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Christ the Lord #1
The Young Messiah
SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
With the Holy Land in turmoil, seven-year-old Jesus and his family leave Egypt for the dangerous road home to Jerusalem. As they travel, the boy ponders the mysteries surrounding his birth. Anne Rice’s dazzling, kaleidoscopic novel, based on the gospels and the most respected New Testament scholarship, summons up the voice, the presence, and the words of Jesus, allowing him to tell his own story as he struggles to grasp the holy purpose of his life.
Praise for The Young Messiah
“[An] intensely literal, historical, reverent treatment of a year in the life of Jesus, Son of God.”—Time
“Brilliant and tangible . . . Rice retains our rapt attention.”—Los Angeles Times
“Emotionally engaging and often moving; Ms. Rice succeeds in creating a Jesus who is recognizably human.”—National Catholic Reporter
“An inestimably valuable contribution to the discussion of Christian history as well as a tender look at the young Jesus.”—The Denver Post
Previously published as Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt
With the Holy Land in turmoil, seven-year-old Jesus and his family leave Egypt for the dangerous road home to Jerusalem. As they travel, the boy ponders the mysteries surrounding his birth. Anne Rice’s dazzling, kaleidoscopic novel, based on the gospels and the most respected New Testament scholarship, summons up the voice, the presence, and the words of Jesus, allowing him to tell his own story as he struggles to grasp the holy purpose of his life.
Praise for The Young Messiah
“[An] intensely literal, historical, reverent treatment of a year in the life of Jesus, Son of God.”—Time
“Brilliant and tangible . . . Rice retains our rapt attention.”—Los Angeles Times
“Emotionally engaging and often moving; Ms. Rice succeeds in creating a Jesus who is recognizably human.”—National Catholic Reporter
“An inestimably valuable contribution to the discussion of Christian history as well as a tender look at the young Jesus.”—The Denver Post
Previously published as Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt
336 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2005
747 people are currently reading
8014 people want to read
About the author
Anne Rice
495 books27.6k followersAnne Rice (born Howard Allen Frances O'Brien) was a best-selling American author of gothic, supernatural, historical, erotica, and later religious themed books. Best known for The Vampire Chronicles, her prevailing thematic focus is on love, death, immortality, existentialism, and the human condition. She was married to poet Stan Rice for 41 years until his death in 2002. Her books have sold nearly 100 million copies, making her one of the most widely read authors in modern history.
Anne Rice passed on December 11, 2021 due to complications from a stroke. She was eighty years old at the time of her death.
She uses the pseudonym Anne Rampling for adult-themed fiction (i.e., erotica) and A.N. Roquelaure for fiction featuring sexually explicit sado-masochism.
Anne Rice passed on December 11, 2021 due to complications from a stroke. She was eighty years old at the time of her death.
She uses the pseudonym Anne Rampling for adult-themed fiction (i.e., erotica) and A.N. Roquelaure for fiction featuring sexually explicit sado-masochism.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,464 reviews
February 22, 2008
I have wanted to read this book evver since I heard about it. I hadn't read any of Anne Rice's prior stuff, but on a professional level (I'm a Lutheran pastor) and just on a level of personal interest I thought I'd give it a try.
The very concept of this novel--writing a fictional book about Jesus at age seven, in the first person, from a perspective that takes New Testament and Apocryphal writings seriously--is, needless to say, hugely ambitious. And when your main character is someone who 2 billion people on this planet believe to be the Son of God, it's clear that whatever kind of book you write, not everyone will be pleased with where your imagination takes you.
All that being said, however, I think Anne Rice's portrayal is fascinating. I won't say it was flawless, but it was fascinating. There are several aspects of the story that I thought were insightful:
-Jesus being raised in a solidly "middle class" family, if you can say that about a first-century family. To be able to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, Bethlehem to Egypt, Egypt back to Jerusalem, and back and forth from Nazareth to Jerusalem on a yearly basis (all of which the NT says Jesus' family did), that takes certain means. I'm fascinated by Rice's idea of Joseph--quiet, principled, hard working, maybe a little stubborn from time to time, but generally a very good man.
-The roll models that mold Jesus. Many of these arise from Rice's imagination--Uncle Cleopas and "Old Sarah," for example--and if you pay close enough attention, you can see that she put a great deal of thought into what and who would have created the kind of teacher that Jesus would become. My favorite little detail was the rabbi in Nazareth who walks with a limp from being robbed, beaten, and left for dead on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Sound familiar?
-Rice's historical research. She did a LOT of homework for this book, and it shows. Sometimes it's even a little heavy-handed, where she'll insert sentences and even paragraphs of information that, while interesting, do not advance the plot. OK, I get it. You've read up about first-century Judea. But it's ironic, considering all her historical research, that she adopts apocryphal gospels so uncritically. The book's opening sequence is lifted directly from the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, which most scholars date to the second or third century at the earliest. Makes for an interesting story, I guess, but if you're going to go to such pains to make it realistic, then why go there?
My warning to most anyone who will approach this text is that it is a piece of fiction, and yet almost noone, religious or secular, will truly approach it as such. If you want to really enjoy this book, then this Jesus has to become a fictional character for you. This is Anne Rice's Jesus, not "your" Jesus. This is a fictional first-century Jewish boy, a creation of the piety and imagination of one woman, not a real human being. I think the learning I take from this book is that in Western society, almost everyone has their "own" Jesus. Whether we're religious or secular, whatever we regard our relationship with Jesus to entail, we all have a mental construct of who Jesus was or is, that may or may not bear any resemblance to Rice's Jesus, or to the historical Jesus of Nazareth. It's fascinating when all those "Jesus's"--hers, yours, the Jesus of the New Testament, the Jesus of history--interact.
The very concept of this novel--writing a fictional book about Jesus at age seven, in the first person, from a perspective that takes New Testament and Apocryphal writings seriously--is, needless to say, hugely ambitious. And when your main character is someone who 2 billion people on this planet believe to be the Son of God, it's clear that whatever kind of book you write, not everyone will be pleased with where your imagination takes you.
All that being said, however, I think Anne Rice's portrayal is fascinating. I won't say it was flawless, but it was fascinating. There are several aspects of the story that I thought were insightful:
-Jesus being raised in a solidly "middle class" family, if you can say that about a first-century family. To be able to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, Bethlehem to Egypt, Egypt back to Jerusalem, and back and forth from Nazareth to Jerusalem on a yearly basis (all of which the NT says Jesus' family did), that takes certain means. I'm fascinated by Rice's idea of Joseph--quiet, principled, hard working, maybe a little stubborn from time to time, but generally a very good man.
-The roll models that mold Jesus. Many of these arise from Rice's imagination--Uncle Cleopas and "Old Sarah," for example--and if you pay close enough attention, you can see that she put a great deal of thought into what and who would have created the kind of teacher that Jesus would become. My favorite little detail was the rabbi in Nazareth who walks with a limp from being robbed, beaten, and left for dead on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Sound familiar?
