Monday, June 15, 2015

The Crimson Cord - Jill Eileen Smith


The Crimson Cord: Rahab's Story (Daughters of the Promised Land #1)
Publisher:        Revell

Market:            Christian

Genre:             Biblical Fiction, Historical Fiction

Series:              Daughters of the  Promised Land #1

Length:            368 pages

Pub. Date:       February 17, 2015

 

Description (from Amazon):

Wife to a gambler who took one too many risks, Rahab finds herself sold as a slave to cover her husband's debt. Forced into prostitution by Dabir, counselor to the Syrian king, Rahab despairs of ever regaining her freedom and her self-respect. But when Israelite spies enter Jericho and come to lodge at her house, Rahab sees a glimmer of hope and the opportunity of a lifetime. In one risky moment, she takes a leap of faith, puts her trust in a God she does not know, and vows to protect the spies from the authorities. When the armies of Israel arrive weeks later, Rahab hopes they will keep their promise, but she has no idea what kind of challenges await her outside Jericho's walls--or if she will ever know the meaning of love.

 

My Review:

Rahab is not a person from the Bible I have really spent much time thinking about.  I know the basics:  she saved the spies and she’s in the lineage of Jesus.  That’s about it.  So I found it fascinating to read Smith’s take on the story.  She fills in the details of Rahab’s life in a way that is believable even if speculative. 

Rahab as a character is multi-dimensional.  She is shown with her flaws as well as her growth through those flaws.  The interaction of characters is dynamic and interesting.

I will say that some of the supporting characters seem a bit flat.  But that didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book as a whole. 

In conclusion, an interesting take on the story of Rahab, based on the information found in the Biblical text and expounded on from there. 


My Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

 
 
I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy via the publisher at NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.