The Way

A young girl in ancient Palestine struggles with her calling as a spiritual leader in Wolf's audacious, deftly woven debut. Anna is "a handsome child" with an androgynous appearance. Disguised as a boy, she is sold to shepherds in 7 A.D. and enjoys the freedom of being male, as "being a woman in this life is a curse." But she re-emerges as female when a secret society of women, known as Sisters, who follow the holistic philosophy of "The Way," take her in. Anna's quest for self-discovery and the wisdom of the Way is showered with repetitive motivational statements like "Remember who you are, no matter who you must become." Wolf delves into the psyche of her characters by continuously presenting their uncertainties. Insecure Anna, for instance, "was not qualified to join the Circle! And she was nowhere near as wise or knowledgeable as the others." Some of the Sisters wonder "about the future of The Way. And whether or not I am serving it honorably." Alternating chapters that follow both Anna and Jesus Christ eventually intermingle into a controversial mix of fiction and fantasy that questions widely held notions of faith and posits an alternate history of one of the most influential figures of all time. (July)