Hunt, Angela. Esther, Royal Beauty: A Dangerous Beauty Novel. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers. 2015.

SUMMARY:
Shared from two differing points of view, Hadassah (Esther) and Harbonah (an eunuch of the king), Angela Hunt weaves the story of Esther in new light. Taken as a young girl and chosen as the wife of the king, Esther is called upon to save her people though hiding her identity. Told from accurate detail yet mingled with fiction, Esther is a book of a beautiful woman who was designed by God for a purpose.

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
Following a personal goal to try new genres, I read Esther; however, I did not truly care for the novel. While the concept was intriguing, the book did not keep my interest for long. The balance of history and fiction was disjointed in that the sections told through the perspective of Harbonah, became didactic – or in other words, it became too much of a history textbook experience. Though Esther had a purpose in saving her people (the Jews), this aspect of the Bible story was not drawn to the forefront of the novel; thus, the opportunity to expound on Esther’s beauty as a gift designed for God’s purposes was missed. The story of Esther appeared to be used as an opportunity to take liberties that result in content that may be too graphic for a conservative reader’s taste or a younger audience. Esther is part of the Dangerous Beauty series with Bathsheba and Delilah due out in the future.

RATING:
2 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of Esther, Royal Beauty from Bethany House Publishers for my honest review*