The Way
Kristen Wolf
Crown, Jul 12 2011, $25.00
ISBN: 9780307717696
In 7 A.D. Palestine, the young boys taunt handsome seven year old Anna for looking more like a boy than a girl. Her mother Mari explains that she a boy and a girl. When Mari gives birth to a stillborn boy, Anna’s dad Josef filled with anger and grief stones elderly healer Zahra to death while his daughter watched in horror. Three years later, with her dad still raging and Anna looking even more like a boy than a girl, the child wonders why a dead son is worth more than a living daughter. Josef beats his wife who soon dies and sells Anna as a boy to a visiting shepherd.
In the desert the Sisters secret sect abduct Anna from the shepherds. In their caves, they mentor her in the ancient belief "The Way," which releases dormant power within her. When the Sisters become endangered, the inner Circle sends Anna on a journey to spread the word of the Way among the people. Taking advantage of her male looking physique, she begins her missionary work, which places her at odds with the priests and the Roman overseers. By 33 A.D. in Ancient Palestine, word spreads about a Healer who walks amongst the people helping the downtrodden but refusing any gifts; while betrayal and redemption battle to claim their souls.
This is an intriguing coming of age retelling of the Jesus story starring a flawed heroine who has doubts that she is the one to spread the word of the Way to the masses as she has always been the outsider. The support cast like Judas is shone in different lights than the typical renditions. Fascinating, fans will enjoy the “truth” of Anna’s journey.
Harriet Klausner
Kristen Wolf
Crown, Jul 12 2011, $25.00
ISBN: 9780307717696
In 7 A.D. Palestine, the young boys taunt handsome seven year old Anna for looking more like a boy than a girl. Her mother Mari explains that she a boy and a girl. When Mari gives birth to a stillborn boy, Anna’s dad Josef filled with anger and grief stones elderly healer Zahra to death while his daughter watched in horror. Three years later, with her dad still raging and Anna looking even more like a boy than a girl, the child wonders why a dead son is worth more than a living daughter. Josef beats his wife who soon dies and sells Anna as a boy to a visiting shepherd.
In the desert the Sisters secret sect abduct Anna from the shepherds. In their caves, they mentor her in the ancient belief "The Way," which releases dormant power within her. When the Sisters become endangered, the inner Circle sends Anna on a journey to spread the word of the Way among the people. Taking advantage of her male looking physique, she begins her missionary work, which places her at odds with the priests and the Roman overseers. By 33 A.D. in Ancient Palestine, word spreads about a Healer who walks amongst the people helping the downtrodden but refusing any gifts; while betrayal and redemption battle to claim their souls.
This is an intriguing coming of age retelling of the Jesus story starring a flawed heroine who has doubts that she is the one to spread the word of the Way to the masses as she has always been the outsider. The support cast like Judas is shone in different lights than the typical renditions. Fascinating, fans will enjoy the “truth” of Anna’s journey.
Harriet Klausner
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