Poisoned Honey: A Story of Mary Magdalene

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Poisoned Honey: A Story of Mary Magdalene

3.32 of 5 stars 3.32 · rating details · 62 ratings · 18 reviews

This story begins with Mariamne, a vulnerable girl who knows little of the ways of the world. Much as she wants to be in control of her own destiny, she soon learns she has no such power. She must do as her father and brother see fit, and when tragedy strikes, Mari must marry a man she does not love and enter a household where she is not welcome, for the good of her family...more

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published March 9th 2010 by Knopf Books for Young Readers (first published February 26th 2010)

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Sep 15, 2010 Kara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-biblical

I like the title - it suggests something has gone wrong in the land of milk and honey.

Poor Mary Magdalene.

For centuries, she’s been the punch line of dirty jokes, a name that brings a knowing smirk to the amateur theologian lips, or a rude wink from the Catholic artist.

Here, Gormley examines a possible background to the Magdalene before all myths and legends and 6th century versions of bathroom stall ‘for a good time’ graffiti started.

We meet the very human Miriam as a young girl, an ordinary m...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Cindy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

At thirteen, Mari has visions and hears voices, traits her family dismisses as an over-active imagination. However, Mari succumbs to a series of tragic events, and she is forced into an arranged marriage to save her family from financial ruin. Repulsed by her husband and ostracized from her new family, Mari’s misery turns to desperation. With the help of an Egyptian wise woman, Mari develops the ability to escape her oppressed marriage to a secret garden in the spirit world where she soon become...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Patricia O'Sullivan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Mari is the daughter of a sardine merchant who dotes on her and a mother who thinks that it is her duty to train her daughter for the hard life of a Jewish woman in a Magdala ruled by Romans. Married at fourteen to an older man who ignores her and living in a household of women who despise her, Mari’s only comforts are her visions of the ancient prophet Maryam, sister of Moses, and the secret world of friends that live in her mind. When her husband dies unexpectedly, Mari finds herself free of h...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Homewood Public Library rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Like so many other authors, Beatrice Gormley tries to put a background to one of the most controversial Biblical characters ever: Mary Magdalena. In Poisoned Honey, Mariamne is a young girl of fourteen, who is learning that life can deal some cruel twists of fate at times. Mari quickly learns that she has no voice and her life is determined by the men in her family. Forced into an arranged marriage with an older man by her conniving brother and uncle, Mari learns to escapes the hardships of her...more Like so many other authors, Beatrice Gormley tries to put a background to one of the most controversial Biblical characters ever: Mary Magdalena. In Poisoned Honey, Mariamne is a young girl of fourteen, who is learning that life can deal some cruel twists of fate at times. Mari quickly learns that she has no voice and her life is determined by the men in her family. Forced into an arranged marriage with an older man by her conniving brother and uncle, Mari learns to escapes the hardships of her grueling marriage and overbearing stepdaughter-in-law, by dappling in occult arts. It is her experimental ways in this black magic that unleash demons onto Mari’s soul and cause her to do murderous and treacherous acts. Poisoned Honey follows the path of Mari as she slides deeper into a crazed world and her attempts to redeem herself.

This young adult novel starts out quite slow and then becomes slightly confusing. Gormley’s attempt to showcase the demons controlling Mari was not convincing enough to me. The only surprising aspect of this novel was how Mari, or whoever was controlling her, decides to deal with her gruesome husband. It was easy to predict that Mari’s marriage would end, but the circumstances surrounding the end of her marriage were definitely surprising. It would have been interesting to see how Mari dealt with her new marriage and life, without becoming possessed by demons. Another aspect that is not explored is James. Though Gromley does devote several chapters to James, I wish Gormley would have focused more on James, whose life was interconnected with Mari’s. Gormley’s depiction of James’ story was more interesting than demon-possessed Mari.

I will give Gormley credit for attempting to create a new story for Mary Magdalena. It was also nice to see how the author addressed the issue of Mary Magdalena being a prostitute, which is often how she is portrayed. The author deals with this misconception in one quick sentence and that was it. If the reader is able to get passed the first fifty or so pages of Gormley’s mundane explanations of the characters and settings, then they might actually be able to finish the novel. Gormley does try to put a new spin on an old story and her attempt is quite refreshing, just not executed that well. (less)

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May 06, 2010 Arya rated it 5 of 5 stars

Poisoned Honey by Beatrice Gormley 5 of 5 stars.

