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The Book of Love (Magdalene Line Trilogy #2)
by
Kathleen McGowan (Goodreads Author)
Maureen Paschal thought she might rest and work on her book after discovering the gospel written by Mary Magdalene that revealed Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married. The truth of their story rocked the world and made Maureen a target of those who did not like her discovery and a heroine to those who did.
Then Maureen receives a strange package containing what looks like
...moreHardcover, 480 pages
Published
March 10th 2009
by Touchstone Books
(first published January 1st 2009)
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I thought the first volume was a cheap imitation of Dan Brown's DaVinci Code - this one is even worse.
I was hoping for something fresh especailly after the author contacted me on GOODREADS to promote her new book after I didn't like the first one.
I wanted to like it - I really did. But...it just didn't do it for me.
I was hoping for something fresh especailly after the author contacted me on GOODREADS to promote her new book after I didn't like the first one.
I wanted to like it - I really did. But...it just didn't do it for me.
Having just finished TBOL, I have to say I was slightly disappointed. I throughly enjoyed The Expected One, mostly due to the way in which the characters were protrayed and developed throughout the story. Both their internal conflicts and external interactions were well written and engaging. With TBOL however, I felt as if none of the things I enjoyed in The Expected One were present. While the sections on Matilda's life were interesting, I much prefer to read about Maureen's story. The tho...more
Dear heavens...haven't they pulped this woman's books yet? The loss of trees is a criminal act.
While I think that the author has great ideas and great material that she is working with, I found this somewhat hard to get through because I was almost totally & completely in awe of her overuse of effusive language. (I had the same issue with her first book). Fortunately, Matilda's story was very interesting & saved the day.
OMG! If I 'hear' one more silly review which mimics the author's redundant phrase "Those with ears to ear,let them hear", I am going to barf. All of the 5-star reviews seem to add this trite over-used phrase to the end of their reviews. It makes me wonder if they have ANY originality what-so-ever. McGowan uses this phrase every 500 words throughout her 500+ page novel. Just imagine how many times it appears in the book!! As if we did not "hear" enough of it whilst readin...more
Again--interesting take on what may have been contained in Jesus' book of love. The middle gets a bit boring but I liked it for the most part. First book of hers was better.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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The Book of Love by Kathleen McGowan is the second book in The Magdalene Line trilogy. The first book in the trilogy, The Expected One, focused on Maureen Paschal’s adventure to discover the lost Gospel of Mary Magdalene and growing realization she is an “Expected One”. The Book of Love begins as Maureen is on her book tour.
**********From the book Jacket: Fresh from her successful hunt for the long-hidden scrolls written by Mary Magdalene, journalist Maureen Paschal receives a strang...more
**********From the book Jacket: Fresh from her successful hunt for the long-hidden scrolls written by Mary Magdalene, journalist Maureen Paschal receives a strang...more
I did not feel as though this book lived up to the hype surrounding it. The characters were right out of a corny romance novel, and were not worthy of such a long-winded novel. I don't know, maybe it was the title - as well as the cover - which smacked of those silly romance novels. This just didn't "do it" for me. Maybe her next one will be better!
I thought this book was great. I pre-ordered and received a copy early. Hit up Amazon- they seem to be sending them out ahead of schedule if you want an early copy.
The book picks up shortly after the 1st book left off. Maureen is on tour promoting the book she had written based on her controversial discoveries that Mary Magdalene was the wife of and a beloved disciple of Jesus. Maureen begins to have dreams of a book, written by Jesus on his teachings, referred to as the Book of ...more
The book picks up shortly after the 1st book left off. Maureen is on tour promoting the book she had written based on her controversial discoveries that Mary Magdalene was the wife of and a beloved disciple of Jesus. Maureen begins to have dreams of a book, written by Jesus on his teachings, referred to as the Book of ...more
I have to say I just loved this book. I know there are a lot of critics out there, but I just don't agree with them. A good book means to me that I go to bed early to read further. That I am sad when I finaly finish the book and that is what this book did to me. I plain simply love it!
