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It’s a tale as old as time… as soon as a hot new movie adaptation hits theaters, the book that inspired it surges in popularity — which can be a challenge if you’re a “read it before you see it” kind of person.
Released in theaters on Friday, “Conclave,” the latest film from Oscar winner Edward Berger, is inspired by Robert Harris’ novel of the same name.
The thriller follows Dean Thomas Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) as he organizes the conclave to elect the next pope following the sudden death of the last one. As candidates emerge, Lawrence finds himself pursuing secrets and scandals about them that could have major implications for the papal election.
Moviegoers have been quick to compare the film to other pieces of media; “What if an episode of ‘Gossip Girl’ took place entirely at the Vatican?,” wrote one X user, while a Letterboxd user described it as “12 Angry Men” for Catholic people.”
Naturally, a film as star-studded and critically acclaimed as “Conclave” is going to make interest in the source material rise.
So much so that if you’re a New York Public Library or Brooklyn Public Library card holder, you’ll be waiting anywhere from 12 weeks to several months to get your hands on a digital copy via the Libby app. Even if you wanted a physical copy, you’ll be waiting a long time; the New York Public Library currently has 95 holds on just three copies of the book.
With those wait times, it’s impossible to read the book before the Oscar contender’s theatrical run wraps up (and trust us, you’re going to want to see this one in the most full theater possible). That’s why we want to let you in on a money-saving secret.
Right now, Audible (the audiobook platform from Amazon) is running a holiday deal that’ll get you three audiobooks over three months for just $0.99/month. That’s right — you can read “Conclave” for a dollar (plus two other books — might we suggest “What I Ate in One Year: (and related thoughts)” by “Conclave” star Stanley Tucci?)
‘Conclave’ by Robert Harris
The audiobook of “Conclave” was narrated by Roy McMillan and has a run time of 8 hours and 10 minutes.
Cast of ‘Conclave’ movie:
- Ralph Fiennes as Thomas Cardinal Lawrence, a British liberal and the Dean of the College of Cardinals
- Stanley Tucci as Aldo Cardinal Bellini, an American liberal
- John Lithgow as Joseph Cardinal Tremblay, a Canadian conservative
- Sergio Castellitto as Goffredo Cardinal Tedesco, an Italian traditionalist
- Isabella Rossellini as Sister Agnes, the cardinals’ head caterer and housekeeper
- Lucian Msamati as Joshua Cardinal Adeyemi, a Nigerian social conservative and economic progressive
- Carlos Diehz as Vincent Cardinal Benitez, a little-known Mexican archbishop working in Afghanistan
- Brían F. O’Byrne as Monsignor Raymond O’Malley, Lawrence’s assistant and opposition researcher
- Merab Ninidze as Cardinal Sabbadin
- Thomas Loibl as Archbishop Mandorff
- Jacek Koman as Archbishop Woźniak, the Prefect of the Papal Household and the late pope’s confidant
- Loris Loddi as Cardinal Villanueva
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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Writer/Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping and New York Post’s streaming property, Decider. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on each streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. Prior to joining Decider and New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
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