Testament [Import] [Paperback]

Nino Ricci (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday Canada, Limited; 1st Printing edition (2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385658559
• ISBN-13: 978-0385658553
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,749,020 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nino Ricci was born in Leamington, Ontario, Canada in 1959 to parents from the Molise region of Italy. His first novel, Lives of the Saints, published in 1990, garnered international acclaim, appearing in seventeen countries and winning a host of awards, including Canada's Governor General's Award and England's Betty Trask Award and Winifred Holtby Prize. It began a trilogy that was completed by In A Glass House and Where She Has Gone and that was adapted as a miniseries starring Sophia Loren and Kris Kristofferson.

Ricci is also the author of Testament, a fictional reimagining of the life of Jesus, and most recently of The Origin of Species, which earned him his second Governor General's Award. According to the Toronto Star, it is "Ricci's masterstroke to date . . . . An ambitious, thrilling novel that resists encapsulation and takes not a single misstep."

In 2006, Ricci was the winner of the inaugural Alistair MacLeod Award for Literary Achievement. He is a past president of the Canadian Centre of International PEN.

You can find out more about Nino Ricci by visiting his web site, http://ninoricci.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New slant on a very old story, December 22, 2004

By 

Gail Moore "avid reader" (vancouver canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Testament: A Novel (Paperback)

It is certain that devout Christians will not be happy with this portrayal of the life of Jesus. Jesus is not a god, Mary is not a virgin and there is no resurrection in this story which is told in four books narrated by Judas Iscariot, Mary Magdalene, Simon of Gergesa and Mary the mother of Jesus.

I enjoyed the book as a stunning piece of historical fiction - through the character of Judas we get a view of life under the Roman occupation along with the usual toadies ready to sell out their own people. Vivid descriptions of the lakes, the fishermen and wharf areas make the countryside come to life, and most unforgettable is the magnificent temple of the Jews with the smells of blood and smoke from the animal sacrifices and tables of money changers. While I was reading "Testament" it was easy to slide into the past and imagine life in ancient times.

That anyone would be able to take the story of Jesus and put such an new slant on it is a testament to the writing skills and imagination of Nino Ricci, and to be able to make the story suspenseful is very impressive. By the same author I have also The Book of the Saints with its poetic and beautiful style of writing, then "In a Glass House" so emotional penetrating it was almost too painful to read - Mr. Ricci is one of those writers that always surprises, continuing to get better and better.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Looking at Jesus in a new light, May 5, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Testament: A Novel (Hardcover)

I've been a fan of Nino Ricci's since I read Book of Saints in college several years back. Now he's written an amazingly beautiful, deceptively simple portrait of a brilliant, mesmerizing, not always entirely likeable man named Jesus, and in doing so has created a character who I can understand and empathize with far more than the Christ of biblical lore.

The book is told by four different people - Judas, Mary Magdalene, Jesus's mother Mary, and a boy named Simon who follows Jesus to Jerusalem. I was particularly interested in the perspective of his mother, whose recounting of Jesus's youthful rebellion and strained family life vividly evoked what life was like in the Middle East 2000 years ago and also gave a fuller understanding of the kinds of things that could have led to Jesus becoming the messiah he was seen to be.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who has struggled with religious faith and needs a character they can relate to, anyone interested in historical fiction, and anyone looking for a plain good read. 5 stars!

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, but probably not for everyone, July 28, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Testament: A Novel (Hardcover)

I ejoyed this book thoroughly - very compelling, well-written and engaging. I suspect, however, that many devout Christians will have trouble reading a work of fiction based on the life of Jesus Christ, with the emphasis on the human rather than the divine.

Having said that, telling the story from four points of view, including some overlap in recounted events, presents a fascinating reflection on how our perceptions are influenced by what we bring to the situation (very interesting and relevant for the telling of THIS story). It also works well for maintaining momentum in the telling of a story that we already know very well. For anyone who feels that they can enjoy such a book without feeling uset or offended on religious grounds, I recommend it highly.