I know some people say that its not as good as Dan Browns Da Vinci code, but I just can't compare the two. Ok they both handle about Maria Magdalena and Jezus, but that is where the simularities end. Kathlee...more
I know some people say that its not as good as Dan Browns Da Vinci code, but I just can't compare the two. Ok they both handle about Maria Magdalena and Jezus, but that is where the simularities end. Kathlee...more
I just read alot of the reviews. Seems to me that there are two camps; one which is severely disappointed by it being a "rip-off" of DaVinci Code. Gosh!, aren't people who write historical fiction allowed to use the same historical thread for a platform?
Others, like myself really enjoyed it because it is fun to simply think about things. History is always written by the victors, but as near as we can tell, it is "factual" that the Church did cherry pick from the myri...more
Others, like myself really enjoyed it because it is fun to simply think about things. History is always written by the victors, but as near as we can tell, it is "factual" that the Church did cherry pick from the myri...more
OKay, I was a huge fan of her first one, The Expected One, and have recommended it up and down the "halls", so I was eagerly awaiting this book.
McGowan is a talented writer and takes us on the next step of her new theology with The Book Of Love. More a wishful theory than suspense novel, 'Love' takes us into the next chapter of Maureen's quest to prove that Catholicism and it's tenets are, at best, a misunderstanding, at worst, a willful abuse by history's church leaders an...more
McGowan is a talented writer and takes us on the next step of her new theology with The Book Of Love. More a wishful theory than suspense novel, 'Love' takes us into the next chapter of Maureen's quest to prove that Catholicism and it's tenets are, at best, a misunderstanding, at worst, a willful abuse by history's church leaders an...more
Very thoughtful and thought-provoking sequel to 'The Expected One.' I loved the characters introduced in this installment...Conn, the Master, Matilda, Pope Gregory...their stories are so intricately woven together. I loved the sections of the book that focused on Matilda. This book was basically the story of Matilda combined with Maureen's current search for truth. I enjoy books that give new perspective and histories to locations and items that are so common today...cathedrals, cities, vill...more
At first I thought this was an overly religious unimaginative attempt to capitalize on the Dan Brown Craze. Then the more I read, the more I understood that the author actually believed everything she was writing was true (or mostly true). I'm not sure exactly what to think about the plot now, it's a lot to consider and I don't have the evidence to be able to weigh.
I did find the delivery corny, at times like a romance novel. I'm pretty sure I read "she had to catch her bre...more
I did find the delivery corny, at times like a romance novel. I'm pretty sure I read "she had to catch her bre...more
Krissie
marked it as to-read
I'm dubious, but intrigued. We'll see.
This sequel to THE EXPECTED ONE this book again follows Maureen Paschal on her quest to uncover the truth behind the Magdalene line following the crucifixion of Christ. I usually enjoy books with this type of story line, but in this case I found the writing to be excessively repetitive and unoriginal. Ms. McGowan seemed to be trying to fill pages and not only repeated herself excessively but gave the reader pages and pages (and pages and pages) of rehashed myths and stories from history. One ...more
This book was hard to get into and at time a little preachy sounding. It is the authors version of St. Matilda supported by her personal religous beliefs and the adventure story continued from book one of this trilogy.
The Lord's Prayer is a very important part of worship here. I liked the analysis given in the book.
Words to Lord's prayer slightly different probably the Pater Noster from the catholic bible. I also am abbreviating the analysis.
1st. Our father which...more
The Lord's Prayer is a very important part of worship here. I liked the analysis given in the book.
Words to Lord's prayer slightly different probably the Pater Noster from the catholic bible. I also am abbreviating the analysis.
1st. Our father which...more
For over 2,000 years we've been led to believe that Jesus wrote nothing and that all of the New Testament was written by others. Not only written by others but in many cases hundreds of years later or also by people who didn't ever meet the man.
As much as I would like to think that all of Christianity would welcome the writings of Jesus I am pretty sure that they'd be hidden. So many things have been "changed" along the way for political or financial gain.
"...more
As much as I would like to think that all of Christianity would welcome the writings of Jesus I am pretty sure that they'd be hidden. So many things have been "changed" along the way for political or financial gain.
