Publishing date: 30.06.2025 (DD/MM/YYYY)
Thank you to NetGalley and Book Whisperer for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

TLDR: Someone who doesn't want to and feels they don't deserve to become pope and creates a lot of drama. Questions and suspicions arise.

This book had me feeling a lot of things. Both positive and negative. I would say this was the goal of the author, and they achieved this wonderfully.

I coined the twist pretty early on in the book, but the "reveal" was still a whiplash for me. The reaction of all the different characters also set me on edge. I was questioning everyone at one point and it felt horrible.

Some bullet points ...
Positives:
- Had me questioning myself, the characters, and my own morals
- A premise I haven't seen or read before
- Such raw emotion from both the protagonist and antagonists
- The twists? Ooooh baby

Negatives:
- The other characters (especially the cardinals) felt like caricatures, they were very exaggerated at times. I feel like this was intentional, but I am not sure I liked it
- The ending?? Made me sick, kind of a lowball
- Some parts really really dragged

This book is something I feel like more people should read. It puts the issue at hand in a very different light not many think about. And yes, the issue at hand is an LGBTQ+ issue. The tag is right there. I won't say which letter it is, that would be a major spoiler. Just be warned if you are anti-woke this book will make you angry. But it might also be good for you to read something like this.

I had a great (and also emotionally bad) time. What a read.

Giving this 4 stars. I wish the ending was different, I wish the characters were more gray instead of black and white. It is what it is, and I still enjoyed it. Highly recommend.

This one has got quite a low Goodreads rating at 3.49 currently but I definitely think it deserves a much higher rating. I really enjoyed this book, and enjoyed spending time with the main character. In fact I read it in 24 hours.

The story begins with a deadlocked papal conclave, and eventually a compromise candidate is elected, Cardinal Anthony Budd, who is a very reluctant Pope. This book tells the story of what turns out to be quite a controversial Pope, and he certainly has enemies out there including a blackmailer.

I really bought into the character of the new Pope, and he is exactly the Pope that I would want. He definitely leads by example, and is down to Earth. It is this that leads to some of his enemies, being his own man. He has some difficult choices ahead of him that will test his beliefs.

I found this well-plotted, with some interesting characters. It definitely deals with themes in the current times we are living through. The book overall brought strong emotions out for me, and is a book I didn’t want to put down.

The ending to the book definitely surprised, if not shocked me. It has left me ruminating over the book for some time since finishing the book.

I definitely recommend this book and feel it deserves a better rating, for me it was a 4.5 star rating.

I had very little clue what to expect from Glenn Cooper’s most recent “The Silence of Flesh.” When I received an advanced reader’s copy from NetGalley, I understood vaguely that it involved a young, reform-minded cardinal who becomes Pope but then is threatened with blackmail and the “brutal realities of Vatican politics,” pitting him against the Church that “he loves, the body he inhabits, and the truth that may undo both.” I read this gripping story from start to finish in less than a day. My opinions of the book are voluntary.

I found the plot fascinating and the book well written and well crafted. Aside from the main character and one or two others, I found most of the characters distasteful at best; others were reprehensible. I cannot speculate as to the accuracy of these depictions except to note the widespread, despicable practices of the Catholic Church that facilitated countless instances of child abuse by priests all over the world and covered up at the highest levels, some of which still is being exposed. I applaud Mr. Cooper for attempting to shed light on other aspects of catholic dogma that might be harmful to children’s mental health.

The Silence of Flesh
By Glenn Cooper

Anthony "Tony" Budd of the UK is a Cardinal of the Catholic Church. The Pope dies and a Conclave to elect a new Pope is convened. A Conclave – presented to the masses as a holy endeavor directed by God – is nothing of the sort. Liberal and conservative factions strive for power by any means, bullying and blackmail among them. Against all odds, Budd is elected as a compromise Pope. But Tony has held a lifelong secret. That secret will come out and threaten the very existence of the church according to his enemies.

This is a very hard book to read, mainly because it is so believable. That men and women of faith who profess to follow the teachings of Jesus can be filled with so much hatred and self-righteousness is only too realistic in this world today. And, while this book deals with the Catholic Church, much the same can be said about followers of all religions. After all, religions are the product of men, not God. Which leaves the reader with the question "Does God exist?"

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

This book has an interesting storyline that marries religion, culture, politics, and how those things can impact relationships. A younger Cardinal is elected to be Pope. He is viewed as a safe choice compared to the other candidates. What people don’t know is that he has a secret which could tear the Church apart, causing an irreparable chasm. The problem is someone has discovered his secret and threatens to make it public. The intrigue is fascinating. This book raises questions about humanity and integrity, as well as the lengths people may go to achieve their own desired results. #netgalley

I enjoyed the modern conclave setting and reading about what happened behind closed doors within the Vatican. It was heart wrenching reading Tony's backstory when he was discovering himself as a young child. It really put things into perspective, reading a story about a queer person that wants to still be a part of the Catholic Church and struggling to try to fit in to its antiquated beliefs. I especially loved the rawness in the writing when Tony was listening to other's experiences that were like his own.

