I love this new novel from Claudia Mair Burney. Yes, it reminds me of Ron Hansen's Mariette in Ecstasy, but whereas Hansen seems to know the intimate ins and outs of a monastic enclosure, and of that life, Burney brings the same intimate familiarity to difficult, daily, domestic, comings and goings, doubts, and bewilderments. Her novel is for anyone who has felt drawn to the mystical side of life, and had trouble reconciling that, with all the rest of life's responsibilities. There's no cute resolution in the end. But this novel will make you think, and better yet, I'll bet it will make you pray. It shows the power of God to shine into what is extra/ordinary.

Regina and Priest meet on Ash Wednesday, Priest is high and dying from constant drug use and Regina is praying for relief from the constant pain she feels. Each live in their on personal hell, now that you know the worst let me tell you the best. Regina the blessed one as she is called is on a mission to save Priest from himself, but will he allow her to succeed. Bent on almost total self distruction Priest is truely saved by the blood, but can he accept the salvation and help Regina fine peace.

It's been a long time since I read a book that was hard to put down, touched my emotions on all levels, and had me thinking about its characters way past the ending. Wounded by Claudia Mair Burney is one book that did all that.

When I first heard this book was about a stigmatic (think bloody wounds of Christ manifested on a person,) I had the same reaction you're having right now! What the...? It's the stuff weird Christianity is made of, right? But I loved Burney's style and knew her writing was genuine, so I thought I'd give it a try.

And I'm glad I did. The characters gripped me from page one. Regina Delores Merritt, a bi-polar, fibromyalgia, charismatic wounded single mom attended Ash Wednesday service at The Vineyard, only wanting to honor her Jesus, share in his pain, and be healed of her own. God answered her prayers through stigmata.

Witness to the entire event was Anthony Priest, a heroine junkie, has-been, Pulitzer prize winning journalist with a momma wound so big you could drive a freight train through it. He went to church high, hoping to leave with a church bulletin to show his boss he was getting his act together so he wouldn't get fired. Being instantly healed, he leaves with a burning desire to know about the woman who touched him.

What follows is a tale a uncertainty, pain, lots of pain, hope, healing and sacrifice. Even though the story centered around a main character who was a stigmatic, I didn't see it an issue driven story to promote stigmatics, saints or the Catholic church. Those who think that have missed the entire point of the story!

It's a story about two wounded people (actually more) coming to rely on each other and Jesus in the only way they know how. It's about their struggle with their own humanity and desires and wanting to be whole, and holy and honorable, all while dealing with this unexplainable miracle which turns both their lives upside down.

As I got to know Gina and Priest more and more, the stigmata blended into the background. It was there, but the characters were bigger. It drove the story, but the character WERE the story. It touched my heart on a deep level and went over my head on other levels, but it delivered a satisfying, weepy, joyful ending!