It’s not often I think I’d rather watch the movie than read the book, but this is one book. The story is fascinating - all about the real life Roman Escape Line in Rome during WW2 where a group of choir members assisted the escapes.
I enjoyed the start of the book, but then got lost on the different characters, and they started blending into each other for me, hence the reason I probably need the visual memory of the movie where I can see who is who.
The story is told both in the lead up to a big event on Christmas Eve , and in the 1960s as each of the characters looks back on the events.
I’d definitely recommend others to read, as it’s a fascinating piece of history, but just didn’t work out for me at this time.

Love this genre of books and thoroughly enjoyed this book. The fact that it is based on a true story just adds to it I would highly recommend this book, It did not disappoint. Whilst this was my first read from this author it will not be my last.

Excellent read, with a story line to match. Highly recommended, you won’t be disappointed with this book!

A historical thriller based on the true story of Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty who along with several friends helped 6500 Allied servicemen and Jews escape from Nazi occupied Rome in WW2. I enjoyed the novel.very much, the characters were were very well.written and the story has the same emotional impact as Schindlers List. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

I've enjoyed Joseph O'Connors work whenever I've read it over the years, starting all the way back with 'Cowboy and Indians’ and 'Desparadoes' back in the early nineties. 'Ghostlight' and 'Star of the sea' were also recent favourites, so I was keen to read 'My father's house' when it was released.

'My father's house' is set in wartime Rome, occupied by the Nazis and lead by Gestapo commander Paul Hauptmann, who takes a hands on approach to his work. But there’s one place he can’t reach - Vatican City.

The Vatican City is an independent country within Rome. And Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, along with an unlikely group of friends called ’the choir’, continue to provide refuge to those who can reach them. It’s an incredibly dangerous but tightly-run clandestine operation, and O’Flaherty remains frustratingly out of Hauptmann's grasp.

He's already on Hauptmann's deadly hitlist after he visits a POW camp and, horrified by the conditions of the prisoners, insists on giving them treats and water. This annoys not only the nazis but also incurs the wrath of the Vatican, worried about their neutral status.
Book cover of My fathers house by Joseph O'Connor - Priest overlooking the roman skyline
True Story

‘My father’s house’ is a literary thriller, based loosely on a true story, and knowing this makes me want to investigate further. It was based on what was known as the 'Rome escape line,' where people risked their lives to save thousands. It's incredible how they helped so many escaped prisoners and Jews, with money, medicine, papers, clothes - whatever they needed, also hiding them using every bit of available space.

The choir is made up of colorful characters, from the newspaper seller Enzo Angelucci, Delia Kiernan, wife of the senior Irish diplomat to the Vatican, and the Contessa Giovanna Landini . The timelines building up to the escape are told through their viewpoints, some of them interviews after the event, which adds to the feel of authenticity.

I also enjoyed the dialogue in the book, wjhich often has an natural, snappy quality, and O'Connor has a great turn of phrase ('If I backed the tide it wouldn't come in, ‘if he was a banana he'd peel himself’). Hugh O'Flaherty is such a terrific character, full of humanity and incredible courage. I'm not sure how I've not previously heard of him.

The story in ‘My father’s house’ is always building to Christmas Eve, 1943, when a mission (code name Rendimento) takes place. The final chase scene has a cinematic quality with high stakes and increasing tension and reminded me of Donald Sutherland in ‘don’t look now,’ with the dark alleys, water and piazzas at night. It's another part of the book where O'Connor excels, such is his attention to detail of the buildings in the basilica. It’s wonderfully atmospheric and builds to a superb climax.

Certainly would make a great movie, and it becomes natural to draw comparisons with Oscar Schindler. It's thought that through O'Flaherty, with the help of his choir and surrounding network, over 6,000 people were saved.

I found this a strong work of historical fiction, strengthened by the fact that it was based on a true story, and is very much about compassion, love, faith, and resilience during the most extreme of circumstances. This is book one of the Rome escape line trilogy, so I'll be looking forward to the next two release from Joseph O’Connor.

