Diane Schoemperlen

I am not sure how to characterize this book. Billed as a novel, not much happens and much of the book is either retellings of appearances of Mary, at Lourdes, Fatima and less well-known places, or reflections on life, faith and the visit of Mary to the narrator of the book, who is an author who repeatedly asserts "This is a work of fiction". Iwas fascinated, in the best way. This is both a joyful and a meditative read.

Subtly hilarious and entirely serious, this visitation of the Blessed Virgin is above all a holy hoot.

Clearly fiction to the non-believer; yet….
This was the first written account of the Black Madonna that squared with the little I gleaned from Jean Anne Koss. I hope she is able to see the needlework project from her seat above.

The book seemed overlong, mainly because I was uninterested in the fictional narrator. Yet the Marian information was not otherwise readily available.

I skipped pages in this novel when it became heavy into pontification of faith. Novel is also filled with stories of sightings through the ages of Our Lady. These were quite interesting. However, it didn’t inspire me to great religious intensity or even interest.