Reviewer Michelle Kaye Malsbury:
Michelle was born in Champaign, IL. Currently, she resides in Asheville, NC
and is in her second year of doctoral studies at Nova Southeastern
University in Ft. Lauderdale with specialization/concentration in
conflict resolution and peace studies. She has over six hundred
articles published on the web and one book published thus far with
many more in the wings. Hobbies include; reading, writing, music, and
playing with her Australian Cattle Dog, Abu.
Author: Kristen Wolf
Publisher: Crown Publishers
ISBN: 978-0-307-71769-6
Follow Here To Purchase The Way
Author: Kristen Wolf
Publisher: Crown Publishers
ISBN: 978-0-307-71769-6
Kristen Wolf, author of The Way, lives in the Rocky Mountains. (2012, back cover) She is a Phi Betta Kappa club member, graduate of Georgetown University (BA), Master’s in creative writing from Hollins University, mother, and filmmaker. The Way is her first novel.
Wow, is all I can say. This novel blew me away! For a first novel, The Way, is an amazing glimpse into what the future holds for Ms. Wolf. She managed to marry religious undertones with some thought-provoking spiritual questions in her wonderful work of fiction. Much of the tale invites us to dive in to how and where religion began and what it was really about. There is also a women’s message because of the time period this novel takes place. Women were little more than chattel and certainly had no place in anything more than bearing children and making meals. Men and male children were what is the most treasured portion of religion seems to support, both now, to some degree, and certainly then.
The main character is a young girl named Anna. Her father does not like women and sees them as the reason he is unable to make money and move ahead in his life. When his wife loses their son during child birth he nearly loses his mind. He blames the mid-wife, his wife, and Anna. One by one, he does away with them. Anna, perhaps fares the best as she is sold to a band of sheperd’s led by a generous and peaceful man named Simon, but must masquerade as a male to fall safely into this environment and escape certain death. However, it turns out this sale was not an accident, but predestined to transport Anna to the sisterhood of The Way.
Anna has enjoyed her time as a shepherd and is saddened and confused as to why Soloman has left her to the ladies of The Way. In time she learns what The Way is about and embraces their teachings and healing practices. Spiritually she grows and blossoms. She grows to love her life in The Way.
One day the peaceful, healing life for the sisters of The Way is torn asunder by a murderous band of men who believe them to be heretics as they do not adhere to worship of their one true God, which is naturally a male. Anna and two others are the only survivors. It is with heavy heart that they must venture out into distant lands to find their rightful place.
The trio must have an escort as women at that time and in that region of the world were not allowed to travel without a man. Anna again assumes the role of a male as they make passage back to Nazareth, which is her birth place and a place she has missed since her life changed so very long ago. Along the way they heal an assortment of people from various ailments and preach the teachings of the Mother and The Way.
Anna has assumed the name of her dead brother, Jesus. Word spreads far and wide about the good they do. Their group of followers swells. Not all people are enthralled about the good they do and some set out to hurt them and stop this blight against their male God. Want to know more? Read this book. I liked it a lot and am sure you will too!