How Far to Bethlehem?

I'm not a practising Christian, rather an atheist, but this is a magical telling of the Nativity story. One of the few books I have read twice. ( )

This is a novel that retells the story of the three wise men. A selection of the Rico Readers (the book club I belong to). I probably would not have read it otherwise. The story is familiar to everyone, but the manner of telling it is frustrating. The author interrupts what little action there is to shift the story to new characters, even late in the novel. In my opinion she should have introduced every character early and followed them through the book, switching back and forth more frequently. ( )

I try to read this book every Christmas. I love the interweaving of Bible stories and parables. I love the human side of Biblical characters that isn't always evident in Sunday School. I love, for example, that the innkeeper of Bethlehem was formerly a traveler who was set on by bandits, and left at the inn years before Jesus' birth. A masterful retelling of a beloved story. ( )