The Whole World in my Hands (by Jeremy Vine)

(Amazon UK link)

The author, Jeremy Vine, is apparently a radio presenter in the UK.  I gather that he now considers his book 'The Whole World in my Hands' to be somewhat juvenile. This might help explain why I was mostly underwhelmed by it...

The story is about Derek, a middle-aged Church of England vicar. He has lost his enthusiasm and his centre. His wife Judy is a trendy city worker, and rather fed up with him for various reasons. Derek hopes he might be promoted, and much of the book is about his hopes for becoming a bishop.

It's a good story in some ways, with some fairly interesting characters.  I thought it could be of interest to anyone - not just Anglicans, or even just Christians. There isn't too much church politics, and there's a fair amount of humour. Or, at least, what should be humour. Unfortunately I found myself entirely straight-faced since none of it quite worked - even when I could recognise that it should have done.

I also felt that the first chapters were a bit untidy. There were unfinished sentences, a confusing plethora of characters, and too much of the obvious (but unfunny) intended humour.

Still, it did get better, and there were even a few surprises. Nevertheless much of it was predictable, and other sections by contrast were almost surreal. I also found myself disappointed that some barely touched-upon plot-lines suddenly resolved themselves effortlessly at the end.

There are far better books in this genre. It passed the time, and I didn't dislike it, but I doubt if I'll bother again.

Not really recommended.

A somewhat better book in this genre is 'Mr Rural Dean' by Fred Secombe; but my favourite of this kind of book, involving a vicar's point of view, is 'A Vicar's Diary' by David Wilbourne, which I thoroughly enjoyed.