Eva Etzioni-HalevyKirja-arvosteluja
Teoksen The Song of Hannah tekijä
Kirja-arvosteluja
3.5 stars
Osnath has come to Bethlehem at 15-years old and falls for two brothers, Eliab and David. While there, she is intrigued by the mystery surrounding Eliab and David’s ancestor (and I think, also in some way, her own ancestor), Ruth. It takes her a while to uncover Ruth’s story, while she is torn between the two men.
So, this is about the Biblical Ruth, and how her story may have come to be written. Actually, the first half of the book mostly focuses on Osnath, and the second half on Ruth. I don’t know the Bible – even less the Old Testament – but I did recognize a few names: Ruth; Samuel, a prophet; David (though I didn’t recognize him until Goliath was mentioned!). There were probably a few others. I didn’t remember it, but Osnath’s grandmother, Pninah, is one of the main characters in The Song of Hannah, also written by Etzioni-Halevy.
Anyway, I thought this was good, both women’s stories. A lot of jumping in between men’s beds (for both Osnath and Ruth!), though not in detail, but the story was still interesting. As always, I appreciate the historical note that was added in at the end.
Asherah and Nogah are half-sisters. Deborah is an esteemed judge in her community. Asherah and Nogah are Canaanite, while Deborah is Israelite. They are at war. Barak is a warrior for the Israelites and brings Asherah and Nogah home with him, as well as other women and children, when Israel wins the war. Barak wants the beautiful Asherah as his wife, but Nogah falls in love with him. Deborah has also fallen in love with Barak.
I liked it. Not quite as much as The Song of Hannah, but it was still good. Deborah is more of a secondary character, despite the title of the book, and that was o.k. because I found Nogah and Asherah much more interesting. I was less interested while the war was happening and more interested in their personal lives and what was happening there.
Two parallel stories unfold in this novel, neither of which held my interest. I felt that the characters were superficial and poorly drawn, the dialogue (possibly in an attempt to suggest the formal language of the Bible) was stilted and then unexpectedly and inappropriately veered into contemporary informality. The dynamic between the characters was unrealistic in terms of time, place and circumstance and the book was simply not very interesting.
Biblical fiction that isn't much better than a Harlequin romance. Still, our book club had an interesting discussion about independent women and the restrictions placed on women by society (historically and today).
I disliked the main characters. Hannah is extremely beautiful and knows it. She never doubts she can have any man she wants. At her friends wedding she decides the groom is the man for her. She doesn't care how much that will hurt her friend. She doesn't listen to her mother Who warns her about what it means to be the second wife. She want Elkanah to divorce her friend. She realizes the situation is of her own making when she prays for a child.
Elkanah is a cheater who continues to take advantage of the young girls who work for him. He treats Prinah horribly. Yes he really loves Hannah, but that doesn't excuse the rest of his behavior.
Prinah is the most sympathetic of the trio. But her relationships are too much about sex. Elkanah can't stay away because sex with her is so great. Her taking a lover is understandable given the way her husband treats her the rest of the time. It is easy to see the attraction of a man who listens to her and cares about her. As a mature woman she becomes this incredibly sexy woman.
Samuel is an all knowing mystic.
I don't like the choice of the Author to have Samuel attracted to Prinah. I thought Prinah's attraction over done. The Author makes Prinah and Hannah the same age. But all we know from the Bible is that Prinah was the 1st wife, Hannah the 2nd. As the 1st wife Prinah could have been significantly older than Hannah.The Author's mote that "I found it suggestive that although Samuel had grown up in the Temple and afterward became a judge in another town, and thus had not lived in his father's town of Ramathaim/Ramah since he was and infant, for no apparent reason, he subsequently moved back and made his home there." I'm sorry but there is a big leap between moving to his father's town to being in love with his father's wife.
She brings out a son being attracted to his fathers' wives or concubines is not unheard of. One of the examples is Adonijah wishes to take his father's concubine, Abishag as his wife. But Solomon was convinced that Adonijah’s request was not due alone to Abishag’s beauty but, rather, indicated a subtle effort to strengthen Adonijah’s claim to the throne
I enjoyed reading about the historical period represented in this book. It was uplifting to read about a powerful woman from that time period. I was a little disappointed, however, because from the title of the book I expected it to focus much more on Deborah. Instead it focused on Barak and the drama revolving around the women who loved him or those he wanted to sleep with. The middle of the book began to drag for me because I became bored with all of the women who were pining over him and the book focused on this for quite a while. I was also frustrated with the character of Barak. He was a very selfish character who eventually did grow, but I saw this as his desires changing rather than him growing beyond his self-centered outlook on life. I really liked reading about ancient Israel, and I may seek out other books about Deborah. I would probably read more by this author, but if I was recommending a book about women of the bible to a friend I would recommend the Red Tent first.
