Martha

June 1, 2011
Taylor (Journey to the Well, 2009)reintroduces a well-known and often misunderstood biblical character, Martha of Bethany, the friend of Jesus and sister of Lazarus. Known for her diligence and sense of duty, character traits that can appear cold and demanding, this strong Jewish woman is portrayed in a different light in Taylor's masterfully constructed story. By taking readers on a journey into the likely daily life of this figure with whom many assume familiarity, Taylor pays great attention to detail in order to provide verdant descriptions of this world to create an eye-opening expedition into the past. Fans of increasingly popular biblical fiction centered around recognizable characters, such as Francine Rivers' Lineage of Grace Series and Tosca Lee's Havah (2010), may have found themselves another author who can write historical inspirational novels of strong, faithful women.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)