-Rice's historical research. She did a LOT of homework for this book, and it shows. Sometimes it's even a little heavy-handed, where she'll insert sentences and even paragraphs of information that, while interesting, do not advance the plot. OK, I get it. You've read up about first-century Judea. But it's ironic, considering all her historical research, that she adopts apocryphal gospels so uncritically. The book's opening sequence is lifted directly from the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, which most scholars date to the second or third century at the earliest. Makes for an interesting story, I guess, but if you're going to go to such pains to make it realistic, then why go there?
My warning to most anyone who will approach this text is that it is a piece of fiction, and yet almost noone, religious or secular, will truly approach it as such. If you want to really enjoy this book, then this Jesus has to become a fictional character for you. This is Anne Rice's Jesus, not "your" Jesus. This is a fictional first-century Jewish boy, a creation of the piety and imagination of one woman, not a real human being. I think the learning I take from this book is that in Western society, almost everyone has their "own" Jesus. Whether we're religious or secular, whatever we regard our relationship with Jesus to entail, we all have a mental construct of who Jesus was or is, that may or may not bear any resemblance to Rice's Jesus, or to the historical Jesus of Nazareth. It's fascinating when all those "Jesus's"--hers, yours, the Jesus of the New Testament, the Jesus of history--interact.
January 8, 2020
I loved this touching portrayal of Jesus as a seven-year old boy! While living with His parents and extended family as they rebuild their lives upon returning to Nazareth from Egypt, Jesus is at an age where He begins to notice and question confusing comments and events occurring around Him. One could believe how overwhelmed He must have felt when details of His birth and subsequent flight to Egypt were revealed to Him. The "Author's Note" is extremely enlightening in regards to Anne Rice's decision to write such a book, and I appreciate her extensive research. I highly recommend this book!
September 5, 2007
Why is it that the first-person books set in ancient times invariably have a hyper-simple, naive narrative style? This is supposed to be Jesus telling his own story, not as a child but as a man (there are some nods to "when I was a child, I spoke as a child" in the narrative, just in case you didn't catch on that this is JESUS THE CHRIST narrating, even though I believe it was Paul who was supposed to have written those words), and I'm just not buying that Jesus was Forrest Gump with a better copy editor. Many people say it's written in the voice of a seven-year-old, but the narrator at one point actually writes something like, "But I was a child then and there were many things I didn't understand." Rice depicts him as having received a good education in Greek, educated in the literary tradition of Old Testament, so if you take that along with the stories Jesus tells in the Gospels, there's no reason to think his narrative style would not be more complex, perhaps even lyrical.
But, no, it's the same narrative voice as I've found in C.S. Lewis's Till We Have Faces (one of my favorite books, mind) or Martha Rofeheart's first-person novels about Cleopatra and Sappho or The Red Tent. It's the "I am a person in the ancient world. Even though I am an educated and worldly Queen or a celebrated poet or the Messiah, I am a simple person because you see, I live in the ancient world" voice.
And in this simple voice, Jesus tells you about his childhood, about his need to know who he is and why. This is the most enjoyable part about the book, the struggle of a little boy who knows that there is something different about him. I only regret that Jesus the boy is a bit too serious. We get to see so much of serious Jesus in the Bible, and I wish Rice had chosen to show parts of his personality that might have been neglected. However, she chooses to take up the story just as Jesus decides he won't have fun and play like other children, which makes him nearly the same as the Jesus of the Bible, just smaller and not yet filled in on the details of his birth and parentage. You want to give the kid a ball and tell him to have some fun. Sure, you're the Messiah, but you don't need to worry about that just yet.
The historical details are interesting and seem well-researched. Some of that research really wants you to know it was there because you see, you really ought to be clear on the fact that there were many languages spoken in Jerusalem in the early first century. Even Latin! Did I mention that there were many languages spoken in Jerusalem in the early first century? Even Latin? Oh, and Mary is so innocent, like a child! Very innocent. Because she's a virgin, you know. Innocent, just like a child.
I found Anne Rice's author's note annoying. She writes against New Testament scholars who "hate Jesus Christ" and offer faulty arguments against him and yet doesn't mention who these scholars are and in what way their arguments are "based on assumptions." (If it's the assumption that perhaps Jesus was not the Son of God, I think that's a fine assumption for an academic to make in doing research.) And all the personal stuff about her return to Christianity made the book seem so damned earnest that I just couldn't even enjoy it as a story.
But, no, it's the same narrative voice as I've found in C.S. Lewis's Till We Have Faces (one of my favorite books, mind) or Martha Rofeheart's first-person novels about Cleopatra and Sappho or The Red Tent. It's the "I am a person in the ancient world. Even though I am an educated and worldly Queen or a celebrated poet or the Messiah, I am a simple person because you see, I live in the ancient world" voice.
And in this simple voice, Jesus tells you about his childhood, about his need to know who he is and why. This is the most enjoyable part about the book, the struggle of a little boy who knows that there is something different about him. I only regret that Jesus the boy is a bit too serious. We get to see so much of serious Jesus in the Bible, and I wish Rice had chosen to show parts of his personality that might have been neglected. However, she chooses to take up the story just as Jesus decides he won't have fun and play like other children, which makes him nearly the same as the Jesus of the Bible, just smaller and not yet filled in on the details of his birth and parentage. You want to give the kid a ball and tell him to have some fun. Sure, you're the Messiah, but you don't need to worry about that just yet.
The historical details are interesting and seem well-researched. Some of that research really wants you to know it was there because you see, you really ought to be clear on the fact that there were many languages spoken in Jerusalem in the early first century. Even Latin! Did I mention that there were many languages spoken in Jerusalem in the early first century? Even Latin? Oh, and Mary is so innocent, like a child! Very innocent. Because she's a virgin, you know. Innocent, just like a child.
I found Anne Rice's author's note annoying. She writes against New Testament scholars who "hate Jesus Christ" and offer faulty arguments against him and yet doesn't mention who these scholars are and in what way their arguments are "based on assumptions." (If it's the assumption that perhaps Jesus was not the Son of God, I think that's a fine assumption for an academic to make in doing research.) And all the personal stuff about her return to Christianity made the book seem so damned earnest that I just couldn't even enjoy it as a story.
March 5, 2008
I expected controversy from Anne Rice, but I have to say that she handled the subject of Jesus' boyhood with dignity and reverence. The idea of his learning and growing was plausibly put. I especially liked the descriptions of the lighthouse at Alexandria and the riots at the Great Temple in Jerusalem. It was a well researched account of Jewish life. I liked okay, but I liked it more after I read the author's notes at the end depicting briefly her coming back to the (Catholic) church and God and Christ after many years of atheism. She seems really sincere in her dedication to give her life and her art over to Him.
