A Reluctant Queen
A Tale of Forbidden Love and God’s Calling
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4.0 • 1 Rating
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
From bestselling author Joan Wolf comes a sweeping retelling of Esther's story, where palace intrigue, forbidden love, and divine purpose collide. Perfect for fans of Francine Rivers and Angela Hunt, A Reluctant Queen brings the biblical tale of courage and romance to vivid life.
"Joan Wolf never fails to deliver the best!" --Nora Roberts
She was a humble girl faced with an impossible choice. He was a powerful king with a lonely heart.
Drawn together against all odds, Esther and Xerxes discover a love that not only defies expectation but changes the course of history. With danger at every turn, Esther must summon courage to embrace her destiny, protect her people, and follow the call of God--no matter the cost.
With its mix of romance, danger, and divine destiny, A Reluctant Queen is an inspired retelling perfect for book clubs and readers who love biblical fiction that stirs both the heart and spirit.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Historical fiction writer Wolf (The Road to Avalon) has turned the biblical Book of Esther, read in synagogues on the merrymaking festival of Purim, into a novel. She maintains most of the story's primary elements but rearranges them, invents a bit, and changes several attributes of the characters. The hero, Mordecai, appears as Esther's uncle rather than her cousin, as he was in the original biblical tale. More importantly, she reimagines King Ahasuerus, who was originally based on the historical Xerxes, son of Darius and grandson of Cyrus the Great, and makes him the fictional praiseworthy character. The real Xerxes was actually arbitrary and brutal. In Wolf's novel, he plays a minor role as Ahasuerus's brother. Some things don't change. The villain, Haman, who is booed and jeered when his name is mentioned in synagogue readings, is just as nasty a person in the novel as he is in the biblical story. In both, he receives his just desserts. Wolf has succeeded in tidying up the biblical account, reconstructing its people and events while preserving its essential elements and producing an attractive love story. Readers can decide for themselves which version they prefer.
