Death Comes for the Archbishop
Recommended. Age: 14+. A Catholic review of this book for parents.
Our review
Cather shows two missionary priests who give their whole lives to souls in a hard country, and she makes holiness look ordinary, patient and attractive. The sacraments, Our Lady and priestly friendship sit at the center. The reservation is content and pace. The book names murders, a killer of infants, and priests living with mistresses, and it moves slowly with almost no plot.
For parents
Best for readers 14 and up, and a fine family read-aloud from about 13 if you preview the Buck Scales chapter. Ask why Bishop Latour removes the popular priests who broke their vows. Tell your teen that Padre Martinez was a real priest and that his defenders dispute Cather's harsh picture of him.