Journey To the Well - MY REVIEW

Biblical fiction is a genre that often makes me a bit wary. Will this story reflect the truth of Scripture? Will the author add so much drama and emotion to the story that it won’t even resemble the Biblical story? Well my dear reading friends, Diana Wallis Taylor has taken the story of the woman at the well and created a beautiful picture of God’s grace! I am eager to share it with you!

Journey To The Well looks at the Samaritan woman at the well in a totally different light than any I have ever considered. Marah is the name given to the story’s main character, and the Biblical definition of this word is “bitter.” I’ve always been taught that the Samaritan woman was some kind of harlot – having five husbands and the one she was with at the time of her journey to the well was not her husband. I suppose it is a logical assumption that she would be bitter…scorned by her town and shunned by the others in the small village. However, Diana Wallis Taylor skillfully applies historical research of the customs of the Samaritan people, and she creates an entirely different world for Marah.

What if she was an orphan? What if she was sold into marriage for an acceptable bride price by her near kinsman? What if bad health or tragic circumstances robbed her of not one husband but three? What would the laws of that time period determine to be the course for a woman who suffered such a series of unfortunate events? That is the beauty of fiction…and Diana Wallis Taylor has presented the story of Marah and her journey to the well as a beautiful offering of praise and worship to the Christ who has redeemed her!

Journey to the Well immerses the reader in the culture of a Samaritan village during the time of Christ. Marah becomes a woman who often reaches out beyond her circumstances and faces each day with a determined strength and grace that the reader can only admire. Her humility is real, and her dire circumstances are heart-breaking. By the time she takes that trip to Jacob’s well that is recorded in the Bible, her heart is ready to receive the message that Jesus brings to her and the others who live in that small Samaritan village. You can almost feel the weight of sin fall from her shoulders, and you want to weep and shout with rejoicing as Christ performs His mighty work among the people of Samria. It is truly a worshipful experience.

Once again, God has made me take a long hard look at the way I perceive the lives of those around me. What is God doing in their lives? What circumstance is He using to draw them to Himself? Am I offering encouragement, hope and the love of the Savior? If you only read one book of fiction this year, choose Journey to the Well. Experience the miracle of Jesus’ love and forgiveness in an entirely new way! And be watching for more great Biblical fiction from the pen of this very talented author!!