May 24, 2007
This book sucked. Sorry. I tried to like it. It's nothing like the passionate beauty that I read Anne Rice for. She converted back to Catholicism after her husband died, and she's trying to "repent" for all the things she's been writing all these years. I think that's a shame on many levels.
Why, Anne Rice, why? You used to be so fantastic. This book is nothing like her. I felt kind of betrayed by it. The prose is short, terse, sparse. The head of Christ is far less compelling than Lestat or Marius ever was. You were so good at what you did, Ms. Rice. I wish you'd remember that.
Why, Anne Rice, why? You used to be so fantastic. This book is nothing like her. I felt kind of betrayed by it. The prose is short, terse, sparse. The head of Christ is far less compelling than Lestat or Marius ever was. You were so good at what you did, Ms. Rice. I wish you'd remember that.
November 4, 2021
This story of the early years of Jesus lacks the passion and the true presence of Jesus. It is written with a very simple prose.
April 15, 2010
I ADORED THIS BOOK! AND I AM NOT CHRISTIAN!!!
sorry but I felt those disclaimers needed highlighting before I begin ranting about this book. I couldn't put it down.. I was so absorbed by it I walked into a dozen crosswalks,thankfully only getting hit once, and it was gently. READ THIS BOOK!
sorry but I felt those disclaimers needed highlighting before I begin ranting about this book. I couldn't put it down.. I was so absorbed by it I walked into a dozen crosswalks,thankfully only getting hit once, and it was gently. READ THIS BOOK!
October 9, 2010
Ten best-selling books included in her The Vampire Chronicles (1976-2003). Three erotic books about Sleeping Beauty (1983-1985). A dozen of other gothic works most of them landing in New York Times Bestsellers lists. Then her atheist husband for 41 years died from brain tumor in 2002. Before he died, he married her at a Catholic Church as she was a devout Catholic before their marriage. The death shook her up. For two years, she devoted her time reading the Holy Gospel and all its historical references. Night and day. The end product: Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt (first published in 2005).
With this book, Anne Rice (born in 1941 as Howard Allen O'Brien) tried to fill in the gap in Jesus life as a child. We all know about His birth in Bethlehem and His family's escape to Egypt. Then the long gap. _____??????_________ Before He resurfaced, this time in a temple as a young man worrying his parents of His whereabout uttering the words to his mum, Mary: "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"
Yes, that gap. Anne Rice filled it in beautifully with her well-researched story peppered with attention to details. The setting. The chronology of events. The human characters in contrast to Jesus as innocent child-God. The words she used like "our daily bread" referring to the freshly baked bread that is a staple during Jesus time. They are all so logical that, if not because Anne Rice is using contemporary English and her name is not prefix with "St.", you would have thought that she suddenly became a Bible-writing prophet trying to atone her grave sins of propagating false stories about vampires and turning Sleeping Beauty into a masochist sex object.
My only comment is that it would have been more fun if the 7-y/o Jesus was given more chance to be a real boy. The only toy he had was a clay bird that he turned into a real one. There are other innocent miracles like when He wished His playmate be dead and when He was accosted, He resurrected him like how He raised up Lazarus. He wished there was snow and snow fell down from sky. Eleven year old James, his half-brother, thought "why not wish for gold bars to fall down from heaven?" Fortunately, Anne Rice did not think it would be a good idea.
The selling part of this novel? It is the eagerness of boy Jesus to know who He was. The appearance of an angel to His mother. His foster father's dream of another angel telling him to flee to Egypt. The shock and grief the boy Jesus felt when Mary told Him about the massacre of 200 babies after His birth. All carefully worded and realistically depicted without being preachy and going overboard.
Simply beautiful.
My next soon-to-read books will of course include the sequel: Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana (first published in 2008). Thanks, Sherish.
With this book, Anne Rice (born in 1941 as Howard Allen O'Brien) tried to fill in the gap in Jesus life as a child. We all know about His birth in Bethlehem and His family's escape to Egypt. Then the long gap. _____??????_________ Before He resurfaced, this time in a temple as a young man worrying his parents of His whereabout uttering the words to his mum, Mary: "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"
Yes, that gap. Anne Rice filled it in beautifully with her well-researched story peppered with attention to details. The setting. The chronology of events. The human characters in contrast to Jesus as innocent child-God. The words she used like "our daily bread" referring to the freshly baked bread that is a staple during Jesus time. They are all so logical that, if not because Anne Rice is using contemporary English and her name is not prefix with "St.", you would have thought that she suddenly became a Bible-writing prophet trying to atone her grave sins of propagating false stories about vampires and turning Sleeping Beauty into a masochist sex object.
My only comment is that it would have been more fun if the 7-y/o Jesus was given more chance to be a real boy. The only toy he had was a clay bird that he turned into a real one. There are other innocent miracles like when He wished His playmate be dead and when He was accosted, He resurrected him like how He raised up Lazarus. He wished there was snow and snow fell down from sky. Eleven year old James, his half-brother, thought "why not wish for gold bars to fall down from heaven?" Fortunately, Anne Rice did not think it would be a good idea.
The selling part of this novel? It is the eagerness of boy Jesus to know who He was. The appearance of an angel to His mother. His foster father's dream of another angel telling him to flee to Egypt. The shock and grief the boy Jesus felt when Mary told Him about the massacre of 200 babies after His birth. All carefully worded and realistically depicted without being preachy and going overboard.
Simply beautiful.
My next soon-to-read books will of course include the sequel: Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana (first published in 2008). Thanks, Sherish.
March 2, 2008
What do you do when you're told there are things you're not supposed to ask about, and you have to know about them? You wonder, and keep an eye open for someone to drop a hint they didn't mean to drop, or did. What do you do when you're confronted with what your family and nation have been anticipating for years and generations and centuries and forever? If you believe in angels, what do you do when an angel comes to you? Anne Rice takes up these questions in looking at the childhood of Jesus in Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt. Maybe this was something we weren't supposed to wonder about, but if God didn't want us to wonder about it, He wouldn't have given us a heart and an imagination. Anne Rice does an excellent job of painting a believable picture of that time. You can imagine things that Jesus was thinking when he said certain things in the Gospels, by reading this book. The author's note at the end of the book, showing the historical sources used by Rice, is particularly helpful. The Jesus in this book is a Jesus who is touched with the feelings of our infirmities.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2007
I realise that authors go through many stages of their careers, exploring different facets of their personality, trying different roles.
