Testament: A Novel [Hardcover]

Nino Ricci (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 14, 2003

Set in a remote corner of the Roman Empire during a period of political unrest and spiritual uncertainty, Testament is a timeless story of how the holy man we know as Jesus alters forever the course of human history.
We come to know Jesus through the eyes of four dissimilar people. First is Judas, a committed political fighter who is invigorated by his discussions with Jesus about a sovereign nation for the Jews -- a place Jesus imagines as a philosophical rather than a physical kingdom. Second is Miryam of Migdal, through whom we learn of Jesus's controversial teachings as the two travel through Galilee and Jesus encourages the masses to question the teachings of the powerful few. Through Jesus' mother, Miryam, we learn of his all-too-human vulnerability, the rigor of his conviction, and his unfailing compassion. Finally, it is through Simon of Gergesa, a Syrian shepherd, that we witness the last days of the Jewish preacher as he journeys to Jerusalem. Though Simon is uncertain about how to assess Jesus' legacy, he now sees beauty where before there was none.
Covering overlapping portions of Jesus' life, Testament tells the recognizable story of the four Gospels but without recourse to miracle. The naturalism of the novel is based on extensive research and is utterly convincing, and yet there is indisputably something profound and even holy about the man and his teachings. As the novel progresses we begin to see how his story, filtered by different eyes and desires and subject to countless retellings, will be transformed into myth.
Ricci is not the first novelist to approach this central figure of western civilization, but here he accomplishes something of an entirely new order: a portrait that is historically grounded, philosophically rich, and emotionally moving and that speaks eloquently to the place and power of stories in our lives.

 

test

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Gently stripping the life of Jesus bare of its mythical trappings, Ricci (The Book of Saints, etc.) presents a lyrical, searching version of the biblical tale, grounding his work in the historical realities of the time and telling Jesus' story from four different perspectives. Two of the novel's narrators, Judas and Jesus' mother, Mary, eschew supernatural explanations of Jesus' ministry and describe him as an eccentric, depressive genius. The other two narrators, Mary Magdalene and a shepherd named Simon of Gergesa, witness moments in Jesus' ministry that they believe to be otherworldly. Set against each other, these four accounts reveal the ways in which ordinary acts come to seem miraculous, through repetition and suggestion. The biblical interpretation of key events is re-examined, too. In Ricci's novel, the pretext for Jesus' arrest and eventual crucifixion is not his betrayal by Judas, but his association with him, since Judas is part of an insurrectionist group. And when Jesus' body disappears from the tomb, Simon of Gergesa assumes this has to do with the practice of paying Roman guards to look the other way while family members claim crucified bodies. At a deeper level, Ricci seeks to present Jesus as a man whose powers spring simply from great compassion and the ability to see beyond appearances. Ricci's lucid, thoughtful storytelling and his ability to shed fresh light on an oft-told tale makes this a valuable entry in the annals of fiction inspired by the Gospels, from Renan's Life of Jesus to Jim Crace's Quarantine.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ricci is Canadian, but his renown is international, based on his best-selling trilogy of autobiographical novels, The Book of Saints (1991), In a Glass House (1995), and Where She Has Gone (1998). His latest book is a stunning historical novel that will only enhance his high reputation. Basically, it is a reconstruction of the life of Jesus. That said, what Ricci does is build an absolutely beautiful, rigorously intelligent, fiercely thoughtful fictional biography that views the historical Jesus from the perspective of four individuals who knew him: Judas, Mary Magdalen, his mother, and a young fictitious shepherd. Historical novels, to be successful, must create an atmosphere appropriate to the times ("historical plausibility," as Ricci refers to it) and understand the psychology of living in that particular time and place. Ricci accomplishes both splendidly, from seeing Judas' role as a participant in a liberation movement against Rome (which is the basis of his view of Jesus) to Mary's rape by a Roman soldier, which resulted in the birth of the boy she called Jesus. Ricci's interpretation will spark controversy among readers with a background in religion; those who simply enjoy well-grounded historical novels as well as a lovely prose style will appreciate it for its fictional merits alone. Expect demand based not only on publicity but also word of mouth. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; None edition (May 14, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618273530
• ISBN-13: 978-0618273539
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,891,187 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.