The article presents an interesting perspective on a particular work.

The plot is described as really interesting, which immediately catches the reader's attention. However, it is also noted that there are a few parts that are slow.

This is a common criticism in some works, but the author is quick to point out that the slowness is not so extreme that it deters them from wanting to read the next installment.

This balance between an interesting plot and a few slower parts is an important aspect to consider when evaluating a work. It shows that while there may be some areas that could be improved, the overall quality of the plot is still engaging enough to keep the reader interested.

It also leaves room for anticipation and curiosity about what will happen next, which is a key element in keeping readers hooked.

A beautiful depiction of brokenness and healing; I underlined so dang much. It's truly a remarkable exploration of these themes. If we're talking about the plot, the first third is indeed painful, as it delves deep into the turmoil and struggles. The second third, however, is so redemptive, bringing a glimmer of hope and the possibility of transformation. And the last third... eh, to be honest, I could have done without it. But still, this book is absolutely worth reading. Even if only for Charles's spiritual (and psychological) rehabilitation under the watchful and caring eye of Jon Darrow. It's filled with memorable scenes that stay with you long after you've turned the last page. Moreover, it has piqued my interest enough for Glamorous Powers to make its way onto my Christmas list. I can't wait to see what else this series has in store.

This book marks the commencement of a series that delves into the history of the Church of England.

It combines the allure of a 'clerical' bodice ripper, the intrigue of a psychoanalytical mystery, and the depth of theological examinations regarding divorce.

The author has crafted a narrative that is not only well-written but also manages to maintain the reader's interest and the elements of mystery from start to finish.

The seamless integration of these diverse elements makes this book a captivating read for those interested in the history of the Church of England, as well as for fans of mystery and psychological thrillers.

Whether you are a scholar seeking a new perspective on Church history or a casual reader looking for an engaging story, this book has something to offer.

It invites you to explore the complex and fascinating world of the Church of England, while also keeping you on the edge of your seat with its thrilling mystery.

So, pick up this book and embark on a journey through time and mystery that you won't soon forget.

Glittering Images seemed much more chaotic during the reading process than it appeared in hindsight. Howatch possesses some truly remarkable skills that she employs, and for the most part, these skills compensate for the confusion and weaknesses in her artistry.

First and foremost, it's important to clarify and differentiate. The book functions as many different things. It's a romance, a complex and mature exploration of Biblical gifts (specifically spiritual direction, with a light touch on demon expulsion) disguised as fiction, a personal growth narrative, and a mystery as well. Glittering Images has many of the elements of a classic mystery solver. Our protagonist is assigned the task of uncovering any potentially damaging information about a high-ranking official in the church, and this storyline unfolds quite fully. The book also has nearly all the elements of a romance, but for the majority of the middle of the book, the love interests are neither together nor actively working to be together, at least not directly (does praying for guidance from God count?).

In the end, I must admit that at its core, Glittering Images is a deep dive into spiritual direction (simply put, a form of Christ-centered therapy) by placing it at the heart of a very thrilling fictional narrative. Therefore, I won't waste much time complaining that the romance had numerous issues or that the mystery left some very interesting aspects unresolved. Instead, I'll spend some time on the therapy storyline.

The pacing in this book is almost breakneck throughout. It all would have fallen apart if it had been any different, but because of this, I reached the end with ten thousand questions. Characters make huge personal and rational leaps to convey their points. Many times, I felt as if I was reading a textbook on psychology rather than a novel. Just putting quotes around words on the page doesn't mean I have to believe that real people are having a conversation, because much of the time they weren't. Much of the time, the dialogue was actually preaching directly to the reader, completely removing you from the world and the story because Howatch wanted to make a clear and quick point about theology.

All of my problems with the book stem from this issue of characters ceasing to be human for extended periods. Their exchanges often feel like those of psychology students with scripts written by their professor, enacting a scene for the class to evaluate.

Despite that, there was a very palpable and strong essence to the book. When the characters were having real interactions, the dialogue was witty, tense, and engaging. Also, learning the full and rich backstories of the characters, whether all at once or throughout the narrative, was always a delight. Howatch is at her absolute best when creating backstories for characters that allow you to draw clear and direct lines from their current behavior to the roots of those behaviors in their past. It was truly extraordinary to recognize this skill, and that's where I got the most out of the book.

