Call no.: F R495co

Reviewed by Susan Walma

 With this novel Anne Rice has written a story illustrating a year in the early childhood of Jesus. The story begins when Jesus is seven years old at the time that Jesus’ family prepares to leave Egypt. The author uses in-depth research into the lives of ordinary people of the era and New Testament scholarship to flesh out the story of Jesus, as the bible does not provide very much detail in that regard.  The result is a story that provides insights into what Jesus’ early life might have been like and the sorts of questions he might have posed to himself in order to start to understand his Mission on earth. The novel is at once a fascinating and personally engaging, though fictional, look into the early life of Jesus.

 The author has provided an ‘Author’s Note’ where she describes her personal and professional journey towards writing this novel and where she also provides notes on the sources used for the research for the novel. As well, she includes a ‘Note to the Paperback Edition’ where she elaborates on her personal journey and her return to faith