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by Minerva Waters
Song of the Magdalene, by Donna Jo Napoli (Scholastic, Inc., 1996)
Young Miriam of Magdala has never fitted into society. Instead of the
modest aspect expected of a young woman, Miriam prefers to run free
in the valley near her home to sing and dance. Her friend Hannah, the
housekeeper of her widowed father, understands her need and conspires
to hide her excursions until the day a fit takes Miriam while she roams
the valley. From that time onward, she is fearful of discovery and
at first spends all her time in the valley lest a fit come upon her.
Later, after befriending Hannah's crippled son Abraham, the two of them
explore their town. The town's inhabitants are amazed at Miriam's
befriending of the 'village idiot,' but Miriam finds Abraham to be a
sensitive person who understands too what it is like to be an outsider.
In time, they fall in love, and, despite the shock of the townspeople,
pledged themselves to one another, though not in a public ceremony in
the temple (something Miriam's father later regrets). Abraham soon
dies, but Miriam comforts herself knowing she is carrying his child.
Unfortunately, she loses the child when a jealous shopkeeper rapes her
in an alley. She then decides to go forth into the world, first to
a relative's house in another town, then into the wilderness, where she
hears of a healer named Joshua. She searches for him in hopes that he
can cleanse her and make her whole again.
This is an excellent book for the young adults for whom it has been
written. Most adolscents feel outcast at some point, and it will help
to learn than others too have felt this way.
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