I am a great fan of Anne's work. I have attended dozens of her events in New Orleans, and own numerous signed copies and first editions. I love (with the exception of Queen of the Damned) the Vampire Chronicles, I enjoyed The Witching Hour, I owned the Beauty Triology when you still had to ask for it quietly in kink shops on the lower East side. I had read the historical novels when few people knew she'd even written them. I forgave her for selling the title of Exit to Eden to that debacle of a film. And I understood that she became deeply ill with diabetes, had lost a daughter, and then lost her husband Stan. I suppose such things could turn any renegade Catholic back to the Church.
I don't know how I would have felt about this book if it had been written by anyone in the WORLD other than Anne Rice. I have read other religious and antireligious works... I believe "The Red Tent" was one of the best books I read the year it was released. I have nothing inherently against fictionalized accounts, I've seen JCS, Godspell and Joseph so many times I sing them in my sleep (some folks dream of the wonders they'll do...)
However, over the many years I have read Anne's work, I have come to expect a certain kind of character, and a certain kind of book. Not even necessarily horror, the original scene aside books like "Cry to Heaven" are not horror novels. But I have come to look for the sort of sweeping tale Anne has given us for years. This was not it. This book creeps well into the range of what I would consider to be "oppressively preachy." While alienating her HUGE fan base with a book so off-the-charts Christian, I doubt Anne was able to approach the audience who would have enjoyed this book-- Bible Belt readers, most likely-- since she would have hopelessly alienated them by the time Belinda was released. I still own my copy because it completes my collection, but unless I encounter G-d on the road to Damascus, I do not anticipate being able to finish it. I am just completely unable to reconcile the authoress I have read passionately for two decades with this work.
I recommended this book to "The Pope" in my review, because I assume one of the only reasons she would write such a completely out-of-character novel is to "make amends" with the Church for her earlier sexually-charged works, so she might as well get credit for it upstairs.
I am a great fan of Anne's work. I have attended dozens of her events in New Orleans, and own numerous signed copies and first editions. I love (with the exception of Queen of the Damned) the Vampire Chronicles, I enjoyed The Witching Hour, I owned the Beauty Triology when you still had to ask for it quietly in kink shops on the lower East side. I had read the historical novels when few people knew she'd even written them. I forgave her for selling the title of Exit to Eden to that debacle of a film. And I understood that she became deeply ill with diabetes, had lost a daughter, and then lost her husband Stan. I suppose such things could turn any renegade Catholic back to the Church.
I don't know how I would have felt about this book if it had been written by anyone in the WORLD other than Anne Rice. I have read other religious and antireligious works... I believe "The Red Tent" was one of the best books I read the year it was released. I have nothing inherently against fictionalized accounts, I've seen JCS, Godspell and Joseph so many times I sing them in my sleep (some folks dream of the wonders they'll do...)
However, over the many years I have read Anne's work, I have come to expect a certain kind of character, and a certain kind of book. Not even necessarily horror, the original scene aside books like "Cry to Heaven" are not horror novels. But I have come to look for the sort of sweeping tale Anne has given us for years. This was not it. This book creeps well into the range of what I would consider to be "oppressively preachy." While alienating her HUGE fan base with a book so off-the-charts Christian, I doubt Anne was able to approach the audience who would have enjoyed this book-- Bible Belt readers, most likely-- since she would have hopelessly alienated them by the time Belinda was released. I still own my copy because it completes my collection, but unless I encounter G-d on the road to Damascus, I do not anticipate being able to finish it. I am just completely unable to reconcile the authoress I have read passionately for two decades with this work.
I recommended this book to "The Pope" in my review, because I assume one of the only reasons she would write such a completely out-of-character novel is to "make amends" with the Church for her earlier sexually-charged works, so she might as well get credit for it upstairs.
January 23, 2008
I enjoyed this book and learned a lot from it! I've never read Anne Rice, and from the paragraph or two I've glanced at of other books, I wouldn't recommend them. But this one, while it has some serious drawbacks, also has some great strengths.
It's always risky to attempt to portray Jesus, let alone in a first-person narrative. I think Anne Rice does this surprisingly well, although I think the inner life of Jesus would actually be much richer and fairly different than she portrays. In this sense, the book is a little dangerous, because it paints the most advanced inner spiritual life in a way which I don't think is actually very advanced or nuanced. She also makes a few choices to include incidents from apocryphal accounts of the life of the young Jesus which are almost certainly not historical, and in my mind very doubtful--even troubling (for example, *spoiler alert--from the first chapters*--killing another child).
That being said, I can't imagine a better way to understand the social, political, religious, and day-to-day realities of the life Jesus lived as a child. This book offers invaluable insights to anyone who wants to understand the cultural context of the New Testament, especially the Gospels. If you can read it just for the sake of entering the historical-political-social world of 1st century Palestine (and Egypt), I think you'll gain a treasure-trove to help with interpreting and understanding the Gospels.
It's always risky to attempt to portray Jesus, let alone in a first-person narrative. I think Anne Rice does this surprisingly well, although I think the inner life of Jesus would actually be much richer and fairly different than she portrays. In this sense, the book is a little dangerous, because it paints the most advanced inner spiritual life in a way which I don't think is actually very advanced or nuanced. She also makes a few choices to include incidents from apocryphal accounts of the life of the young Jesus which are almost certainly not historical, and in my mind very doubtful--even troubling (for example, *spoiler alert--from the first chapters*--killing another child).
That being said, I can't imagine a better way to understand the social, political, religious, and day-to-day realities of the life Jesus lived as a child. This book offers invaluable insights to anyone who wants to understand the cultural context of the New Testament, especially the Gospels. If you can read it just for the sake of entering the historical-political-social world of 1st century Palestine (and Egypt), I think you'll gain a treasure-trove to help with interpreting and understanding the Gospels.
August 9, 2007
I can only remember reading one Anne Rice novel before and I know I liked it - I think it was the one about the Mayfair Witches.
This book is definitely a far cry from that. Rice is now a born-again Catholic and has written an interesting novel from the perspective of Jesus as a 7 year old boy. The language and style of prose is so spare, that sometimes I wanted more from it. Not as much as George Eliot or Tolkien would give - but not as spartan as Ernest Hemingway either! Anyway, that being said, I thought the biggest strength of the book was the relationships between Jesus and his older brother James (which kind of broke my heart at times, and the climax of that plot line was well executed) and the general relationship between Jesus and his parents, especially Mary. Her wrestling with the nativity story and how/when to tell Jesus about the events surrounding his birth, and her desire to protect him from knowing too much at too young an age, was very well done and gave me a greater appreciation for her unique role in the story of salvation.
I gave it three stars, only because I prefer to read prose that is somewhat more lush.
This book is definitely a far cry from that. Rice is now a born-again Catholic and has written an interesting novel from the perspective of Jesus as a 7 year old boy. The language and style of prose is so spare, that sometimes I wanted more from it. Not as much as George Eliot or Tolkien would give - but not as spartan as Ernest Hemingway either! Anyway, that being said, I thought the biggest strength of the book was the relationships between Jesus and his older brother James (which kind of broke my heart at times, and the climax of that plot line was well executed) and the general relationship between Jesus and his parents, especially Mary. Her wrestling with the nativity story and how/when to tell Jesus about the events surrounding his birth, and her desire to protect him from knowing too much at too young an age, was very well done and gave me a greater appreciation for her unique role in the story of salvation.
