Book Review: Judah’s Wife by Angela Hunt
I was thrilled to review another of Hunt’s books, because I love the way she brings Biblical women to life. If you haven’t read any of her books, and you like historical fiction, give Hunt a try!
This book is part of her Silent Years series. These books talk about events that occurred between the times of the Old and New Testament. So the characters and events in this books aren’t Biblical but are historical and related to Biblical themes.
That being said, I had a hard time getting through this book, because there was SO much history. Lots of battle descriptions, lots of names of places in Israel, and long blocks of text from the Maccabees. This speaks highly to her research, but it left something to be desired for the plot line and characters.
She did a great job building a backstory for Judah’s wife, but about halfway through, the story lost its momentum because of the historical details. I lost my motivation for pressing through the rest of the book. The plot line just didn’t hold my interest anymore, and the character development was sparse in many parts. I couldn’t find a distinctive climax in the story. For the last half, it was just a lot of going to battle, then times of peace, then back to battle.
However, if you are fascinated by war history and are intrigued by these Silent years or the culture during both King Antiochus IV and V’s reigns, you may enjoy this novel more than I did.
My speedy review:
Suspense? Strong suspense at beginning but less later on
Believable characters? Yes
Steady plot pace? Slows down halfway through
Easy to read? The many details slow you down.
Easy to follow? The battles and battle planning are a little hard to follow.
Would I read this author again? Yes, because I’ve loved her other books.
I received a complimentary copy of this book to read and review, so you could know exactly what to expect from it. After reading my honest notes on the story and writing style, you‘ll hopefully have a better idea about whether or not this book is one you’d enjoy.
