Office of Innocence

Praise

“With its dizzying moral ironies, smart pace and deft set pieces, [this] novel evokes Graham Greene. . . . Keneally is an expert storyteller.”
–The New York Times Book Review

“[Keneally’s] quiet, lithe style moves effortlessly. . . . Readability, research and craftsmanship. . . . Original and ambitious.” – The Washington Post Book World

“Vivid, paradoxical characters. . . .Keneally’s atmospheric and descriptive powers are formidable.” – The Boston Globe

“Uncanny insights. . . . Terrifically engaging.” – The Christian Science Monitor

“An important book . . . a beautifully realized drama that is worthy of our closest attention. . . . A powerhouse” – Chicago Tribune

“In the style of the best historians, [Keneally] allows the intrinsic power of the tales he tells and the people who populate his pages to draw the reader into a fully elaborated universe.” –The New York Times

“Keneally . . . is able to maintain a graceful balance between respect and awe of the Catholic tradition with a willingness to peel back the layers of pomp and circumstance and uncover the human (and thus flawed) reality that lies beneath. . . .[He] is a consummate storyteller.” –Los Angeles Times Book Review

“A compelling drama. . . . It has the feel of a Graham Greene novel.”–San Francisco Chronicle

“A moving novel that perfectly captures a man of faith struggling with his own humanity. . . . Keneally clearly burnishes his reputation as a master storyteller, shedding a harsh but tender light on the struggles inherent in the religious life.”–Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“Keneally’s writing is red-brick substantial but steps out at the right times into backyards of dangerous sexuality, front gardens of lush emotions and distant terrains of metaphysical insight. . . . [His] tough-mindedness is also surprisingly nimble with feeling.” –Daily News

“Suspenseful. . . . An emotionally engaging story of faith under pressure. . . . An illuminating mediation on the labyrinthine forces at work in the confessional.” –Boston Herald

“A tight, supremely clear-sighted narrative.” –Time Out (London)

“A compelling and painfully realistic picture of a young man determined to do the right thing as he sees it spoken by the often conflicting worlds of church and secular society. . . . A wonderful book that speaks to any time, to all who seek the truth.” –BookPage

“An intimate portrait of a young priest struggling with issues of morality, guilt, and forgiveness at a time of war. . . . It will warm and challenge its readers with its vivid evocations.” –Richmond Times-Dispatch

“What is remarkable about Office of Innocence is how finely balanced it is morally. Keneally’s twenty-fifth work of fiction proves his sustained energy and the sustained gracefulness of his intelligence.” –Sunday Times (London)

“A good book, a serious book, and because it is both, a stirring book.” –Sunday Telegraph (London)