I was hoping it would turn out to be really good, since I enjoy a good biblical fiction and the author has written several. However, I ended up very disappointed. I did end up finishing it, but by the end I was mostly skimming.
There was an ongoing theme of "men can't be expected to abstain from sex, so women can't get annoyed at them for it," which I found highly disturbing.
I understand that this story is set in a very different place and time, and that the cultural norms surrounding both Osnath and Ruth are very different than those in my life. However, I think that there is a way to address those different standards while still acknowledging problematic elements in them throughout the narrative, and the author failed to do so.
In particular, I was very uncomfortable with how she dealt with rape. Major characters are raped at multiple points through the story, and the way it's dealt with and excused disturbed me.
The writing was fine, though the dialogue was a bit rushed at points. However, the overarching themes just made me too uncomfortable for me to actually enjoy this.
The chapters are split, alternating between Hannah’s story and Pninah’s. I thought it was really good, but I must admit I did find Pninah’s story more interesting than Hannah’s, though overall I liked it enough to rate it 4 stars. I wasn’t as interested in the section of the book when the wars started, but it was only a brief section. I had been wondering about the title of the book, given that it is really only half Hannah’s story, but I guess the reason is because apparently there is something in the Bible by that title? I always appreciate having a historical note for any historical fiction that I read (which this one had).
In this work of Biblical fiction, a young woman named Osnath, who is also the niece of the prophet Samuel, arrives in Bethlehem. Upon perusing the scroll room belonging to the relatives she is visiting, she discovers a scrap of parchment with a most interesting love poem written upon it. As Osnath soon discovers, this parchment is only a fragment of the life story of Ruth, who became the wife of Boaz and was the great-grandmother of the man known as King David. While trying to uncover more of the parchment scraps that tell Ruth's story, Osnath discovers that Ruth, a woman highly esteemed for her piety and grace, had once been caught in the throes of an illicit relationship with a man other than her husband. But as Osnath begins to dig for more clues into Ruth's life, she comes to arouse the suspicion and anger of Ruth's great-grandson Eliab, who is desperate to keep his ancestor's reputation from being tarnished. Osnath, trying frantically to uncover more information about this tantalizing story, becomes genuinely surprised when she finds her feelings of disgust for Elaib turning into feelings of desire. Now Osnath must reconcile both Ruth's past and her present to finally restore harmony to her life. In this surprising and evocative story, Etzioni-Halevy takes one of the most famous stories in the bible and turns it in fresh and unexpected direction.
About a year and a half ago, I had the pleasure of reading my first book by Eva Etzioni-Hallevy. It was called The Song of Deborah and I had a great time with it. When the author contacted me about reviewing one of her other works, I was very excited to see what her other stories might have to offer me. I was greatly pleased with this book and ended up being very satisfied with its story. I think this was perhaps my favorite of the stories I have tried from this author and am excited that she has another book out for me to enjoy as well.
Though this book ostensibly had two stories woven into one, the story involving Osnath was the principal focus. Osnath was a very headstrong young girl at the beginning of the tale, and only as the story progresses do her attitudes and behaviors begin to change. From the outset, she is extremely caught up in the search for Ruth's tale and it seems that she will do almost anything to discover the truth surrounding it, even if it means angering everyone around her. I found her diligence to have a curious effect on me. I also wanted her to find out Ruth's tale and was invested in her search, but I thought that she sometimes came off as a little brazen in her tactics. As she struggles to worm her way into the scroll room, she seems to be making enemies all along the way, but surprisingly, the people she is offending offer her friendship and, in one case, love.
