Tags
Biblical fiction, book review, Bookie Monster, Christian fiction, Jill Eileen Smith, Rahab, The Crimson Cord: Rahab's Story
Here we go again, fellow Bookies! The latest installment from your very favorite Monster gets a happy thumbs up! (And one of these days when winter releases its vice grip on the desert, and the present chaos abounding settles down, your well-known and much-missed Bandit Queen will return with her favorite homesteady topics. Promise.)
Le book:
(I don’t own this image, of course)
Le Author: Jill Eileen Smith
Le Review:
Overall, I quite enjoyed this book and would recommend it. It is a unique treatment of the Biblical account of Rahab the harlot, found in the book of Joshua, chapters 2-6. (NOTE: this is not a discussion of whether or not the correct translations indicate that she actually was a prostitute, or merely an innkeeper.)
Pros:
– The author fleshed out Rahab’s story, with the aid of some artistic license, in a very compelling way. Her depiction of “what could have happened” (how Rahab ended up in prostitution, and how she found redemption) is very original while still staying true to the Biblical account (which does leave much to conjecture).
– The plot kept twisting and turning in interesting ways, and kept me reading.
– The ending was . . . maybe a little bit squackish . . . but really pretty cool.
– The personal journey of Rahab’s character as she began to understand faith and love and God was really uplifting.
– I liked how the author slipped in the parable of the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:21-35) as part of the story. Very cool.
Cons:
– It took me a few chapters to really get into the characters. They seemed a little static at first, although they did pick up speed.
– There were a few places where I wish the author would have used fewer and more punchy words, rather than the softer ones that she did. But that could have been a certain tone that she was going for.
Altogether, I thought it was a strong story with a good plot. I enjoyed it, would recommend it, and will be up for reading more of Jill Eileen Smith’s books.