Mariamne is a vulnerable girl living in a time when women were put down and looked upon as barely better than children or slaves. Mariamne watches her life fall to pieces as one event after the other pushes her closer to a precipice where the fall is long and dark. As a child Mariamne saw visions, going so far as to believe she could fly only to find herself tumbling down a flight of stairs. She sees visions still, but as more and more people try t...more Poisoned Honey by Beatrice Gormley 5 of 5 stars.

Mariamne is a vulnerable girl living in a time when women were put down and looked upon as barely better than children or slaves. Mariamne watches her life fall to pieces as one event after the other pushes her closer to a precipice where the fall is long and dark. As a child Mariamne saw visions, going so far as to believe she could fly only to find herself tumbling down a flight of stairs. She sees visions still, but as more and more people try to convince her that she has an overactive imagination and should push such thoughts aside she turns to a different way of escape. With the help of an Egyptian wise-woman Mariamne learns a way into a secret garden, one that exists outside of the seen-world. But Mariamne makes a tragic mistake by trusting the place and the creatures that dwell in it, going so far as to bring the demons through with her. Mariamne teeters on the edge of that frightening precipice as she comes to realize that she is possessed by these demons and knows not how to free herself of them.

Poisoned Honey is the tale of a woman many of us know as Mary Magdalene. Very little is known about her, though much is speculated, and Beatrice Gormley is here to tell us, in her wonderfully straight-forward prose what she imagines Mary Magdalene's life to have been like.

When I first read the summary for this book I was quite intrigued. Many YA authors have tried to unravel the young lives of famous women in Greek and Egyptian mythologies, but I haven't seen many try and tackle the life of a Christian character. Because of this, I thought Gormley's book might be a bit controversial and wanted to get a look at it myself. The beginning is a bit slow as it sets up the time period, but is well written and interesting nonetheless. As the story unfolds we begin to recognize many of the well known Christian characters (despite the fact that many of the names are variations away from what most of us have heard) in a way that is far different, but still characteristic and respectable. The portrayal of Jesus, Mary, and Matthew are all wonderful. This truly isn't what I expected at all. It’s touching and deep and doesn't delve to far away from the core beliefs of Christians to be considered blasphemous. At the same time, it’s told so differently that I believe anyone of any faith would enjoy it without being offended.

I honestly can't tell you how glad I am that I read this book, and I would recommend it to anyone!

A special thanks to BookDivas for sending me a copy to review!

Review by Arya @ A Sea of Pages (http://seaofpages.blogspot.com) <<(less)

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May 03, 2010 Bethany Miller rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book imagines the adolescence of Mary Magdalene. From a very young age, Mariamne has a special connection with the spiritual world. She sometimes sees things with the “eyes of her soul” and listens with the “ears of her soul.” When the time comes for Mari to get married, her father finds a match that he knows she will be pleased with; however, before the marriage takes place both her father and fiancé are killed by the Tishri fever. Mari’s brother Alexandros becomes the head of the family a...more This book imagines the adolescence of Mary Magdalene. From a very young age, Mariamne has a special connection with the spiritual world. She sometimes sees things with the “eyes of her soul” and listens with the “ears of her soul.” When the time comes for Mari to get married, her father finds a match that he knows she will be pleased with; however, before the marriage takes place both her father and fiancé are killed by the Tishri fever. Mari’s brother Alexandros becomes the head of the family and decides to marry her off quickly in order to help take care of the debts left by their father. Mari is wed to Eleazar, a man old enough to be her grandfather, and begins a life of misery and heartache. Then Mari meets Ramla, an Egyptian wise woman who teaches her how to enter a special realm, which Mari calls her garden. At first, escaping to her garden is a great comfort for Mari, but then the residents of the garden begin following her back inhabiting her mind in the real world. Mari’s husband takes ill and dies, and she goes to live with her cousin Susannah, where it becomes increasingly clear that Mari is not in her right mind. When she almost kills Susannah’s daughter, she is kicked out of her cousin’s house. Her brother takes her to meet Rabbi Yeshua (Jesus), who is able to cleanse her of the evil spirits that possessed her, and she decides to spend her life following him.

