have ceased, but that God no longer gifts people to perform miracles apart from the Holy Spirit. I think this understanding of cessationism is problematic and part of why I think the whole discussion is more about modernism than miracles, theology, or ecclesiology. But Darrow's use of psychic powers is a type of gifting that cessationists do not believe continues to exist.
Again, Darrow needs to seek healing for his past before living into the calling God has gifted him to serve. Again, there is an embrace of pop psychology and family systems theory with some value in spiritual direction. But it can go too far. In his memoir The Pastor, Eugene Peterson discusses his pastoral care training by a psychologist that tempted him to move out of his pastoral role into a counseling role. In the end, Peterson viewed his role as pastor as one that primarily calls people to worship, although he thought there was real value in using the tools of psychology as one aspect of pastoral counseling. (Thomas Oden also explores a similar idea in his memoir, but for the role of theologian.)
There is also value in the book in showing the characters as being healed enough to serve but not becoming unrealistically perfect. For example, in the later books, Darrow still has significant issues with pride. Even though confronted with the ways that his father has attempted to create Jon into his own image, and Jon did the same with his own son Martin, book five explores how Jon still did the same with his much younger son Nicholas.
There is also real value in the role of forgiveness in the series. For example, spouses are frequently shown to be oriented toward forgiveness, even if they do not fundamentally change their personalities.
_______
Short review: I have now read this twice, about 2 years apart. I liked it much better this time. First time I enjoyed it, but it just didn't catch me as much as the other books in the series. This time I really appreciated the subtle critique of pietist christians (although without actually condemning those that are serious about their Christian work.)
Much of the main plot points are fairly similar to the first book, a bad previous marriage, father issues, etc. But this time it was not so much about how sin keeps us from God, but how our prideful following of what we think God's will is can keep us from properly caring for our family and others around us and violating some of the basic principle of loving those around us. The I Cor 13 passage comes to mind. The main character Jon Darrow and have 'glamorous powers' to serve God, but if he can't love his wife and pay attention to those around time (and listen to their advice seriously) then his own powers are not worth much in the end.
First reading review on my blog http://bookwi.se/glamorous-powers/
Second reading review on my blog http://bookwi.se/glamorous-powers-2/
I am revisiting the Starbridge series ten years after I first read it. I have some notes about the series in the review of Glittering Images (the first book) that are relevant to Glamorous Powers. However, I am trying to avoid too much of the story as I revisit the series so that anyone that has not read the series can read these posts without significant spoilers.
Jon Darrow is present throughout the series, but it is Glamorous Powers, where he is the narrator and focus of the story. Darrow is the oldest reoccurring character in the series. He was born in 1880. He married fairly young as a Navy chaplain, but as happens throughout the series, his wife dies young. His mother-in-law helps raise the two children, and after WWI, Darrow becomes a prison chaplain, mostly on death row (he is opposed to the death penalty) until his children are raised. Once the children are out of the house, he becomes an Anglican Monk (there are celibate Anglican monks and nuns, many of Darrow's age were inspired by the Oxford movement's return to Anglo-Catholicism). Eventually, Darrow rose to become Abbot of the Granchester Abbey, which primarily offers spiritual direction and retreats for clergy and theology students from Cambridge.
From his role as abbot, Darrow has a vision, which he believes is calling him to leave the cloister and return to the world. This book breaks the pattern of crisis and then spiritual direction and instead starts early with spiritual direction. Part of what I appreciate about the series is that there are a variety of spiritual directors. In this case, the spiritual director is the Abbot General of the order, Francis Ingram. He is, in many ways, the opposite of Darrow. Darrow is mystical, aesthetic, and from a lower-class background. Ingram is upper-class, very rational, and enjoys the finer things in life. Ingram helps Darrow explore the vision and whether it is a call from God. It is not ever discussed in these terms, but this is a spiritual direction of discernment.
Darrow does leave the order, and following the path of the series, he gets himself into a mess because of his pride, his background and the false sense of trying to bring about God's will in the way that Darrow wants it to happen. God redeems his sin and graciously works all things together for good. But Darrow is broken, which allows him to confront his past, upbringing, early marriage, and children in ways he has been unable to do previously.
Each book in the series uses quotes from real theology books as epigraphs for the chapters as it explores a different theological topic. Glamorous Powers explores mysticism. Darrow is roughly based on a real person, just as Alex Jardine in the previous book was based on a real Bishop. While I am interested in the discussion of mysticism in Glamorous Powers, there is some unhelpful mixing of mysticism and miracles. It wasn't until I was into the fifth book of the series, about Jon Darrow's son Nicholas that I realized that the psychic gifting that both Darrows have in the book is a type of Continuationism. There are different senses of continuationism and cessationism, and terms need to be defined before I want to discuss them with people in real life. But at least some cessationists do not argue that all miracles have ceased, but that God no longer gifts people to perform miracles apart from the Holy Spirit. I think this understanding of cessationism is problematic and part of why I think the whole discussion is more about modernism than miracles, theology, or ecclesiology. But Darrow's use of psychic powers is a type of gifting that cessationists do not believe continues to exist.