I gave it three stars, only because I prefer to read prose that is somewhat more lush.
December 9, 2007
This is the only Anne Rice book I've ever read. I've tried reading others but they didn't hold my interest -- so I'm open to suggestions about that. Anne Rice is definitely an interesting person with an uncommon point of view but I tried not to think about that while reading this book because the book itself is pretty amazing. I don't see this as a religious book at all just because millions of people consider the main character to be their saviour. There are a lot of other characters in a lot of other novels I consider to be my saviours in one way or another.
I'm a sucker for stories about a child growing up and discovering his specialness and gifts which is what this book is about. This book is so beautifully written that it turns a common story into something poetic and universal.
Also, my Christian childhood might have something to do with why I love it so much too. I appreciate all the details and research that went into creating the time and place and the making characters with sympahtetic attitudes and situations.
I'm a sucker for stories about a child growing up and discovering his specialness and gifts which is what this book is about. This book is so beautifully written that it turns a common story into something poetic and universal.
Also, my Christian childhood might have something to do with why I love it so much too. I appreciate all the details and research that went into creating the time and place and the making characters with sympahtetic attitudes and situations.
April 10, 2018
2018 Book for all Seasons Challenge: spring equinox
Rice traces the steps in the life of Jesus at the age of seven for a year from one Passover to the next. We start in Egypt and meet Jesus' entire family and his tutors. He can speak Greek as well as Hebrew and has basic painting and carpentry skills. He's very sensitive and loves his mother very much. But he knows he's different. I mean, no one else can bring his friends back from the dead, can they?
He witnesses serious carnage at the great temple-the Romans against the Jews when the family moved back to Nazareth. And he keeps asking everyone, "what happened in Bethlehem?" No one wants to tell him.
This was a refreshing perspective. Jesus was very human and very much a little boy. He cries, he laughs, he hugs, he learns.
This almost sounds like the beginning of a case study and I suppose it could be. It's the study of a special little boy who grows up to be the greatest man.
Rice traces the steps in the life of Jesus at the age of seven for a year from one Passover to the next. We start in Egypt and meet Jesus' entire family and his tutors. He can speak Greek as well as Hebrew and has basic painting and carpentry skills. He's very sensitive and loves his mother very much. But he knows he's different. I mean, no one else can bring his friends back from the dead, can they?
He witnesses serious carnage at the great temple-the Romans against the Jews when the family moved back to Nazareth. And he keeps asking everyone, "what happened in Bethlehem?" No one wants to tell him.
This was a refreshing perspective. Jesus was very human and very much a little boy. He cries, he laughs, he hugs, he learns.
This almost sounds like the beginning of a case study and I suppose it could be. It's the study of a special little boy who grows up to be the greatest man.
October 11, 2022
Reimagining the day-to-day life of Christ? Now that is interesting. Especially from the author who I have ever associated with vampires, and all things vampirical. How did that day go? Instead of waking up ready to bring vampires to life, the author has an entirely different day planned. And, I'm glad she did.
I think about Christ's life, especially the actual day-t0-day bits, often - more in my youth than now, but it still happens. So when I come across a book that attempts it, or the life of other family members - Mary, Joseph, the donkey, etc - I'm pretty much in. Even if it turns out to be rather lackluster, I'm still game.
This was not lackluster - but. . . .there were a few things that were off for me. I'm still thinking about it. Aspects that felt more near the bullseye, were the more distant characters - the uncles, aunts, cousins - extended family. They felt rather genuine. Can you imagine, having the Son of God as a cousin? Yeah. Pain in the neck, even if He's awesome. Would totally throw the family dynamic off. Joseph? While he felt rather stand-offish, I thought he worked that way - it would have been a very difficult role.
Mary and Jesus were the ones that didn't quite fit. I kept my disbelief tied high up in the tree, wrapped three times - hard, but I couldn't see Mary holding back any information - she's his contact, his point person, the keeper of all the big secrets. Still when He's asking for info, whether he's 1 or 8 or 12, 19 or 29, I'm pretty sure she was telling him what for. Just think about the wine at Cana. She pointed, he jumped, nicely, but with alacrity. She had answers, and he made sure she was taken care of after he was done. As for his character. . .his connection and knowledge surely was less delivered by humans than it was by those angels standing by, the ones silent notes taking, sliding in for an encouraging whisper now and again. Just minor niggles for me. . .
I'm off for the sequel. It will be a more difficult read, I'm sure, but I'm grateful the author took a break from vampires and wrote these two books, to remind me (us) of the ways stories affect our faith traditions.
I think about Christ's life, especially the actual day-t0-day bits, often - more in my youth than now, but it still happens. So when I come across a book that attempts it, or the life of other family members - Mary, Joseph, the donkey, etc - I'm pretty much in. Even if it turns out to be rather lackluster, I'm still game.
This was not lackluster - but. . . .there were a few things that were off for me. I'm still thinking about it. Aspects that felt more near the bullseye, were the more distant characters - the uncles, aunts, cousins - extended family. They felt rather genuine. Can you imagine, having the Son of God as a cousin? Yeah. Pain in the neck, even if He's awesome. Would totally throw the family dynamic off. Joseph? While he felt rather stand-offish, I thought he worked that way - it would have been a very difficult role.
Mary and Jesus were the ones that didn't quite fit. I kept my disbelief tied high up in the tree, wrapped three times - hard, but I couldn't see Mary holding back any information - she's his contact, his point person, the keeper of all the big secrets. Still when He's asking for info, whether he's 1 or 8 or 12, 19 or 29, I'm pretty sure she was telling him what for. Just think about the wine at Cana. She pointed, he jumped, nicely, but with alacrity. She had answers, and he made sure she was taken care of after he was done. As for his character. . .his connection and knowledge surely was less delivered by humans than it was by those angels standing by, the ones silent notes taking, sliding in for an encouraging whisper now and again. Just minor niggles for me. . .
I'm off for the sequel. It will be a more difficult read, I'm sure, but I'm grateful the author took a break from vampires and wrote these two books, to remind me (us) of the ways stories affect our faith traditions.
