Book Review: In the Light of the Sun
Stunning debut novel from award-winning journalist Marie Dawson. By Shelley Marsden - 07/01/08
This novel tells the evocative tale of Rachel ben al-edion, a follower of the Way, amidst the clamour and confusion of the early church. We are led by Rachel through the bustling, dusty streets of old Ephesos (a dynamic place the author describes as “a New York of the First Century”) into the heart of an ancient world, alive with colourful characters, religions and pagan gods, poverty and riches.
“Somewhere inside me a veil lifted and a child I once knew, who I considered lost forever, leaped into life and started to sing. A little girl with hair and eyes as dark as black olives and long limbs turned the colour of ripe wheat by the sun, sang of the wonders of the dawn…
I laughed at myself as I imagined it, but the child laid her head upon my shoulder and reached out her hand to caress my cheek. I could feel a tear slowly travelling down along my wrinkled face. Another followed, but I felt them alone. I was lost in the memory of that singing girl who crept from her bed early one morning and went down to the stables behind my parents’ house to watch the dawn. I was six years old.”
At only 10 years of age, this sensitive young Jewish girl is traumatised at witnessing the crucifixion of a great man called Jesus the Nazarene, whose community of believers would go on to change the path of her life forever. Three other children watched that terrible event too, and In the Light of the Sun follows the lives of these four people, lives that crossed casually but became entwined together forever.
From the delicate and detailed treatment of its subject matter to its tender, simple writing style, this novel is a breath of fresh air, the literary version of a ray of sunshine warming the face. It speaks of religion without being opinionated, bringing history to life. Dawson’s novel is unique on other fronts, too, looking at the role of women in the early church (which was greater than is commonly believed), and touching on the existence of cult prostitutes, or ‘temple virgins’ as they were known – always a bone of contention for biblical historians.
In the Light of the Sun, which Dawson spent years researching, looks at Christianity and its foundations with a freshness of eye. She is able to draw the picture of what was a unique, urgent, and intoxicating moment in time, when both men and women were gripped by such passion that they dropped everything to spread the word about a new vision of love and living. Don’t think this is a novel reserved for those interested in Christianity, though. This is a fascinating, and frequently moving tale of humanity and its struggles – as well as a life-affirming tribute to the universal power of love.
In the Light of the Sun is available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. It can also be ordered directly from Xulon Press on: 001 866 909.
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