Biblical fiction is not a genre I read often. Although, I am aware there are some fabulous authors who write in this time period (Tessa Afshar, Mesu Andrews, and Connilyn Cossette all come to mind). Can you fathom the amount of research that goes into these books?
In My Opinion
While reading Mesu Andrews’s new release, I hurt and fell in love with a little girl named Ishma. As that girl struggles with her fears of soldiers and of being alone, forges a friendship with a boy who will one day become king, and discovers a new family with the prophet Isaiah, I got to visit Old Testament Jerusalem for a time.
Isaiah’s Daughter takes a handful of Scripture verses and gives readers a more rounded (fictional) account of the life these people lived. It’s a reminder that King Hezekiah, Queen Hephzibah, and Isaiah all lived lives outside of the few details recorded.
Andrews paints a vivid picture of the struggles, fears, and joys of life almost seven hundred years before the birth of the promised king Isaiah himself prophecies about.
One thing I love when I do read Biblical fiction is that it always drives me back to God’s word, ready to devour those stories with new eyes. It also reminds me how privileged I am to live in a time when God’s prophecies have been fulfilled, a time when I can rest in the sacrifice God’s son made for all of us while the characters in these books only glimpse a whisper of the truth.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
About the Book
In this epic Biblical narrative, ideal for fans of The Bible miniseries, a young woman taken into the prophet Isaiah’s household rises to capture the heart of the future king.
Isaiah adopts Ishma, giving her a new name–Zibah, delight of the Lord–thereby ensuring her royal pedigree. Ishma came to the prophet’s home, devastated after watching her family destroyed and living as a captive. But as the years pass, Zibah’s lively spirit wins Prince Hezekiah’s favor, a boy determined to rebuild the kingdom his father has nearly destroyed. But loving this man will awake in her all the fears and pain of her past and she must turn to the only One who can give life, calm her fears, and deliver a nation.
“Andrews (The Pharaoh’s Daughter) offers her unique brand of in-depth Bible knowledge and storytelling flair … [she] is gifted at bringing the past to life…” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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Hey Suzie! I saw one of your readers had this book on their shelf. So, I popped over here to read your review. I don’t think I’ve ever read Biblical Fiction, but I love what you said about it giving you fresh eyes for God’s word.
Also, I got a kick out of this “[they] all lived lives outside of the few details recorded.” I think I forget that too! Thanks for the review. And Happy Monday!