Again, Darrow needs to seek healing for his past before living into the calling God has gifted him to serve. Again, there is an embrace of pop psychology and family systems theory with some value in spiritual direction. But it can go too far. In his memoir The Pastor, Eugene Peterson discusses his pastoral care training by a psychologist that tempted him to move out of his pastoral role into a counseling role. In the end, Peterson viewed his role as pastor as one that primarily calls people to worship, although he thought there was real value in using the tools of psychology as one aspect of pastoral counseling. (Thomas Oden also explores a similar idea in his memoir, but for the role of theologian.)
There is also value in the book in showing the characters as being healed enough to serve but not becoming unrealistically perfect. For example, in the later books, Darrow still has significant issues with pride. Even though confronted with the ways that his father has attempted to create Jon into his own image, and Jon did the same with his own son Martin, book five explores how Jon still did the same with his much younger son Nicholas.
There is also real value in the role of forgiveness in the series. For example, spouses are frequently shown to be oriented toward forgiveness, even if they do not fundamentally change their personalities.
_______
Short review: I have now read this twice, about 2 years apart. I liked it much better this time. First time I enjoyed it, but it just didn't catch me as much as the other books in the series. This time I really appreciated the subtle critique of pietist christians (although without actually condemning those that are serious about their Christian work.)
Much of the main plot points are fairly similar to the first book, a bad previous marriage, father issues, etc. But this time it was not so much about how sin keeps us from God, but how our prideful following of what we think God's will is can keep us from properly caring for our family and others around us and violating some of the basic principle of loving those around us. The I Cor 13 passage comes to mind. The main character Jon Darrow and have 'glamorous powers' to serve God, but if he can't love his wife and pay attention to those around time (and listen to their advice seriously) then his own powers are not worth much in the end.
First reading review on my blog http://bookwi.se/glamorous-powers/
Second reading review on my blog http://bookwi.se/glamorous-powers-2/
October 14, 2023
Susan Howatch is testing me. All of my resolve to live up to my ideals, my desire to love, my capacity for mercy. My hermeneutic of love.
I hated reading this for the first 80%. I actively avoided reading it all week. I found Jonathan Darrow so deeply unpleasant and aggravating that I could barely stomach a few chapters at a time. Of course, this accounts for Howatch's skill in drawing a realistic character. Yet, that doesn't make the reading experience better, when I want to reach through the pages and yell at him to Stop Being So Foolish. Ugh.
Yet, in the final portion of the novel, there was such beauty and goodness and truth, the story became satisfying rather than frustrating, and I finally closed the book at peace with myself and its world. Howatch notes at the end that she wrote this book as an exploration of the mystic theology of William Ralph Inge, and I think she also wrote it as an exploration of 1 Corinthians 13. It's just that most of the book concerns the first three verses and only the final portion of the book concerns the rest of the chapter.
I was ready to swear of Howatch while reading this, but....probably not. Just not through this particular series for a good long while.
I hated reading this for the first 80%. I actively avoided reading it all week. I found Jonathan Darrow so deeply unpleasant and aggravating that I could barely stomach a few chapters at a time. Of course, this accounts for Howatch's skill in drawing a realistic character. Yet, that doesn't make the reading experience better, when I want to reach through the pages and yell at him to Stop Being So Foolish. Ugh.
Yet, in the final portion of the novel, there was such beauty and goodness and truth, the story became satisfying rather than frustrating, and I finally closed the book at peace with myself and its world. Howatch notes at the end that she wrote this book as an exploration of the mystic theology of William Ralph Inge, and I think she also wrote it as an exploration of 1 Corinthians 13. It's just that most of the book concerns the first three verses and only the final portion of the book concerns the rest of the chapter.
I was ready to swear of Howatch while reading this, but....probably not. Just not through this particular series for a good long while.
March 26, 2021
This is book 2 in the Starbridge series. I have books 3, 4, and 5 in the seriesand I don't think I will be getting to them too soon. These books deal with the heirarchy in the Church of England. The first book examines Charles Ashforth, and the second deals with Ashforth's spiritual counselor, Jon Darrow.
If I had read this book when it was first published in 1988, I might have had a kinder view. The book begins with Darrow having a psychic vision that he believes comes directly from God. Darrow is a Monk who now wants to leave the order, and he must get permission from the Abbott General, Francis Ingram and enter in a psychological, emotional and a spiritual evaluation (which as times moved a little slow.) Darrow was previously married, his wife died, and he had a shaky relationship with his two grown children. He asks Darrow if he was happily married and Darrow says yes. He asks if he had conversations with his wife, and Darrow answers "no, she was rather stupid." I knew then, that no matter how Darrow was to become redeemed, I could not like this man. He spent hours in solitude praying, fasting, meditating and yet, at 60 years old he was just too full of himself.
If I had read this book when it was first published in 1988, I might have had a kinder view. The book begins with Darrow having a psychic vision that he believes comes directly from God. Darrow is a Monk who now wants to leave the order, and he must get permission from the Abbott General, Francis Ingram and enter in a psychological, emotional and a spiritual evaluation (which as times moved a little slow.) Darrow was previously married, his wife died, and he had a shaky relationship with his two grown children. He asks Darrow if he was happily married and Darrow says yes. He asks if he had conversations with his wife, and Darrow answers "no, she was rather stupid." I knew then, that no matter how Darrow was to become redeemed, I could not like this man. He spent hours in solitude praying, fasting, meditating and yet, at 60 years old he was just too full of himself.
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