Glamorous Powers

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First published in 1988, this “expanded, extensively revised” edition of Glamorous Powers is, in the words of author Susan Howatch, a "deeper, more complex version of the fictitious narrator's previous story”.   

Second book in the Starbridge Series, which as a whole explores the history of the Church of England through the 20th century across six connected novels, it’s especially notable for presenting detailed insights into its protagonist’s emotional and spiritual states of mind, and for maintaining momentum, intrigue and pace over an extended, complex plot as it shares the story of Jon Darrow, a troubled Anglican monk who possesses what the church calls “glamorous powers”— visionary abilities he believes come from God.   

In Glamorous Powers, Darrow interprets a disturbingly vivid vision as a divine command to leave his monastery. After doing just that, he’s compelled to confront a tangle of conflicts between the sacred and the profane, and between his past, present and future in the form of struggles with his old family, struggles with his identity, and a possible new romance. A sweeping theological thriller steeped in psychology, Glamorous Powers also explores broader mid-life crises and mysticism in the church.

Reviewed by Joanne Owen
Joanne Owen’s lifelong love of reading and writing began when she was growing up in Pembrokeshire, and very much wished that witches (and Mrs Pepperpot) were real.
More reviews by Joanne Owen

About Glamorous Powers

A minister endures a crisis of faithâ and humanityâ in this historical novel about the Church of England from the New York Timesâ bestselling author.1940. Jon Darrow is an Anglican priest with psychic gifts and a fulfilling, well-ordered life. Suddenly, he receives a vision calling him to leave his monastery and embark on a journey which will require all his courage and strengthâ a quest to find a new life.

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