Review of Christ the Lord Out of Egypt

I mentioned in my previous post that I was afraid to read Christ the Lord Out of Egypt. And despite the good review from Dr. Kreeft, I maintained my guard though the first half of the book. I didn’t want to have some goofy “Gnostic Jesus” slipped under my radar. By the end of the book, I had dropped my guard. There is some artistic license, but nothing that seemed contrary to reasonable possibility. In fact, I really enjoyed the book.

The story itself is not big on plot. It’s more of a “year in the life” type of story. But I like that. I already know Jesus’ plot. I don’t want someone making up a new one. There are some plot threads about self-discovery and things, but all in all it’s about getting to know the boy Jesus and his family. It’s meditative.

Anne Rice’s portrayal of St. Joseph and the Blessed Mother are very real. She maintains their saintliness while solidifying their humanity. Her portrayal of Jesus is also very good. I felt like I was uncovering the Jesus I’ve always wanted to know, but I also felt like I was uncovering the boy I could have been, had I not been tainted by original sin and personal sin. I know that may sound strange, but I guess what I’m trying to say is that the character of Jesus in the novel was very relatable but not because I was like Him at age 7 (no, I was a sinner), but because a part of me was—my childlike innocence.

My only criticism of the book is that the narrative has an uncomfortable phrasing and cadence. But after awhile, I got used to it and thoroughly enjoyed the book. So, the bottom line is, I recommend the book. I think it’s a great way to meditate on our Lord and the Holy Family.