By Susan Howatch
Rated: ★★★★★
The third book in the Starbridge, Ultimate Prizes is for me, the most moving and profound book in the entire series. It's the one that I think sort of lays out what Susan Howatch was trying to accomplish.
Narrated by Neville Aysgarth, an ambitious archdeacon it is the story of his lifetime quest for the "ultimate prizes." He is by far the most fascinating character of the series for me. Just when I think I have him all nicely figured out he throws me a huge curve ball. I love the way Howatch describes the different facets of his personality as individuals, i.e. Neville 1, Neville 2 and Neville 3.
The time is set at the beginning of WW II Neville's marriage to Grace, the perfect wife and mother, is cracking under the pressure of being worthy of her perfection. After Grace dies, Neville marries socialite Dido Tallent, but when their first child dies at birth, his faith in both God and his own motives is rocked. In crisis, Neville asks his colleague Jon Darrow (narrator of Glamorous Powers ) for spiritual first aid and, guided by a wise abbot friend of Jon's, is forced to an honest appraisal of himself and his ambition--which has its roots in his early life. He struggles back to spiritual health and eventually emerges a wiser man, more honest and loving toward his family and his flock.
Neville and Jon are such opposite ends of the spectrum spiritually that I find their battle's very illuminating. I never realized before that the Episcopal Church had "catholic" and a "protestant" factions and I am very impressed that the CoE allows them both to coexist. Then it makes me wonder why having women and homosexual clergy is such a problem?
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