Osnath also has to contend with the desires of her heart. At her first meeting with Elaib, she discovers him to be crude and coarse and really wants to have nothing to do with him. After a flagrant affront takes place between the two, Osnath's heart is set against Eliab in the most heated of ways. She will never love this man and will learn to live around him. Instead, she prefers David, a starry-eyed youth who spins endearments from thin air, much to Osnath's delight. As the story begins to take shape, Osnath's feelings for David become tangled by the deeds he commits and she is left feeling exploited and rebuffed. In anger, Osnath wishes to leave Bethlehem after she uncovers Ruth's story, feeling that her time in the city fits only that purpose and no more. Surprisingly, Osnath begins to discover that there is more to Eliab than she once thought, a revelation that seems to come a little too late, forcing Osnath into a position of suffering that breaks her body and spirit. The only way to reconcile her situation is to do the unthinkable, which for Osnath, is a tough order indeed.
Towards the middle of the book, Osnath's persistence pays off and she is rewarded with Ruth's story in all its sordid detail. This section prompted me to perk up while reading, for the story of Ruth and Boaz has always been a favorite of mine. This book takes a slightly different direction with the story and tells the fictional tale of the man who seduces Ruth immediately after her first husband dies. I really liked Ruth and found her humble yet knowing. In this tale, she was placed in a very difficult situation and had only her wits and character to pull her through it. These passages were evocative and humble, painting a vast and far-reaching picture of the trials that Ruth faced. I must admit that these sections were my favorite parts of the book and I hungered to hear more about Ruth and her situation. She was a winning character, filled with shame at her situation but strong enough to do what was required of her.
In the end, the story of Ruth is revealed in its complete form, as is the tale of Osnath and her difficult road to maturity. The two sections of the book dovetailed at the end, and despite the trials that the two women faced, they are able to find a happiness that stretches across generations. Though Ruth and Osnath were very different women, I was happy to see their lives reconciled and their fates sealed, so for me, the story came full circle in a wonderful way.
If you are the type of reader who enjoys biblical fiction, then this book is probably something that you would enjoy. The author takes great pains in fully realizing her characters and the dramas they face, so this novel would also be of interest to those who love character driven books. Though there are certain liberties taken with the tale of Ruth, I think that in this case, they were very well done and believable and they gave the story a profound sense of drama and insight. The complexities of the two stories being interwoven was also done with a lot of style, making this a very pleasant reading experience.
In places, the novel is more romance novel than historical novel (especially when it comes to Barak's "adventures"), but it works as both. The historical parts mainly caught my attention and brought me into the life of these intriguing people. The details of society and the various customs were very well described and it's obvious that the writer knows her history (and her country) well. Couple that with her easy voice and you have a story that flows so well that the hours just run by as you keep turning the pages. I reread the Judges chapters after finishing this novel and the story just has so much more meaning now - regardless that Etzioni-Halevy's book is fiction. She has written about Ruth and Hannah previously and I hope she continues writing about Biblical women.
If your genre is historical romance novels, this is one you should run out and buy! If you're not a fan of the romance, just flip the page when the saucy stuff comes along and you will still be treated to an intriguing look into life in Biblical times. At times, the "Harlequin" level got a little too high for my taste (too much of the "heaving bosoms" stuff), but I skimmed those parts and still enjoyed the ride very much - I'm looking forward to reading more of Etzioni-Halevy.
Read my full synopsis & review here: http://muse-in-the-fog.blogspot.com/2010/01/book-review-triumph-of-deborah-by-ev...
Pninah has no problem bearing children, but Hannah is just the opposite. After trying for years, she goes to the temple and begs God to give her a child. She also says that if she has a son, she will give him as a sacrifice. Shortly after she becomes pregnant, she delivers a son she names Samuel, and when he is 3 years of age she takes him to be raised at the temple.
The rest of the story is about the years following. When I first started reading I thought the book would be Hannah telling the story, but the chapters alternated from Hannah to Pninah. I really enjoyed this book, it kept me eager to find out what was going to happen next. I've read many reviews from people who did not like The Song Of Hannah because of some of the relationships these people had, and I agree some of the book was to graphic, but you have to remember that this is a work of fiction about non fictional people. Some of it is factual events from the Bible, the rest is from the mind of the author. I liked this book and plan on reading more from the author.