"...more
A book in the style of The DaVinci Code but lacking successful building of tension and plot. The first 1/3 of the book constantly mentions the previous book in repetitive and boring ways. The author could have left out those trite ovations to her previous work and the plot might have progressed faster.
I stuck with it to see if there was anything original in the revelations about the idea that Mary Magdalene and Jesus were married and had children, but if you've read the Da Vinci ...more
I stuck with it to see if there was anything original in the revelations about the idea that Mary Magdalene and Jesus were married and had children, but if you've read the Da Vinci ...more
Very long and boring - especially in the middle. It's more like a cheap romance book.
What a rambling mess! I wish I could get my time back that I wasted reading this harlequin romance. I could not follow the plot, or keep the characters straight - through no fault of my own! Long, boring and tedious, the author should have realized that most often, less is more.
I enjoyed this book, but I preferred her first book The Expected One much more. I think all of the information was a fresh, and she had interesting twists on Dan Brown's theories in Da Vinci Code. I also enjoyed getting to know all the characters in that book, and I missed Maureen interacting as much with her group of friends. However, I think that is one of the aspects the author was trying to convey - that with that great knowledge and responsibility a person can be very lonely. I did like som...more
If any book can be worse than the DiVinci Code, this is it. It is a polemic, not a novel, and the characters have conversations which would never be really stated. It is OK for an author to have something to say; it is quite another for the author to beat us over the head with it, over and over and over. It does not have enough action to have the non-polemic part be interesting. Finally though it is not necessary for absolute accuracy - after all, this is a novel - it employs a particular c...more
This book has one of my favorite elements--a complete and total blurring of fiction and reality. It continues the story of Maureen Paschal, noted theologian and visionary, and a descendant of Jesus of Nazareth and Mary Magdalene, as begun in The Expected One. In The Book of Love, she learns about the charismatic Countess Matilda of Tuscany, spiritual wife of Pope Gregory VII, also a descendant of Jesus and Mary, and The Book of Love, a lost gospel, which teaches that "love conquers all"...more
This is the second book in the Magdalene line series. I enjoyed it as much as the first on, The Expected One. Kathleen McGowan blends history and religious "heresy" into a captivating story. As one who steers clear of organized religion I am always intrigued by the variety of theories regarding the origins and basic agreements of the major religions once you strip away the dogma that has been added over the years.
While I consider this book and similar works such as the...more
While I consider this book and similar works such as the...more
As with Kathleen McGowan's first book, The Expected One, I disagreed with a great deal of her theology. But putting that aside, what a great read this is. It is very nice to have a writer who writes because she feels she has something to say rather than one who writes because it's a job. And to top it all off, McGowan writes well, which is becoming all too rare these days, especially in the genre of religious conspiracy books. (Dan Brown, this means you.)
This was entertaining and...more
This was entertaining and...more
It is difficult to critique one of an author's books without comparing it to his or her other books. 'The Expected One' was literally a revelation to me. It opened my eyes, mind, and heart to my Savior in a profound way. 'The Book of Love' follows the same characters, now on their search for the legendary Book of Love, a gospel written by Jesus' own hand.
At the end of the book, McGowen explains the immense editing and condensing that was required to make the story readable. Whi...more
At the end of the book, McGowen explains the immense editing and condensing that was required to make the story readable. Whi...more
I really enjoyed Kathleen McGowan's first novel The Expectant One (a historical ficton story that allowed me to enjoy thinking about compassion and the possible relationships that Jesus may have had that are not recorded in the Biblical text) What I enjoyed about her second novel The Book of Love was the web of themes pulled together that made me sit back and think "Hmm, I wonder". The book has two strong herones, affirms history, poetry, art and architecture, touches on the mysteries...more
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Kathleen McGowan is an internationally published writer whose work has appeared on five continents and in at least fifteen languages. She is notable for her claim to be the descendant of Jesus of Nazareth and Mary Magdalene
More about Kathleen McGowan...
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“For love that is not requited in equal measure is not love at all; it is not sacred. And holding on to the ideal of such love can keep us from finding the one that is true.”
—
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