Daughter of Jerusalem by Joan Wolf

I won a copy through the Goodreads' First reads program, compliments of Worth Publishing, in exchange for an unbiased review.

Jesus' closest earthly friend. The one who understood him better than anyone alive - was a woman whose sins marked her with a scarlet letter. DAUGHTER OF JERUSALEM is the historical fiction account of Mary of Magdala. The cover is entrancing and bright; the story within enchanting. I finished this book in just a few days (usually takes me a couple weeks with my schedule).

Although a work of fiction, Joan Wolf's writing stays true to the cultural times of Mary Magdalene. We follow her from youth through adulthood - from joys of love to pain of loss. I believe this is a fairly accurate portrayal of a woman out of her time. Written with excellent prose and understanding, this book is one of those gems I will tell all my friends to read.

More than halfway through the book we are introduced to Jesus of Nazareth. I enjoyed how the author stayed true to scripture when describing his interactions with people. His message was love, and it is enduring. This book reminds me of that - love and forgiveness. I will definitely be reading more of Wolf's work! Happy reading.