Esther: Royal Beauty {Book Review}
We’ve talked about the story of Esther, especially the ladies in small groups or teaching the children in Sunday school classes. A young beautiful Jewish girl who is brought before the king in hopes that she would become the new queen, but it turns into so much more than this simple story. Esther: Royal Beauty is the first in the A Dangerous Beauty Novel Series by Angela Hunt.
When an ambitious tyrant threatens genocide against the Jews, an inexperienced young queen must take a stand for her people.
When Xerxes, king of Persia, issues a call for beautiful young women, Hadassah, a Jewish orphan living in Susa, is forcibly taken to the palace of the pagan ruler. After months of preparation, the girl known to the Persians as Esther wins the king’s heart and a queen’s crown. But because her situation is uncertain, she keeps her ethnic identity a secret until she learns that an evil and ambitious man has won the king’s permission to exterminate all Jews–young and old, powerful and helpless. Purposely violating an ancient Persian law, she risks her life in order to save her people…and bind her husband’s heart.
The story of Esther has always fascinated me, in that she is such a strong female character in the Bible which is dominated by good and evil, powerful men. She’s an orphan who is brought before the king in hopes of winning his favor as he searches for a new queen. But she hides an important secret about herself, knowing that if she ever reveals it, much harm will fall on herself and probably any family she has left, including her uncle, Mordecai.
This is a fictionalized account of the story of course, but it follows the tale that most of us have learned over time. It takes from meeting her as a young, scared and even selfish girl through her journey into the beautiful, loving and selfless woman that sacrifices her love and her life to save others.
I won’t give away the end for you, but I will recommend this book to women wanting to learn more about characters from the Bible or even book groups looking for a good book to discuss. Just remember to compare the story to Scripture, as the Bible only tells us so much while the author tries to fill in the blanks.
You can buy your own copy of Esther: Royal Beauty from Amazon. You can also learn more about the author on her website.
Disclosure of Material Connection: This post may contain an affiliate link which means if you click and make a purchase, I may receive a form of compensation or payment. I received a copy of this book from the Bethany House Blogger Review program in exchange for an honest review.
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