Virgin and Child

Author(s): Maggie Hamand

Location(s): County Cork, Rome, Vatican City

Genre(s): Thriller

Era(s): Present Day

‘A surprisingly realistic and robust exploration of the church’s view on femininity, abortion, the body, love and more… clever and intriguing’ – The Irish Times

In Virgin & Child, acclaimed novelist, Maggie Hamand tackles issues of abortion, sexuality, gender, morality, and faith. This beautifully written, emotionally engaging, and compulsive literary thriller asks the question what would happen when everything you know is thrown into doubt…and you’re the Pope? The recently elected Irish Pope Patrick has plans for his future Church. A gentle humanitarian, he is unaware of the subversive forces in the Vatican plotting against him. Suddenly and shockingly, he discovers he is intersex – and pregnant. The powers in the Vatican will not allow him to bear a child. The Catholic Church would not survive the shock. What solution can there be? In this novel where nothing is at it seems, Catholicism and modern morality are held in tension. Pope Patrick must face challenges and make choices he could never have imagined.

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