Though the book had an interesting premise, ultimately Poisoned Honey was disappointing. Mari’s story is compelling; however, her descent into madness (or possession by demons) was not described in a way that was believable. The novel is written from the first person point of view of Mari, but even with that insight it is difficult to tell how she is feeling about what is happening to her. There are multiple demons with distinct personalities all living within her head and acting out through her body. Mari’s struggle with the demons is futile until her brother takes her to be exorcised by Rabbi Yeshua; he is able to quickly expel the demons from her body, and she is immediately filled with a sense of peace. This quick and extreme turnaround just wasn’t convincing. Though the story had promise, in the end it fell flat. Recommended as an optional purchase in libraries where Biblical fiction is popular.
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May 09, 2013 Carrie rated it 2 of 5 stars

I first came across Poisoned Honey at my local library as I was browsing the YA section for another book to add to my reading list. I read the back cover and was intrigued, thinking it would be entertaining.

I was a little disappointed.

The story starts off very slow which almost caused me to put the book down within the first few pages.

I also noticed a few moments in the first half of the story when the author was telling rather than showing. (I hope I wasn't the only one who noticed that.)

Thin...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Victoria rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-historical-fiction, on-my-kindle

A bit slow going in the beginning - not to mention the author's annoying decision to put aside comments in unnecessary parentheses - but it gradually picked up stem about 150 pages in.

The author also told this story from the POV of Mary and interspersed chapters, told in the 3rd person, that filled in the story of Matthew. A bit of a jarring narrative device but the stories of the 2 eventual disciples eventually crossed paths.

A bit pedestrian and a bit elementary. Probably best for middle scho...more

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May 05, 2012 Deha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Synopsis
Beatrice Gormley's fascinating depiction of Mary Magdalene as a young woman in search of faith and some control over her own life is gripping and imaginative. At 13, Mariamne is forced into an unwanted marriage for the sake of her family. Hoping that she'll be able to continue on the spiritual path introduced to her by a wisewoman, Mari delves deeply into a world that soon becomes overwhelming and out of control. Only one man can save her, changing the course of her life forever.
Publish...more Synopsis
Beatrice Gormley's fascinating depiction of Mary Magdalene as a young woman in search of faith and some control over her own life is gripping and imaginative. At 13, Mariamne is forced into an unwanted marriage for the sake of her family. Hoping that she'll be able to continue on the spiritual path introduced to her by a wisewoman, Mari delves deeply into a world that soon becomes overwhelming and out of control. Only one man can save her, changing the course of her life forever.
Publisher Notes
Relates events from the life of a girl who would grow up to be a close follower of Jesus Christ, interspersed with stories of the Apostle Matthew. Includes author's note distinguishing what Scripture says of Mary Magdalene from later traditions.
Industry Reviews
"Gormley creates a memorable portrait of this famous but often misunderstood character, along with compelling characterizations of Matthew the tax collector and Jesus, making this book an important contribution to the genre of biblically based fiction."
(02/22/2010)
By: Arya S., Book Diva Reviewer
Mariamne is a vulnerable girl living in a time when women were put down and looked upon as barely better than children or slaves. Mariamne watches her life fall to pieces as one event after the other pushes her closer to a precipice where the fall is long and dark. As a child Mariamne saw visions, going so far as to believe she could fly only to find herself tumbling down a flight of stairs. She sees visions still, but as more and more people try to convince her that she has an overactive imagination and should push such thoughts aside she turns to a different way of escape. With the help of an Egyptian wise-woman Mariamne learns a way into a secret garden, one that exists outside of the seen-world. But Mariamne makes a tragic mistake by trusting the place and the creatures that dwell in it, going so far as to bring the demons through with her. Mariamne teeters on the edge of that frightening precipice as she comes to realize that she is possessed by these demons and knows not how to free herself of them. Poisoned Honey is the tale of a woman many of us know as Mary Magdalene. Very little is known about her, though much is speculated, and Beatrice Gormley is here to tell us, in her wonderfully straight-forward prose what she imagines Mary Magdalene's life to have been like.
Debra's comments:
Although written for the younger generation, I enjoyed the book - highly recommened