Sound theology but flawed, inconsistent writing made for some choppy waters in what I realized, once I had finished, was an exciting, mature, and educational adventure.

I have awarded 5 stars to only a very small number (perhaps 5 or 6) of books. I recall reading this particular book several years ago and deriving great enjoyment from it. As a result, I decided to reread it this week.

I am truly amazed that I have never before admired an author's writing style, vocabulary, and meticulous story-plotting to the extent that I do Ms Howatch's. I was so impressed that I copied 5 full word-processing pages filled with narrative and dialog that were either incredibly inspiring in content or astonishingly clever in wording. I wanted to preserve these passages for further reflection.

I absolutely love reading a book that compels me to pause, think, and review every few pages, and this book achieved precisely that. Five stars for its outstanding writing style; Five stars for its masterful story-weaving; Five stars for its engaging characters; Five stars for its edifying content; and Five stars for its ability to stimulate the mind.

In conclusion, this book is a literary gem that I highly recommend to all avid readers.

This was a reread, and

I found myself enjoying it even more this time around.

Susan Howatch truly had a remarkable way with words.

Her writing was so engaging and vivid that it brought the story to life in my mind.

She tells a great story that keeps you hooked from beginning to end.

After finishing the first book, I didn't waste any time and started Glamorous Powers immediately.

And I must say, I am enjoying this one immensely too.

The characters are well-developed and the plot is full of twists and turns that keep me on the edge of my seat.

I can't wait to see where the story takes me next.

Susan Howatch is definitely one of my favorite authors, and I highly recommend her books to anyone who loves a good read.

When I complete a book, I utilize two distinct criteria for my assessment: my feelings and my thoughts.

My feelings play a significant role. Dr Moore's words in my freshman Old Testament class, about the Bible reading us as we read it, came to life with "Glittering Images." This book offers a unique reward to the wounded reader. Howatch challenges us to remove our masks before the Lord, much like Moses removing his sandals at the burning bush. I was truly and physically discomforted by how much I could identify with Charles. It wasn't so much his sexual missteps, but rather his sincere desire to follow God yet his utter ineptitude in doing so. I don't envision rereading this particular book, but I do plan to attempt reading the series.

My thoughts also contribute to my evaluation. The first two acts of the book are captivating, wonderful, and beautifully miserable. I believe Howatch excels at writing psycho-analysis literature. If you've ever been in counseling, you'll likely project your therapist's face onto Darrow, and you might even cry (or perhaps that's just me?). However, the finale of the book descends into an almost unbelievable level of melodrama. While it doesn't entirely spoil the book, it did leave a bit of a sour taste in my mouth, similar to cilantro after a delicious meal. Given this critique, I'm not sure what I would suggest as an alternative, aside from a rather lazy and unhelpful "Give us something else." Oh well, such is life.

In conclusion, all of my thoughts and feelings converge to this truth: Christians should read this book. Read Lewis and Tolkien for fantasy, but for the love of God, read Howatch for the raw and gritty aspects of the Christian life. She portrays us as we truly are, and we are better off for having seen ourselves, flaws and all, on the printed page.

Honestly, this book has been a top-tier read for me this year, although not in terms of rating. When it comes to the story, I actually liked “Telling The Truth” and “Piranesi” more. However, this particular book holds a special significance. It has compelled me to gaze at my own reflection in the mirror and see beyond the glittering facade that I often present. It has made me question and explore who the real Sam Felton truly is. It's not just about the plot or the entertainment value; it's about the self-discovery and the journey of looking within. This book has the power to make one confront their own image and dig deeper into their true nature. It's a thought-provoking and eye-opening experience that I won't soon forget.

I am really struggling with how to rate this book.

Two stars seems like it's just too little, but unfortunately, I simply cannot bring myself to give this book 3 stars. This situation both surprises and saddens me.

This is the second Susan Howatch book that I have had the opportunity to read. Although, interestingly enough, it is actually the first in her Starbridge series. I previously read "Ultimate Prizes" (which is the third in the series, but they can be read out of order) and absolutely LOVED it.

In fact, after finishing "Ultimate Prizes", I couldn't wait to get my hands on the other books in this series and had every intention of reading them all!

I was especially excited for "Glittering Images" because the narrator, Dr. Charles Ashworth, was a brief yet very interesting character in "Ultimate Prizes", and I was extremely anxious to read the story of his younger years.

