Short review: In a series that I really, really liked, this is the the best book. It is not often that the last book in a series is the best, but in this case it is. Unfortunately you cannot read the last book as a stand alone novel and get the entire weight of the book. You can read it as a stand alone book. But because these books are all narrataed by a single character, you will not get the understanding of the other characters that are detailed in the prior books.

In this book Charles Ashworth, the original protagonist at the beginning of the series, takes up his life in the 1960s. He is now Bishop of Starbridge. His two boys are now on their own. He and his wife Lyle get along better than in most of their marriage (and they realize that having an empty nest is a good thing.) On the negative side, Neville (enemy would be too strong, but they do not get along) is the Dean of the Cathedral and somewhat independent of his authority. His spiritual director and friend is aging and probably near death. It is at this point that his third major life crisis occurs and he is totally unprepared to deal with it.

I like Charles much more in this book than the first. I understand his lostness here more than in the first book. It is not a break with reality as much as a crisis of faith. Not so much in God, but in the way he understands God and Charles' own role in life.

Excellent book

My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/absolute-truths-by-susan-howatch-church-of-england-6/