Based on the Biblical story of Rahab and her family in the land of Canaan, saving the spies when the Israelites go against Jericho and bring the wall down. Joan Wolf puts the story in a whole different light, focusing instead on how Rahab became a part of the lineage of Jesus Christ.
Kidnapped by slave traders when she was a little girl, Rahab is saved by a young Israelite and returned to her family. Now, as a stunning young woman, she meets up with Sala again and is sent on an adventure that will change the destination of her life and the lives of her family.
This novel is an interesting fictional twist on a Biblical story. I found it a bit hard to get into at first, but once you get into the story, it goes pretty quickly.:D The story is one of palace intrigue, a house divided, and the Israelites longing to inhabit the promise land. Its a unique approach to how Rahab became part of Christ's lineage. It shows how God can take the weak things of the world to execute His power.
My only complaint is that a lot of the characters are incredibly perfect and I would rather have an endearing, imperfect character because they are easier to love and relate to.
Hmm... I usually like fiction about Biblical hero's.
ReplyDeleteJaney
I really enjoyed the palace intrigue element too! I'm really enjoying all of the new Biblical fiction that's out there right now. I have to say that my favorite Rahab retelling is Tessa Afshar's "A Pearl in the Sand." She portrays Rahab as a fallen woman struggling to accept God's forgiveness which I found very compelling.
ReplyDeleteI have "A Pearl in the Sand" on my Kindle, and just started reading it, since I loved "Harvest of Rubies" by the same author. I like that her characters have depth to them, something I thought this book was lacking.
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