11.15.2009


Girl Mary by Petru Popescu

I have always been drawn to historical religious fiction, particularly about biblical women. Is that even a genre in itself? The cover of this novel caught my eye, and I pulled out my iPhone in the middle of Barnes and Noble to google the title to see if it was about The Mary, not just A Mary. As this was in the regular fiction section, I figured it would be a work of historical fiction, not Christian fiction.

Review:
The book was easy to read. It jumps right in to the story of Mary at the well, and later gives you the back story. Told from two perspectives, Pontius Pilate and Mary Amneh, the story gives a new outlook on what Mary’s life may have been like prior to the birth of Jesus as well as the politics of Roman Times. As a woman the story resonated with me, and although this was definitely not Christian fiction I found that it did pose some theological questions. Throughout the story, I found myself asking: is she the chosen one? will there be immaculate conception? will the book tell about the birth and beyond? The only answer I can give without spoiling the book is that the story ends before any “Jesus Story” begins. After finishing the novel, I immediately wanted to open the book of Luke and re-read the biblical version. I would recommend this book to any woman who likes biblical fiction, or wants to get a glimpse into what life was like for women during this time period.

If you liked this, try:
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
Women of Genesis by Orson Scott Card
Lilah by Marek Halter

No comments:

Post a Comment