I thought this book sounded great as I love books set in WWII. This one is set mostly in the Vatican city, and is based on a true story. However, although moving at the end, the main part of the book didn't work well for me. It jumped around too much in time and character, meaning the story didn't hold together well. It felt too confusing and I kept losing track and therefore lost interest. It's a shame as it's well written.

I Was sent a copy of My Father's House by Joseph O'Connor to read and review by NetGalley. This is a novel based on the true story of Catholic priest Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty who whilst serving in The Vatican saved the lives of both allied soldiers and Jewish refugees during the second world war. It is an incredible story told from many different viewpoints, which was something to get to grips with in the beginning until who was who and their relationships fell into place. Beyond the first chapter I would call this book a slow burner as I found it quietly drew me in and had bursts of tense moments which had me holding my breath. The book is beautifully written and I especially liked the way that each character was written as they spoke, giving each of them a distinct personality. An important historical novel well worthy of 5 stars.

This was a fantastic piece of historical fiction - heartbreaking and inspiring. One of the best books I have read in a while.

This fictional account of a real-life story brings the tensions of the time to the reader. During the Second World War the Vatican City is allowed to keep its neutral country status when the Nazis take over Rome. This enables an Irish priest, Hugh O′Flaherty, to organise and run an elaborate Escape Line which hides escaped POWs, Jews and resistance fighters from the Germans. The plot is centred around one particular mission, the Rendimento, out of many and is told from the viewpoint of Hugh in the current time of the book, and with flashbacks from post war memoirs and interviews with other members of the network. Although the bravery of the participants is immense, this individual approach allows one to enter into their sensations at the time which had a constant undercurrent of fear. Going into the book the reader would know that Hugh survives but what of others? Do they end up tortured or dead? Does the mission succeed?

This story has been told in non-fiction versions, which themselves would have been interesting to read since it is fascinating history, but the choice to retell it in fiction made the experience more visceral for me. It is fictional and the author acknowledges that he cannot recreate the exact thoughts and actions of the characters, but it seems very real when you are reading it. Often with stories set in this period you wonder how you would have reacted and this immersion gives you the chance to feel along with the narrative and measure yourself against the challenges.

I had a copy of this book early through Netgalley

This is a profound and compelling book, based on real people and events in the Vatican City and Rome district during World War Two.

Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty heads a group of eight individuals called 'The Choir', whose mission is to hide and safely relocate Jews, escaped prisoners of war, and Allied soldiers. Events take place around Christmas Eve 1943 before and during a planned 'rendimento' or relocation of people at risk.

Hugh O'Flaherty became known as 'the Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican'. A modest man, he grew up in County Kerry before training as a priest. He is fluent in several languages and knows Rome's street layout intimately.

The German Gestapo, headed in Rome by Paul Hauptmann, relentlessly pursues the priest as a person of interest. Hauptmann is a cruel and sadistic man, personally responsible for the torture and murder of countless individuals. Hugh O'Flaherty knows the risk he is running but is determined to save as many people as possible from Hauptmann and his fellow Nazis.

Events described in this story are based on real events, something made clear by the author at the end of the book. Several individuals - Hugh O'Flaherty, Delia Kiernan, John May, Colonel D'Arcy Osborne, and Countess Landini - were real people, but words and acts attributed to them within the story are not necessarily what took place at the time.

What is true, however, is the saving of around 6,500 individuals, thanks to the bravery and resourcefulness of Hugh O'Flaherty and his network.

This is an exceptionally well-written book, with much to say about the reality of life under Nazi occupation and the lengths that seemingly ordinary people are prepared to go to in order to defy a brutal regime.

Hugh O'Flaherty died in 1963, but his legacy is a remarkable one. This book will hopefully bring his bravery, and that of the others who assisted him, to a wider audience.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Random House UK, Vintage, in return for an honest appraisal.

Strongly recommended. Presented as fiction, and some events may be so, but the characters and events - the Escape Line - did happen. Whilst Italy, and Rome, were occupied the Vatican was a neutral zone, and thus diplomats, priests and others were able to help Allied troops and others who needed to hide and escape the German troops. In the first part of the book there are events described with real Irish humour- craic as it were- which made me smile and which momentarily take the tension out of the writing.

