Two Girls from Nazareth
by Judy Barnes
Judy Barnes


"'How is that going to be? I am not planning to go to Bethlehem. I do not have a reason to go there. Does she know that I am that Mary?'"

Mary and Mary Elizabeth are best friends growing up in Nazareth. They are nearing marriage age and enjoy gossiping about their suitors. Mary Elizabeth is certain John will ask for her hand, but the girls wonder if Joseph will ever get up the nerve to ask for Mary's hand. John asks first, but Joseph isn't far behind. The girls begin dreaming of having a double wedding. Mary Elizabeth starts having dreams that some suspect means she'll eventually carry the Messiah. Mary and Joseph, however, are visited by the Lord, and Mary is the one actually chosen to give birth to the promised one. They are also told not to share the news with anyone. She conceives, and the two rush to marry. Mary Elizabeth is disappointed that they won't have a joint wedding and a little envious of Mary's early wedding, but she never realizes the true reason. As the pregnancy nears completion, amongst rumors about their hasty wedding, Mary and Joseph find themselves having to undertake a difficult journey to Bethlehem. With a delay due to her condition, they arrive to discover that there is no room at the inn, and the baby is coming.

Barnes does a good job of taking the information known from the scriptures and weaving in her ideas about the early life of these two women. Using research about the times and customs, she carries the girls through the typical marriage traditions. The author also employs some worldbuilding based on the food, vocations, and observances that would have been historically significant. She handles everything appropriately for the fictional setting. Other authors who have made a name for themselves in this sub-genre of biblical fiction include Lynn Austin, Kim Stokely, and Tessa Afshar. And while some Christian authors take on the daunting and often heavily criticized task of writing about Jesus, many like to explore lesser-known characters. Picking both Mary and Mary Elizabeth was an interesting decision by Barnes, and the bond they have in this book will likely strike a chord with readers. Furthermore, imagining and showing the daily lives of these women and their biblical counterparts during such mundane and relatable events as shopping, getting sick, and being envious helps the characters come across as relatable.

In terms of the writing itself, the rare grammatical errors will not hinder readers. The sentences read easily, and the chapters move forward at a steady, measured pace. There are a few intense scenes, one resulting in the death of a main character's father, and another where Mary's life is on the line while she is pregnant. Rather than building these scenes to a crescendo, these are handled with only a little more fear than when the girls were worried about their marriage proposals. As such, this book will likely find an audience with those who enjoy low-key, inspirational fiction that seeks to explore what the lives of people mentioned in the Bible might have been like, as opposed to the more high-octane narratives by Christian authors such as Ted Dekker or Davis Bunn. Barnes presents her story very well, and her book will undoubtedly appeal to fans of this specific sub-genre of Christian fiction.

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