Introduction

An inspiring re-imagining of the tale of Esther, a young Jewish woman thrust from a life of obscurity into a life of power, wealth, intrigue . . . and tender love. See the story of Esther in an entirely new way—with all the political intrigue and tension you remember, but told as a passionate and tender love story between a young man and woman. Misunderstood by many, King Xerxes was a powerful but lonely man. Esther’s beauty caught the eye of the young king, but it was her spirit that captured his heart. Imagine anew the story of Esther, one of our faith’s great heroines, destined to play a key role in the history of Christianity.

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Excerpt

485 BC

Esther rose early as usual. She dressed in her brown

robe and overtunic, fitted her veil over her long black

hair, and went out to the courtyard behind her uncle’s

house to begin making the day’s bread—more than she and

her uncle needed because she gave some to the old women in

their community every day. By the time Mordecai came into

the courtyard, she had kneaded the dough and set the loaves

out to rise.

“Tired, Uncle?” Esther asked in a teasing tone as she saw Mordecai yawn. “The Great King’s feast kept you up late last

night.”

Mordecai smiled ruefully. “Far later than I care to be out,

chicken. But I had no choice. All of the palace staff was invited

and the Head Treasurer would have noticed if I did not appear

for the king’s birthday.”

He took a seat on the bench at the small table in the courtyard

and Esther began to assemble their breakfast. The plates

contained dates and figs and slices of yesterday’s bread, which

Esther had warmed in the outdoor oven. She fetched cups of

water from inside the house, Mordecai said the blessing over

the food, and silence fell as they ate.

Esther waited until her uncle had finished before she spoke

again. She and her friends were all curious about the new king,

Ahasuerus, who had only recently arrived in Susa, the capital

of the Persian Empire. It had been a huge surprise two years

ago when the old king, Darius, had chosen him over his other

son, Xerxes, and it made him an intriguing figure. But the real

reason for the girls’ interest was the gossip they had heard in

the marketplace that the king was the most handsome man

who ever lived.

Unfortunately, the Jewish girls who made up Esther’s circle

would probably never have an opportunity to see this paragon

for themselves, but they hoped that Esther’s uncle might have

seen him at the feast.

“Did you get to see the king, Uncle?” Mordecai pushed his plate a little away from him. “No,

Esther, I did not. We menials were crowded into the Apanada,

while the king and the Royal Kin dined inside in splendor. But

I must say that we were treated well. There were huge quantities

of meat and fowl: horses, camels, oxen, donkeys, deer,

ostriches, geese; the countryside must have been decimated to

provide so much food. The wine served was from Damascus, I

was told, and everyone assured me it was excellent.”

“Did you at least take a cup of water?” Esther asked.

Mordecai gave her a stern look and did not reply.

Esther wasn’t surprised. The Jewish community to which

they belonged held strictly to the Mosaic dietary laws. Even a

cup from a Persian kitchen would be unclean for Mordecai.

Esther thought about how thirsty her uncle must have

been and sighed. His look grew sterner. “The Law is the Law,

Esther. Except if you’re that weasel Ezra and his friends. They

were eating and drinking without a thought for what it means

to be Jewish.” His lip curled in disgust. “They were as drunk as

the Persians by the end of the evening.”

This was one topic that Mordecai could hold forth about

for a long time. The Susa Jews were broken into two sects.

The smaller one, to which Mordecai belonged, held strictly to

Mosaic Law. The other sect, comprised of most of the wealthy

Jewish merchants in the city, had assumed many of the ways of

the Persians among whom they lived.

Esther nodded impatiently. view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

From the publisher:

1. The king’s banishment of Vashti is the catalyst for the contest that brings Esther to his attention. How does the shadow of Vashti hang over Esther for the remainder of the book?

2. Do you think Mordecai can really love his niece and at the same time ask her to do something that is so opposed to everything she believes in?

3. It takes a long time for Esther to accept the role that has been thrust on her. What are the steps she must take before she arrives at her decision to stand up for her people?

4. Esther finds herself caught between her love for her husband and her responsibility to her God. Can such a struggle happen in today’s secular world?

5. In the Bible, Haman stands for pure evil. His only motivation is his hatred of the Jews, which is never quite explained. It is a given. How does the novel try to expand Haman’s motivations to greater complexity. Do you think Haman’s actions are believable, given the context of the novel?

6. Does Haman in any way pre-figure Judas?

7. At the beginning of the Book of Esther, the Jews have become in danger of assimilating into the Persian culture and forgetting their special mission from God. Is that happening to Christians today?

8. For Jews the celebration of Purim reminds them that with the gift of survival comes responsibility. Wherever injustice and hatred exist in the world, Jews are called to speak up and lead the call for justice. Does the same call apply to Christians?

9. Does Haman’s plan to destroy the Jews remind you of the Holocaust? Why do you think the Jews have been the target of such hatred over the centuries?

Suggested by Members

by grace4terry (see profile) 10/22/11

Weblinks

»	Publisher's Book Info
»	Author Joan Wolf's web site
»	Email Joan Joan would be happy to call-in to your book club as well as meet with clubs in Connecticut. Email her via her web site to make arrangements.

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Recommended to book clubs by 3 of 3 members.

by grace4terry (see profile) 10/22/11

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