I recently had a conversation with Lisa of Books on the Brain about my taste in books. I was stating aloud in our Book Club Meeting that I didn’t like historical fiction. I did, however, mention to a member that I liked The Lost Diary of Don Juan, which I read as a part of a book tour. I relayed that I was surprised that I liked that book as much as I had and recommended it. Lisa, however, took the opportunity to gently correct me. She told, albeit this may not be verbatim, “Sheri, I think you do like historical fiction and you just don’t realize that what you are reading is historical fiction.” HUH? She explained to me that she reads my book reviews and that many of the books that I claimed to enjoy actually were historical fiction books. She gave me a few examples, like Snow Flower & The Secret Fan. So, I put some thought to it. She was right; there are many books that I’ve read of late that I really liked that would fall under that category. Perhaps I am a fan.
When I agreed to review this book for the author, who contacted me directly, I wasn’t 100% sure that this book would be “up my alley.” When I started to read it, I worried that this may not be the right book for me. But, I was determined to find out. As I read on, I did discover that I really liked this story. It was rich with history, especially biblical. I found myself craving it and loving the knowledge that I discovered in the story. What’s more, I very much enjoyed getting to know the characters. I picked out my favorites almost immediately and found myself pulling for their happiness in this long, winding tale.
What did I enjoy about the book? The characters come to mind first. Well, Deborah is quite the strong prophetess. She was a fair and insightful judge who craved glorification to the Lord. In this story, Deborah was revealed as this strong leader, but also one with a woman’s heart. I also enjoyed Nogah, the daughter of a Canaanite King and Israelite slave. Nogah is my type of gal and I most related with her in this book. I admired the brashness and devotion of Barak, Deborah’s appointed military leader of Israel’s tribes. I became endeared to Uriel, the elderly scribe who became a grandfather in heart to Nogah.
The book was a lengthy, detailed story that held my attention the entire time. However, there were times that I hoped it would move faster because I wanted certain outcomes to occur sooner than they did. This is of no fault of the author; rather it was my impatience that good things happen to my favorite characters. This story also held some “sauciness” (is that a word?) that I think spiced up the story. This book also prompted me to call my best friend, Lori, and get her opinion on the biblical background of the story. She referred me to the book of Judges, Chapter 4. Secretly, I wished that there was more information in the Bible than there was on this story… but, it is a short story that I found. The author does take the time at the end of the book to explain how she gathered up her background to develop this story.
On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale”:
Personally, I liked this book. It gave me a different “flavor” from my standard reading. As mentioned above, I liked the storyline and the characters and that is my recipe for a good read. I enjoyed the biblical infusion and learning about customs in this period in history. Therefore, strictly from my PERSONAL viewpoint, I am awarding this book for the genre Fiction: Historical/Biblical a 8.75 out of 10. Almost a 9… really, it was good. If you like the content of this type book, I would definitely recommend it!
The story of Ruth is well known for all who have read the Bible and I am not one of them.
The story starts with a young beautiful Israelite girl, Osnath traveling to Bethlehem to meet her extended family. Osnath has the ability to read and write, which is a rare quality possessed by women in those times. She is educated by her mother, who herself is a scribe and also by her father. She loves reading and writing scrolls and to her amazement finds a scroll room in there neighbors house. This is where she accidentally stumbles upon a few of Ruth's poems which depict her life. Another scroll adds to the mystery about Ruth's life which Osnath is determined to unravel. She is undeterred by the stiff objections from Ruth's descendants. Osnath knows that there is a secret that Eliab, Ruth's great grandson is trying to protect and she wants to know it and write about it too. Osnath gets help from her uncle Prophet Smauel and bit by bit uncovers the truth. In her journey to find the truth, she falls in love with Eliab's youngest brother David, who is destined to be the King. She later realizes her true love and fights for him just as Ruth fought for hers.
This story shows women of strength who fought for there causes among there own kin and others. It is a beautifully written work and an amazing story! Eva has done a beautiful job of showcasing the strength of women in times when there choices were very limited. This book is highly recommended.
It was her duty to make the major decisions for her people as well as to resolve conflicts and make settlements amongst them. In a society where women were not educated, her father believed that she deserved the education just as much as her brothers did and she was taught the Torah at an early age. Even as a youth people would come to her from far away places after having heard of her wisdom and fair hand.The Triumph of Deborah is about love and war and most everything in between. Deborah suffers from the choice of her husband and is torn when a young dashing warrior beckons to her. It would be acceptable by law, but she still feels tied emotionally to her husband.
