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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
Much better than I expected!
Very good read. I’ve read the book of Esther several times, but now I’m more interested in her as a historical figure more than ever.
Very good read. I’ve read the book of Esther several times, but now I’m more interested in her as a historical figure more than ever.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail
Nothing is in too much detail but it is explained so you know what is happening, or intends to happen.
I have read a few Biblical fiction novels written about Esther, but this one was the most different I have read. It was written in the first person point of view of two people: Esther, and Harbonah, a eunuch in the King's palace. That gives the reader a couple of different perspectives on the story that you don't normally get reading the third person point of view, or even the first person point of view from one person.
Hunt also spends more time on the story of Esther before she becomes queen. The Bible story and other fictionalized stories have her becoming queen early in the story. Hunt also has a lot more historical details about the king than are given in the Bible due to her studying historical information about the king and that era.
This was not a book I breezed through, though it was a very interesting book. Hunt gives more insight into the character of Esther and takes more time to develop her character and story, and the end result is one of the best versions of this story that I have read. She stays true to the Biblical account, but builds on the Biblical account to make a great Biblical fiction novel. I would recommend this over the other stories of Esther that are on the Christian market.
Hunt also spends more time on the story of Esther before she becomes queen. The Bible story and other fictionalized stories have her becoming queen early in the story. Hunt also has a lot more historical details about the king than are given in the Bible due to her studying historical information about the king and that era.
This was not a book I breezed through, though it was a very interesting book. Hunt gives more insight into the character of Esther and takes more time to develop her character and story, and the end result is one of the best versions of this story that I have read. She stays true to the Biblical account, but builds on the Biblical account to make a great Biblical fiction novel. I would recommend this over the other stories of Esther that are on the Christian market.
Stopped half an hour in. Biblical fiction. I’d like this more if I knew the primary characters or the Biblical telling of this story. There are a lot of random names and places if you aren’t familiar, and it’s hard to keep up with without that info.
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I'm a big fan of the Book of Esther and Purim, so when I saw it at the library I figured I might like this book. I was wrong. How does somebody write a 337 page book about Esther and only mention Haman on page 255? Really, you're going to wait to introduce the main conflict until the last third of the book?
Travel the streets of ancient Persia with young Hadassah and the eunuch Harbonah. This unique biblical fiction weaves a tale as fine as the woven linen of the looms of royalty. The taste of fear, rules and legalities will grit your teeth, as Ms. Hunt takes this biblical tale to a new level with you. She follows the bibles path, leaving nothing out, which touches on some of the more gruesome parts of Persian history. The cruelty of the king, the executions, the banishment of his wife and other familiar stories are told with skill that will make you feel like you visited the country. You will have tasted the dust in your teeth as it blew through the country, and felt the chill when the deaths were ordered. Most of all, you will read the story of the amazing sacrifice one brave young woman made for her people. She gave up everything for a reason she didn't know. She married a man that was a gentile in a time when that was not done, and God used it to save His people.
I enjoyed this tale, even though I shook with horror at the cruel acts that were done with a blink of an eye. For this reason, I would not recommend it to anyone in their teen years. There was just too much violence in it for that. Unlike what you would perhaps assume, there was not really much as far as romantic scenes, although hinted as to what took place between the husband and wife, details are not there. The violence was more accurately described.
The story is beautiful, sad and heart-wretching. The story of two very different kinds of slave. One queen. One Eunuch. People from history and the bible that changed an outcome that could have been vastly different otherwise. It is beautiful in the way it is told. If you enjoy biblical or even just historical fiction, you will love this book.
I enjoyed this tale, even though I shook with horror at the cruel acts that were done with a blink of an eye. For this reason, I would not recommend it to anyone in their teen years. There was just too much violence in it for that. Unlike what you would perhaps assume, there was not really much as far as romantic scenes, although hinted as to what took place between the husband and wife, details are not there. The violence was more accurately described.
The story is beautiful, sad and heart-wretching. The story of two very different kinds of slave. One queen. One Eunuch. People from history and the bible that changed an outcome that could have been vastly different otherwise. It is beautiful in the way it is told. If you enjoy biblical or even just historical fiction, you will love this book.