The Expected One

The Expected One is a feminist version of the Da Vinci code. Kathleen McGowan throws every possible religious conspiracy theory regarding Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ into her book. I don't know why I picked this book to listen to, but I guess I didn't read the abstract close enough. The story starts with the modern Maureen Paschal and later evolves to a rewriting of the New Testament story.

I won't dispute the idea of Mary Magdalene being married to Jesus Christ. Who knows, it may be possible? The first half of the story with Maureen was ok enough, but the re-writing of the life of Christ was just too much for me. I know the story is fiction but it is the trivializing of a sacred figure(s) and re-writing them as seriously flawed, almost evil, individuals that I had to draw the line.

Perhaps some Christians may like this book. I don't know. Serious students of the Bible and other sacred scripture will not only find fault with the portrayal, but also offense. This book can stay on the shelf or even find its way to the trash for all I care. Some Amazon reviewers disagree with me, but most find serious flaws with the book.

Book Rating: Yuck.

A Candle in the Darkness

A Candle in the Darkness is another book of gentle/Christian fiction by Lynn Austin. I don't quite know how this style of book is coming home with me. I am so tired of some of the trash that passes for contemporary fiction that I feel I have to give them a try. This book was fine enough and may be worth a read.

This story is about Caroline Fletcher and her observations/experiences with slavery and the Civil War. She is raised by an upper middle class family that owns slaves. As the story progresses, she questions slavery but has divided loyalty between her family, her country, and her love of her slave friends. Caroline is given the opportunity to choose one side or another, choices that could endanger the lives of her father and her fiance. Does one sacrifice the lives of loved ones for the greater good?

Big Fish

Big Fish is one strange story from Daniel Wallace. In fact, if I had not been listening to this on audio, I would have given up on it. The story is very subtle and the reader has to work pretty hard to understand it.

The book is made up of a series vignettes that move back and forth in time. The chronology problem can make it difficult to follow. William Bloom recounts stories about his dying father Edward Bloom. The stories take on mythic or legendary proportions as the stories are outrageous. Scenes of William with his father are interlaced with a loose chronology of the life story of Edward. The ending is especially Mythic. In the end, the message seems to be about becoming a Big Fish. The reader is left to interpret the meaning of the text and its implications.

I admit I picked up this book because of the movie. I have only seen the movie trailers and it looked imaginative and fun. The book was darker than I expected. The reader for the audio book did a good job and I especially appreciated the interview with the author at the end. Without that interview I would have disliked the book more. The author's comments helped me appreciate what he was trying to do.

Still the book was odd.

Book rating 3 stars.