Song of the Magdalene

It is so difficult to find quality biblical fiction that is not agenda driven, saccharine, or revisionist. That's what makes this novel such a treasure. So much do I love this book that I have ordered a library bound copy. Miriam is a young woman living with her widowed father, a hand maid, and the hand maid's disabled son Abraham. Based on Donna Jo Napoli's description, Abraham has cerebral palsy. Miriam, an open hearted, open minded young girl, builds an intense bond with him, as she can see beauty and wisdom in him that few others can. Miriam also has a health condition of her own that she must keep quiet. She is blessed with a warm, loving family, but she is living in a difficult, dangerous time. Due to society's intolerance and violence, she must leave her beloved family for their protection. Looking to start a new life, she encounters Jesus. The novel is a speculation of Mary Magdalene's life before she met Jesus, and it's actually quite plausible. Besides Donna Jo Napoli's sweet prose and gentle manner, the book is well researched. It is unbiased. It gives a vivid image of ancient Israel/Palestine. I love all of Donna Jo's books- written for girls but not in a sappy, patronizing way. Nor does she rely on shock value to lure readers. This is the best book of her collection, in my opinion.

Very perceptive novel of how horrible life must have been for a person with disabilities, in biblical times. The author's search for historical facts must have been a real education and seem to accurately convey as much fact as can be gleaned from a very short biblical verse. In those days many just considered women to be chattel and worse if they had any physical ailment. My bible study group liked the book and we all came to the conclusion that Mary Magdalene was an epileptic.

I purchased this book because I love Donna Jo Napoli books and historical fiction. I thought my 13 year old daughter would read it. However, in browsing it I found myself enthralled by the story and read it all in two days. Lovely story. I would highly recommend for children or adults.

A beautiful retelling of the Tale of the Magdalene, giving her a voice. I always hate when I hear her described as a prostitute in church. Fiction, but lovely to hear her sing. Illness, love, loss, family, society and a woman's place in first century Israel.

Great condition

Another excellent twist of an old story by Donna Jo Napoli.

This historical fiction book is a story of a 1st century Jewsih girl, Miriam, and the story is told through her eyes, of her life from age 10-18. Miriam lived with her father and their maid Hannah along with Hannah's handicapped and socially outcasted son. Over the years, Miriam and Abraham's love develops much to the dismay of society. Miriam realizes that she is pregnant, but Abraham dies of an illness before their child is born. Miriam is forced to become a pariah after she is raped and her child is lost, and she embarks on a journey to find reknwon Jochanan, a man who takes in social outcasts. What I really enjoyed about this book was the author's ability to take a Bibilical character and create a fictional story about her life as well as incorporating historical facts. Also, the ending was such that it made the entire story beleivable. One negative factor of this story is that the first half is extremely boring; it focuses more on the setting rather than the plot.Overall, the final result of this book was satisfying and I would recommend this novel to anyone who would enjoy learning about 1st century Jewish culture.

The book is about Mary Magdalene. It begins when Mary (called Miriam in the book) is ten years old and ends when she is about to meet Jesus (Joshua). The book portrays Miriam as a young woman who struggles against the hypocrisies of her society and especially against the restrictions against women (women aren't supposed to leave the home, for example or sing in synagogue). I enjoyed the book but wondered about its historical accuracy-especially about Miriam's struggle against the expectations for women. Some of her thoughts and actions seemed too modern. I think that teenage girls will be able to identify with some of Miriam's struggles. Miriam gets into trouble just for being the person she is-she doesn't purposefully always go searching for trouble.

This book I found very touching and I also found myself feeling the emotions of the characters and getting angry or upset on their behalf.In someways I suppose many people have experienced prejudiced in this form and in different situations but the experience of life in this book that Napoli presents is amazinly colourful and bountyful in its decription and really pulls you into the story.This book may also make new readers aware of the fact that history has many dimentions and what you read of original stories, or even the absence of facts, cannot always be true and/or misleading, which this story unfolds also open the oppourtunity to understand that people may not be what you think they are or may be the way they are because of something you missed or dont understand.Napoli is a Goddess and many of her books present a different view or understanding of stories we are all 'familliar' with.