Synopses & Reviews
Mary Magdalene, the beloved disciple and companion of Jesus, the Woman with the Alabaster Jar, has had a mystique since her name first appeared in the Gospel of Mark. The references to Mary Magdalene are tantalizingly brief, yet she continues to spark controversy, curiosity, and veneration. We know more about her than about many of Christ's male disciples, and her significance is enshrined in her ancient honorific "Apostle to the Apostles." But still, as a woman, she remains in shadow. Was she a prostitute, a female-divinity figure, a church leader, or all of those?
Who was she? Can we ever know? Hallmarked by bestselling author Margaret George's dazzling mix of history and creativity, Mary, Called Magdalene is George's most ambitious work yet. Brilliantly grounded in both biblical and secular historical research, it depicts Mary of Magdala in the first hundred years of the first millennium even as it peels away layers of legend.
Here, George vividly re-creates the childhood and adolescence of an ordinary girl and shows her growing into a real-life woman who undergoes a remarkable spiritual transformation. Testaments, letters, and narrative convincingly capture Mary's immediate and moving voice as she becomes part of the circle of disciples and comes to grips with the divine. for a woman who couldn't even be a "disciple", she came a very long way. Ultimately, Mary, Called Magdalene transcends both history and fiction to become the "diary of a soul" tracing a journey that is always personal but also universal. Her story is that of a journey of faith, and in that way, Mary Magdalene is Everywoman.
Review
"George again brings a historical figure to life, this time in a low-key but persuasively feminist take on the early disciple who found Christ's empty tomb....Engaging and intelligent fiction that celebrates one of Christianity's great women." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"The novel improves considerably when Mary finds herself possessed by [demons]....Her valiant efforts to first hide her possession and then find a cure are masterfully described....[The novel] imagines nothing seriously objectionable to even the most devout Christians. As such, it lacks the transgressive power of The Red Tent, but is still a well-researched and thought-provoking book." Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
Magdalene are tantalizingly brief, yet she continues to spark controversy, curiosity, and veneration. We know more about her than about many of Christ's male disciples, and her significance is enshrined in her ancient honorific "Apostle to the Apostles." But still, as a woman, she remains in shadow. Was she a prostitute, a female-divinity figure, a church leader, or all of those?
Hallmarked by bestselling author Margaret George's dazzling mix of history and creativity, Mary, Called Magdalene is George's most ambitious work yet. Brilliantly grounded in both biblical and secular historical research, it depicts Mary of Magdala in the first hundred years of the first millennium-even as it peels away layers of legend. Testaments, letters, and narrative convincingly capture Mary's immediate and moving voice as she becomes part of the circle of disciples and comes to grips with the divine. Bridging the gap for readers of Antonia Fraser and fans of The Red Tent, Mary, Called Magdalene transcends both history and fiction to become a "diary of a soul."
About the Author
Margaret George, a tenth-generation American, is the author of the bestselling The Autobiography of Henry VIII, Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles, and The Memoirs of Cleopatra. She continues research for her novels in places such as Egypt, Israel, Rome, and England.