I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Reads and was under no obligation to post a review. No compensation was received for sharing this review and all opinions are my own.
Published by Baker Publishing Group on March 3, 2020
Source: Revell Reads
Genres: Christian, Fiction, General, Historical, Romance
Pages: 368
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.
Star of Persia: Esther’s Story, is a fictional account of the biblical story of Esther. Like many of Jill Eileen Smith’s other works, it is a standalone novel.
When the story begins, Esther is but a little girl and Vashti is immersed in palace life as the favored wife of the king. The story explores Esther’s life as the adopted daughter of Mordecai and his wife while simultaneously exploring the events that led up to Vashti’s being banished from the kingdom.
The author managed to capture my imagination in a way that had me rooting for Vashti, even though I knew how her story would play out. It is rare when an author can take a character with a given outcome and have you wishing things were different for them. This is something I’ve noticed in particular about this author. She can flesh out secondary characters and make me love or at least feel for them.
As the story progresses, we see how Esther blossoms into a beautiful young lady and we step into her inner thoughts and feelings that she must have had when she was chosen to become an unwilling participant in the King’s contest for a new wife.
What led the king to such terrible decision making? Did he grow to love Esther? He certainly did favor her greatly. How did she feel to be married to a King who had multiple wives/concubines? Did she grow to love the King? Did she feel jealousy or resentment towards the king? This book explores all of that and more. The author combined both biblical and historical accounts to flesh out a story that was vibrant, at times sweet, and other times bittersweet. It was real. I often think that when we read the Bible, we disconnect from the mood and emotion that the people had to have felt. When I read a book that captures the humanity of biblical characters, it encourages me to dig in and read more of the Bible. To connect with the stories on a personal level so that I can better learn from them.
Overall, this book is a great read and I recommend it to anyone who loves the story of Esther. I give the story a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars, negating just a half-star for sentences that sometimes read a little odd to me. They didn’t detract from the story itself but they were enough to distract me or make me stumble across them. An example of one of these sentences was, “Pray to God Haman never found out.” In the grand scheme of things, it’s a very minor detail. It doesn’t, in any way, discourage me from recommending the book to others.
Note: Kristin reads and reviews both Christian and secular fiction on A Simply Enchanted Life. Out of respect for my readers, I am including a content review. This content review will help you decide whether this book is suitable for you.
Christian or Secular: Christian
ASEL Content Rating: no profanity, violence, bedroom scenes, or other content that could otherwise be considered disturbing.
Themes: Plural Marriage, bible stories, jealousy, romance, courage
Suggested Age: 13+
About Jill Eileen Smith
Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling, award-winning author of the Wives of King David series, the Daughters of the Promised Land, the Wives of the Patriarchs, and the Loves of King Solomon series. Her research has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times.
When she isn’t writing, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, read stories that take her away, ride her bike to the park, snag date nights with her hubby, try out new restaurants, or play with her lovable, “helpful” cat Tiger. Jill lives with her family in southeast Michigan.
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