March 17, 2014
I would have to go a solid 2.5 on this. It was ok, not a difficult read and it didn't bore me, but it was just... not much there. My main issue was that the text started to read like the Bible - this person's related to this person who's related to that person who begot this person, and I sort of started tuning all that out. My other critique is that not much happens - this short period of time, while Jesus is 7, there were a few engaging moments there that had me at rapt attention, but then there were others - the walking to the next town and the next town, that really didn't keep me interested. I read the author's note at the end of the book and while I appreciate the amount of research put in, I felt that Rice could have done more - more description - paint the picture for me what the land looks like, feels like, etc. I felt the narrative was clipped and undeveloped. That might be for the mere reason that Jesus is only 7, but it felt too short, not enough development of the land, the people, etc. I grew up Christian and went to Christian schools K-12, so I have a lot of knowledge on Christianity both from that and person research and I totally agreed with Rice's author notes on how there are so many critics who attack Jesus and don't focus on the history. My only issue was that from Jesus's perspective, it didn't really explain fully what was happening around him at this time. It seemed kind of vague. I will likely read the next book though because I think that perhaps it will contain more. Not a bad book, like I said, but felt it could have been so much more.
March 16, 2008
My reaction to this book can be summed up with the expression "meh." I picked it up for 50 cents at a garage sale; I had heard about it and was intrigued, having read some of Anne Rice's vampire books. I can tell that she did amazing in-depth research to write this, and she really brings alive the lifestyle, customs, and culture of Jews in Nazareth and Jerusalem at the time, which was interesting--so many Christians forget how devout a Jew Jesus was. But I don't know... something about the narrator's (Jesus's) voice bothered me. I can't quite describe it, but I found myself bored with the character. Perhaps it was the result of trying to write a story from a 7-year-old's point of view, but it seemed terribly simplistic and repetitive. Another thing to note is that Rice is a devout Catholic, and her interpretation of elements such as Mary's personality and the nature of her marriage are very much informed by this. At any rate, I don't regret reading it, but I'll be passing the book on to someone else.
July 3, 2021
As a life-long church goer and a Sunday School teacher, I'm surprised to say that this book helped me grow up a little more. Yes, I'm middle-aged and fully grown physically, but the realization of the harsh environment and how it must have been for Jesus as a child...well, it woke me up, again, to the significance of his sacrifice.
I also am very challenged by the Author's note--I am shamed by how much she read and how little I have, really, despite reading a book at all times. I haven't read by far most of those books. Tomorrow, that changes.
I also am very challenged by the Author's note--I am shamed by how much she read and how little I have, really, despite reading a book at all times. I haven't read by far most of those books. Tomorrow, that changes.
January 19, 2011
I'm trying to be fair; this really isn't my kind of book. It's highly speculative and it's fiction. Then I'm reminded of the book I just published about Revelation; it, too, is fiction (well, 1/3 of it is fiction) and it, too, will surely be considered highly speculative by many. I'd like to think, however, that my book is grounded in more solid research than Rice's; mine is, after all, hailed by other scholars as historically plausible.
Given, then, that we are discussing a purely fictional account of Jesus' years as a child, my review must be based upon whether or not the story held my interest. It did for a time; Anne Rice is a good writer. But I have a quest to learn (I seldom read fiction), and I really felt I was learning very little, so I nearly didn't finish the book.
I think readers who do not have a background in early Christian literature will be at a disadvantage. For example, in the story, the child Jesus sculpts a bird out of clay, then gives it life and it flies away. Um, really? But scholars will recognize the story from the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, which Rice latches onto and includes in her book, caring not that no historian of this gnostic gospel considers it to be true. The story is pure mythology, and not even Biblical myth.
Who, then, is the audience for this book? Not fundamentalist Christians, who will take offense at this portrayal of the Christ child. It isn't "biblical." Not historians, who will be unable to take it seriously. If Anne Rice is celebrating her return to Christianity with this series (the book is the first of a promised series) then it's an odd way to start out, wouldn't you think?
The answer, of course, is that Rice is writing mythology after the manner of Gospels; she collects stories, builds a personality for Christ as a youngster, then puts it all together in much the same way as Gospel writers did 2,000 years ago...honoring Christ not in fact, but in storytelling. And that's why I'm writing this review today, 5 days before Christmas. Today, as I drive down the streets of Minneapolis, I see manger scenes; scenes I know to be mythic, but beautiful and inspiring none-the-less. We have taken two contradictory Gospel renditions of Jesus' birth (Matthew and Luke), spliced them together, added some nice touches, and created an idyllic Christmas picture. In the same spirit of honoring Christ in myth, we can enjoy Anne Rice's fictive "gospel", and even give it ... well, three stars, at least.
Given, then, that we are discussing a purely fictional account of Jesus' years as a child, my review must be based upon whether or not the story held my interest. It did for a time; Anne Rice is a good writer. But I have a quest to learn (I seldom read fiction), and I really felt I was learning very little, so I nearly didn't finish the book.
I think readers who do not have a background in early Christian literature will be at a disadvantage. For example, in the story, the child Jesus sculpts a bird out of clay, then gives it life and it flies away. Um, really? But scholars will recognize the story from the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, which Rice latches onto and includes in her book, caring not that no historian of this gnostic gospel considers it to be true. The story is pure mythology, and not even Biblical myth.
Who, then, is the audience for this book? Not fundamentalist Christians, who will take offense at this portrayal of the Christ child. It isn't "biblical." Not historians, who will be unable to take it seriously. If Anne Rice is celebrating her return to Christianity with this series (the book is the first of a promised series) then it's an odd way to start out, wouldn't you think?
The answer, of course, is that Rice is writing mythology after the manner of Gospels; she collects stories, builds a personality for Christ as a youngster, then puts it all together in much the same way as Gospel writers did 2,000 years ago...honoring Christ not in fact, but in storytelling. And that's why I'm writing this review today, 5 days before Christmas. Today, as I drive down the streets of Minneapolis, I see manger scenes; scenes I know to be mythic, but beautiful and inspiring none-the-less. We have taken two contradictory Gospel renditions of Jesus' birth (Matthew and Luke), spliced them together, added some nice touches, and created an idyllic Christmas picture. In the same spirit of honoring Christ in myth, we can enjoy Anne Rice's fictive "gospel", and even give it ... well, three stars, at least.
April 27, 2009
Fascinating exploration of the childhood of Jesus. Of course, it is not "true," nor is it Biblical. But it is not a book about vampires either. This is Anne Rice following her adult return to the faith of her childhood. The level of historical research that went into this engaging novel is obvious. The insights based on the history of Israel and Egypt at the time are valuable. But the best thing is the first-person narration from a very charming boy Jesus, trying to figure out who he is and why his parents won't tell him what happened in Bethlehem after his birth. He is a bright and likable child, something like the narrator of To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout Finch, although this six-year-old Jesus is at the same time, both younger and more 'poised.'
I enjoyed this book and would only caution non-Catholic readers: the book enlarges on one or two Catholic doctrines, Jesus has older half-brothers (from a deceased first wife of Joseph), and no younger siblings because Mary is to remain a perpetual virgin (although this is not stated in the book per se). I find the doctrine neither Biblically accurate nor theologically sound. There is no scriptural basis for these church traditions. That said, they play a minimal role in the book and can be easily overlooked.