Howatch truly proved to be an insightful and captivating writer in "Ultimate Prizes", and perhaps this is part of the reason why I didn't love this book as much. My expectations were simply too high.

While there were definitely parts of the story in "Glittering Images" that allowed us to catch glimpses of Howatch's beautiful writing, they were unfortunately overshadowed by the rather ridiculous storyline that seemed to become more and more unbelievable as the book progressed.

Perhaps I would have liked this book better had I not read "Ultimate Prizes" first. In "Ultimate Prizes", Howatch's insights into morality, sin, repentance, forgiveness, and ultimately, the atonement were so powerful and well-written that, in comparison, "Glittering Images" felt choppy and far too much like a psychology textbook (think Freud). The spiritual depth in this book just felt forced and out of place.

I really feel bad about giving it such a low rating, but I just didn't have the same love for this one as I did for her other novel. However, if I hadn't read and loved "Ultimate Prizes", I probably wouldn't continue reading this series. But for the sake of that amazing book, I do plan to give it another try!

4.5 stars

This is indeed a book that I would have never chosen on my own. However, thank goodness I came across a friend's review that compelled me to look beyond my initial impressions.

It presents a very interesting blend of spiritual truths and an almost scandalous story line. A significant portion of the first and last third of the book revolves around the "are they or aren't they?" mystery involving a bishop in the Anglican Church and his wife's attractive, young companion.

But the real essence of the story lies in Charles Ashworth, the young canon dispatched to investigate the suspected relationship. And boy, did I ever identify with Charles. The middle third of the book is almost entirely dedicated to his journey to shed the "glittering image" he presents as a mask to hide his true self from the world. By journey, I mean conversations. Most of that section consists of his dialogues with the monk who acts as his spiritual mentor. And if that sounds dull, believe me, it truly isn't. Or perhaps it was interesting to me because so much of what they discussed deeply resonates with me. Rarely have I read a novel that both inspired me so greatly on a spiritual level and was highly entertaining.

I completed the book feeling challenged, encouraged, and longing for the Nazarene church to place greater emphasis on true confession. I believe the Anglicans have something worthwhile.

This was my very first encounter with a Susan Howatch novel.

I decided to pick it up based on the recommendations of several of my friends, as I had a keen interest in delving into some fiction that explored Christian themes.

The book, to my pleasant surprise, was quite an enjoyable read.

For the initial third of the story, reading about an Anglican priest and his in-depth investigation of a prominent bishop was interesting enough, but it didn't have that truly engrossing quality that would make me unable to put it down.

However, after some truly great twists and turns, the book suddenly took on a new life and became extremely difficult to set aside.

I must admit that I was rather caught off guard by the significant role that sex played in the plot of the book. There was at least one sexual episode that was described in rather surprising detail. At times, I had the distinct feeling that I was reading a romance novel. (Perhaps that's precisely what this book is?)

Additionally, Howatch appears to have a rather bizarre interpretation of spiritual phenomena. The gifts of the Holy Spirit play a significant role in the story, yet they are all jumbled up with ideas of clairvoyance and hypnosis. Ironically, the demonic is treated as ancient symbolism for modern psychological phenomena. I was never entirely clear about exactly what the rules were in the world that Howatch was creating.

In any case, her characters are interesting, and the psychological drama of their brokenness and subsequent healing is truly compelling. All in all, it's a great read if you don't mind the caveats.

Glittering Images, which was originally published in the 1980s, has a remarkable timelessness. It could just as effortlessly have been penned today.

The book delves into the potential scandals within the church and the "glittering images" that are deemed essential to preserve at any expense.

It is also an Anglican soap opera that proves to be quite captivating to read, notwithstanding a possible over-reliance on characters who speak forthrightly for the sake of exposition. Despite the rapid pace of the plot, in many respects, this remains a novel of ideas. This is vividly demonstrated by "The Mystery beyond the Mystery," which offers an in-depth exploration of spiritual direction.

This is a rather quirky book, perhaps not to everyone's taste. However, I derived a great deal of enjoyment from it.

It presents a unique perspective on the inner workings of the church and the complex web of human emotions and beliefs that underlie it.

The characters are well-developed, and the story keeps the reader engaged from beginning to end.

Overall, Glittering Images is a thought-provoking and entertaining read that is well worth the time and effort.