Skip to main content

Star of Persia

"The Star of Persia: Esther's Story"
by Jill Eileen Smith
This was a great rendition of the story of Esther, queen of Persia. Now, let me start off by saying that I'm not a big fan of Bible story retellings. Moreso because I can't stand to see authors change how the Biblical narrative goes. For that reason, I only stick to Francine Rivers who always stays true to the original narrative. However, I had heard so much about this author that I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed how the author did justice to the story of Esther. 

I love that she stuck with the main theme of faith, relying on God that all things happen in His time for His divine purpose. Esther constantly asked the same question, that many of us struggle with "what is my purpose?" Her story is very relevant to us today. Jill did an amazing execution with this novel.

Although some details were changed from the original story, I didn't mind so much as there were valid reasons. I would have liked to see more about the day to day life as queen of Persia Esther might have experienced. The novel mostly centered on the romantic side, and although I appreciate it, I would have loved to see more of her interactions and relationships with the King's concubines. Other than that, this retelling of the story of Esther was just beautiful. 

I received a copy of this book from Revell in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. 

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

  Since tomorrow is Halloween I decided to do some research and write a little about the origins and symbols of this holiday. I also wanted to pose the question, “Should Christians celebrate Halloween?” This may seem like a no-brainer to the average Christian, but more and more, the church is embracing the world and /or watering down and sugar-coating the truth so as to not offend anyone. Something that is becoming more prevalent in American churches is the “fall festival/harvest” which is just a synonym for Halloween. It does not matter that kids are not in costume, the mere fact that an activity is done in place of, is enough to partake in it. Hence, I felt compelled to touch upon this topic and pray that believers may come to the light and stop offending God.  This is what I found out about Halloween… check it out.  What Does the Bible Say? Halloween is a holiday of death not just because of the costumes, macabre theme or movies but because of its meaning (more on that...
1 comment
Read more

Young Women Love God Greatly Bible (NET)

  "Young Women Love God Greatly Bible (NET)" by Thomas Nelson This is my first time reading the NET and the “Love God Greatly” ministry. Let me preface this review by saying that I’m almost strictly KJV only but sometimes I like to look up certain passages in other versions to compare the text. I was impressed with the wording after reading a little through the NET. The NET contains many translation notes explaining why some words or verses were omitted, so I appreciate that. I still prefer the KJV but the NET is very understandable, albeit, very different from what I’m used to.  About this bible, be prepared to receive a BIG chunky tome. I personally like personal-size Bibles but also enjoy having chunkers as well. This also means that it is jammed-packed with extra stuff.  Features Book introductions & memory verses for each book of the Bible 50 reading plans for reading through Scripture using the SOAP method 10 topical reading plans about life’s issues, such as fe...
Post a Comment
Read more

Knowing Sin

  "Knowing Sin: Seeing a Neglected Doctrine Through the Eyes of the Puritans" by Mark Jones If you're a fan of the Puritans this one will be a great read for you. Not many books are written about sin, this is one of a kind. This is a well-rounded anthology on harmatiology (the study of sin). The author uses pieces and teachings from several Puritans to introduce each chapter and then goes into detailed discussions.  The book covers every area of sin you can think of; the origins, selfishness, envy, privation of sin, sorrow, manipulation, temptations, etc. I found the material biblically sound and very well-written. This is probably the best book I've read on sin. The author makes reference to theologians, ministers, preachers, and Biblical stories to draw his points. This book helps you analyze how you handle sin and to identify the root problems. I would highly recommend! I received a copy of this book from Moody in exchange for an honest review. All opinions express...
Post a Comment
Read more