Rating: 
Summary: Boy oh boy was this bad.
Review: I only gave it one star because there wasn't an option to give it a zero. Honesty there is no reason for anyone to read this. Read the scriptures instead. There is no creativity, no mood, no character development. Its pretty cliche.
Rating:
Summary: Boy oh boy was this bad.
Review: I only gave it one star because there wasn't an option to give it a zero. Honesty there is no reason for anyone to read this. Read the scriptures instead. There is no creativity, no mood, no character development. Its pretty cliche.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the best book in the series
Review: I thought that the other books (especially UNSPOKEN) were better than this book. I can't really explain it, other than to say that Mary wasn't necessarily likeable, and the other kids were brats. I think that Ms. Rivers took chances in narrating Jesus' life during the "missing years" that aren't explained in the Bible. The healing of Anne, and the relationship with Joseph, and his brothers. I almost felt sorry for the family after Jesus became "KNOWN" because he left them and didn't necessarily acknowledge them. I didn't particularly like the way the book ended--but maybe that's the Catholic in me :-) But it was a good way to finish the series, since the other 4 books were leading up into it. I would highly recommend this series.
Rating:
Summary: Not the best book in the series
Review: I thought that the other books (especially UNSPOKEN) were better than this book. I can't really explain it, other than to say that Mary wasn't necessarily likeable, and the other kids were brats. I think that Ms. Rivers took chances in narrating Jesus' life during the "missing years" that aren't explained in the Bible. The healing of Anne, and the relationship with Joseph, and his brothers. I almost felt sorry for the family after Jesus became "KNOWN" because he left them and didn't necessarily acknowledge them. I didn't particularly like the way the book ended--but maybe that's the Catholic in me :-) But it was a good way to finish the series, since the other 4 books were leading up into it. I would highly recommend this series.
Rating: 
Summary: Very interesting!!!
Review: I thought this book was a wonderful portrayal of Mary and how as the mother of Christ she felt. Often I have read the Bible and have wondered how Christ was as a child. I think the book was well written and very interesting.
Rating:
Summary: Didn't Stick to what was in the Bible
Review: I was so excited to read the 5th Book the in the Lineage of Grace series. The other 4 books were true to the facts shown in the Bible and Francine Rivers added historical information as well as what might have been said between the characters. The books made me go back to the Bible and re-read the story and in the first 4 books, I saw information, I had never learned before & I thank Ms. Rivers for that. It really invigorated my Bible study time. However I was sadly disappointed with Book #5 about Mary. I didn't think she did the research that the other books had. Also I found a number of occasions where she deviated from what I found in the New Testament. She also left out the entire episode where she visits Elizabeth and Mary's prayer. I have read other material about what the times were like when Jesus was born, and I didn't think Ms. Rivers did thorough research this time. I must respond though to another review. If you believe everything in the Bible is true, which I do, then Mary did have a sister (John 19:25) & she did have both sons & daughters (Matthew 13:55-56, Mark 6:3). You just have to look up the references in the Bible.
Rating:
Summary: Didn't Stick to what was in the Bible
Review: I was so excited to read the 5th Book the in the Lineage of Grace series. The other 4 books were true to the facts shown in the Bible and Francine Rivers added historical information as well as what might have been said between the characters. The books made me go back to the Bible and re-read the story and in the first 4 books, I saw information, I had never learned before & I thank Ms. Rivers for that. It really invigorated my Bible study time. However I was sadly disappointed with Book #5 about Mary. I didn't think she did the research that the other books had. Also I found a number of occasions where she deviated from what I found in the New Testament. She also left out the entire episode where she visits Elizabeth and Mary's prayer. I have read other material about what the times were like when Jesus was born, and I didn't think Ms. Rivers did thorough research this time. I must respond though to another review. If you believe everything in the Bible is true, which I do, then Mary did have a sister (John 19:25) & she did have both sons & daughters (Matthew 13:55-56, Mark 6:3). You just have to look up the references in the Bible.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Realistic Viewpoint
Review: This book was wonderful! The author offers a very realistic, humanistic Mary for us to see. She does not offer a perfect, holy person in a painting. Based on the fact that Mary was a peasant girl from an undesirable village, this is probably a very accurate representation, although we can never know the facts for sure. Mary would have had to be pretty clueless as to the exact way Jesus would rule his kingdom and how his life would progress, or as a human mother, she would never have been able to survive emotionally as she watched him grow up. The author presents Mary's other children as kind of brats, but look to all human children. Are they not all rather self-centered? She was following a theme on the reactions of people (including children) of the time. She also points out that in the end, Mary's other children believed. Although this representation of Mary may offend some who have been raised to believe Mary was holy, look to the reality of the situation. Jesus was born of a HUMAN mother who was young, poor, and uneducated. She was a typical Jewish mother. Excellent perspective!
Rating:
Summary: Very Realistic Viewpoint
Review: This book was wonderful! The author offers a very realistic, humanistic Mary for us to see. She does not offer a perfect, holy person in a painting. Based on the fact that Mary was a peasant girl from an undesirable village, this is probably a very accurate representation, although we can never know the facts for sure. Mary would have had to be pretty clueless as to the exact way Jesus would rule his kingdom and how his life would progress, or as a human mother, she would never have been able to survive emotionally as she watched him grow up. The author presents Mary's other children as kind of brats, but look to all human children. Are they not all rather self-centered? She was following a theme on the reactions of people (including children) of the time. She also points out that in the end, Mary's other children believed. Although this representation of Mary may offend some who have been raised to believe Mary was holy, look to the reality of the situation. Jesus was born of a HUMAN mother who was young, poor, and uneducated. She was a typical Jewish mother. Excellent perspective!
Rating:
Summary: Talk about conviction ....
Review: This book will make you seriosuly look at your relationship with Jesus. You get to see him through the eyes of his mother. It made me picture my own child enduring what Jesus did, made me angry. Mary was given a place of honor that i do not envy. God knew what he was doing when he did NOT choose me.
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