I ended up enjoying this read more than I thought. I fell in love with Deborah, and I think if I had been a little older I would have loved her even more, she is strong and true and really gets things done. Of course, like all women she is riddled with emotion, but who can count that as a fault since we are all plagued by it!? I felt that Eva Etzioni-Halevy did a pretty good job with the writing, it isn't dazzling in its artistic appeal but it is still alive and fresh to read. The storyline had me intregued and involved. This is certainly a great book for any reader, but I specifically recommend it to those who enjoy a good Historical Fiction read. The Triumph of Deborah will be sure to please!
Yet Deborah was left with a vague feeling that the celebration she had arranged did not elicit favor from the Lord. Perhaps this was because, though it had been planned for his glorification, it had aggrandized her and Barak as well. Or perhaps it was because the Lord was not pleased at the people's celebrating the downfall of their enemies. This was strictly forbidden by Torah law, which states:
When Your enemy falls you shall not rejoice.
pg. 188
A war is imminent between Israel and Canaan and the prophetess Deborah is charged with the task of leading Israel in this battle. Deborah seeks assistance from the powerful warrior Barak, in leading this mission. Little does Deborah know that Barak's only requirement for serving his country is to receive a reward that only Deborah can provide! This creates so much tension in Deborah's marriage that her husband divorces her.
Upon the defeat of the Canaanite's, Barak decided that if any women were to his liking he would take them home to possibly serve as a wife to him. Since the end of the battle also released many individuals out of slavery, he offered his home as shelter to these people until they found a permanent resident. Asherah, the Canaanite King's daughter, instantly caught Barak's eye as the woman that he would take for his own and marry. But little did he realize that Nogah, an illigitimate daughter of the King, would also spark a desire within his heart.
It was interesting to learn bits and peices of the Torah law. As an example, Barak kept Asherah in his home but would not have his way with her until she was given her 30 days of mourning after losing her family in the battle. Although this man was quite a player for his time, he was never known to force himself upon any woman. To help him bade the time during Asherah's 30 days of mourning, he would entertain himself with the company of various maids throughout his home. Since Nogah was living in his home as a maid after being freed from her slavery, Barak found himself spending more time with this plain, but not unattractive young lady.
This novel is abundant with Israelite customs that are very interesting to read and compare to today's society. It is also a very passionate book that has you hoping that the characters get what they are looking for in their relationships. What I really loved about this book is that although I could feel the passion bouncing off of the pages, there really were not any sexually explicit scenes or obscene language throughout. I found myself liking almost all of the main characters at one point or another, whether they were Israelite or Canaanite.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and think it would also make an interesting discussion for a book club.
I really loved the way in which this novel opened. Deborah, anxiously awaiting the outcome of the war she sanctioned, was juxtaposed against, Asherah, the young wife of Sisra. Both women wanted their commanders to be successful, but only one would get what she wanted. It set the tone of the novel and got me interested immediately. Given the title, the outcome of the war was not shocking to me, but that war wasn’t the end. Asherah and Deborah continue to be linked through Barak and both of their lives are impacted by Nogah, a Hebrew slave who was freed from King Jabin after the Hebrew defeat of the Canaanites.
The Triumph of Deborah is not what I would consider a typical of biblical fiction. In this novel, all of the characters were portrayed as true human beings, not superhuman beings powered by God. It is not tame and it does not show always show the biblical characters in the most positive, read moral light. The characters in this novel are sensual beings who find ways to rationalize their sexual behavior. The writing is as uninhibited as the characters, making this a novel that I could not recommend to my mother who would otherwise be interested in fiction with a biblical twist. In that way, however, it may open up the world of the Bible to others.
I was very pleased with my first experience in Eva Etzioni-Halevy’s rich early Hebrew world. If I had one complaint about the novel, it was that there wasn’t enough of Deborah in it. I loved her character and would have liked to have gotten to know her even more. The action within the story most definitely followed Barak, but I missed Deborah when she wasn’t front and center. I would have liked to have been with Deborah more as she planned her victory dance with Barak and felt her regret with her afterwards. That being said, I enjoyed Nogah and her story as well. I would highly recommend The Triumph of Deborah and look forward to reading more of Etzioni-Halevy’s fiction.
http://literatehousewife.com/2009/02/142-the-truimph-of-deborah/
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LiterateHousewife | 23 muuta kirja-arvostelua | Feb 14, 2009 |
LiterateHousewife | 23 muuta kirja-arvostelua | Feb 14, 2009 | This novel is set in ancient Israel in the twelfth to the mid eleventh centuries BCE. In this gripping tale, Deborah is a very powerful woman who judged the people of Israel. People from far and wide would come to Deborah to seek judgment and counsel. Deborah was married to Lapidoth, and could hear God’s voice too. Her prophecies were highly revered and mostly came true too. She more than often set out to tell people the wishes of God and to tell them to mend their ways or else the wrath from Heaven would be unbearable.
