Set in Ephesus 20 years after the Crucifixion, Colm Tóibín's novella tells the story of Mary as written down by two unnamed men. He explains why he chose Ephesus as a location, reveals who the two unnamed men are, and speculates about how Mary's inability to name her son may be an early case of post-traumatic stress. In looking at Mary's relationship to earlier pantheons, he also investigates "religion-shaped hole" in the consciousness of ordinary people. Then there is the problem Lazarus poses for a 21st century writer …
Reading list:
The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin (Viking)
