Book Review: "A Reluctant Queen: The Story of Esther"

I totally enjoyed reading A Reluctant Queen: The Story of Esther, by Joan Wolf.  It is not the straight-up Bible story you might expect to hear, because Wolf has taken liberties to weave it into a fictional tale.  But if you looking for an opportunity to get into the mind and heart of Queen Esther, you will very much enjoy Wolf’s rendition of this classic tale.  She did a great job capturing the Persian culture, complete with the traditions, home life, rituals, religions, gender roles, aristocracy and racial tensions.   I feel like I have a more complete understanding of Esther’s story after reading this novel.  It is enlightening in regards to the huge sacrifice Esther made to enter the king’s competition, the ever-present struggle between following culture or following God, and the courageous counter-culture choices Esther made to save the Jewish people.  And as always, Esther’s story reminds me that we have been designed, fashioned and created for “such a time as this”, but it’s our choice to stand up and follow the calling God places before us.  I love reading Christian fiction like this book because I find more reminder’s of God’s truth entering my mind and heart throughout the day, as I ponder on the text.  I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!

Disclaimer: The publisher sent me a copy of this book in exchange for providing my honest review of the product.  I was not required to give positive feedback, but was asked for my honest opinions.