This is my first Graham Greene novel and I must admit that I had expected more of it, as he is such a famous writer. I did like the language though, and it was interesting to read a novel set in Mexico, as I was traveling there when I read this. Didn't feel familiar though:-) Most of all because this novel is set in the past, in a period when religion was banned from Mexico (whereas religion is very present in Mexico nowadays).

In the novel we follow a priest who is on the run from the government. He is supposed to be killed, but manages to keep ahead of his prosecutors for years, secretly performing religious services in the villages he visits. This may sound fanatic, but the priest is full of self-doubt. He is an alcoholic (also problematic, as alcohol was prohibited by the government too), and has a daughter. He feels he is not worthy of priesthood, and instead of escaping the area, for which possibilities arise several times, he always returns to the dangerzone, where eventually, of course, he is caught. It is as if he wants to be caught.

During his wanderings, the priest meets several persons, who are being described as if they were main characters in the novel, after which they may (almost) completely disappear from the story. This seemed a bit strange at times. But I guess my main problem was that I couldn't really identify or at least symphatize with the priest. The endless guilt and addiction, it was a bit too much for me. ( )

Verhaal over een achtervolgde 'whisky priest' in Mexico. Voor de tweede keer gelezen. Toch meeslepend genoeg om er van te kunnen genieten. ( )

Interessante thematiek van de antiheld: het gewetensprobleem van de individuele priester, de uitdaging om heilige te zijn, de zondige die volgens Greene kan rekenen op de genade van God; neiging tot conformisme bij kerk. Tal van elementen met kritiek op katholicisme, maar toch tegelijk vrijwaring en accentuering van het mysterie. Stilistisch: mooi maar niet speciaal, eerste deel zeer traag, 2 en 3 interessanter door de dialoog. ( )