The Secret Magdalene by Ky Longfellow

Mary Magdalene is perceived in so many ways… nobody really knows exactly who she was.

Of all the stories, I like the one that presents her as a scholar, a woman in search of wisdom.

This is why The Secret Magdalene by Ky Longfellow is one of my favorite books about Mary Magdalene.

This historical novel takes you on a journey to the time when Jesus walked with his followers, Mariamne among them.

In this fascinating historical novel, the author imagines in detail the times and the possible role of the Magdalene, until the tragic ending we already know, with an interesting theory explaining Jesus’ death. I really enjoyed learning the different theories that the author explores, and other historical details and hypothesis that she weaves into the story.

The blurb of the book reads:

“Raised like sisters, Mariamne and Salome are indulged with riches, position, and learning-a rare thing for females in Jerusalem. But Mariamne has a further gift: an illness has left her with visions; she has the power of prophecy. It is her prophesying that drives the two girls to flee to Egypt, where they study philosophy, mathematics, and astronomy in the Great Library of Alexandria.

“After seven years they return to a Judaea where many now believe John the Baptizer is the messiah. Salome too begins to believe, but Mariamne, now called Magdalene, is drawn to his cousin, Yeshu’a, a man touched by the divine in the same way she was during her days of illness. Together they speak of sharing their direct experience of God; but Yeshu’a unexpectedly gains a reputation as a healer, and as the ill and the troubled flock to him, he and Magdalene are forced to make a terrible decision.

‘This radical retelling of the greatest story ever told brings Mary Magdalene to life-not as a prostitute or demon-possessed-but as an educated woman who was truly the ‘apostle to the apostles.’”

I read this book so long ago now… it’s time to read it again. But at this time, it’s in my library in Puerto Rico. I’m tempted to orden another copy to keep in New York! You can find used copies for as low as $4 with free shipping in EBay.

If you enjoy fiction with a base on research and history, this book will satisfy your mind and your soul.

Today’s drawing of Mary Magdalene