The Passion of Mary-Margaret

Starred review from January 19, 2009
Samson (Quaker Summer
) mixes quirky with mysticism, seasons it with social justice, and the result is a page-turner with characters so fresh, funny and indelible the reader wants another 50 pages or so, please. Samson envisions a Jesus even an atheist would enjoy talking to, a Jesus whom the titular Mary-Margaret Fischer, a religious sister, talks to and gets direction from, as mystics quite naturally do. An even more compelling figure than Jesus, or at least someone with more lines and hence more characterization, is Mary-Margaret's childhood friend, Jude Keller, a ne'er-do-well with a soul needing saving encased in a body so good-looking it's hard for a body to resist. The required Christian progression to redemption is a natural in this story that slips between past and present—somewhat confusingly at first—and ranges from Maryland to Africa. The plot holds a few surprises that make some of the final, far-flung episodes more narratively and theologically satisfying. Quirk works; this is a deeply engaging book deserving of a broad audience.

February 1, 2009
Mary-Margaret Fischer grew up on a small island in the Chesapeake Bay, believing she was conceived from rape. Her mother, a Catholic schoolteacher, died giving birth to her. Mary-Margaret wants to enter the convent, but a small voice tells her that her destiny is not to take her final vows, but instead to marry the less-than-proper Jude Keller, the lighthouse keeper's son. Christy Award winner Samson ("Embrace Me"; "Tiger Lillie") spins a convincing tale about the plans we make for our lives and how God often has other ideas. Well written and enjoyable, this title will appeal to readers who appreciate intelligent fiction with a spiritual element. Recommended for CF and women's fiction collections.

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.