Reviewed by Anne B. for Readers Favorite
“There are many myths about Mary Magdalene. From the Scripture we know she was plagued by demons. Our Lord Jesus healed her and she followed him, was devoted to him and was one of his disciples. She was the first to see Christ after the resurrection. Nowhere in the Scripture does it say she was a prostitute. There are several Marys mentioned in the Scripture; it was a common name, hence many have tried to lump them all together into one female. Diana Wallis Taylor has wisely seen through the myth and created a novel centered on the life of Mary Magdalene. “Mary Magdalene” is a fictional story based on the real life character Mary of Magdalene. As can be expected in a fictional novel, the author has used poetic license. Our tale begins with twelve year old Mary in a harbor awaiting her father’s ship. It was unusual for a female to be educated but her father thought it was important and made arrangements for her to study the Torah. Mary began having nightmares, severe pain in her head and seizures. Her parents sought help from the High Priest but only the true Lord brought her relief. After three years of marriage Mary was still without child. In that age to be barren was to be nothing.
There is so much more to this story than I can possibly put in a summary. This is a must read book. Taylor is a master storyteller; she brings her characters to life and they march off the page into the reader’s heart. “Mary Magdalene” is my favorite of all her books and I have enjoyed all of them. She has the ability to take a historical figure and recreate their life in a way few authors can. I particularly liked the way she began this story with Mary at twelve years of age. She brings Mary through many of the trials people faced in that day namely, illness, addiction, death, barrenness and possession. Then she met the one true healer, Jesus. Diana Wallis Taylor is a talented writer and at the top of my favorite authors list. I look forward to her next book.”
I am reading Mary Magdalene now and it is so good, I hate for it to end. This is a great way of learning more about the women of the bible even if it is fiction. So many stories and truths are carried through this novel. I look forward to reading more of your work. Blessings!!!
Wonderful! thanks for sharing with me! Diana
I am using “Mary Magdalene” in a five-week Women’s Bible Study that I am teaching. Along with the appropriate Scripture, I have enlightened the group with readings from this wonderfully written, and thoroughly researched, book of Christian fiction. It is the perfect way to get the story between the lines of this most important, and often misunderstood, woman. I also selected “Mary Magdalene” as the first book for a new Christian Literature Book Group that I am facilitating at Knowles Mercy Spirituality Center in Nebraska. Diana, I am a big fan and look forward to the publication of “Claudia.”
Diana, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mary Magdalene and an in the process of reviewing it for our local church newsletter and possibly our denominations quarterly publication. It is enchanting, historically accurate, and quite possibly the most interesting fiction I’ve read in past years. I would like your permission to include your introductory note to readers, “To women. . . daughter of the King,” as I think it expresses not only the purpose of the book but my own purpose in teaching women in various settings (church women’s Bible study, presentation recently for a Lenten breakfast, writing reviews, etc.). Please let me know as this will need to be completed within the next week or two. Thank you, and I look forward to reading all of your books. Judy Corey, M.R.E., licensed minister in the United Church of Christ and published reviewer/feature writer and former hospice chaplain (now retired)