Sometimes I felt that the other characters in the book were a bit too exaggerated, for example the other cardinals, but that may have been the point. I also did not like the ending of the book, but I understand why the author did what they did.

Thank you to Netgalley and Book Whisperer for the ARC!

Title: The Silence of Flesh
Author: Glenn Cooper
Rating: 1⭐️
Format: eBook
Publication Date: 30 June 2025

**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.**

Glenn Cooper is an author whose work I've long admired. The Resurrection Maker was what first introduced me to his writing, and from there, he became a familiar name on my bookshelves. He has such a distinctive way of weaving historical threads with theological intrigue, all set against high-stakes backdrops. As usually, as soon as I was an opportunity to read the newest Cooper addition, I was all in. Which, unfortunately makes writing this review all the more difficult.

The Silence of Flesh was, quite honestly, a struggle for me. I wanted to love it, and I truly tried. I had hoped it would offer the same kind of gripping, immersive experience that Cooper has so often delivered in the past. Instead, the story felt flat from the outset. The pacing was uneven, the tension never quite landed, and the characters lacked he depth and nuance I've come to expect from his work.

The plot itself has remarkable potential. A modern-day conclave (the second longest in Vatican history), framed by a secret that could shake Catholic doctrine to its core. That concept alone had all the ingredients for a taut, timely, and socially resonant thriller. And to be fair, Cooper's research shines throughout. His expertise in Vatican history and procedure is, as always, meticulous. You feel the weight of that knowledge behind the scene, and it lends the book a sense of authenticity that is hard to ignore.

But the execution simply didn't match the potential, nor the authors ability. Dialogue felt stilled at times, and major revelations arrived sudden and without the emotional impact they deserved rather than unfolding with escalating tension. The ending in particular felt excessively rushed, almost as though the pieces had been forced into place simply to finish the puzzle—which unfortunately had not been well put together from the start. And while there is certainly a strong social and theological undercurrent running through the book, it never quite reached the level of thoughtful exploration I was hoping for.

There were moment where I glimpse the author I know and admire. A few passaged that struck the right tone, a few ideas that offered sparks of intrigue. But in the end, it wasn't enough to carry the weight of the story, and I finished I more out of loyalty to Cooper than genuine enjoyment.

I rarely give one-star reviews. But in this case, it felt honest—and fair. This won't deter me from continuing to pick up more of Glenn Cooper's work in the future, but The Silence of Flesh won't be one that I return to or recommend.

Courtesy of The Book Whisperer and Netgalley, I received the ARC of The Silence of Flesh by Glenn Cooper. This novel's main character is Tony Budd, a British Cardinal, unexpectedly selected as the next Pope. Not wanting to divulge the secrets within this story, I found this book to be emotional, enlightening, and thought provoking, with great characters, revelations, and flashbacks that add to the drama. Highly recommend for a contemporary and topical discussion?

I have mixed feelings about this book, I have to be honest.
I loved all the parts about how it feels to be living the conclave from the inside and then about all the things happening behind the closed doors of the Pope apartment and hos every day life. I didn’t like the way his “secret” (I won’t insert any further details as I don’t want to spoiler anyone) was dealt with: it all seemed too “simple”, too seen through the eyes of somebody who has surely read a lot about the “issue” and made his researches, but not lived through it, it all felt too fictional.
The ending was the worst part, for me. I can see why Glenn Cooper chose to write it the way it is, but it felt too much like the trope “bury your gays/queer people”.
Anyway it was a good novel and I recommend it, I keep on loving more or less every single thing this man writes!

This book actually took me out of my months long reading slump! I am so excited for it to be published so I can gift it to my best friend <33

If I had known what the core issue was that was going to be explored, I probably would not have picked this book up. And I would have missed a really good story. I did choose it because it was about a conclave to select a new pope and we had just gone through that recently so I was interested in the topic. I am not a Catholic but have always been curious about the Catholic religion and why they believe the way they do and why they have a pope. This book gave a lot of information about that and also about the biases that are prevalent throughout this religion.

I enjoyed the Last Conclave by Glenn Cooper, and this book did not disappoint.. Yet again, it shows the workings of the Church. Interesting storyline with realistic characters.

Real Rating: 3.5* of five

Could Author Cooper have timed this release ant better?! Even got the regnal ordinal right! One could be forgiven for thinking permaybehaps he had some inside information...or at least a discreet nod of approval from On High.

I'm a great deal lower on the cosmic food chain, but I too offer my (qualified) nod of approval. More research into the current usages of nomenclature, Author Cooper.

Cardinal Budd is a character I think we all hope will be a truthful representation of church officialdom. As the new Pope Innocent (!) XIV, he is someone who would inflame the civil war over progressivism that Western culture is having very broadly. In fact, if you'd like to see the progress of that civil war, go look at the schism in Goodreads reviewers' ratings and opinions about this read. Goodness gracious me.

