Mary, Called Magdalene (2002)

This is the story of Mary Magdalene's entire life, from childhood to her death. I enjoyed seeing this controversial historical figure in her own element, with no one sitting in judgment of who she was and her relationship to Jesus. The woman who emerged from these pages was initially very troubled. She was doing her best, but she was literally plagued by demons. She met Jesus when she had given up all hope. He gave her her life back, but her old life didn't want her back. Her family was ashamed of her, partially because of the time she had spent alone with unrelated men, and partly because she believed Jesus's message. With nowhere else to go, she became one of his first followers and traveled and worked miracles in His name.

My problem was that it was too long. Had it been about half this size, it would have been perfect. I started to feel like this whole group was wandering up and down Israel without any real idea what they were doing. There are only so many pages of that I can read.

I haven't read very many historical fiction books set around Jesus and his apostles, so I liked seeing all of them as "real" people, in language I could understand. I had a much better idea of their individual personalities after finishing this. I'll be the first to admit that I'm no Biblical scholar, but I feel that the author stayed true to the sense we get of them in Scripture.

I also liked seeing what everyday life was like in those times. I especially liked reading about women's lives.

Since I mentioned the relationship with Jesus, I'll say that I thought it was pretty delicately handled. I am pretty open-minded, but it all felt plausible to me.

I did find out the problem with sort of getting to see Jesus in a new light: the crucifixion is all new too. My reading pace practically stopped when I knew I was getting close. It wasn't as graphic as I was afraid it would be, but it still hurt to read it.

Those with more patience for aimless wandering may enjoy this more than I did. I do recommend it as a book that lets you see some central figures of Christianity in more of an everyday light. ( )

Now on to Mary Called Magdalene by Margaret George. This author has written some great historical fiction. Her works include Henry the VIII, Mary, Queen of Scots, and Cleopatra. I struggle with writing more than two or three pages. Each of Margaret George’s books average 600 – 700 pages. Ms. George is a wonderful storyteller. A review will follow once I complete the book.

Mary Magdalene has been an interesting figure throughout history. She's been regarded as both a saint and a prostitute. Dan Brown's fictional book "DaVinci Code" elevated her tarnished reputation to that of a wife/mother.
Margaret George is a fantastic author. Her books hold more weight when she has information to work from, there is very little actual knowledge about Mary's life.

In Ms. George's novel, Mary is viewed as a tormented sould. She is the victim of demonic possession. Jesus cleanses her of her 7 demons. She is later presented as a disciple of Jesus.

The book delves into Mary's life after Jesus' crucifixion, but after his death, the book loses some of its luster. I don't really understand why, he was not presented as an engaging character in the novel.

I really enjoyed this book. I look forward to reading more biographies by Margaret George. ( )

Most of the book is conjecture because little is know about Mary Magdalene. I feel that the book didn't really explore the depths of why Mary sacrificed her very life, the life of her child and family to follow Jesus. Jesus would obviously have played a bigger part than this book alludes to. I finished the book unsatisfied. ( )

Thought by some to be a whore and by others to be a saint, Mary Magdalene has been a polarizing figure since she lived 2000 years ago. In “Mary Called Magdalene”, author Margaret George makes several assumptions regarding Mary’s childhood and adulthood, as very little is known about her early life, but many will recognize much about the few years she spends following Jesus.

It seems strange to compare Mary to Henry VIII, but as he was the subject of another book by George, it is a valid comparison. Unfortunately, Mary’s “memoir” can’t hold a candle to Henry’s. Where “Autobiography of Henry VIII” has passion and excitement and plain old feeling, “Mary Called Magdalene” ends up reading like a novelization of the gospels. Perhaps it was because many of the things Jesus and the disciples say are almost “quotes” from the Bible, but the conversations came off stilted and the characters didn’t seem alive. Of course the ending is poignant, and seeing some of Christianity’s basic lessons as they were first taught is comforting, but as a novel, I think George could have done better. ( )