The book - the first volume in a trilogy - is well-written, and there are episodes which are full of suspense - will they, won't they escape sort of thing, and although history proves that they did, the reader still feels that they could be caught, and face terrible consequences. I, for one, can't wait to read volumes two and three. There are some chapters presented as supposed interviews with BBC journalists which took a bit of getting used to but I suppose it broke up the tension and seriousness of the general subject matter.

With many thanks to NetGalley and the publisherr for the e-ARC.

This was a fascinating story, based around the German Occupation of Rome during the Second World war. It is related to real people and was made more dramatic because of that. There were some great characters and the dangers thay faced and the risks they took, to move to safety, escaped prisoners of war was amazing.

Occupied Rome during the second world war. The Italians are either partisans or fascists. Nobody is above above suspicion, nobody can be trusted. The Nazis rule Rome by terror. In the centre of the city the Vatican is superficially neutral, but the Catholic Church tolerates Nazi regime. In this maelstrom a lone Irish priest based in the Vatican takes it upon himself to try help allies in hiding to escape. Based on a true story, and told through "This is Your Life" type interviews with people who survived the war in Rome. Extremely evocative, the effective use of the different voices builds an interesting and complex picture. Joseph O'Connor''s retelling of the history had me laughing out loud, crying real tears and living the terror. Brilliant!

wow this was a great read, full of tension. It describes how a member of the Catholic Church in Rome became embroiled with the resistance and the tension between him and a senior Nazi. Really enjoyed the book and strongly recommend.

I did enjoy this story but it did take a while to get going. Once it did, it told of an audacious and brave plan to help injured allied soldiers to escape war time Rome. Very enjoyable.

I got My Father's House by Joseph O'Connor fro free from NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

My Father’s House tells the story of an Irish Catholic priest based in the Vatican city in Rome during world war II who runs an organisation that helps allied prisoners of war escape German captivity.

There are times when I go into reading a World War II novel that examines an are of conflict that my reading life has not been overwhelmed by that I go in with such hope, as this allows me to read a new twist on the subject which gives me a whole new reading experience.

Particular when the main character is not someone you expect takes the role of the leading character. In this case Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty an Irish man who has no reason to love the British.

While the novel promises so much to the reader such as myself from reading the description. However in my opinion the novel rarely lived up to my exceptions, both in the character study of the individuals involved and the way that the tension was used in the story.

While I am not saying that there were no parts of the story that had me gripped, they did seem few and fair between from a well written thriller novel.

In addition to the character development and in depth study of the characters involved was minimal and did feel almost two dimensional, both in their motivations and development.

This may have been because this novel is based on true events and was based around a true story and felt like it fell between the two stools of novel and historical study.

All in all My Father's House by Joseph O'Connor while not reaching the level I was expecting was still an enjoyable read.

This is a tense real life story of the bond of friendship and trust in war time. The novel is a non-fiction account of Hugh O’Flaherty the Roman Catholic Priest who was part of a complex underground network in war time Rome that saved hundred of allied prisoners-of-war. The novel conveys the story from the point of view of many of the key participants who are each given their own space in the novel which strengthens the reader’s understanding of the risk they were under. As with Joseph O’Connor’s other historical novels there is a richness provided also by the sense of place. The novel is largely set in the time immediately ahead of Christmas Eve 1943 when the hidden POW men would be moved out of the city. The mission through the city is brilliantly captured.

Thanks to Netgalley and Vintage (Penguin Random House UK).
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Fictional but based on some real people and events, this story is full of danger and tension for Allied escapees in the Vatican and Rome, as well as for those who try to house and help them. The evil Gestapo chief is under pressure to reduce the number of escapees and he becomes obsessed with capturing Monsignor O'Flaherty.