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Apr 10, 2010 JuJu rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Like so many other authors, Beatrice Gormley tries to put a background to one of the most controversial Biblical characters ever: Mary Magdalena. In Poisoned Honey, Mariamne is a young girl of fourteen, who is learning that life can deal some cruel twists of fate at times. Mari quickly learns that she has no voice and her life is determined by the men in her family. Forced into an arranged marriage with an older man by her conniving brother and uncle, Mari learns to escapes the hardships of her...more Like so many other authors, Beatrice Gormley tries to put a background to one of the most controversial Biblical characters ever: Mary Magdalena. In Poisoned Honey, Mariamne is a young girl of fourteen, who is learning that life can deal some cruel twists of fate at times. Mari quickly learns that she has no voice and her life is determined by the men in her family. Forced into an arranged marriage with an older man by her conniving brother and uncle, Mari learns to escapes the hardships of her grueling marriage and overbearing stepdaughter-in-law, by dappling in occult arts. It is her experimental ways in this black magic that unleash demons onto Mari’s soul and cause her to do murderous and treacherous acts. Poisoned Honey follows the path of Mari as she slides deeper into a crazed world and her attempts to redeem herself.
This young adult novel starts out quite slow and then becomes slightly confusing. Gormley’s attempt to showcase the demons controlling Mari was not convincing enough to me. The only surprising aspect of this novel was how Mari, or whoever was controlling her, decides to deal with her gruesome husband. It was easy to predict that Mari’s marriage would end, but the circumstances surrounding the end of her marriage were definitely surprising. It would have been interesting to see how Mari dealt with her new marriage and life, without becoming possessed by demons. Another aspect that is not explored is James. Though Gromley does devote several chapters to James, I wish Gormley would have focused more on James, whose life was interconnected with Mari’s. Gormley’s depiction of James’ story was more interesting than demon-possessed Mari.
The cover of this book was quite misleading. At a quick glance, the color scheme of purple and off-white and the blowing veil gave the illusion that this book was a tawdry romance novel. Upon studying the cover, I clearly saw the young Mari looking upward through the veil. Whether or not the publishers intended for this cover to be mistaken for a romance novel is unknown to me.
I will give Gormley credit for attempting to create a new story for Mary Magdalena. It was also nice to see how the author addressed the issue of Mary Magdalena being a prostitute, which is often how she is portrayed. The author deals with this misconception in one quick sentence and that was it. If the reader is able to get passed the first fifty or so pages of Gormley’s mundane explanations of the characters and settings, then they might actually be able to finish the novel. Gormley does try to put a new spin on an old story and her attempt is quite refreshing, just not executed that well.
(less)

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Jan 11, 2012 Missie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian, historical, ya

I enjoyed this retelling of Mary Magdalene's story, especially how the author brought women to the forefront. Jesus' message of gender equality was also part of the story, which was nice to see. After finishing the story, I was actually surprised to realize that this was basically Christian fiction (extremely orthodox in theology), although published by a mainstream publisher.

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Apr 03, 2011 Meggen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-ya, historical-fiction

An intriguing look at one possiblity of how Mary Magdalene could have become possessed with seven devils. Interesting, yet disturbing at times as well. There were some very poignant sections about healing and how Christ's influence brings peace. I would have liked to read more about the rest of the story after Mary's cleansing.

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Oct 04, 2011 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was actually better than I expected. It was very engaging and I couldn't put it down.

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Mar 19, 2010 Jessica rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

I couldn't get into the book I stopped reading around page 50

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Apr 25, 2010 Laurie rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was waiting for it to get good, but it never did.

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Apr 02, 2010 Odette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another imagining of the life of Mary Magdalene. This one really delved into the implications of demons/magic, and also dealt a lot with marriages, but that was interesting to see, especially because the magic could still be explained away with natural causes. Natural causes and a lot of coincidences. Either way, it was really, really scary at times.

Also, Jesus was completely adorable. Whenever he was in the scene, i was grinning like an idiot. What I mean here is: Jesus was extremely well-writt...more

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Jul 26, 2010 Jean Piscopo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Took me some time to really believe in the story. My religious education is reflected in the facts Gormley presents. I was put off by some of the odd encounters and behavior of Mary which are infused about midway through the story. She recovers and presents a interestingly different portrait of this well-known woman.

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Jul 06, 2010 Nicole rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-historical

Quote from WORD for Teens:

I just felt like there wasn't enough time to connect to one plot point before it jumped to the other. Oh look, she's engaged; now she's not; now she is; now she's living a horrible life; now she's harnessing her magic; now she's a widow; now she's engaged; now she's ZOMGPOSESSED; now she's exorcised.

To read the full review, click here.

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