I sighed, not understanding why he couldn't see the obvious. What other fate could possibly await a girl like me?
"Never usurp the right of the Almighty to plan your future," he said, his dark eyes intent on my face. "HaShem is always at work, even when you can't see Him."
--Esther by Angela Hunt
I picked Esther to review because I had watched "One Night with the King" and gone to Purim parties and was curious what author Angela Hunt would do to a story that has been done so many times.
First off, the bad thing about reading a story based on a story you already know is that you are waiting for the BIG EVENT to happen. It felt like it took a really long time to set the backdrop for the main drama of Esther being chosen queen.
But after I pushed through all the foundation laying (which was interesting, I'll grant you) the book became a delightful page-turner. Some things she brought out were completely new to me, like what eunuchs looked like, how Vashti may have been involved in Esther's life, and the idea that Esther could have struggled with valuing Persian culture over Jewish culture because she lived in the shadow of the palace. I felt like I got to read a more accurate, less romanticized version of Esther, but it wasn't boring at all, just more realistic.
The ending was a little bit of a disappointment. I had hoped for more details about the rest of Esther and the king's life together after Purim. I would have liked more information about Mordecai's life as second-to-the-king too. But, the book wrapped up quickly. And it had a nice ending.
All in all, I would definitely recommend this book.
I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
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