I am leading a short Bible study/book club focusing on the women who were present at Jesus’s tomb on Resurrection Sunday. It has been a fun and meaningful look at little known women who followed and supported Jesus and His ministry. We chose the Biblical novel, Before The King by Heather Kaufman as a compliment. This book cements Kaufman as a must-read author. Find out more below.
Joanna’s wealthy family aspires to Herod’s inner circle, but when her father’s esteemed position in the Sepphoris Sanhedrin is threatened, her family harbors a dark secret. Entangled in the complexities of aristocratic life and an impending arranged marriage, Joanna is caught between her own desires and maintaining appearances. When tragedy strikes, Joanna grapples with a new future that challenges her sense of duty and hope for love.
Years later, Joanna is forever changed when a rabbi comes preaching a new kingdom and healing the sick. As she contributes to his ministry, Joanna treads a perilous path between a court that mocks Jesus of Nazareth, disciples who view her with suspicion, and a husband who guards his own secrets. With pressure increasing on all sides, Joanna must decide where her allegiances lie and protect her relationship to the Christ, whose message is as compelling as it is dangerous.
Heather Kaufman lives in the Midwest with her husband and three children. She holds a BA from McKendree University and an MA from the University of Missouri—St. Louis. When not reading or writing, she can be found drinking copious amounts of coffee and exploring new parks with her family.
My Impressions:
I think Biblical fiction must be a tricky genre to write. An author has to balance the truth of the scripture with conjecture of every day life events not mentioned in the Bible. I have found the novels by Heather Kaufman, author of two books in the Women of The Way series, to be excellent examples of the way it should be done. Kaufman presents a very convincing what-if in her latest book, Before The King. Set primarily in and around Herod’s court during the ministry of Jesus, this book is well-researched from the standpoint of the culture of the time and the Biblical record as found in the gospels. While little is really known about Joanna, the wife of an advisor of Herod, Kaufman has done a creditable job of fleshing out her story. Yes, the early life of Joanna is fictional, but the way it is portrayed in the novel reads as real and, above all, relatable to a modern reader. And when Joanna meets Jesus . . . Kaufman captures how someone must have felt — awe, wonder, reverence, devotion, and the reality of finally being seen. I loved the fictional storyline that Kaufman weaves of a woman looking for connection, but it is the spiritual truths that underpin the narrative that makes this book special. I saw Herod’s court and Jesus’s disciples in a new light, one that prompted me to open my Bible to find out the real story. I think that is the best thing Biblical fiction can do — point its reader to the Word of God, and Before The King certainly does that!
I look forward to discussing this book with the members of my Bible study/book club group. I can recommend Before The King to those who love historical fiction that makes the reader think and long to find out the rest of the story.
Highly Recommended.
Audience: Adults.
(Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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