The Testament of Mary

Viewpoint. Of the many thousands of pages ever written about the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, none are quite like those in a novella from Colm Toibin titled, The Testament of Mary. After I finished the book, I thought about the way a friend once asked and answered as follows: “Did you ever wonder why the Madonna has a wistful look on her face in all the depictions of mother and child in art? It’s because she was thinking as she looked at the baby Jesus, ‘I was hoping for a girl.’” If you don’t find that statement offensive, this book is right up your alley. Toibin offers a viewpoint of what Mary may have thought late in her life. As a witness to the death of her son, Toibin has her feeling that his death was not worth it. From page 80: “ ‘I was there,’ I said. ‘I fled before it was over but if you want witnesses then I am one and I can tell you now, when you say that he redeemed the world, I will say that it was not worth it. It was not worth it.’” The humanity of a mother whom we would all recognize comes through on the pages of this novella. Toibin’s writing is superb, whether you agree with his viewpoint or not. Rating: Four-star (Highly Recommended) Click here to purchase The Testament of Mary from amazon.com.