Hugh O'Flaherty is a priest in the Vatican in occupied Rome in 1943. Hauptman is the brutal Gestapo commander of Rome. After seeing the wretched condition of allied P.O.W.s in the camps Hugh is moved to help an escape line harbouring escaped prisoners in the catacombs of the Vatican and then helping to organise and finance the escape out of Rome and beyond. Hauptman suspects Hugh is involved and is determined to catch and kill him because Hitler is annoyed about the constant leakage of escapees. .Christmas Eve and a major operation of the line is about to commence, and a cat and mouse game begins. Good plot, action packed, a terrific read.

I must start this review with a confession. I knew the story I was about to start reading was based on real events and that knowledge made me nervous. So I googled Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty first because I had to know whether or not he survived the war, just to prepare myself for the worst in case he didn’t.

Revealing here that my search told me he lived until 1963 is not a spoiler so I don’t mind sharing the fact. I’m sure that many readers—Irish people and history buffs for starters—will be well aware of the man and his brave deeds before picking up this book. It is far more important to also let you know that my prior knowledge did nothing to lessen the relentless tension resulting from O’Flaherty’s Christmas Eve forbidden forage into Rome.

I’ve decided not to go into the story details here. The blurb gives a far better summary of what this story is about than I could put together. I will therefore ‘limit’ myself to how I experienced the story and my thoughts while reading.

It’s hard to pigeonhole this book. While the quality of the writing marks it as a literary work, it read very much like a thriller. There was so much tension in this story. It isn’t lack of fear that makes people brave. It is pushing ahead despite a full awareness of the risks involved that turns ordinary people courageous.

Monsignor O’Flaherty and his Choir of co-conspirators weren’t trained professionals. Nothing in their lives had prepared them for the act of standing up to an oppressor without mercy or humanity. They were pushed into action by their inability to see the needless and cruel suffering of others. Such acts of courage take my breath away and despite already knowing that all would be well in the end, my heart beat faster and my nerves spiked as the dangers increased. The fact that the members of the choir were all too aware of the risk they took, and of the almost unimaginable consequences should they be caught, only made my anxiety worse and my reading experience more intense.

I appreciated that the story was told from several perspectives. While, for obvious reasons, a lot of attention is fixed on O’Flaherty and his thoughts and actions, the contributions from the members of the Choir he assembled give us a fuller idea both of who the Monsignor was and of the varied and fascinating composition of their group. The fact that most of those contributions were dated decades after the war had ended also reassured me that whatever might happen next, the characters I grew to care for more with every passing page, would survive the ‘adventure’ too.

While the book gives voice to the thoughts of O’Flaherty and several of his allies, we also get glimpses into the head of his main opponent, Obersturmbahnführer Paul Hauptmann. As is so often the case when it comes to evil, the most shocking thing about his sections wasn’t his enthusiasm when it came to trying to stay in Hitler’s good books and inflicting pain and death on those he saw as his enemies, but the moments in which he seemed almost normal. It’s hard to imagine evil-personified as also being a loving husband and father, as a person who appreciates art and history. I almost didn’t want to read those pages. It was so much easier to imagine him as pure evil, without any redeeming qualities.

Of course, the reverse is true, too. While there is no doubt that O’Flaherty and the members of his Choir were good people—the best of us even—the story showed them as only too human, with doubts, fears, and moments in which their thoughts weren’t all that loving or even ‘Christian’. All of which added to the realism of this story and all of which will mean that these characters and their acts will stay with me that much longer.

If I have a quibble, it is minor.

The descriptions in this book are gorgeous and vivid. They are also long and ever-present. There was a moment or two, especially during the breathtaking quest on Christmas Eve that such descriptions pulled me out of the tension for a moment or two. Then again, maybe that was just as well. Besides, while this is certainly a thrilling story, it is not a typical thriller so there is no reason why it should follow genre requirements connected to such stories.

Overall, My Father’s House is a fascinating, at times heart-stopping, and gorgeously written story about courage in the face of despair. It is also a timely reminder that even when the world seems to be at its darkest, there are always those who are willing to risk all. Not for personal gain or fame but simply because it’s the right thing to do.