Egypt’s Sister by Angela Hunt was my book club’s October selection. I have to admit I found it a slow go at first, but as main character Chava grew, I found that I could not put this book down. It received a recommended rating from all of us.
Five decades before the birth of Christ, Chava, daughter of the royal tutor, grows up with Urbi, a princess in Alexandria’s royal palace. When Urbi becomes Queen Cleopatra, Chava vows to be a faithful friend no matter what — but after she and Cleopatra have an argument, she finds herself imprisoned and sold into slavery.
Torn from her family, her community, and her elevated place in Alexandrian society, Chava finds herself cast off and alone in Rome. Forced to learn difficult lessons, she struggles to trust a promise HaShem has given her. After experiencing the best and worst of Roman society, Chava must choose between love and honor, between her own desires and God’s will for her life.
Christy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who have learned to expect the unexpected in novels from this versatile author. With over five million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 150 works ranging from picture books to novels.
Now that her two children are grown, Angie and her youth-pastor husband live in Florida with Very Big Dogs (a direct result of watching Sandlot too many times). This affinity for mastiffs has not been without its rewards–one of their dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest canine in America. Their dog received this dubious honor after an all-expenses-paid trip to Manhattan for the dog and the Hunts, complete with VIP air travel and a stretch limo in which they toured New York City. Afterward, the dog gave out paw-tographs at the airport.
When she’s not home writing, Angie often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences. And to talk about her dogs, of course.
Readers may visit her web site at http://www.angelahuntbooks.com.
My Impressions:
While suspense and contemporary genres are my book club’s favorites, we always include a historical novel or two in our yearly selections. Egypt’s Daughter took us to the ancient world of Alexandria and Rome. We didn’t know a lot about this time period, so we appreciated the detailed descriptions of the history and culture of the time. While there are a great many differences from our modern age, there are plenty of parallels. Slavery was a common practice and this, combined with the lack of value of human life, produced a brutal reality for those who were vulnerable. Unfortunately, the hearts of men haven’t changed as much as technology. The author included a number of historical figures within the narrative, giving this book authenticity. Egypt’s Sister is part of the Silent Years series — a time between Testaments in which God chose not to speak to His people through His prophets. That doesn’t mean that God was absent, and as main character Chava discovered, He is always present guiding and directing, providing and protecting. As a means to distract Chava from the court of Cleopatra, her father tasks her to record all the names of God beginning in Genesis. This proved to be invaluable as Chava faced trials. This just reinforced to me the importance of studying scripture — God’s written promises will be there when you need them.
I readily admit that this book did not grab me. I struggled to stay engaged in the story. Chava was a naive, sheltered, and somewhat willful character. The turning point in her life was also a turning point in the story for me. Chava’s growth as a character kept me turning the pages. So if you find the book slow, stick with it. You’ll be glad you did. My book club found a lot to talk about — from the historical context, to the workings of God in His people’s life, to amusing views on labor and delivery. Our conversation stayed focused on the book — always a good sign. 😉
Recommended.
Great for Book Clubs.
Audience: adults.
(I purchased this book from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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