Kirkus Reviews QR Code
THE MESSIAH by Marjorie Holmes

THE MESSIAH

By

Pub Date: Oct. 30th, 1987
Publisher: Harper & Row

Holmes (Two From Galilee, 1972; Three From Galilee, 1985) completes her technicolor Biblical soap opera with this mawkish tale of Christ's final years on earth. It's the same story that can be found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, only in. rated a little with Holmes' personal touches--for instance, Jesus had a lovable mutt named Benjy. It begins when Jesus accepts his call to the ministry and begins to preach after his fateful meeting with cousin John the Baptist. All the big crowd pleasers are included: the Sermon on the Mount, the miracles, run-ins with the pharisees, the Last Supper, the Betrayal, Gethsemane, Golgotha. . .And there's the familiar cast--blustering Peter, young John, sly Judas, Lazarus, Pontius Pilate, and, of course, Mary Magdalene, everyone's favorite material girl. Holmes finishes up with a truly grisly Crucifixion scene: ""His crossed feet were nailed to the post; huge spikes had been driven through his wrists. He could only hang there helpless, while the blood ran down his arms. He could only move his head and his great, loving, pleading eyes."" But all's well that ends well. It takes a special kind of talent to spoil the greatest story ever told; pass this one up in favor of the originals, please.