Who is the most important woman in the history of the world? Well arguably - and this goes for millions of people - it is a woman of whom very little is known: the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus. The Virgin and the Dragon: A Life Story of the Virgin Mary is John Hibbert’s semi-fictionalised account of the emotions - good and bad - that Mary had to endure, and the religious faith that supported her, through such a self-sacrificing life.

The story begins with a 16-year-old Mary in the small town of Nazareth who falls in love with the local carpenter, Joseph. It follows her emotional torture as she finds herself pregnant through the intervention of the Holy Spirit. She never doubts that her son, Jesus, is the Messiah. But he is also a normal loving son. Thus she is torn throughout his life between her maternal instincts and her faith in the will of God. The reader follows her as she performs her role as a mother, as a supporter during Jesus’ ministry, and as a helpless onlooker as she sees her son - the son of God - tortured and crucified. But does she ever see the reason for her son’s death?

Hibbert skilfully fills in the missing pieces of Mary’s life with a combination of sensitive and profound psychological insights, as well as an expert knowledge of the customs of the times. The Virgin and the Dragon takes the reader on a tour of the Holy Land and into Asia Minor with the help of Hibbert’s deep understanding of the geography, politics and history of the area.

John Hibbert was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire. From an early age he had a desire to know God, and in 1967 he became a preacher of the Gospel himself. He currently lives in Mansfield Woodhouse, where he has helped build the Church of Jesus Christ.

The Virgin and the Dragon is a human story that will be enjoyed by all, but, most importantly it is a story that helps the reader towards a better understanding of the Christian faith.