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Basing her tale around biblical references and her own finely honed understanding of Christian lore, author Barnes has created a biography of one of the few, and probably most notable, female followers of Jesus of Nazareth. The Mary of Barnes’ research was likely designated as Magdalen because of her home place, a coastal city on the Sea of Galilee, known for its preserved and pickled fish that would have been taken to Jerusalem for major festivals. Mary is here styled as the child of respectable parents who were distressed when this beautiful baby girl cried incessantly and, when the crying finally wore off, began to bite other children so that friendships were difficult to sustain. Because of her remarkable appearance, Mary finds prostitution among the fishermen of the town to be a reasonable occupation, garnering attention and wealth, until she hears of a prophet named Jesus of Nazareth and believes he may relieve her of the evil spirits that have plagued her since birth. Once she realizes that a brief encounter with Jesus has indeed cleansed her, allowing her to repent, she wants nothing more than to follow him wherever he goes. Thus begins her life as one of his chief disciples.
Barnes states that Mary Magdalen’s presence among the prominent followers of Christ is proof of the faith’s early, liberated respect for women. As her plot develops, the reader will see through Mary Magdalen’s eyes some of the greatest miracles attributed to her spiritual master, such as feeding the multitudes, curing various ailments, and even bringing the dead back to life. She is depicted as being in love with Jesus in an innocent way because he so often smiles at her as he smiles at so many of his faithful devotees. Her role in discovering his resurrection will seal her place in Christian history, as she is inspired to travel the world preaching the gospel in his name.
Barnes discovered and nourished her talents as a writer after many years of travel, varied professions, and much reading and enjoying of fiction, and has written several books dealing with religious subject matter. In this volume, she helpfully includes after each chapter a list of references from the Holy Bible that relate to the chapter’s events. She also often puts biblical phrases in the speech of her main characters. Finding no historical record of Mary Magdalen’s youth, but knowing that, in the New Testament, she was said to be a prostitute whom Jesus reformed, Barnes has constructed a plausible portrait of possible psychological issues that may have turned the girl toward that lifestyle, while infusing her with an inner wish to be healed. Her portrayal of the continuing love between Mary and her healer follows naturally, allowing the reader to see the young woman as highly independent and able to spend all her time pursuing the prophet. This, in turn, will provide a dynamic role model for her readers to emulate, especially so since Mary Magdalen’s name is mentioned more frequently than any other woman in the New Testament. Barnes’ book could provide a useful focus for study and discussion in a suitable, Christian-based setting.
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