Archbishop: A novel

by Michele Guinness

Five years from now, the Church of England is on its knees. Yet one woman is making a difference, and when she is appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, anything could happen.

Vicky Burnham-Woods is a master of diplomacy, and deeply committed to bringing the church back into the heart of community and cultural life - but not everyone wants a woman at the top, and behind the scenes dark forces are moving.

Can the first ever female Archbishop of Canterbury last long enough to achieve her mission?

Genres: Fiction

560 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 13, 2014

Reviews

[P.R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started reading this I had no idea it would be so long, and this is why I have deducted a star.

'Archbishop' is, in many ways, a wonderful read and a worthy achievement by the author. Michele Guinness writes graceful, articulate prose with authority, meticulously researched and emotionally charged. Her style takes a little getting used to, and by the end I'd had enough of the 'present' narrative leading inevitably to a 'past' explanation.

The story of Vicky, who (of course) ends up being the first Archbishop of Canterbury early in the 2020s, is so realistically drawn as to be a very fair representation of what might yet be. You need to be inclined towards an appreciation of a theological backdrop to fully enjoy this book - I think you might falter if you are not interested at all. I was and am a huge fan of Susan Howatch's 'Starbridge' series which also has the Church of England woven through its pages, but which contains a more mystical element - which I missed in 'Archbishop'. Vicky is a character I wanted to like, but was never quite sure that I did - except at the end.

Four and a half stars. Would I read it again? I don't think so.

[Loretta]

The first woman to ever be accepted as Archbishop of Canterbury, Vicky will find that it brings her into spiritual warfare she's never encountered before.
The government, the press and some in the church all want to bring her down, to the point where some of those she trusted cause the most pain.
I suspect this will be a Marmite book, but whether you agree with every decision made or not, it is deeply engrossing and rather worrying as some of the legalities of the book have the feel of something that may well occur one day if we aren't vigilant. And that, whatever side of the arguments we fall on, would be a tragedy.
Engrossing, painful and somewhat terrifying in places but there are some truly beautiful and inspirational nuggets amongst the warfare.

[Julie Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this compulsive reading! The flashbacks were a little confusing at times, but gave the necessary background to the situations... I found the ending a little unsatisfactory, but not enough to spoil my over all enjoyment. I have no idea how accurate it is in regard to C of E politics and governance, the only "real" places being Canterbury and York, and the only "real" person being HM the Queen.
Vicky's faith shines through, and gives an insight to what drives anyone who tries to faithfully follow God's calling.

[Sara Eames · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was a good book with an interesting concept which was brilliantly executed. It was a bit of a slow start but, once it got going, it developed into an intriguing thriller. On some occasions, you have to suspend your disbelief - especially Vicky's relationship with the Queen - but, on the whole, this is an excellent read with well-written characters and a plot that moves at a steady pace. Recommended.

[Chris Smallwoods · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read

I struggled with the main character. Sometimes I didn’t like her so much and towards the end I wished for a happy ending for her. This means it’s a good book as I was drawn in , thought about it and felt the ups and downs. Even when I felt irritated I had to keep going.

[Rachel Glass · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this imagining of the first appointment of a female Archbishop of Canterbury (in 2020! Of all the things that have happened this year... that seems the most unlikely!). I think it does require a certain interest in the runnings of the Church of England and at least a sympathy with its aims. Although at times I felt too many 'issues' were being packed it, I suppose this reflects the demands on the Archbishop's attention.

I found Vicky herself inspiring yet really human, and her relationship with Tom was really realistically portrayed, with all its stresses and frustrations. At times I lost track of who some of the characters were and could have done with a character list at the start to refer to.