I enjoyed this book and would only caution non-Catholic readers: the book enlarges on one or two Catholic doctrines, Jesus has older half-brothers (from a deceased first wife of Joseph), and no younger siblings because Mary is to remain a perpetual virgin (although this is not stated in the book per se). I find the doctrine neither Biblically accurate nor theologically sound. There is no scriptural basis for these church traditions. That said, they play a minimal role in the book and can be easily overlooked.
July 23, 2011
If only an angel had appeared to me and warned me of this book. I understand that "Christ the Lord" is narrated by the child Jesus, but this book is so simple I felt like I was reading a children's book. The pace is so slow it felt like I was wandering the desert for forty days.
It is a shame Rice devoted an entire book to something that could have been covered in a chapter or two. Her attention to mundane details were tiresome, not revealing. The great miracle here is not within the pages. It is the miracle that I managed to finish reading this snooze fest.
My disappointment in this book struck me as a slap in the face. I have always enjoyed Rice's books. I would like to see how she deals with Christ as a teen and young adult, then as a man. Perhaps I should turn the other cheek and forgive the sins of the first book and read her next installment.
After all, I still have faith in Rice's ability as a writer.
It is a shame Rice devoted an entire book to something that could have been covered in a chapter or two. Her attention to mundane details were tiresome, not revealing. The great miracle here is not within the pages. It is the miracle that I managed to finish reading this snooze fest.
My disappointment in this book struck me as a slap in the face. I have always enjoyed Rice's books. I would like to see how she deals with Christ as a teen and young adult, then as a man. Perhaps I should turn the other cheek and forgive the sins of the first book and read her next installment.
After all, I still have faith in Rice's ability as a writer.
January 7, 2024
Not my favorite Anne Rice, but I read it so she could sign it! It was a lovely story, because she writes brilliantly and beautifully!! I need to add nearly all her other books here in Goodreads, if only to reflect my sincere fandom from back in the day before Goodreads came into my life.😘
October 25, 2007
I was so excited to read this book because this is the one Ann Rice wrote as a Christian. I love her vampire novels, of course, and I have always been a fan. So to hear that she had some kind of dramatic conversion and had written a book about Jesus made me drool. So, I finally started to read it last night. The book jacket says that "Christ the Lord is based on the gospels and on the most repected New Testament scholarship." With heart pounding I began to read (insert sound of a defalting ballon here). Ok, it was really interesting and well written, engaging. However, the book is based less on the gospels thus far and more on the gnostic gospels. So we have a childhood Jesus killing bullies with a word and making clay birds come to life. Any NT scholar worth his salt will tell you the gnostic gospels have little to do with the cannonical gospels. Having been written one to three centuries after the death of Jesus, mostly written in Coptic, in Egypt - an era, a language, a culture, a world away from the original source of the gospel stories. THat is the eyewitness accounts of his life and death and ressurection. Why are people so fascinated with the gnostic accounts? I hope her conversion is real,I suspect it is. SHe treats the material with the love of the faithful despite it's gnostic narrative.
May 28, 2021
A very interesting story of life of Christ, as told from his eight- year-old perspective.
August 5, 2008
This is the first of Ann Rice's books I have read. It is also the first of her books written since her return to her childhood Catholic faith following years of doubt. She has a beautiful writers voice, that makes one feel as though one is there with young Jesus and his family. She paints the biblical scenery eloquently evoking the senses. She did a great amount of research to create an accurate history and included some material from the legends about Christ's childhood. *See the following interviews:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3N9vg...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzeHQQ...
I learned so much from reading this book. It opened up to me a great deal about the humanity of our Lord and how he truly felt much of what we feel. Rice has the Christ child gradually learn stories of his miraculous birth and the historical circumstances of it all. She has him grapple with the understanding of it. I now more clearly can picture Christ's childhood world. I can see he was indeed a Jewish boy taught by his parents, extended family and the local Rabbis, as any other Jewish boy. She gives such beautifully detailed descriptions of the temple in Jerusalem; the smells of the candles, the blood of the sacrifices, the sights of the priests with blood on their tunics moving about doing what they do, and the description of the beauty of the temple with its intricate decor. I even enjoyed the descriptions of the daily life, with the women weaving, cooking lentil dishes and "pottage." I enjoyed also finding out the kind of carpentry that Joseph and his family did, not only the description of the furniture , but the description of the homes as well.
I learned of the women who wove the temple curtain twice a year. Apparently they were young virgins, living holy lives who did this and the story depicts Mary as doing this as a young girl.
Overall it was a wonderful book, and I look forward to reading the sequel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3N9vg...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzeHQQ...
I learned so much from reading this book. It opened up to me a great deal about the humanity of our Lord and how he truly felt much of what we feel. Rice has the Christ child gradually learn stories of his miraculous birth and the historical circumstances of it all. She has him grapple with the understanding of it. I now more clearly can picture Christ's childhood world. I can see he was indeed a Jewish boy taught by his parents, extended family and the local Rabbis, as any other Jewish boy. She gives such beautifully detailed descriptions of the temple in Jerusalem; the smells of the candles, the blood of the sacrifices, the sights of the priests with blood on their tunics moving about doing what they do, and the description of the beauty of the temple with its intricate decor. I even enjoyed the descriptions of the daily life, with the women weaving, cooking lentil dishes and "pottage." I enjoyed also finding out the kind of carpentry that Joseph and his family did, not only the description of the furniture , but the description of the homes as well.
I learned of the women who wove the temple curtain twice a year. Apparently they were young virgins, living holy lives who did this and the story depicts Mary as doing this as a young girl.
Overall it was a wonderful book, and I look forward to reading the sequel.
March 9, 2008
I have been an Anne Rice fan for years, especially the Vampire Chronicles. My favorite of that series, Memnoch The Devil, completely opened my eyes to the realization of the truth in every side of the story, and every story having infinite sides. It was the story of the Beginning, good and evil, god and the devil, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Told from Memnoch himself to Lestat, beloved vampire.
So it was with great surprise and interest that I discovered that Anne Rice has taken the burden on herself to tell the tale of the Christ Child; the story of Jesus himself, as a boy, living in Egypt and returning to Nazareth, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem.
I liked the story. Her character of Yeshua ( the Aramaic-native-version of the name Jesus ) was likable and real, and very much what I imagined him to be as a child reading stories in Sunday school. However, Sunday school, nor the Bible itself, never really described Jesus' life as a child; other than a scarce few notable events ( one of which this story is about) the Bible does not attempt to tell the story of The Christ Child at all, which leaves the imagination to fill in the details. Once again, Anne Rice has done that exquisitely.
