kycerae's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
joenglish's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
gorecki's review against another edition
5.0
The Testament of Mary is a short book about loss, devastation, and power politics. In this novella, Colm Tóibín follows the story of Mary in the years before and after her son's crucifiction and her bearing witness of the events that happened on the day he was executed. Living in exile and under constant observation, she is being held "safe" by two men who visit her regularly and make her remember the events in her son's life over and over, while they write down and distort each fact and word, building up an image and a memory of a son she has never known. A son in many ways different from the one she really had. And this is why it is important for her to keep reminding herself of the real story. Of what he was really like and of the "time that turns a baby who is so defenceless into a small boy, with a boy's fears, insecurities and petty cruelties, and then creates a young man, someone with his own words and thoughts and secret feelings."
After spending years away from her son and hearing different rumours of his growing number of followers and enemies, she travels to find him and try and keep him safe, but the stories of miracles she hears from people who have never really seen them, and the entourage of constant followers and believers who treat her son as a king until the point he doesn't recognise his own mother, are obstacles she cannot move through.
"And then time created the man who sat beside me at the wedding feast of Cana, the man not heeding me, hearing no one, a man filled with power, a power that seemed to have no memory of years before, when he needed my breast for milk, my hand to help steady him as he learned to walk, or my voice to soothe him to sleep."
In her lonely old age, Mary remembers. She remembers her earthly husband and the hole his absence leaves beside her. The son she had and the great mission some people have came up with and sacrificed him for. And the way she lost him after all the efforts she put into keeping him safe and well. The world won a hero, but a mother lost her son. What she is trying to understand is - was it worth it?
After spending years away from her son and hearing different rumours of his growing number of followers and enemies, she travels to find him and try and keep him safe, but the stories of miracles she hears from people who have never really seen them, and the entourage of constant followers and believers who treat her son as a king until the point he doesn't recognise his own mother, are obstacles she cannot move through.
"And then time created the man who sat beside me at the wedding feast of Cana, the man not heeding me, hearing no one, a man filled with power, a power that seemed to have no memory of years before, when he needed my breast for milk, my hand to help steady him as he learned to walk, or my voice to soothe him to sleep."
In her lonely old age, Mary remembers. She remembers her earthly husband and the hole his absence leaves beside her. The son she had and the great mission some people have came up with and sacrificed him for. And the way she lost him after all the efforts she put into keeping him safe and well. The world won a hero, but a mother lost her son. What she is trying to understand is - was it worth it?
athena56's review
3.0
Well-written and very emotional. However, this is a book that I think would have worked better as a play, or a one-woman show. The book itself paints so much time painting the character that I think the time or place has so little influence.
sfletcher26's review against another edition
1.0
Beautiful, daring, touching, moving and terrifying are just a few of the adjectives used to describe Toibin's book. Unfortunately they are all misplaced.
I understand that he was trying to deconstruct the mythology of Christ but this he fails to do because the story he weaves is even more fanciful and far fetched.
I understand that he was trying to deconstruct the mythology of Christ but this he fails to do because the story he weaves is even more fanciful and far fetched.
infulltechnicolor's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
kiwialexa's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0