My Father's House

Hugh O’Flaherty is famous as the Irish priest who saved thousands of people escape death or imprisonment during the Nazi occupation of Rome and while he was an official of the Curia in the neutral zone of Vatican City.
 
This is an imagining of how Hugh made his plans and includes other individuals of a secret “Choir” who helped him in his endeavours, each of whom have fascinating stories of their own. 

All are constantly watched and challenged by Paul Hauptmann, the Nazi commanding officer who has his own ongoing issues with Himmler, but the Choir still manage to help thousands of Allied soldiers, Jews and others escape. Hugh’s complex relationship with Hauptmann, who is in turns psychotic, rational and even charming, is one of the most intriguing facets of the book.
 
A breathtaking tale of courage and determination told in differing styles of immediate narrative and future interviews with the other participants, all with alternating tenses and points of view. Philosophical or introspective passages may be followed by Irish whimsical reminiscences, extracts of official memos or almost Hollywood-style chase scenes.

​If you have read this author’s work previously, you may be familiar with this approach. I first read his amazing early novel The Star of the Sea many years ago and haven’t forgotten how much I enjoyed the journey. If you want a conventional WW2 escape story with easy-to-like characters, this may not suit, but if you like to be informed, challenged and surprised by a novel, then you will love it.
 
This is the first book in a trilogy. I already have an advance copy of the second The Ghosts of Rome in my reading pile and look forward to continuing this amazing tale soon.

(Many thanks to Edelweiss for the ARCs of both books.)


Five stars
 
 
amazon.com
 
amazon.co.uk

Dymocks Australia

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