Vatican Waltz

A Novel

By: Roland Merullo

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

The new novel from the award-winning author of Golfing with God and Revere Beach Boulevard is the story of a young Catholic woman jolted from a quietly devout life in Boston by a miraculous call to action.

Cynthia Piantedosi lives a quiet, unassuming life with her elderly father just outside of Boston. When she loses her beloved grandmother as a child, her faith takes a turn for the devout, and she begins experiencing what she describes as "spells" - moments of such intense prayer that she loses herself. Uninterested in boys and a social life, she develops a deep friendship with the parish priest, whose ideas are often seen as too provocative by his congregation but who encourages her to explore her spells. When he dies in a suspicious hit-and-run accident, the spells intensify, and their message begins to take shape: God is asking her to be the first female Catholic priest. She reaches out to other unreceptive officials within the Catholic establishment and is met with ridicule. Unable to tune out the divine messages, she leaves behind all that she knows, letting the power of her unswerving faith drive her all the way to the Vatican in pursuit of a destiny she doesn't fully understand - and a turn of events that will rock the church to its foundation.

©2013 Roland Merullo (P)2013 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Weird ending

Liked the Buddha series a lot but not so sure about this story. The premise is intriguing slot of the story you need to suspend your disbelief sort of like Biblical stories

Beautifully Narrated

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The ending. I was very disappointed. It ended so abruptly and on a note that seemed very removed from the rest of the story and almost sacrilegious, given the overall theme of the book. It felt like the author needed to wrap things up, and rather than resolve the issues the main character was facing, he blind-sided the readers/listeners with something new, and then ended the book. There was no resolution to anything, and I was personally left with my mouth hanging open is disbelief for a few moments.

What could Roland Merullo have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Resolved a few of the key mysteries and questions surrounding the main character. What was the real purpose of her calling to the priesthood? Why all the mystery behind Father Bruno? Why a sudden close attachment to the cardinal at the very end, for no apparent reason? Why the revelation at the end that had nothing to do with the rest of the story? The fact that she had the ability to heal her patients and/or remove their pain and suffering was severely downplayed. I was sure that was going to come up again later in the book, but it never does. I feel like that's a pretty significant aspect of the characters life that shouldn't have been brushed aside.

Which character – as performed by Cassandra Campbell – was your favorite?

Cynthia, of course. Cassandra Campbell's beautiful and fluid narration is the only reason I'm not returning this audiobook to get my money back. I was disappointed in the story at the very end, but I adored listening to Cassandra reading.

Could you see Vatican Waltz being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

I can see it happening, but that doesn't mean that it should.

Any additional comments?

I really wanted to write about this book on social media. There were so many things about it that I found inspiring and thought-provoking, but the ending was just too disappointing for me to want to recommend it to others. There were also several points in the book that dragged quite a bit, but I was really interested in the story, so I kept at it. Very sad.

Catholic Woman in America?

The performance kept the "sappiness" at a tolerable level and the narrator's voice was sincere. The subject is definitely a hard sell and I was surprised and pleased to find I enjoyed the book...if the ending was disappointing...

Loved this book but it ended too soon

I want more it ended too soon. What happened next? Is this linked to another book?

Is Priest Her Vocation?

Quirky story about a young Italian-American woman from Revere (outside Boston) with a strong prayer life who believes that God has asked her to become a priest, despite long Catholic tradition against this. Simple plot, engagingly written and a thoughtful presentation of how she arrives at her understanding of God's wish for her ... and what happens when she tries, within the Catholic tradition, to act on it. Gets well beyond stereotypes of priests.

I'm not Catholic; I believe in a higher power but not an entity, and I really enjoyed the implicit and explicit discussion of what a spiritual life might look like. It might be considered a discussion of the difference between religion and faith.

Good not as entertaining

Not as thought out and well spoken as the Buddha trilogy. No matter still one of my favorite authors

Unique and thought provoking.

Imagining a different future for modern Christianity. Original and bold while unfolding in a velvety patient pace.

Stunning, fresh imagery, intimately conveyed utterly absorbing.

I felt time stood still as I listened and I inhabited the inner world of the central character. A master contemporary story-teller. The narration was authentic to the voice, powerful and perfect.
My best listen for 2016.

Slow to start. Getting-going middle. Fantastic last third.

It takes this story a looooong time to get off the ground. It needs a more vertical takeoff. That being said it was an excellent story once it got going. I actually think it ended too soon - just when it got REALLY good; a twist that made me want it to not end. I think the author has a great concept going. Perhaps a sequel is in order! If so I would encourage him to move the plot along a little faster. I also really liked the spiritual philosophical and religious musings sprinkled throughout the book. Very thought-provoking and added to my enjoyment of the story. Truly, the only thing that keeps me from giving it 4.5 stars is how long the story takes to get going.

Surprised ending? Maybe

As a faltering Catholic who stubbornly clings to faith but not religion I understood this book on many levels. The struggle within the church and its clergy, the struggle of its members , split in to so many fragments of acceptance, denial, confusion, and clarity of purpose.
The book touches on all of this. I wish it were non-fiction maybe but only maybe, with a different ending. But if wishes were fishes....

Still if you are a person who despite scientific and philosophical ambiguity, perhaps like myself a scientist as well who has travelled the gambit of absolute certainty in God as creator to God as divine presence not knowing how to reconcile your many doubts in it all, you will totally understand the book and like I, wish there was another that would continue to espouse and define all the aforementioned feelings. If you are just a person pursuing your faith, leaving your faith behind but thought hey, what the heck I think I'll just read this book, then my advice is to go ahead. You may not find all if any answers but you will be able to relate.
I might even do something I almost never do, and listen to if not all, parts of it again.
The performer was not bad, but the audio wasn't the best I've heard...my biggest complaint and why it's getting 4 not 5 stars.