On one such day, Deborah has a vision, and understands that she has to have a war against the neighboring Canannites, who have been terrorizing the people of Israel and looting them and killing many as well. She summons Barak, the mightiest of all and asks him to launch a war against them. Despite all the odds, they succeed. From the destroyed royal family of the Cannanites, Barak brings back 2 princesses Asherah, the most beautiful of the beauties and Nogah, the illegitimate daughter of the King.. And thus starts a gripping tale of love, disappointment and hatred.
The story weaves around Deborah, but at no point in the novel, do we feel that she is the only person. She is extremely powerful, but never uses her power for anything that’s against Torah rules. She is very humble and generous all throughout but nevertheless not perfect and I really found that aspect of her drawing. Barak on the other hand is one man, who is powerful, intelligent and a womanizer but extremely noble in his heart. He never forces his way with women, but women are drawn to him so much that they feel it a great reward to be with him.
I would love to say that I am in love with Barak’s character, but Nogah is the one who got all my love and anticipation. She is the quite powerhouse of knowledge and love and I identified with her so much too. And for being her aide, I really liked Uriel also.
Being totally clueless about this chapter in the Bible, I was truly amazed at the in depth knowledge about this period of time, that this book bestowed on me. It was fast-paced, well-written and Eva has done full justice to all her characters. I would love to tell you all about each and every character and more about them, but I would like you all to read and ravish and understand.
I give it 5 on 5. And I am thankful that I read this amazing tale that has given me a taste for historical fiction. I am all ready to pick up other titles by Eva herself.
Deborah, a Prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She would sit under the palm tree of Deborah...in the hill country of Efraim, and the Israelites came up to her for judgment. -Judges 4:4-5
The story is about Deborah who was a very powerful woman in Israel-people stood in awe of her. As the above quote from the Bible tells us the people of her land looked to her for guidance and advice so she became a judge in the land. She also felt herself a 'mother figure'-from the time she was young she had taken on the role of telling others how to handle issues and they would abide by her. Deborah was also a prophetess-God spoke to her and she carried out his wishes among his people. Deborah is a fascinating character not only because of the power she had but also the way she was willing to overlook being treated in not a respectful way by men who knew no better-she was a better person than that. When she was dealing with men who did not think a woman's place was that of a leader she would, to some extent, not flaunt her power. I respected that about her-she wasn't arrogant in her power, she just knew it was there and I imagine so did these men and that's what scared them. Deborah is the one who instigates the war between the Israelites and Caanaanites. She had a prophecy from God that they would win so she goes with Barak to war and they do indeed prevail.
However, I don't think that Deborah is the only powerful woman in this novel. There is Nogah, who is the King of the Caanaanite's illegitimate daughter who was powerful in her own more quiet way. She is another character I felt very drawn to. She started out as a slave, her mother Reumah watching over her very closely as she knew who Nogah was. Eventually the King finds out who Nogah is and welcomes her into his heart although will not recognize her publicly. She learns to read and she and her mother have a much better life for a while. Then there is a war and Nogah's life is upset once again. She goes to live in Barak's home being a maid once again. However, she falls in love with him and he with her although he is oblivious at the time and only after she leaves him, does he realize his love. Finally they come together again and in Nogah's quiet way she tells Barak that peace between the Israelites and Caanaanites is the best for both. Deborah agrees and they meet together with the Caanaanites and an agreement of peace is established.
There is so much more than I can ever possibly put in a review. This book is very rich in detail of both the people and the land-I felt as though I was a part of everything happening. It also has a romantic element which is enjoyable. I loved that we saw the power, especially of Deborah, in a time when this was really unheard of. Women had no rights in that time and yet here was Deborah rising above that to be a judge and highly respected.
Eva Etzioni-Halevy has a way of making us love these characters. I felt so strongly for them and their welfare. I was sad to see this novel end-it is a story I could have kept reading for another 400 pages. It is a testament to women that we can overcome almost anything to succeed. We are strong and brilliant and beautiful!
