4.5 stars

This was my first book by this author, and it will definitely not be my last. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator’s performance. The chapters run a little long (around 20–35 minutes each), but the story itself was so immersive that I often felt like I was right there watching it unfold.

This beautifully written novel takes a small glimpse of a woman mentioned in the Bible and expands her life into a deeply moving, faith-filled story. Afshar does a wonderful job of bringing Elianna to life and weaving themes of healing, redemption, and courage throughout her journey. The character growth is inspiring, watching Elianna struggle with tragedy and loss, yet still grow in her faith and ultimately surrender to the Lord, was powerful and transformative. The ending messages about forgiveness were especially impactful.

That being said, this was not always an easy story to read. Elianna endures tremendous sorrow, including the death of loved ones, attempted sexual assault, thoughts of suicide, and years of illness. There are also issues of infertility and miscarriage. Sensitive readers should check trigger warnings. None of these moments is overly graphic, but they are heavy and heartbreaking. Still, seeing how she persevered, how her faith grew stronger, and how she experienced healing through Jesus made the journey worth it.

I also appreciated the insight into Jewish life and customs during that time, as well as the portrayal of how women were viewed and treated in that society. It opened my eyes and gave me more context that makes me want to both read more of the Bible and seek out more biblical retellings.

Overall, this story was encouraging, transformative, and deeply moving. Despite the sorrow, it is a hopeful novel filled with faith, forgiveness, and redemption. I highly recommend it to Christians and anyone who enjoys biblical fiction, and I am already looking forward to reading more of Tessa Afshar’s work.

**This book is part of a historical fiction real-time reaction episode, which you can listen to here.