#6Degrees of Separation – A book chain from Rapture by Emily Maguire to Conclave by Robert Harris

It’s the first Saturday of the month which means it’s time for 6 Degrees of Separation.

Here’s how it works: a book is chosen as a starting point by Kate at Books Are My Favourite and Best and linked to six other books to form a chain. Readers and bloggers are invited to join in by creating their own ‘chain’ leading from the selected book.

Kate says: Books can be linked in obvious ways – for example, books by the same authors, from the same era or genre, or books with similar themes or settings. Or, you may choose to link them in more personal or esoteric ways: books you read on the same holiday, books given to you by a particular friend, books that remind you of a particular time in your life, or books you read for an online challenge. Join in by posting your own #6Degrees chain on your blog and adding the link in the comments section of each month’s post.   You can also check out links to posts on X using the hashtag #6Degrees.

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This month’s starting book is Rapture by Emily Maguire. It’s set in 9th century Europe and tells the story of Agnes who disguises herself as a man and becomes a scribe in a Benedictine monastery. Apparently it’s inspired by the apocryphal story of the female Pope Joan. It’s a book I haven’t read but is on my wishlist.

All sorts of monastic routes suggested themselves but I’ve gone with For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy On My Little Pain by Victoria Mackenzie which depicts, in fictional form, the lives of two female religious figures – Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe. It was longlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2024.

Staying in the 14th century, in Sister Rosa’s Rebellion by Carolyn Hughes, Sister Rosa finds herself torn between her vows of obedience and her dismay at the changes wrought by the new prioress of Northwick who seems to prioritise her own pleasure over piety.

Leaping ahead to the 1950’s, in Murder at Gull’s Nest by Jess Kidd former nun Nora Breen arrives in the seaside town of Gore-on-Sea to investigate the mysterious disappearance of her pen pal.

Switching to male religious figures now let’s go to 17th century Scotland and Witch Wood by John Buchan which sees young parish priest David Sempill arrive in Woodilee to find evidence of Satanic practices and witchcraft amongst some of his flock.

There’s no witchcraft to defeat in My Father’s House by Joseph O’Connor, just Nazis to outwit. The book is based on the true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty who, from his base in Vatican City, smuggled thousands of Jews and escaped Allied prisoners out of occupied Rome during World War Two.

This very obviously takes me to Conclave by Robert Harris, not least because of the recent death of Pope Francis and the fact a real life conclave will be taking place soon behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel. If you’ve read the book, you’ll know there’s a link to the starting book in this month’s chain.

My chain has a distinctly spiritual theme. Where did your chain take you?