The length of the book was barely noticeable as I was enjoying it so much, and I found the jumps back in time on the whole well controlled and useful to our understanding of Vicky. I can see how it would not be a book to everyone's taste but I found the ideals it espouses really inspiring and was moved by the ending few chapters in particular.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguingly topical with many aspects of the life and times of a female clergy making her way up the difficult ladder, being so on point. Apposite to the times.
This is not Dawn French enjoying herself as The Vicar of Dibley.
This is Jeffrey Archer meets the 12th Century and the murder of Thomas a Becket. Cloaked in modern Britain there is to be a first woman Archbishop of Canterbuy. Can this happen? and when it does will the administrative path be strewn with too many hurdles to allow acceptance?
The story rings so true it is no surprise to find that the author herself has had active involvement in various paths of religious calling.
There is a great grasp of the politics behind the decision-making whether it be 'gender' or real estate. It is a genuine suspense-thriller.
Tightly written. Believable with that touch of informativeness which gives the reader a sense of achievement.

[Rebecca Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun read. Lots about it seemed incredibly familiar and real, but there are moments when it’s stretches the suspension of disbelief, but they are worth it for the plot!
I very much enjoyed reading it and found it encouraging and hopeful.
Very much worth a read whether or not you know the C of E.

[Francis James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a slow burn, a marathon, and many will surely find this hard to complete (with the book's thickness and topic - church) if they decide to give this a try. I was not blown away by the book's beginning or end, but somehow, I enjoyed the exposition.

[Christi Poulsom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed most of it. The charming everyone and doing a wondrous job got a little tiresome at times - cutting a little of this out would have made the book less of a marathon, but good overall.

[Rosie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the idea of this book but I found it a bit dull...so I gave up. Sorry Michele.

[Barbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Thoroughly enjoyed this. Makes you think what the world could be like if the church gorges the wrong way! Pray it doesn’t!

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much packed in 1 book it's hard to keep track. Not only does the book describe the appointment of the first female archbishop, there are also stories of betrayal, relationship issues, political crisis, you name it...... But the book keeps you hooked, makes you think, allows you to see strength of character develop and allows the reader to remember that the greatest achievements are usually not the most visible to others. It also raises questions about the role of church in modern society, with some worrying story lines. In this book the church is rekindled and the worth of Christian values gains new prominence as the nation faces tough times, let's pray this isn't only seen in fiction. I recommend this book highly, but it's not a light or quick read, so grab a cushion and a coffee......

[Jane Sephton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read. I enjoyed it so much that I was torn between reading on avidly or limiting myself so that it would last longer!
The main character, Vicky, is very believable as she struggles with all that she feels God wants her to do in her different roles within the book, and especially when she becomes Archbishop. Her vision of what the church should be doing is encouraging and inspiring, especially as she holds on to, and fights for, what she believes in when she comes into conflict with the government.
A thought provoking book to be enjoyed by those with a Christian faith and those without!

[Anne Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

At 500+ pages, this is a huge book in every sense of the word and in the subjects it covers. Set some years in the future, 2020-2024 to be exact, it is the story of the first woman Archbishop of Canterbury. Very topical at the moment given that the General Synod has only recently approved women bishops. As it says in the flyleaf, 'Vicky Burnham-Woods is a charismatic and visionary priest and deeply committed to bringing the church back into the heart of the community and cultural life.' Her mission brings her into conflict with her husband, her fellow clergy and the government. This is an epic and visionary novel with a strong religious content but an absorbing life-affirming read.

[Jane Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an unlikely premise - a female Archbishop of Canterbury in 2020. How would she fare?
For anyone to enjoy this novel they would have to understand and be sympathetic to Christianity, if not specifically the Church of England. They would not have to mind a great deal of preaching. Given that, Guinness almost pulls this off. I am never keen on the structure of weaving the past story through the narrative of the present, but it was probably necessary here. The plot is a little thin. But there are some clever touches. And the story really is relevant in 2014.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book with some possible ideas of what the future may bring in the UK. The main characters were believable and written with empathy and understanding. I found the book got a bit of getting into, but once I started getting to the main point of the plot, it was engaging. I liked the way that the story of the Archbishop slowly revealed itself, using present and past events interspersed. A good read.