The Silence of John

Of all of Lliteras's "Biblical novels," I found this one to be the most thought provoking. It has been said that there is a lack of new ideas in Catholicism, and, if that is true, this book is an answer. Terse, well-written, and insightful, it offers ideas that are, in my opinion, nothing less than revolutionary, and suggests that the Catholic Church would do well to look even more deeply into the word of Jesus Christ for guidance. The action takes place in and around Golgotha, the place of the crucifixion. In the forefront of the story are characters that in all other tellings of this story are in the periphery, that is, women. Here, they move to the forefront, offering the remarkable theory that Jesus was, among all others things, a true feminist. The author's writing, as in all his work, is precise; his dialogue always of interest. This is a novel to be read, and reread, and hopefully, discussed.

At the shadow of The Cross, John is unable to speak, a cretin amongst the brave women waiting for him to provide solace. He failed Jesus though he is the sole male disciple to remain at the Cross. The women are all there making him feel even more helpless and humiliated by his cowardice in contrast to their courage. In frustration he bangs his head against the wood of his stake. John sees Ester's disdain for him and the other men who fled seeking a safe haven. When he goes to talk with the resurrected Thief, Dinah tells him to back off as he is unworthy. When John reaches The Cross he drops to his knees in tears soliciting unwanted pity from Mary Magdalene and most of the other female followers, but more scorn from Ester who believes he is not honorable to even kneel where their beloved teacher died; he is no longer their equal. Mary the blessed mother tells all to accept God's Will, as she forgives those who failed him. Will John remain silent or heed the guidance of the beloved sacred Mother? Though the tale comes across more like vignettes describing the reactions of individuals to the aftermath of the crucifixion, fans of D.S. Lliteras' terrific biblical novels will appreciate the strong look at how the followers behaved when their leader died. The women are strong in differing ways while the men pusillanimously hide; interestingly the gospels that come later are all written by men. Due to the perceptive discerning look at the survivors, THE SILENCE OF JOHN is a fabulous entry in a terrific insightful series, though a different writing style than the previous novels. Harriet Klausner

D. S. Lliteras continues to transform Biblical figures into flesh and blood in this, his latest book in his brilliant series. But the usually smart and sensitive John Mort (see Booklist review above)seems to miss out on the strengths of The Silence of John. Lliteras has focussed in this book on the anguish of the Crucifixion's aftermath, as exemplified by the women in Jesus' circle. Each of these women is brought alive by Lliteras' art, and their pain is used to build the story gradually to an intensity that becomes almost unbearable to the reader. The plot had this reader in knots of tension, especially in the final third of the book. The Silence of John is easily the most emotionally demanding of Lliteras' Biblical series, yet because of the hope it communicates, it is also the best. Highly recommended!