So big kudos for that service to us all! Anything that gets people stirred up and talking is, in my view, a good thing. It's not going to get resolved any time soon, this book might not change a single position, but positions can never change if they're simply unchallenged.

I found the characters in the story hard to relate to, as I expected; I've known in my core there was no god since I was five. I find people who believe in one utterly perplexing. I find people who "serve" a god I do not for a second believe they believe in reprehensible. There are good people who, for some reason, believe this guff. There are not professional administrators who do, or I'll eat your hat. Executives have the inside story, so they can by definition see through the charade of their organization's public relations. It's like lawyers; they know the law, and its execution, too well to buy the tale spun to dazzle the outsiders into accepting impartiality and fairness rule the juridical roost.

I'm all the way there supporting the conversation this story should ignite. I felt, though, distant and almost cold-shouldered by the way this story does not examine the stunningly complex battle lines it could have drawn. I understand the author's choice not to do the direct confrontation of the issue raised. I can't say I agree; an earlier, and more direct presentation of the secret issue Innocent (!)XIV was carrying would, to my mind, suit Cardinal Budd's stated personality traits better. As such I questioned whether what I was told was Budd's personal behavior pattern was accurate. I'll note here that I had he same issue with the much more disappointing Conclave, film and book.

I don't wish to leave the impression that I did not enjoy this read; I did, with all the schadenfreude I was expecting to revel in. I note the areas I felt the execution of the story did not match the author's ambitious imagination to be sure you will go into the read with the most information I can reach back to you from my readerly vantage point.

But go into the read I hope you will, and soon.

This book surprised me. It took me a little while to get into it, but once I did, I couldn't stop reading. I went through so many emotions and moments of shock. When I thought I knew what was going to happen, something completely different happened. I don't know much about Catholicism or the Pope or the Vatican or anything of that world, but this book really reeled me in.

3⭐️
I liked it, but...

When Anthony Budd is elected as the new pope (much to his chagrin), his secret and its surfacing may upend the entire Catholic church forever.

This work was actually quite good! It offers a very novel concept of bridging the space of the antiquated doctrines of Catholicism with modern notions of gender and sexuality, and how these two spheres clash and speculating resolution. I think the author does a spectacular job of addressing the differences between gender and sexuality, while also giving some clearly researched insight into the Catholic religion and its tenets.

I do have misgivings about the plot - especially the ending - but I have more concerns about how some of these LGBTQIA+ topics are discussed. Without spoiling the novel, I don't know if the terminology that is used is as accurate as it should be; it's not that certain terms are used in a derogatory manner, but that the terms used don't seem to fit with the given scenarios. It's hard to explain this without going into the plot of the book, but I'll suffice to say that I think more research and adjustments to the story could have been made to keep the root of the story intact and still get an important point across.

Overall, this was a pleasant surprise for me. Would I return to this book? Probably not. But, I would still recommend it purely for its discussions around important subjects and its wonderful character building.

Thank you to NetGalley and Book Whisperer for an ARC of this work!

Seriously ? Guess the recent Vatican activities was a reason to read this HOWEVER...what a disappointment. Had every possible "sin" in the stories of the cardinals, and the new Pope. The ending did more than suspend my disbelief; it suggested a deadline looming. Will NOT recommend.

I received this book as a free ARC of Netgalley.

Interesting look on politics in Catholic church and cruelty of the society. This is not a kind book, unflinchingly and realistically showing how Catholic church looks on queer issues and how a fictional papacy featuring these issues may unfold. But then, for many, its not about God or faith, just the old fashioned power and cruelty.

The ending made me cry. I suppose I longed for hope and i got more realistic ending instead.

Its not my traditional pick (not a romance at all, for example! I mean, its about pope lol...) but i am glad i gave this novel a chance. I think the author did good research and showed queer characters fairly well.

TW: homophobic and transphobic characters, portrayal of child abuse

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of "The Silence of Flesh" by Glenn Cooper.
Overall an enthralling book that I'm sure will be well received thanks to the circumstances of the world right now (the success of Conclave and the obviously new elected pope).
Cooper's pace is interesting, because even when some passages might seem too long, one realizes towards the end their importance to the overall story.
The greatest achievement, however, I would say resides not on the plot but the characters. Without delving into the plot and/or spoilers, the members of the conclave within the story feel awfully human and flawed, which makes to a rich development for the reader.

When the new pope is chosen at the conclave, we realize he has a secret. What could it be? I enjoyed the chapters that told about his childhood and the rest of his past. This past influenced him.

The Silence of the Flesh
The newly elected English pope was a compromise candidate, and not a politician. He is younger than the other candidates, and more liberal. That gives hin the enmity of some Cardinals, and the praise of many laypeople. His father was not the kindest, , but his sister’s family and nephews love him. He has great potential, but will not appeal to everyone.