The Last Magdalene

The Magdalene Chronicles, Book 1

De: Donna D. Conrad

Narrado por: Marnie L. Sher

The Last Magdalene does for the New Testament what The Red Tent did for the Old Testament.

The temple of Asherah has existed in Jerusalem for hundreds of years, disguised as a benevolent society for widows and orphans. Within the sheltering walls, priestesses are taught to honor the goddess through rites of passion passed from mother to daughter and from priestess to priestess. Into this world, Miriam of Bethany, is born.

Miriam longs to become The Magdalene, High Priestess of Asherah, as her mother and grandmother before her, but learns she is to marry an obscure rabbi from Galilee, Yeshua bar Yosef. Determined to control her own life, she runs away and is brutally attacked in the streets of Jerusalem. Broken in body and spirit, she resigns herself to her fate.

Yeshua, hailed as the Messiah, teaches love and acceptance, and places Miriam in the forefront of his followers. Together they find the courage to face the hostility of the priests and the brutality of Roman occupation. But Rome is a power unlike any the world has known, and Rome deals harshly with those who oppose its rule.

The Last Magdalene is an exquisite story of passion and love, and the lasting power of one woman’s voice which refuses to be silenced.

©2024 Donna D. Conrad, Cold Creek Press Inc. (P)2024 Donna D. Conrad, Cold Creek Press Inc.

Beautiful Narration

I loved this book when I read it, but loved it even more with the narration, which really brought the story to life. This is definitely a story I could read/listen to over and over.

Great story and wonderful performance

This was a fascinating and complex story that was extensively researched, and the narration was well suited to the story. It was a pleasure to listen to.

A really fresh take on a familiar story

I know there's a long tradition or history for popular stories told from the perspective of a character that isn't generally the central one. The Last Magdalene fits well in that. Donna Conrad tells a story that introduces us to a woman often discussed but much less often centered. Miriam struggles to find agency and a life in a world ruled by men while part of a sect that is increasingly diminishing in its authority and power. Her research into who Mary Magdalene was gets woven into a narrative that is compelling, difficult, heartbreaking, and empowering. She visits familiar moments and players in the tale of Jesus we might be familiar with, but from a perspective most probably aren't.

Marnie Sher tells Conrad's story perfectly. She brings the setting to life and navigates an impressive cast of characters with amazing distinction between so many, displaying humor and gravity and pain in equal measures. She makes a compelling story an engaging listen. If this is the first of a series, I'm looking forward to the rest!