Book Review: Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate

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    Claudia:  here is a novel well worth reading by anyone!  Who knew that from one tiny little reference to Claudia in Scripture, such a well-researched story could emerge that would be an eye-opener to the lifestyle of Roman society during the time of Jesus Christ!  It was a fantastically challenging time for those in power (as well as those NOT in power); it was a time of spies and intrigue, of power-hungry and mentally imbalanced individuals.  It was a time of which we have all done a little study but have possibly gained little real knowledge of the culture and ideas of the times.  It had to be a very scary time for those who had no control over their own lives, whether they be slaves or wives!

    Claudia’s story begins when she is a small child, being raised by a grandmother, with a mother who was prostituting herself and was seldom coherent.  Claudia never knew who her father was, but her grandfather was Caesar Augustus, the Emperor.  Eventually, Claudia was brought to the Emperor’s castle in Rome to be raised as his ward.  She was given in marriage at about age 16 to a complete stranger, Lucius Pontius Pilate.  Pilate was ordered to move to little Judea, home of the Jewish people, where he became governor of these sometimes unruly people.  There was much problem-solving involved in his duties and little time for his wife and child.  However, Claudia knew how her own life depended on making her husband comfortable and supported; they were in love and cherished their time together.

    During their 10 years in Judea (divided between Jerusalem and Caesarea), the political and religious conflicts sometimes escalated to a dangerous level.  Claudia was often curious about the Jewish people and learned their history and the meaning of their rituals through slaves in the palace, who came to trust her and answered her questions.  When Jesus arose as an imposing figure in the small nation, Claudia became very interested in his ministry and visited in the crowds where he was teaching and performing miracles.  She dreamed about him.  She slowly began introducing her thoughts about Judaism and Jesus to her husband, who scoffed but did not forbid her to continue with her contacts.

    Claudia is a fabulous story from Scripture, a great teaching tool of the history of the Jewish people, with many references from the Old Testament; it also clearly defines the role of Jesus and points very definitely to the need for forgiveness and salvation.  The author has done an superb job of creating clarity of a sometimes very confusing history, and has blessed this reader with her authenticity in telling the story.

Diana Wallis Taylor has been writing since the age of 12 when she sold her first poem to a church newspaper. Her third novel, Mary Magdalene came out May 2012 and she recently completed her fourth novel of Biblical Fiction for Revell, Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate. She won first place in the San Diego Book Awards for her short story, “Phipps and the Jay”; First place in Christian Romance for her book Smoke Before the Wind. First place in Christian Fiction for her manuscript, “House of the Forest”; Second place last year for Martha all in the Reader’s Favorite Book Review and Award Contest. Her collection of poetry, Wings of the Wind came out in 2006. Her writing contributions appear in various compilation books and magazines. Diana wrote the words and melodies to an Easter cantata called “Glorious” recently completed with her fellow collaborator, Carolyn Prentice, who did the orchestration. Diana lives with her husband Frank in San Diego, California. Between them they have six grown children and ten grandchildren. She enjoys speaking and sharing her heart with women of all ages.

    Claudia is available as of June 2013 at your favorite bookseller - from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

    In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive a small affiliate commission, although your cost stays at the regular price. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support.


    I received one copy of Claudia in exchange for my honest review of this book.  No other compensation was provided.

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