There are many quotes throughout this novel that are amazing but with my love of flowers I picked this out as one of my favorites just for the visual aspect and feeling of peace that it brings to me.
'A gentle breeze was moving the branches of the blooming pomegranate trees and mandrakes, whose fragrances it bore into the distance. A mulitude of colorful wildflowers had sprouted; they glistened like precious stones from the dew of the night that still clung to their petals'.
I think this book is well worth reading especially if you love Biblical fiction. It's a great story with an even greater lesson. Many thanks to Eva for the pleasure of reading this novel. You can visit her website here. For myself, I will definitely be reading her other two novels, The Song of Hannah and The Garden of Ruth.
http://peekingbetweenthepages.blogspot.com/2008/10/triumph-of-deborah-by-eva-etz...
Following the defeat of Canaan, Barak - a powerful man who leads Deborah’s army - takes as prisoner the beautiful, cold-hearted Asherah, the daughter of the Canann King Jabin. He also provides shelter for Asherah’s half sister (and King Jabin’s illegitimate daughter) Nogah who becomes a maid in Barak’s home. Barak is portrayed as a mysoginistic man who seeks carnal pleasure with many women including Deborah, Asherah and Nogah. Interspersed in the romantic plot of the novel is the politics, history and culture of 11th to 12th century Israel.
Etzioni-Halevy has done her research and it shows. She aptly describes the agricultural lifestyle of the times, and introduces the prickly and complex leadership which made up the political structure of this theocracy. The battle scenes and aftermath are vivid and well-written. The central female characters demonstrate simultaneously the lack of women’s rights versus with the strength and power they managed to wield in a world dominated by men. Women of this time period aspired not only to leadership, but sought to find their own voice through literacy…and the novel’s most convincing moments are those which bring the women characters to life.
Etzioni-Halevy falls short, however, when she seeks to show the reader the intimate relationships between these women and Barak. At times the language feels stilted, awkward and contrived, especially during the love scenes. In fairness to the author, I must admit that the historical romance genre is not one I typically read or enjoy and so when the novel veered in this direction I found it off-putting. What Etzioni-Halevy does best is to create scene and historical context for her characters. and it was this part of the book which piqued my interest.
Readers who prefer biblical fiction and historical romance will most likely enjoy this novel.
1 writestuff | 23 muuta kirja-arvostelua | Sep 30, 2008 |
writestuff | 23 muuta kirja-arvostelua | Sep 30, 2008 | Much of the novel focuses on Barak, a reluctant battle leader, and his earthly desires for women and prosperity. He is torn between two women, the one he loves, and his trophy wife. The story is rich in detail, and treats the reader to a story rich with romance, historical tidbits, and just enough conflict to keep it interesting.
Three women play prominently in this story, Asherah, the Canaanite daughter of the defeated and deceased King Jabin; Nogah, the secret daughter of King Jabin; and Deborah, the Israelite Judge and Prophetess. Barak has throws his values out the window and pursues each women in turn, before finally realizing his true love.
Deborah remains level-headed, honorable, and wise throughout the novel. It’s easy to see why she is so admired and respected. At every turn she unselfishly helps anyone in need, and her heart reaps the rewards eventually.
The character I most liked was Nogah. I found her life to be so fascinating as she moved from slave to Kings daughter, to maid, to scribe, to wife. She leads her life in the best way she knows how despite the odds against her at every turn.
Very little of this book focuses on the Jewish religion, instead it’s more about a time period in Israelite history. The writing is at times very formal, but I believe that adds to the overall historical romance feel. I'm not normally a big fan of romance novels, but I do enjoy biblical history and historical fiction, so this was a pleasure to read and certainly enriched my understanding of this time in history.
Tämä sivusto käyttää evästeitä palvelujen toimittamiseen, toiminnan parantamiseen, analytiikkaan ja (jos et ole kirjautunut sisään) mainostamiseen. Käyttämällä LibraryThingiä ilmaiset, että olet lukenut ja ymmärtänyt käyttöehdot ja yksityisyydensuojakäytännöt. Sivujen ja palveluiden käytön tulee olla näiden ehtojen ja käytäntöjen mukaista.
Provides imagined details of Deborah's life as a prophet and judge as well as those of the Israeli warrior Barack and his wives. Describes the ongoing wars between the Jews and the Canaanites, and their eventual peace.
Good.