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onejordo's review against another edition
3.0
Good story but I didn't love the writing. The whole modern day letter thing should have been done away with.
annabellee's review against another edition
4.0
Esther's story, embellished and expanded, a lovely story of romance and tragedy thwarted.
annareads1452's review against another edition
5.0
I cannot believe that this book was written by a man! It so clearly shows a woman's heart and how God loves his daughters! I have always loved the story of Esther. She carried such immense favor in her life. This book was incredible!!! All women and especially those married or engaged should read it
naturallybookish's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
moniquehorn's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of the more enjoyable christian fiction novels that I have read. It stayed true to the tale we all know whilst straying just enough into fiction that allowed for the story to come into quite a lovely piece of work.
Tenney tells the story of Esther with such heart and writes her with such passion that you can only hope to imagine that this was what she could have been like. His style is easy to follow and he creates such intricate moments between characters that you cannot help but smile. The relationships between each person were very real and intimate because he wrote them with just enough restraint to keep the sweetness subtle without fraying into the mediocre.
Though this story would have gained nine if not ten stars from me if the end had not felt so rushed. The first 350 pages, or so, were lined with such an underlying intensity that it made you feel like you were within the story itself; whereas the pages which carried the story to its end felt as though I were reading it straight from the bible itself, it felt more like a historical recollection if you will.
Tenney brought this story to life, but those last pages lacked a heart the beginnings of the book so beautifully contained.
This story brought me close to tears whilst being in awe of Esther's love for the Lord and for her king.
8/10 Stars.
Tenney tells the story of Esther with such heart and writes her with such passion that you can only hope to imagine that this was what she could have been like. His style is easy to follow and he creates such intricate moments between characters that you cannot help but smile. The relationships between each person were very real and intimate because he wrote them with just enough restraint to keep the sweetness subtle without fraying into the mediocre.
Though this story would have gained nine if not ten stars from me if the end had not felt so rushed. The first 350 pages, or so, were lined with such an underlying intensity that it made you feel like you were within the story itself; whereas the pages which carried the story to its end felt as though I were reading it straight from the bible itself, it felt more like a historical recollection if you will.
Tenney brought this story to life, but those last pages lacked a heart the beginnings of the book so beautifully contained.
This story brought me close to tears whilst being in awe of Esther's love for the Lord and for her king.
8/10 Stars.
elusiverica's review against another edition
3.0
The story of Esther, the Jewish queen of Persia who saved her people from being slaughtered. There were parts of this book I liked and parts I didn’t. It’s a great story, and one I already knew and cared for. It was atmospheric, it was gripping, and despite most of the book being about living in the concubine’s quarters of the palace waiting for things to happen, it never felt boring. But I didn’t like the historically inaccurate swastikas as the emblem of those who wanted to kill the Jewish people. Didn’t like the way it skipped from first person to third person even though the whole thing was supposed to be a letter written by Esther. I realise she was not present for the events described in third person and that’s why they did it, but maybe you shouldn’t include scenes that the person telling the story has no way of knowing anything about. If you don’t want to leave them out, don’t structure the book as a personal letter. And finally, I didn’t like the message Esther kept hammering of “It’s all about him. Think about his pleasure, his desires, not your own. In fact, make your desire to fulfill his desires and your greatest pleasure to bring him pleasure.” I mean, if your goal is to seduce a king, as Esther’s was, that’s a legit strategy. But the book seemed to be presenting it as general relationship advice even for women in the modern world (the distant descendent of Esther’s who was reading the letter certainly took it that way), and I am not comfortable with that.
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