Girl Mary by Petru Popescu

Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 354
Challenges: new author, year of the historical
New-to-me Author: Yes
Author's Website



Simple Description:
I took the liberty of copying this from the author's website, because I'm having trouble describing this book.

The most famous woman, Mary of Nazareth, is also the greatest sexual mystery of all times. Who was Mary as a woman? Why was she angry with God, and why did she think that God shortchanged women? And how was Joseph woven into the story? Why was Pontius Pilate obsessed with the virgin? Who was this man Pilate, whose encounter with Mary was erased from the Gospels?

Petru Popescu's novel answers these questions. Written with fascinating magical realism, drawing readers in and giving life to myths, Girl Mary will surprise!

Ok..so yeah..it's a religious book, in a way. Mary's family and her clan were exhiled from Nazareth and sent to die in the desert. Instead, Mary and another girl find a well that nobody else knows about and they were able to get clean water. Her family made camp and started trading with the trade caravans..their water for items they needed.

Meanwhile, Pilate is studying the Jewish religion and becomes a spy for the ruler that he hates. He ends up getting the family the right to live in Nazareth again and heads out to meet them, not realizing that once he would be infatuated with Mary once he saw her.

Throughout this book there are several times that Mary talks to God and God talks back and shows her signs.

Now what you really want to know....my thoughts:
I have mixed thoughts on this book. I didn't hate it. I did like it, it made me contemplate and think about it for awhile, but it won't be one of my favorites for the year. I'm not the most religious person (reasons why are a whole other issue and not to be discussed on this blog) but basically I was raised Catholic and I know the stories. This story of Mary was so totally different from what I had learned. I liked reading this angle on it. I also can't tell you how much is the author's work of fiction and how much was based on his research, I'm rather lazy and don't feel like looking in to it. There was one part that sorty turned me off, that was how Mary became pregnant. It was just....weird. It didn't ruin the book, was just really weird.

It took a bit for the book to really get my interest, but then it moved along pretty well. Do I recommend it? Hard to say. It's a very different type of book than I usually read, than what I think most of my followers usually read. Depending on your religious interest and history, you will either enjoy this book or not. At least, that's what I think. The author does have the first chapter available on his website, which I liked to above, so if you are interested I recommend checking it out.

In all, it did make me think. I'm still thinking about it. I finished it early yesterday morning and am just now doing my review of it because I didn't know what I wanted to say.

Thanks to Katie with Simon & Schuster for providing this book for review.