Check out my review of this outstanding novel!
Author: Jill Eileen Smith
Age: Adult
Genres: Biblical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction
Publication Date: March 3, 2020
Publisher: Revell
Source: eARC & Paperback
Purchase: Paperback | Kindle | Audible | Hardcover
Synopsis:
In an effort to complete a war his father had planned to win, King Xerxes calls every governor, satrap, and official in his vast kingdom to his palace in Susa to strategize and feast. When they finally leave, he decides on one more week of frivolity, which ends in the banishment of his favorite wife, something he never intended to do. But when he discovers Esther, Xerxes is sure he has a second chance at happiness.
In her wildest dreams, Esther could never have imagined that she would end up as queen of Persia. Yet she knows better than to become complacent. Another of Xerxes's wives is vying for position, and his closest advisor has a deep and dangerous grudge against Esther's adoptive father. Caught in the middle of palace politics, Esther will find herself in an impossible position: risk her life or consign her people to annihilation.
With her impeccable research and her imaginative flair, Jill Eileen Smith brings to life the romantic, suspenseful, and beloved story of Esther, queen of Persia.
Wow! Where do I even begin with this glorious story. This is by far my favorite Esther story I've read. A solid 5 star rating for this! Jill has such a way with words. The way she wove the entire book of Esther into a fictional novel was outstanding. Her character development and attention to details were both phenomenal! She created a beautiful love story while maintaining the integrity of scripture. She blended fiction with truth seamlessly.
Hadassah better known as Esther was such a strong character! She was kind, she was beautiful inside her heart and she worked hard. I loved seeing her age over the course of the novel. In face of danger and drama she never batted an eye or backed down. She stood like a queen with grace. The purity of her heart amazed in the face of betrayal and heartbreak. She had her moments when she whined and complained, but she never let things keep her down. As queen, she didn't abuse her power. She relied on the Lord and kept strong to her faith. I loved her!
King Xerxes was incredible man at heart, but he allowed fear to hold him back. I didn't like how he relied to heavily on the opinion of men. The men on his council never ceased to lead him astray. I feel like he should have been more involved in his rulings and decisions, but seeing him make mistakes, realize them and work on changing was crucial as well. He may have been king, but his weakness stemmed from his fear of failing. I though she wrote him well especially since most stories portray him as an egotistical man. I enjoyed the vulnerable and sweet side of him.
The romance was so cute! I never expected Jill to write such a beautiful romance between Esther and Xerxes, but she did and I swooned over it. The way they talked to one another. They way they loved each other beyond the surface level was everything. I thought that they were cutest thing ever! Considering the times during the book of Esther I loved their romance.
Mordecai will always be an amazing man to me, but in this book he seemed a bit whiny. I still enjoyed his words of wisdom, his strength and his resolve. Seeing it all play out in fiction made me love him even more.
Vashti was amazing! In the Bible we really don't get know much about her, so I was excited that Jill created a beautiful personality for Vashti. I loved her approach at crafting the queen and especially how she wrote her in the prologue! Perfection.
Haman will forever be an evil person to bot in scripture and in fiction. He's egotistical, full of pride, a glutton for power. He was a smart villain who pissed me off until the very end. He got his perfect ending. Memucan was an idiot. He was like a puppy that did whatever he was told in order to gain power. He was honestly useless to the story, lol.
Amestris was a perfectly written antagonist. She was prideful and gluttonous for power. She annoyed me from start to finish. I wish she had repercussions for her actions, but overall she played her role in the story very well.
Atossa, the mother of Xerxes, was an interesting old woman. She wasn't mean, but she also wasn't nice. She kind of played favorites and let things go as they were even when she knew things shouldn't have. I liked that she didn't use her power as Queen Mother, but I do wish that she was more active in the story.
Overall, this was a phenomenal read and my new favorite for a novel on Esther! Highly recommend it.
Hadassah better known as Esther was such a strong character! She was kind, she was beautiful inside her heart and she worked hard. I loved seeing her age over the course of the novel. In face of danger and drama she never batted an eye or backed down. She stood like a queen with grace. The purity of her heart amazed in the face of betrayal and heartbreak. She had her moments when she whined and complained, but she never let things keep her down. As queen, she didn't abuse her power. She relied on the Lord and kept strong to her faith. I loved her!
King Xerxes was incredible man at heart, but he allowed fear to hold him back. I didn't like how he relied to heavily on the opinion of men. The men on his council never ceased to lead him astray. I feel like he should have been more involved in his rulings and decisions, but seeing him make mistakes, realize them and work on changing was crucial as well. He may have been king, but his weakness stemmed from his fear of failing. I though she wrote him well especially since most stories portray him as an egotistical man. I enjoyed the vulnerable and sweet side of him.
The romance was so cute! I never expected Jill to write such a beautiful romance between Esther and Xerxes, but she did and I swooned over it. The way they talked to one another. They way they loved each other beyond the surface level was everything. I thought that they were cutest thing ever! Considering the times during the book of Esther I loved their romance.
Mordecai will always be an amazing man to me, but in this book he seemed a bit whiny. I still enjoyed his words of wisdom, his strength and his resolve. Seeing it all play out in fiction made me love him even more.
Vashti was amazing! In the Bible we really don't get know much about her, so I was excited that Jill created a beautiful personality for Vashti. I loved her approach at crafting the queen and especially how she wrote her in the prologue! Perfection.
Haman will forever be an evil person to bot in scripture and in fiction. He's egotistical, full of pride, a glutton for power. He was a smart villain who pissed me off until the very end. He got his perfect ending. Memucan was an idiot. He was like a puppy that did whatever he was told in order to gain power. He was honestly useless to the story, lol.
Amestris was a perfectly written antagonist. She was prideful and gluttonous for power. She annoyed me from start to finish. I wish she had repercussions for her actions, but overall she played her role in the story very well.
Atossa, the mother of Xerxes, was an interesting old woman. She wasn't mean, but she also wasn't nice. She kind of played favorites and let things go as they were even when she knew things shouldn't have. I liked that she didn't use her power as Queen Mother, but I do wish that she was more active in the story.
Overall, this was a phenomenal read and my new favorite for a novel on Esther! Highly recommend it.
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