Exceedingly good! My review of "In the Shadow of Jezebel" by Mesu Andrews

about the book....

In a kingdom controlled by cruel and manipulative women, one princess will discover the power of truth and love.

Trained as a priestess in the temple of Baal, Princess Jehosheba strives to please the demanding Queen Athaliah, daughter of Jezebel. But when a mysterious letter from the dead prophet Elijah predicts doom for the royal household, Jehosheba realizes that the dark arts she practices reach far beyond the realm of earthly governments. 

Forced to marry Yahweh's high priest in order to further Athaliah and Jezebel's power plays, Jehosheba enters the unfamiliar world of Yahweh's Temple. Can her new husband show her the truth and love she craves? And can Jehosheba overcome her fear and save the family--and the nation--she loves?

With deft skill, Mesu Andrews brings the Old Testament to life, revealing a fascinating story of the power of unconditional love.

my review....

Mesu Andrews has done it again! I can honestly state that a decade ago, I used to have a secret dread when I picked up a Biblical fiction book, thinking I was already familiar with the story and that there would be nothing new to entertain me. Mesu Andrews has been one of the authors proving how wrong I was, and this genre of fiction has become one of my favourite. "In the Shadow of Jezebel" is an amazing book, written with beautiful prose, and bringing a passage of scripture to life that I hadn't even spent more than a few minutes thinking about. The result is a moving, entertaining read, and one that I found impossible to put down. Both my wife and I devoured this book in one sitting, and were in equal agreement that we'd been left craving more. The characters are well-formed and believable, and absolutely congruent with what scripture describes. Queen Athaliah is brought to life in chilling detail, as is Jezebel, and it is hard to imagine such wickedness ruling over Israel and Judah. Jehosheba is a fabulous character, and Andrews has succeeded at creating a fictional story that could absolutely explain why Sheba ended up acting heroically in the manner she did, even though that meant being at odds with her mom. Ultimately, I turned the final pages having a new appreciation for God's amazing plans and feeling in awe of his holiness. There are many parallels between ancient Israel, bent on chasing after the pleasures of the world rather than remaining true to God, and our own culture. Isn't it amazing how scripture keeps speaking anew to each generation? Andrews has done a great job at bringing scripture to life through the power of fiction.

This is a book that I plan to read again in the future, because any book that not only entertains well but also leaves me devouring scripture is a winner. 5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

 about the author....

Mesu Andrews is the award-winning author ofLove Amid the Ashes, Love's Sacred Song, andLove in a Broken Vessel. Winner of the 2012 ECPA Christian Book Award for New Author, she has devoted herself to passionate and intense study of Scripture, bringing the biblical world vividly alive for her readers. She lives in Washington. Learn more at www.mesuandrews.com.