Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana
Published: 2008
Author: Anne Rice
Book 2 of 2: Life of Christ
Genres: Biographical, Christian, Fiction, Historical, Inspirational, Jesus, Jewish, Religious
Check the summary of this book here:
Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana Summary
The Review:
Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana by Anne Rice depicts the events of Jesus' adult life prior to the wedding at Cana, as reported in St. John's gospel chapter 2. This is where we discover a completely human, flesh-and-blood Jesus. One who has been tested in every manner but is without sin. This is not the Jesus of Relativism, molded and altered to suit our preferences. Anne Rice's meticulous research—her particular and distinct discipline for every book she writes—handles this portrayal sensitively.
After finishing Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, I immediately began reading Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana, and I was not disappointed. Anne Rice took on the tremendous task of producing a first-person flow of thought narrative of Jesus' experiences and activities right before and during his public ministry commencement.
It will irritate a lot of people but it was a huge success in my opinion, both in terms of reminding us of Jesus' humanity as revealed in the New Testament and in terms of confirming the overwhelming historical evidence that he was more than human. I recommend reading it as a book by a brilliant author and nothing more, so you don't get the impression that it's the last word on Jesus' life.
The first volume Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt provides the fictitious tale of Christ from birth through the scene in the temple when he was 12 years old, based on what we know from scripture and other historical texts. This second book takes place a year before Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist, temptation in the wilderness, and the first significant miracle, the transformation of water into wine at the wedding of Cana. Anne Rice is able to explore His views since the tale is recounted in the first person, in the voice of Jesus.
I felt this was an intriguing take on Christ's life that stayed loyal to the gospels. The first-person narrative aimed to show us how Jesus grew aware of his chosen role throughout time. Despite the fact that this is a work of fiction, I found it to be a strong and uplifting read.
While reading this book I couldn't help but recall the incident in the novel Memnoch the Devil where Lestat meets The Lord in the middle of the desert. The reader may anticipate the addition of a first-person narrative from The Lord himself at this point. Instead, Anne Rice has delivered on that promise with two novels concerning Yeshua bar Joseph's youth and adulthood up to the age of thirty.
I've read both volumes in Anne Rice's Christ the Lord series several times, as I have all of her works, and I've always enjoyed them. I've also listened to the audio versions. She was really a gifted writer. I believe the series was supposed to be a trilogy, and I thought Anne Rice would return to finish it, but she never did until her death.
I read all of her other works, such as Angel Time, Of Love and Evil, and Cry to Heaven, and was struck by how broad her literary range was; she wrote about the Lord and the Devil, vampires and werewolves, and even extraterrestrials and people from the past who existed outside of time.
The voice of Jesus in this story, presented in the first person, is very different from that of the seven-year-old Child in the first novel, Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt. In fact, every character in this book has their own distinct voice, making them all unforgettable as it was in the first book in this series.
In Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana we pick up Anne Rice's daring attempt to continue the tale of Jesus as a young man who knows who He is and what is going to happen to Him in the near future. Jesus is a man, a guy who is powerful, manly, and attractive. Anne Rice in no way makes Him weak and everyone around him knows it. He is a hardworking and vital member of a working-class family, and as such, the girls are staring at Him. He is clearly marriage material.
His feelings are expressed in an honest way. There's no denying that Jesus the man is a human being who is attracted towards the other sex. The emotions of Jesus are dealt with honestly, and you can see that He was tempted in every way that we are.
As we observe Jesus the Man die to his body and wants while choosing the utmost good for others, the sub-narrative threaded throughout brings him to life. During Jesus' forty days and forty nights in the desert, He is tempted with all of the emotions that every man experiences. Anne Rice discusses them all in such a way that the reader is forced to examine his own flaws and failings.
Final Thoughts:
I'm sure Lestat famed from Interview with the Vampire is the number one character for almost all Anne Rice fans, but for me, Jesus in these two books is the number one character she has portrayed, and I want all Anne Rice fans to try listening to the audio as well as reading both books in this series, without thinking about religion, to understand what I mean.
Anne Rice has masterfully produced a historical fiction of Jesus' life that is fascinating, historically related, and authentic to the vision of Jesus in the Gospels in her second book in the Christ the Lord series. With its earthy portrayal of an adult, Jesus referred to in the book by his Hebrew name Yeshua or Yeshua bar Joesph,
Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana captivated my mind and inspired my desire to discover more. Anne Rice's excellent blending of Jesus' actual humanity and true divinity continues in The Road to Cana with vivid detail. Anne Rice provides the reader a new view into Jesus' inner life, His thoughts, fears, and longings with Jesus as the narrator.
Synopsis:
“NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The second novel in Anne Rice's hugely ambitious, moving, and masterful portrayal of the life of Christ, following Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt.
It’s a winter of no rain, endless dust, and talk of trouble in Judea. All who know and love Jesus find themselves waiting for some sign of the path he will eventually take. After his baptism, he is at last ready to confront his destiny. At the wedding at Cana, he takes water and transforms it into red wine. Thus, he’s recognized as the anointed one and called by God the Father to begin a ministry that will transform an unsuspecting world. ”
Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:
Anne Rice, Bar Joseph, Christ The Lord, Highly Recommend, Life Of Christ, Life Of Jesus, Lord Out Of Egypt, Lord Road, Road To Cana, Son Of God, Vampire Chronicles, Water Into Wine, Wedding At Cana, Yeshua Bar
Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.
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The Young Messiah (2016) (PG)
Interview with the Vampire (1994) (R)
Queen of the Damned (2002) (R)
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