Journey to the Well: A Novel by
Diana Wallis Taylor
Living Water!!
One of the most well-known and loved stories of Jesuss ministry is the
encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacobs well. Now the creative
mind of Diana Wallis Taylor imagines how the Samaritan woman got there
in the first place. Marah is just a girl of thirteen when her life is set on a
path that will eventually lead her to a life-changing encounter with the
Messiah. But before that momentous meeting she must traverse through
times of love lost and found, cruel and manipulative men, and gossiping
women. This creative and accurate portrayal of life in the time of Jesus
opens a window into a fascinating world. Taylors rich descriptions of the
landscapes, lifestyles, and rituals mesh easily with the emotional and very
personal story of one woman trying to make a life out of what fate seems
to throw at her. This exciting and heartwrenching story will fascinate
readers and lend new life to a familiar story.

Personal Review: Journey to the Well: A Novel by Diana Wallis
Taylor
"Journey to the Well" is a stand-alone novel by Diana Wallis-Taylor.
Marah, a young girl of 13 lives in the village of Shechem. When her aunt
Reba arranges for her to marry an older man, she is fearful of what her life
will be. The story goes through the ups and downs of her life as she loses
one husband after another. First was Zibeon, the man her aunt arranged
who had a mother obsessed with having a grandchild. Next was Shimei,
the brother of Zibeon who had a shameful secret. He presents Marah with
a bill of divorcement before the wedding even takes place. Next is Jesse,
whom Marah loved since childhood. He too had lost his first wife, leaving
behind an infant son named Caleb. Marah becomes his mother and loves
him as if he were her own. After Jesse dies in an accident, Marah marries
Haman, a man who claimed to be Jesse's cousin. When he is killed for
being found a murderer, the gentle and respectable man from the caraven
named Ahmal offers Marah his home and the offer of marriage. When
Ahmal goes missing for 3 years, Rueben, a man claiming to be his half-
brother appears to Marah, and robs her of her dignity. When Rueben sets
out for a journey, Marah takes a walk to Jacob's Well. There she meets
Jesus, in which he tells her of everything she has done in her life. And as
she comes to believe, she finds healing and forgiveness to all which she
has done.
I loved the story. From just reading the Bible passage, you would think the
Samaritan woman was one who lived in sexual sin. What woman would go
through 5 husbands, only to currently live with a man who was not her
husband? But through the story we see that, that woman was a normal
person like any of us. Her life was just full of tragedy. Yet she believed her
life to be God-willed, and tried to make the best out of everything in life. By
the end of the book when she meets Jesus, and you see the dialogue
found in the Bible, we know Marah. We know why she responds the way
she does and we know what she has gone through in life. The research
that the author did in the book is greatly evident. While reading, I felt like I
myself was thrown into first century Samaria. She herself says in the
'author's note' of the book that it was a story 25 years in the making.
I blindly got the book after seeing the description of it in a catalogue. I
enjoy biblical fiction and the synopsis sounded intriguing. I was not
disappointed. I always enjoy reading more into the life of a certain biblical
figure. Even if it is ficitionized. And if you enjoy any type of biblical fiction, I
am sure this will be the right book for you. :)
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