Haddassah (One Night with the King)

This is the most recent book I read for our book club. The review on the back of the book:

"A gripping action-adventure story, full of political intrigue and suspense, with a brand-new perspective on a historical figure you may think you already know!"

BOTH A PALACE THRILLER AND A JEWISH WOMAN'S MEMOIR, Haddassah brings the age-old story of Esther to life. This historical accurate novel layered with insights provides a fascinating twist on a pivotal time in religious history, and readers will find it bursting with page-turning drama.

How true that review is...The moment I picked up the book, I couldn't put it down. Of all the stories in the Bible that I grew up hearing my mother reading to me as bedtime stories, the story of Esther was by far my favorite. I was always soooo fascinated by this story of a Jewish young girl who witnessed the death of parents and then raised by her cousin in a strange land where everything was so much different from her way of life, who yet despite all odds, was chosen to be queen of a nation. And then her courage and great faith in her God has lead her to do something that could have caused her life to save her people from annihilation in a time and place where women did not really have a voice to speak of (per se). Even the way it was written in the Bible, so precise and to the point, I still find it a wonderful story to read over and over when I was old enough to read on my own.

Tommy Tenny, the author of this book, has totally captured my attention as I'm sure he would yours when you read the book with his great knowledge of the events in the history of the book and add her own seductive flowery words used to enhanced that book's character {Haddassah} and made me more able to relate to this Jewish girl (not that I would ever get anywhere near her lever...I doubt I will ever be as strong as her to stand up against protocal to save my life let alone a whole race of people). But I just love the fact that because the author was soo good at describing this woman in every aspect of her life makes the character seem more real to me. {She went to puberty and hormonal changes and moods just like every girls did...she has her moments of rebelling against those in authority, and all the other little things that we woman went through as teenagers and later as young adults.} Although a lot of the things written in the book may be fictional, there are a lot of factual historical events that makes the book even all the more fun and enjoyable to read.

I would totally recommend this book to anyone interested to read it. You will not be disappointed.