I only rated it 3 stars because the story is still empty, still unfulfilled. I hear she is working on at least 2 more novels for this series, hopefully they will fill in the missing pieces to an otherwise rich, historical novel. And I look forward to one more story for the Vampire Chronicles, which I hear is in the works as well!
So it was with great surprise and interest that I discovered that Anne Rice has taken the burden on herself to tell the tale of the Christ Child; the story of Jesus himself, as a boy, living in Egypt and returning to Nazareth, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem.
I liked the story. Her character of Yeshua ( the Aramaic-native-version of the name Jesus ) was likable and real, and very much what I imagined him to be as a child reading stories in Sunday school. However, Sunday school, nor the Bible itself, never really described Jesus' life as a child; other than a scarce few notable events ( one of which this story is about) the Bible does not attempt to tell the story of The Christ Child at all, which leaves the imagination to fill in the details. Once again, Anne Rice has done that exquisitely.
I only rated it 3 stars because the story is still empty, still unfulfilled. I hear she is working on at least 2 more novels for this series, hopefully they will fill in the missing pieces to an otherwise rich, historical novel. And I look forward to one more story for the Vampire Chronicles, which I hear is in the works as well!
January 26, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book on the life of the young Christ. It is very well based on events in the Bible but there are additions, such as stories that were told to Jesus by his family, His eye witness account of the Romans desecrating the Temple in Jerusalem with all the horrors of the fires and people being killed in large numbers. Jesus also has a large family of brothers and sisters but it is unclear as to whether or not they were half brothers or not. The invention of what happened to the Holy Family and all of the things that Jesus did are re-imagined and some of the imaginings are somewhat far from what we are taught as Christians, i.e. that Jesus' ministry started when he was about 30 years old. The description of their journey back to their home in Nazareth after their time in Egypt was excellent and I am looking forward to reading the second volume in the duo of books. It is possible to still enjoy the stories whilst still realising that large parts of it are purely fiction.
March 29, 2024
I’m filling in my newish GoodReads account by trying to recall the books I’ve read. It has been a few years since I read this, but I just recommended this to my husband who is loving it, so made me think of it. I had never read Anne Rice, but I know this is a departure for her. I thought it was an incredibly inventive way of writing about Jesus’ childhood; in first person as a young Jew, trying to comprehend his mysterious powers and the deep ramifications upon his family. Interesting history and geography lessons as part of the story. As a Jew myself, I really appreciate Rice reminding us of Jesus’ origins. In remembering this, I also remember that I had wanted to read the next one of this series as it’s so well-done and interesting (The Road to Canna). I loved the simple, childlike writing style (she’s writing as the young boy Jesus) that nonetheless is literary, captivating, and well-written.
January 8, 2013
This is the first Anne Rice book I've ever read, so I can't tell you if it's better than or worse than her other bestsellers. I can tell you I couldn't put it down. As a Protestant, I had to get over the fact that Anne writers Mary as a perpetual virgin, Jesus' brother James as his half-brother (Joseph's son from a previous marriage), and the rest of the people the bible calls Jesus' brothers and sisters as his cousins. I got over it.
The way she brings to life the world in which Christ would've lived makes you feel like you're there. Obviously we can't know how the actual Christ child would have felt and reacted to the world around him, but her theories are excellent.
If you like biblical fiction, you'll love this.
The way she brings to life the world in which Christ would've lived makes you feel like you're there. Obviously we can't know how the actual Christ child would have felt and reacted to the world around him, but her theories are excellent.
If you like biblical fiction, you'll love this.
March 13, 2024
Audiobook (9 hours) narrated by Josh Heine
Josh Heine brings young Christ alive with a dynamic voice performance, elevating the words on the page in the best way.
The narration and audio quality are high, without distortion or erroneous noise.
I found it easy to listen from 1x to 2.3x speed.
The premise of Out of Egypt sounded really interesting to me, a story of Jesus as a young child, growing up.
I enjoyed the first person voice of the story, of which Josh Heine enhances with a fantastic age appropriate voice, with all of the energy, intrigue, and life of a child.
Anne Rice captures the imagination with what a day to day life of a young Christ may be like. Rice brings a precocious, adventurous, curious, boy interacting with the world and those around him.
I would say this is more of a low key, cozy type story. It's very interesting for readers who enjoy people watching. While it doesn't feel slow and boring, it is literally a child walking around, doing child things, having child conversations. This isn't a face paced story. There are some interesting age appropriate conversations that explore Christ's early ideas of God and religion woven into the story, that I felt were thoughtfully written.
The two stars is not that I felt Anne Rice didn't do a fantastic job, it's rather as an entertainment level for myself personally, I felt like it was OK, aka mildly enjoyable. It's a story that if I have nothing else to do I could casually listen too and it's fine, however with a long list of things that I am excited to read and not in the mood for people watching, it's just OK.
I am glad that I picked it up. I do feel that, as I stated, it's thoughtfully and well written. I also highly recommend the audio book. If you prefer print, I suggest immersive reading, where you follow along the audio narration with print.
This is not meant to be religious. I feel that the book can be enjoyed by those interested in the premise of the story regardless of religious affiliation, as long as it is entered in as entertainment and not a true transcription of the life of Christ.
Recommend.
Josh Heine brings young Christ alive with a dynamic voice performance, elevating the words on the page in the best way.
The narration and audio quality are high, without distortion or erroneous noise.
I found it easy to listen from 1x to 2.3x speed.
The premise of Out of Egypt sounded really interesting to me, a story of Jesus as a young child, growing up.
I enjoyed the first person voice of the story, of which Josh Heine enhances with a fantastic age appropriate voice, with all of the energy, intrigue, and life of a child.
Anne Rice captures the imagination with what a day to day life of a young Christ may be like. Rice brings a precocious, adventurous, curious, boy interacting with the world and those around him.
I would say this is more of a low key, cozy type story. It's very interesting for readers who enjoy people watching. While it doesn't feel slow and boring, it is literally a child walking around, doing child things, having child conversations. This isn't a face paced story. There are some interesting age appropriate conversations that explore Christ's early ideas of God and religion woven into the story, that I felt were thoughtfully written.
The two stars is not that I felt Anne Rice didn't do a fantastic job, it's rather as an entertainment level for myself personally, I felt like it was OK, aka mildly enjoyable. It's a story that if I have nothing else to do I could casually listen too and it's fine, however with a long list of things that I am excited to read and not in the mood for people watching, it's just OK.
I am glad that I picked it up. I do feel that, as I stated, it's thoughtfully and well written. I also highly recommend the audio book. If you prefer print, I suggest immersive reading, where you follow along the audio narration with print.
This is not meant to be religious. I feel that the book can be enjoyed by those interested in the premise of the story regardless of religious affiliation, as long as it is entered in as entertainment and not a true transcription of the life of Christ.
Recommend.
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