Dawn of Grace by Jill Eileen Smith is a moving biblical novel that follows Mary Magdalene’s journey from a demon-possessed woman to a follower of Jesus Christ. Through Mary’s eyes, we get a probable backstory on how she came to be possessed and what happened after Jesus healed her.

Mary was presented as a character who felt unloved throughout her life and was easily led astray by others. Her gullibility and desire for more control over her own life seemed to be the catalyst for her possession. I felt the author did a marvellous job portraying a dutiful yet innocent girl, who regretted asking evil spirits into her life. In fact, the author did such a good job of this that I found I had to put the book down several times as it disturbed me.

Smith did a remarkable job of bringing the Scriptures to life. However, I felt like I was reading the Bible. This is not a bad thing, but I was expecting a side-story of some sort where the author didn’t feel the need to be constrained by the Scriptures. While she did this with Mary and her friend Susanna, once that part of the story was over, it lacked any further excitement.

Mary’s possession and healing were over faster than I would have liked. It would have been nice to see a bit more adventure in the story along with more character growth in Mary. Her inner thoughts were the same in almost every chapter after she was healed, and the story seemed to stall as she and the disciples followed Jesus around the country.

I loved the way the author portrayed Jesus and her inclusion of other women who followed Him. I appreciated the faith message in this book and how Jesus redeems us. I realize, too, that telling a story from the Scriptures is difficult, especially where Jesus is involved. The author did a great job of imagining what Jesus would say while combining that with what He actually said.

Her depiction of Mary at the garden tomb with Jesus was memorable and gave me chills. In fact, Mary’s devotion to the Lord and her love of Him is something I wish more Christians (myself included) aspired to.

Dawn of Grace is ultimately a story of love, discipleship, and self-discovery that will stir the flames of your faith. I highly recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Revell through NetGalley for my honest review.

A deep moving story following Mary of Magdala. The depth of detail brings this part of the Bible to life in a new way.

NOTE: This review will post on The Well Read Fish Christian fiction review blog (thewellreadfish,com), Goodreads, and BookBub on 02/05/25. Amazon and B&N reviews to post on release day.

Thank you to NetGalley and Revell Books for my ARC.

Jill Eileen Smith is one of my favorite Christian authors, so when I saw Dawn of Grace available on NetGalley, I immediately requested it. This is Smith’s first venture into writing a story set during New Testament times vs. Old Testament. Her novel, The Prince and the Prodigal remains one of my all-time favorite Christian reads, so naturally I was looking forward to Dawn of Grace.

Smith went straight to the heart of difficulty in tackling the story of Mary Magdalene. There has been much speculation about Mary’s backstory and how her life intersected with that of Jesus. Of the women who populate the New Testament, she is the certainly the most notable (with the exception of Jesus’s mother, Mary).

In Dawn of Grace, the reader meets Mary Magdalene as a young child, then becomes witness to her life as it unfolds. From her possession by demons to being set free by Jesus, following him during his ministry years, to witnessing his crucifixion and resurrection, Smith allows us to experience events through Mary’s eyes. Carefully considered fiction weaves with historical elements, but the blend feels seamless, and Jesus’s teachings are delivered as written in the four Gospels. Those parts are much like reading scripture.

I liked the inclusion of many of the women of the New Testament—Susanna, Joanna, Martha, and Mary—to name a few—but some characters are more fleshed out than others. Given the scope of territory the novel covers and the amount of people who populate it, the author did well in bringing familiar moments (and settings) to life. Faith elements are strong, especially as related to Jesus. I got a true feel for how it must have been for the Jews of the time, expecting their Messiah to be a conquering king, questioning if Jesus was going to deliver them. Even his own disciples had doubts.

If I have one quibble, it’s the lack of emotional attachment I usually feel to the lead characters when reading one of Smith’s novels. The book skews more plot-driven than character-driven, which is perhaps why I felt a smidgen of detachment. I DID ache for Mary, especially in her fear for Jesus, and her dread that he might someday leave her.

Overall, this is a well-presented blend of plausible fiction and Biblical history woven into an uplifting tale of faith, hope, and devotion to our lord and savior, Jesus Christ. If you enjoy Biblical fiction, you’ll find this novel well worth your time. I give Dawn of Grace four fish, and recommend you pre-order now or grab a copy on release day, February 18, 2025.

Jill Eileen Smith does a fantastic job in writing this type of book, it uses the Mary Magdalene concept perfectly and enjoyed the overall story being told. The characters felt like they belonged in this type of book and was invested in what was going on.

I was so excited to see another book from my favorite Biblical author Ms. Smith!
This is Mary Magdelene's story.
I must admit the first few chapters of Mary's life were quite creepy. I don't understand why a person would let that happen to them. It's nothing but misery.
I truly felt like I got to know this character quite well.
I really liked her a lot and her three friends although at first I didn't. Especially Susannah. She's quite the influencer isn't she? A bad one so to speak.
I finished this book in one day. Of course I was sad when this story ended but it does a have beautiful message within it.
This book shows that there's always hope and a light at the end of the dark tunnel if we choose to accept it.
5 stars from me for this delightful read. I highly recommend it.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine

“Maybe the idols and spirits weren’t so bad after all.”

Biblical fiction author, Jill Eileen Smith, explores one of the major themes of the bible, challenging God’s sovereignty, and highlights the dangers of putting our hope in anything that we allow to take the place of God.

None of us would admit to idolatry, but Satan has veiled it as attention to self, security, approval, success, relationships, and wealth. When we give these things more attention than they deserve, we are making them idols. The children at the beginning of this book find idols when they are playing at the seaside and although one of them knows that it’s wrong to play with them or bring them home, the other convinces her that it’s ok. What someone discarded carelessly instead of destroying became the downfall of someone else…the ripple effects were astounding. There’s a lesson in that for all of us.

At first, the plan is to seemingly play with these idols as if they were dolls, but the real reason for the attachment is rooted in a feeling of lack of control. One of the characters is driven to have power over her circumstances and it almost leads to her downfall…had she not met Jesus.

There’s so little in the Bible about Mary Magdalene but we do know that Jesus cast out of her seven demons and that she followed him faithfully. Smith has reimagined this biblical story to give us insight into how those demons found a home in Mary and show us the dangers of allowing them access to our hearts.

Smith capably placed me in Mary Magdalene’s shoes and I felt her fear before she met Jesus, her relief as he cleansed her and the joy that arose from fear as he died and was risen again. I had a better understanding of how fear operates and appreciated a little more how the Pharisees' lies originated from fear and from something they couldn’t control.

Smith showed us a radically transformed life; one that was free from what was holding her back. She also showed us a faithful follower who was ready and waiting. But, what spoke to me most was the uncomfortable chapters where the ‘spirits’ were in control. I realized the danger of building walls and of my human desire for control. I don’t think I’ll forget the above quote anytime soon.

This spectacular book isn’t just a Bible story; it’s applicable today and offers a solution to our fears.

I was gifted this copy by Revell and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.